Tall Ships in the Best Weather of the Year

How to do justice to this event through a typically perfect late-July weekend of weather and with space for so few photos? Just try, using one mosaic, that's how.
These weekends are often the best of the summer here. The intense clear luminosity you can see. Can you feel the late-afternoon/early evening warmth, tuned to perfection by a very slight cooling breeze from the ocean? Nobody wants to go home, or be inside, so what could be better than to head for this particular area of the rejuvenateddocks to see 75 tall ships from all over the world in town for 4 days before racing on down to Cádiz, Spain?

The ships were all open for visits and on Saturday afternoon, 1000s arrived to take up the offer from 6 to 9 p.m. You can see some of the line to cross the pedestrian bridge to get to the largest ships. I had no patience for that, preferring to walk & talk with Portelini, watching, shooting pics.
Sometimes we'd come across groups of immaculately-uniformed sailors from the most prestigious ships, like the ones in the top-left pic - Italian I think. Reminded me instantly of an old English song of the 1920s (no, not personally!): "All the nice girls love a sailor..."
And after, it was just perfect to climb the ancient steps up to the terrace of the Museo de Arte Antiga, where this cool temporary open-air bar had been set up for the best nights of the year, until the August holiday exodus empties the city. Great atmosphere, great view down on to the port, all those masts and the sun taking its leave into the Atlantic.
Come back soon friends & see what the unforgettable departure of the ships next day looked like........ PS - after all that, i discover Blogger can't handle it & has spoiled the last photo. The missing half shows other people sitting & chatting over their drinks. Care-free summer. Pity, butyou can at least see the view beyond. Sorry folks! I'm upset & going into a sulk now.grrrrrr!!