WAGS 2024 01 10: Lost Glasses and a Long, Long Lunch

 Back again to Porto do Mos, last visited in mid-November 2023, with some hope of finding some property lost on that occasion. Here is Antje´s Leader´s Report.

 A respectable number of 9 had assembled at Porto do Mos beach for a 10 o'clock start to  climb up the cliffs. 

John and Geraldine, Maria, Dorothy and Dennis, Chris and Antje and Myriam and, last to arrive but not least, Rod.

These days it is quite important to have a coffee fix before the start. The grumpy-looking bar man at the kiosk above O Antonio was not prepared to open his doors before 10 o clock but the restaurant itself was more obliging and so those who needed it could get their caffeine fix.

The quest was to find Maria’s lost sunglasses which she was sure to find after 10 weeks.

Chris had left in the meantime to start his walk on  the path just above the steep climb. By the time we had started, 10 minutes later, he was quite a bit ahead. 

Chris goes steaming ahead

Starter Photo, taken about 15 minutes after the start

Surfers were out in large numbers

The weather forecast had promised clouds, no rain but we walked most of the way in glorious sunshine and a breeze,  just perfect.  The culinary topic of the walk were chicken feet!

How to cook chicken feet

Caterpillar Warning. If infected, it is advisable to take your clothes off, so we are told. 

Coming up to the little pine wood at the cliff top above Luz, we noted 2 caterpillar nests, the first we saw since we had passed there on our last walk.

Looking for caterpillar nests

 The Atalaia trig point shone bright white and without graffiti. How long will it last?

This picture is a joint effort by Myriam and John. How did they manage that?

Back along the Atalaia road

Proving that the WAGS can walk and talk at the same time

when they put their mind to it.

They weren´t here last time - four more Boa Vista villas

We returned to the start after 2 1/2 hours and despite many eyes searching, Maria´s sunglasses were not found.

She had posed here for Myriam last time

Had she dropped her specs here ?

Alas, the search was in vain.

But Maria looked on the bright side of things

The Track and the Statistics

Dennis did 9.25 kms; the rest of us not so much

The Lunch

Chris had been to Atalaia Café after having finished a shortened walk and booked a table for 12, as Paul as well as Jyll Pease and daughter Heather were to join us for lunch.

The menu

Taking the first orders

Well, the table was set for 12, but the lunch took as long as the walk. The restaurant next door was not operating and so Atalaia was operating at full capacity. And any orders when finally placed had be adjusted as some dishes were no longer available. First, it was the cabrita that was short and the fish was OK; , and then it was the fish that was short but the cabrita was OK. . And so on and so on.

Entremeada Grelhada

Carapaus Grel

Fried Fish

Ensopada de cabrito

Alheira com ovo

and a selection of desserts:-

But I don’t think anybody minded very much as we enjoyed the company  and reminiscing about old times - RTCs and Sparrowfarts and so on  - and the food, when it finally arrived, was not at all bad.. Hot home baked rolls with garlicky olive oil and plenty of wine had helped the wait and only Paul had to leave earlier due to a car issue.

The distance walked was 7 kms.

Thanks, Antje. Yes, Paul left early but before he went he managed to take this artistically enhanced picture of our waitress, whose very mini dress had probably reminded him of one of his favourite pianists (See his choice of closing music which follows shortly.)

From the archive

With Jyll and Heather being with us, we have a good  excuse to select something from the archive.

First, one from a Sparrowfart on 22 July 2009, Heather being third from the right

and, second, at the end of the Round The Corner on 30 November 2011, Mike and Jyll were there at Carrapateira to meet us. 

Closing Music

A little bit of Bach