WAGS 28.12.2022: Twixmas Adventure in Lagos

 

‘Twas the period called ‘Twixmas’ and all through the house,
the family was knackered, including the mouse.

It’s a strange time of year – a real no-mans land.
We lose track of the days and don’t understand.

Mum was hormonal and bursting to cry.
Dad was bewildered and wondering why?

She’s suffering, see, with that damn menopause.
Her face is now redder than old Santa Clause!

The needles are falling from the Christmas tree.
The joy of the presents beneath, history.

The fridge is now groaning with cheese and cooked meat.
Only toffees remain in the Quality Street.

The kids are complaining there’s nothing to do,
but we’re all isolating because of ‘that flu’.

The poor dog is wondering what’s going on.
Half the family have been struck down with Omicron.

The TV is showing too many repeats,
and we are beginning to run low on treats.

The piles of rubbish betray all our sins,
as we ponder which day we should put out the bins.

Festive jumpers and fairy lights start to look tragic,
as Christmas retreats and it loses it’s magic.

With Christmas behind us it’s hard to believe,
the season is over except New Year Eve.

Use this time to relax, to re-energise,
self-care is important, and altogether wise.

There are tips on our blog so read it with glee,
and a Happy New Year to you from Myriam and me

John beat me to it by a short head and invited WAGS to a walk on Wednesday 28thDecember, but as I had been hoping for a real Western Algarve walk rather than the ubiquitous Central Algarve series, and as it would be the last walk which Myriam and I might join before a long sojourn to Cuba and the West Indies, I prevailed and he acceded (rather too readily) to my request.

    John and his ladies, Hazel (that's no lady - that's my wife), Geraldine and Maria arrived just before 10 am at our apartment where not only the Siemens EQ9 coffee machine is located, but also the state of the art Komoder Victoria Massage Throne.

Premium Home Coffee Dispenser

The Komoder Victoria 2 = ready to ride.

The coffee machine was fired up and duly dispensed, with orders of exotic Oriental Teas and cinnamon biccies. Two of the ladies risked their reputation by mounting the Massage chair (programmed for Peak Pleasure.)

Geraldine - Netflix and Chill

Ooh That hit the spot !! (Maria encounters the Symbian roller)

During this Yves arrived having used John's coords successfully, but strangely none of he men volunteered to risk a Fate worse than Death.

I sacrificed myself to demonstrate the Zero G fully relaxed mode and nearly missed the walk.

Batteries recharged and bladders emptied we drove off after some confusion in 2 cars, and parked at a carpark less than halfway along Meia Praia to give us about 7 km of light sauntering.

Starter photo at Car Park: Yves, Paul, Maria, Geraldine, Hazel, John, and Myriam

    The newly publicised Meia Praia boardwalk is largely finished, with about 700 meters at the town end and some side fence finishing to complete.

    The media has it at 4 km in all, but one of the workers said it would go all the way to the Mole at the Alvor end making it 6 km in length. It is much wider than the Alvor boardwalk at 3 meters and an imposing hefty and expensive structure, above the dunes at the back of the beach.

Easy walking

A few unfinished sections.

Here, I have the good fortune to have Yves burst into print to support my rusty efforts.

WAGS on the beach, eventually; December 28 2022

 

The day dawned bright, as it does so boringly around these parts… It was to be a grand day again, and no mistake, then!

After a short pause to spare a thought for those stuck in negative temperatures in the UK -  come back, the water is lovely!- a small but perfectly formed group of WAGS convened in Lagos with the intention of losing some of the excess calories gained during the Christmas indulgences. Those who knew how to reach Paul and Myriam’s apartment did so effortlessly; those who did not know relied on others’ instructions to follow their Gimps’ Proximity Situational devices…

At the pre-arranged departure hour, we were entertained by the amazing mechanical/electronic/complicated movements and contortions of a ‘Commode’ from another world –its legality is dividing the Geneva Convention Committee, apparently- and time flew by while coffee was drunk, biscuits were nibbled and ladies’ dainty feet were kitted out with sandals from a Cornucopian cave…

The caravan of cars did set off after a few more kerbside negotiations and lifts over a distance of 100 yards or more, even!

By brunch-time, we had parked up and John set up his camera for the traditional Starters’ picture: EVERYONE reminded him to collect the camera before walking off.

Little mention needs to be made of the newly laid and unfinished board-walk; as older Geordies were heard to remark aboot ‘Adrian’s waal: ‘It’ll be grand when it’s finished, like, aye…’

Off onto the sands, then, and soon the upright figure of a man wearing but a smile hove into view: us men ducked this way; them ladies ducked that way and it took a while for the party to regroup… What could have kept them? On the way ‘there’ we stopped to discuss Food several times: was the sea-bird collected by Hazel better with pomegranate or sweet potatoes? Was the jellyfish suitable as the base for a sherry trifle? Were Yves’ walnuts truly money-tree seeds as he asserted? So many questions, so much doubt and confusion…

As ever, the Leader’s navigation along the beach was faultless: the WAGS safely negotiated the return from ‘there’ to ‘back’. A near Grand Prix start to a suitable eatery startled onlookers as the WAGS made their ravenous race towards sustenance… Alas, while there was plenty of seating available, ‘Prato do dia? Acabou!’, ‘Sopa do dia? Acabou!’, ‘Sagres? Ha! Ok we’ll have six for starters!’ Omelettes, crêpes and Bifanas were soon on the table but not for long: the WAGS were ravenous indeed!

And so it came to pass that the 2022 campaign drew to a gentle close…

Here’s looking to the 2023 new adventures for our ever-youthful band of Geriatrics!

 

 Thankyou Yves. Now I have a plethora of pictures from John, Yves and Hazel and my own too, but the main problem is not selection, but interpretation of the artistic photos by Monsieur C-B of  Algoz.

An example\:

Entitled 'Dorothy's sandal' by the Artiste.

    

        Entitled: 'Petits Pois or asparagus'

Entitled 'New Dakar Logo'

See what I mean. Good photos all but the Titles? Perhaps an explanation in the comments.

Yves took one other photo in his close up Character Study series which was very good and will be a front runner in any future WAGS Promotional and Recruiting Posters.

Lady Geraldine of Edinburgh Our youngest regular WAG

(Entitled by Artiste as 'Money Tree Seed Perhaps'}

Inspired by Yves efforts and aided by a very cooperative cast, I shot the enigmatic:-

'Fall from the Sky'

(Needs some work) John gets the Oscar for agonised expression, and Maria for balancing on Yves head, wins Best Stuntwoman.

As Yves said the beach walk was largely routine but only marked by the failing Seagull that Hazel rescued and some stranded jellyfish.. The tide was very low, I believe around 56cm at its lowest, so it made for some nice photos.

There were a few stranded jellyfish melting in the sun.

These are of the most common Moon Jellyfish variety, which officially grow up to 40cm in diameter. However once they are sprawled out on the beach, they easily exceed this until the sun dals with them. Incidentally this type of jellyfish is the one that is used in China  for making the dish called 'Rubber bands', or as it is more properly known, 

 涼拌海蜇

Both Myriam and Hazel demurred at my suggestion we load one into a plastic bag and take it home to prepare this delicacy, but it is relatively simple, and should finish up looking like this:

You can find the recipe HERE

Little more to tell on the walk, unless one of you with a better memory than I recall something.. Eventually we repaired to the shady Cafe Bairro where there was good nourishing tucker to be had to replace the calories we had expended.

Hazel's Omelette

John's Bifana with onion and tomato..Geraldine, Yves and I had similar

Maria and Myriam had crepes

Reasonably priced and just the job along with various beers, coffees and Myriam's chamomile tea..

After a convivial chat we left about mid afternoon, to our own daily devices.

And what better way to finish than the famous existentialist anthem - The Jellyfish Song.

Clearly the writer had never walked along Meia Praia on a Wednesday Saunter, nor visited a Chinese Restaurant, else she may have curbed her desire!!