WAGS 05 06 2024: A Ramble Around Tufos

Setting Up The Camera Remote Control

The Starters: Leslie, JohnH, Hazel and Maria

Just four of us gathered for this simple outing. May be the last one of the WAGS season.

 

A friendly neighbour came out for a chat and to see us off as we meandered along.

We stopped to admire Mr Toby Christian Dawborn´s avocado plantation and the estrangeiros puzzled over the word "desenvolvimento" on the placard, a word which to the ignorant conveyed an impression of lack of interest. In fact, the word means "development" which Mr Dawborn seems to be doing very nicely.

It got hot.

We then turned along a track where, for the past year or more, Yves has been nurturing a stone edifice or cairn and others have assisted in maintaining. It was last cared for on 10th May this year, by Myriam.

But now -SHOCK HORROR, vandals had struck. Is nothing sacred?

Maria did her best to restore matters

but a return visit by the original architect is clearly required.

A little bit later we came to the condominium development whose progress we have followed with bated breath for a decade or two. Our old friend the builder was not to be seen on this occasion

but it is encouraging to see the he takes the security of his premises seriously..

The previous week, Rod had told us that the nearby shaded track through the trees down into the valley that we frequently take had been bulldozed. Indeed the whole stretch of valley is now scraped clean.

apart from a solitary carob.

Let´s hope that the area does not get fenced off, that we can still walk through it, and that more carobs are planted.

We then followed the faint markings of an old goat track across country, warding off the attacks of wild asparagus as we went.

Hazel fights back at the asparagus

We returned by way of Mr Dawborn´s avocado notice board, only to find a pair of abandoned shoes beside it.  Can´t be his, surely?

It was then a matter of going home by following the track between our neighbours´ properties. Avocados on one side; the vines of Quinta dos Sentidos on the other. Signs of serious irrigation intentions were to be seen.

 

We passed beneath an old carob which had buckled under the weight of tis crop

and an neighbouring cat observed our return to base but it did not come out for a chat.

The Track and the Statistics

The Lunch

Lunch was a simple affair at Casinhas:

Fish prepared with lime juice

Alheira com ovos

There was, if I recall correctly, some discussion during lunch about a language which Leslie had spoken during her time in Limoges, central southern France - not French. She later confirmed that it was Occitan or the Langue d´Oc. Not French, perhaps the original language of southern France . Spoken it is said by southern French, Catalans and Pied-noirs among others. In modern French they say "oui" for "yes"; in Occitan they say "oc" for "yes". Maybe Yves has something to add.

Closing Music

Back to our walking theme. Walking on Sunshine

Post Script

We did 6.1 kms. The latest news from the four WAGS who are currently sailing round the UK is that two of them, Antje and Myriam, have just walked 7.3 kms on the isle of Islay., walking to and from the Laphroig malt whisky distillery. They were well fuelled for the return half of the walk.