WAGS 2026 01 07: Waiter, Waiter, There´s A Body In My Soup

To Lagos, where the Railway Station Hotel is beginning to take shape, for the first walk of the year. We assembled at the civilised hour of 10.45 am for a leisurely coffee. Paul came to see us off and to reminisce about his flying days, wearing his heavy bomber jacket to prove it.

Wet weather gear seemed essential

 and the Starter photo was taken indoors as a precaution.

Our Leader, Antje,  full of consideration for our creature comforts, allowed us to linger over our coffees until 11.15 and then, even more considerately in view of the steady drizzle of rain, decided to abandon her idea of a Porto do Mos walk and chose a boardwalk stroll instead.

Here is her report.

Despite threatening rain, four WAGS Myriam, Maria, John and I set off from the Lagos railway station in the drizzle.

We took the well-trodden route past the fishing harbour and the cat colony to the beginning of the Meia Praia Walkway.

The cat colony held one belligerent-looking occupant

Happily, the drizzle soon stopped and we could then enjoy the fresh sea air, the view and the company.

 That day we met only one other person on the boardwalk where we would have met many runners and walkers on a sunny day. We rather  enjoyed that.

Freshly cleaned information boards. Let´s hope the graffiti bandits leave them alone.

Having reached A Gavota restaurant we turned back to Lagos along the footpath along the railway and the little tidal “lake".

We felt that we had earned our lunch. As Tasca Lota was still closed I had booked a table at Casa Benfica where the menu del dia provided a reasonable choice.  See the photos.
Chris joined us for lunch, Paul‘s back troubled him too much to sit at length, so he could not join us.
We certainly did have a leisurely lunch, discussing many topics. The flavour and depth of flavour of soup, aka the body, being one topic. And we all proved to be remarkably well-informed on the subject of Venezuelan oil.
Over to you John. Thank you.
Sent from my iPhone=

The Track

Not one of our longest walks. Start 11.15; end 12.35; moving time 1 hr 7 min. Moving speed 4.2 kph.

The Lunch

The Soup - "body" debatable.

Jardineira Vitela

Frango Panado

Melão

Pêra Bêbada

Tiramisu

The café was very noisy initially but when the lunch crowd had thinned out it was much better and conversation was much easier. Three-course meal with wine and coffees very good value at €13.

The big debate was about whether soup should have "body" or not . The Anglo-Saxon preference was for body. the Portuguese for subtlety and nuance. We didn´t even get on to the question about whether soup should be served hot or cold. Next time ?

Any way, no conclusion re "body" was reached.

Let Spike Milligan have the last say on soup.