Saturday 20 April 2019

A gale howled and rain pounded on the deck over night, but it had just gone through when we got up and we left Chris to have a lie in, while we ran out along the running path, past the fishing harbour and the container port to the end of the breakwater with a different view across the harbour. It was great to run on this especially laid surface with a bit of bounce. On the way back we detoured off to the small shops for fresh supplies. We were delighted one stall in the fish market was open, as was the bakery, whose staff know we always want intergrale (wholewheat) bread. We could almost just say “the usual please”. We also found the little shops, almost like in a souk, selling meat, fruit and vegetables.

After breakfast we visited first the Museo del Teatro Romano. This is where you see the Roman theatre in all it’s glory. It was built in the late first century BC, seated 7000 but only discovered in 1985 and with excavations made between 1990 and 2003. It was built into the side of the hill to save cost and was the main entertainment centre for a wealthy Roman city, mainly to spread propaganda about the Roman rulers. You are able to walk through corridors, radial stairways, stage and orchestra. It is splendid to see.

Next our cultural tour took us to the Punic Wall. This is part of the city wall dating to 229 BC, when Hasdrubal founded the city. Blocks of sandstone were brought from nearby quarries to erect two parallel walls 10 metres high, occupying three floors. Beside the wall, we were able to see the funeral crypt of the hermitage of San Jose (St Joseph), built during the 16th and 17th centuries, where the brotherhood were interred in wooden coffins set in niches in the walls. It was originally decorated with paintings, whose theme was the Dance of Death. This was rather macabre.

As it then started raining late afternoon, we assume to processions were cancelled so had a relaxed supper in.

Distance covered today	0	nautical miles
Trip distance covered	99	nautical miles
Distance covered 2019	99	nautical miles
Tricia (and Steve)