WAGS 19.10.2022: A Slow Walk and A Speedy Blog

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 Rod´s report dated 20. 10 2022:-


«On a somewhat gloomy, well weatherwise, morning an average sized group of WAGS for these days, namely John & Hazel, Maria, Janet, Myriam and Rod, gathered at Bensafrim market square cafe.

 Punctuality no longer the essence, we wandered off up through the village after a coffee or two. 

A condominium ! Down town Bensafrim will never be the same.

 Notable in Bensafrim is the obviously well spent, and indeed perhaps even honestly spent Junta funds....the market is well looked after, 

the Centro de Saúde brand new, the football stadium well equipped and looked after, even a clean public loo available....can be done.  We strolled (well that seems to be the pace these days) up the track to the windmill at the top of the ridge to the north of Bensafrim. 


Near the top we were overtaken (see, it happens nowadays!) by a sprightly group of ladies (!?) presumably professional dog-walkers as they had in tow a string of hounds of assorted breeds and behaviours.



 They were followed by a fellow on his trusty steed who didn't seem particularly willing to stop and chat. 

 The windmill hasn't collapsed yet and indeed the somewhat dangerous stairs still support the weight of both Maria and Hazel!






 On we strolled in a northerly direction and even the steepish hill to the top of the next ridge was achieved  without too much ado. 

I´m sure I felt a spot of rain


One of many pauses for chat

 Down in the next valley we had observed a year ago the beginnings of some dubious land development. This has progressed only somewhat...a couple of mobile homes have appeared, the beginnings of some structures and a range of assorted fencing posts and string stuck in somewhat randomly. What is eventually planned, or indeed not planned, is unclear. Nobody was around to elucidate.

Fence is no problem, so far !
At the crossroads on the next ridge we engaged in a brief discussion on the subject of whither next, democratic as we have become these days. In the event it was decided, unanimously indeed, to eschew the shorter way back and ascend to the next ridge which involves a sort of switchback route curving west  and then back south. 


Having reached the top the group split in two and at the next fork the advance guard as usual took their own decision and turned left... which would have taken them back down towards the shorter route. They were summonsed back...mildly disgruntled of course! 

 From resulting conversation the varied metabolic systems of WAGS became more apparent and murmurings of delayed lunch became louder. We compromised and took a shortcut down an intervening valley, passing through, according to signposts anyway as there are no longer any actual houses, the hamlet of Monte Amarelo.


Along the way, plaintiff calls from Paul indicated that the  appointment, initially precluding his attendance, concluded,  he was hungry and when and where were we having lunch. In the event, as we didn't have an answer to either, he gave in to his hunger pangs alone. 




Back at Bensafrim, was this the "trusty steed" we had seen earlier?

 And so we returned to Bensafrim  but only to collect cars as all eating establishments  there were closed, and we were obliged  to move onwards via Cotifo (passing the edge of the huge new solar panel farm - see map) to Odeiáxere.....

....where we got to our dependable old café there, happily now restored to full working order after last season´s renovations. 

Archive picture 12.01.2022










 The walk statistics speak for themselves....the total distance of 8.5k was par for WAGS but telling was the difference between total elapsed  time and moving time....about one hour. What could we have been doing for all that time indeed? »


And, at the Café, a leisurely lunch with an enhanced menu with some excellent food and drink.


Dourada

Petiscos de Bacalhau

Entremeada grelhada




We have had it before, but why not again?








Comments

  1. John Hope21 October 2022 at 10:21

    Feel free to comment - if you can.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paulo a Pe21 October 2022 at 20:02

    I am in awe of the communication and speed of this blog. Almost as if it were hatched out en route. If I hadn't had an acute problem in commenting via my iPad I would remember what I meant to say early this morning, but I have suffered an inordinate amount of distraction today. I almost sympathise with those of you who have had trouble commenting previously. This blog allows anonymous comments, which is NOT a signal to make injurious and lewd comments anonymously, but to get your thought on the event on paper to encourage the Bloggers and Leaders and thank them for their efforts. Do not forget to tell us who you are in the text of the comment to avoid further gossip.
    Anyway, it was a walk like a Parson's egg. Accurate and within parameters for the walk itself, but inordinately long and leading to excessive fasting by some. Personally I cracked by 1 pm having made a wonderful black and white sausage omelette, as part of my intermittent fasting diet.
    The two men on the walk were indeed fortunate to be accompanied by 4 lovely hand maidens. Such an overwhelming abundance of feminine pulchritude is not to be ignored these days!! However it did remind me of the old joke (which no doubt Yves will tell you) of the Old Bull, The Young Bull and the bunch of heifers in the distance. Though which of our two virile octogenarians is the old bull and which the young one, I won't attempt to hazard a guess..
    Personally, I was fenced in to a massage table with a preposterously strong wench with hands like spanners. As I reeled out of the place having been pummelled in places where I didnt have places, I replied to the lady that I felt marvellous and had a spring in my step,- but not before I had enjoyed the reviving pleasures of a good cuppa Joe. The next day recovering from the bruising encounter, i did feel much more limber, so much so that I booked again and alas she was only free on Wednesday. Or at least that is what she said.
    A great example of the statisticians art. Several repetitions in places, but the more stats the better, unless there are some tasty anecdotes to cover the glaring gaps in the narrative. 8.5 km in 205 minutes works out at around 40 meters a minute, roughly the speed of an Old Bull saving energy by not running towards a group of heifers. Coincidence? I think not!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Myriam25 October 2022 at 21:28

    It was a good walk at gentle pace. The temperature was perfect, and we didn't get wet at all!! Even the lunch was served at a gentle pace. By the time we left for home, it was nearly 3 pm! A day well spent! Thank you, leader!

    ReplyDelete

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