WAGS 30.03.2022: A Guided Tour from Caravela to Tinhosas and Back

 

At first it had looked very likely that there would be a minimal turn-out for this week´s Saunter from Poço Frito´s Café Martins, what with the Frews and the Vismés all being away on cruises and the Whittles about to depart for an icy Edinburgh.(From those cruises, those lucky enough to have been admitted to the exclusive WhatsApp Gourmet Sub-group are being tantalised every day with pictures of the finest at-sea cuisine. Among the various delicacies that we have been shown have been King Crab and an intriguing menu item from Myriam "Roasted Chicken That Never Had A Sexual Life." I kid you not - no doubt Myriam will explain when she returns.)

Be all that as it may, come the day, Chris and Rachel joined us from East Africa (or at least arose from their sick beds to do so), Peter Long came Along too, and Ingrid emerged from her habitual seclusion but, as always, bringing the sun with her. So we had a reasonably sized group after all.

The Starters: Peter Along, Rachel, Hazel, Yves, JohnH, Maria, Chris, Ingrid.

Café Martins being under new management and the cooking facilities also having been revamped, we were curious to see what they would come up with.

JohnH´s Achilles tendon still playing up, so he decided he would not actually lead the walk but instead he would conduct it from the comfort of his car and so had chosen an easily drivable track.

Now, if you can cast your mind back a couple of walks, you will recall the Crisis Sub-committee meeting at Alvor. One of the resolutions passed at that meeting without opposition, query, or outright attempt at sabotage, was that members of the group other than the regular bloggers should do their bit by submitting pieces for the blog. It is therefore very encouraging that this week we do indeed have one such piece. According to its author, the names of guilty parties have been omitted to preserve the innocents. And in that spirit, it is left to you the reader to guess the writer´s identity.

Here is his submission, virtually untouched.

"The day dawned bright and breezy as it may do at this time of year…

At Café Martins, the Leader (Conductor) and his trusty Deputy waited patiently, sitting out of the cool wind on the small terrace; soon, a motley crew of Walkers joined them and the air was full of the usual hubbub of many exchanges drowned by the roar of traffic ignoring the speed limit only feet from the group.

After the Leader (Conductor) failed signally to include a passing vehicle in the Starters picture (see note 1 below), he gathered the attentive troop for a most unexpected announcement: he would lead the walk from his car and supervise his Deputy’s progress with a keen eye.

The Deputy was indeed clutching a piece of paper sporting a squiggly red line claiming to be the route for the morning.

Off we set and up the hill we went past some new constructions: very modern and with vast expanses of glass but forcing us to stay on tarmac; never mind. 

It is then that we realised that the Leader (Conductor) meant what he said: his blue car (not quite as attractive a shade of blue as another car, I think) was lurking at the back of the group, eventually forcing its way past and away…

Look Out. He´s behind you. Oh no he´s not ! Oh yes he is.

With full confidence on the Deputy’s navigational skills, we marched into the sunshine: the morning light bringing colour and sparkle to the vistas of the golf course and the orchards below us; nice! 

But then, lurking almost out of sight, the blue car was waiting…

As the walk progressed, the scenario repeated itself several times: chatter, banter, more chatter, and some scrumping: blue car and Leader (Conductor) in ambush around a quiet corner! Some tried to shake him off by taking a wrong turn but the Deputy brought these wayward rebels under control very quickly and in such a nice manner, too… It was almost tempting to recidivate (old lags may know the term, magistrates do!) (see note 2 below) just for the feeling of being 6-years old again and gently scolded by Mum, one WAG was heard to say…

And so, the happy collection of wandering Geriatrics made their way back to Café Martins where they were quite surprised to witness a wonder of modern science, technology and blind faith: Quantum Frogging! (see note 3 below)

As the Walkers hove into view, the Leader (Conductor) and the Frog observed some profound incredulity among them: “How? When? We thought… Did you fly? You were behind the bush behind me… Is that possible? Mary, come and have a look! Is that a Bifana? Did the Frog get served first again?” Etc.

Leaving these incredulous folk to their perplexity, the Leader (Conductor) then moved inside the Café where the hostess produced a huge dish of pork stew: hot, tasty and soon consumed with eager appetites; undaunted, the hostess produced another equally large dish that received the same treatment! Fresh air and exercise cause famished Walkers to take no prisoners!

Sande  queijo; it is rumoured that Yves had a bifana

Rancho de Grão com Carne de Porco

Delicioso

Dessert courtesy Yves

Oh! I´ll have one of those !

Coffee and chocolate completed the après-saunter and we went our separate ways: happy, replete and having enjoyed yet another experience, remote Leading (Remote Conducting). 

Thanks to all for a good day!"

Note 1: no, he did not fail. He captured it perfectly. 

Note 2: "recidivate" - rare usage, origin 16th Century, intransitive verb meaning "of a convicted criminal) to re-offend," Related to recidivism, from the French récidivisme; Latin recidivus "a falling back."

Note 3 how the Frog jumped over them all.

The Track and the Statistics (courtesy Ingrid)

And just in case any of you calendar watchers were wondering what day of the year 30th March was (if you remember March 23rd was National Melba Toast Day), you could chose between National Take a Walk in the Park Day and National Manatee Appreciation Day. The former is probably more appropriate.

Closing music - a bit of sunshine - twice -  OK, two bits then.