See you later Spain!

Since Tarfia, the sun is appearing in the morning from the inland, and saying goodnight behind the ocean. I specially enjoy these kind of sunsets, they are plenty of energy.

After Cadiz, I quickly enter into the big natural park of Doñana. At the large beach it is difficult to find a decent tree to protect from the sun, so I have to use my self-made sail in order to get some shadow. Thereby I can cook the fish without getting myself cooked by the sun.



Before leaving Spain behind, and entering in Portuguese waters, I have the pleasure to meet a very nice couple in Punta Umbria. Oli and Tino invite me to their house for breakfast and chat a bit about live. They want to know about my trip. Oli worries a bit and her mother spirit comes out, fulling my kayak with goods, and three homemade omelets (tortilla de patatas!) mmmmh!

But I also get to know about them. Tino and his friend Niko show me around and tell me about the crisis specially in the construction sector, as so many people have been affected. It makes you think a lot. I had this topic during the whole journey, seeing it from the sea, and also getting to know about it through all the Spanish Mediterranean coast and Costa de la Luz (south Atlantic coast). A final conclusion can be now done.

The very first coast line has been literally invaded by the construction boom. When it started, nobody cared whether the tourism (at a glorious moment back then) would get lower, which is perfectly normal to expect. As capitalism itself, everybody was thinking about growing, more and more. So they just constructed more and more, no matter the place, the price or the quantity of corruption, invading natural parks, eliminating cliffs or whole mountains and so on. It is difficult to accept that it has been allowed such atrocities to the ecosystems and to the beauty of nature. It makes you feel even more stupid when such concrete constructions are only filled with people one or two months of the year (July and August). And now it gets to the highest level of shame when, because of regression in the tourism sector, in so many places the majority of buildings remain permanently empty. It is unbelievable how you still hear that there are projects to be approved of big constructions with golf courses in the middle of natural parks. With it they might get new clients of course, but I don't know from where they will get the water in this always drier Spain. Maybe take it out from the poor people is a solution that already came to their brains. Or maybe construct a new nuclear or thermal power plant which would supply a desalination plant. It would not surprise me after all.

But I also have to say, that I saw remarkable attitudes, such as the naturalisation of the ClubMed in Cap de Creus, or having stopped the illegal project El Algarrobico in the natural park Cabo de Gata - Nijar, which consisted in 8 hotels and a golf course.

Hopefully such examples are more and more often in the future, and the word "sustainability" takes more priority in the society, especially in the economy sector and in the brains of these "smart people" which today are only programmed with "money making".  And at the end avoid that millions of people with good heart and working discipline as Tino, Niko and their families do not get affected because of further irresponsibilities and speculations.