I really should have known better. When Paul contacted me after Wednesday´s outing, I should have said “no”, but he persuasively pleaded the pressures of international travelling, saying that he didn´t have time to do his usual WAGS blog this week and please would I do it for him. His recent blogs have been replete with philosophical ruminations of a high (or deep, depending on your outlook on life) seriousness, which I doubt my ability to match. And there is also a recently introduced requirement to come up with a topical limerick, a form of composition for which I have little aptitude. So I should have known that I would be struggling to emulate him, come what may. But what I hadn´t bargained for, when he said that he would send me a few photgraphs from which to chose the illustrations, was the sheer number of those pictures! What did come my way, to be precise, were 143 (one hundred and forty three, I kid you not) photographs.
How to make a suitable selection from such a number – including it must be said some really high quality shots – without offending the artists wielding the cameras by omitting their special masterpieces? Ah well, I have been known to offend people before with my choices of photos (haven´t I, Janet?) and I suppose that I will just have to offend again. So if this blog contains fewer words and more pictures than is customary, you know why.
And so, now, to the day´s events, Paul and Myriam have been waxing eloquent for some time about the merits of Restaurante Rosmaninho in Sarnadas and so it was that, through their contacts via Almargem with Filipe, arrangements were made for the restaurant to open especially for our lot. A goodly number took full advantage of this with 17 of us meeting at Café Alcafé opposite the nora in Sarnadas. A plaque on the wall beside the nora told us a little about someone who had obviously been something of a local character.
If I understand all this correctly, he was a musician, medicine man (quack), and poet whose attitude to life was to prefer laughter, poetry, and playing the banjo for the dancing girls, to bothering about business like so-called normal men. Because he was different, he was known as Crazy Joaquim. Still, he lived to be 94 –not bad.
The Starter Photo
Back Row: Janet, Gita, Paul, Ingrid, Vitor,Filipe (our Leader), Yves, Luis (non-walker, owner of the Café), JohnH.
Middle Row: Thyl,TerryA, Myriam, Dina, Maria, Rod.
Front Row: Jill, Hilke, Brian, Anthony.
Somewhere: Terry and Jill´s new dog Becky.
Remarkably for a WAGS affair, we set off a mere 10 minutes after the appointed time of 10 a.m.. Those who were looking forward to a walk according to the established WAGS parameters were very soon disabused of that fancy. ( I´m not sure what those parameters actually are now. In recent blogs, Paul has written that some WAGS don´t like excessive vertical movement either up or down. he also referred to the ability of WAGS to talk about any subject under the sun even while going uphill. But Rod seems to have thrown those yardsticks out with the bathwater recently so those parameters don´t apply to his walks. Nor in this instance either)
Now I am not saying that the route Filipe led us was excessively difficult –not at all - but it started off hilly enough to make conversation (for me at any rate) impossible: Some excellent photos capture the gradients pretty well.
Try talking lucidly when you are going up at that angle.
At the top of the first slope, we had “Before “ and “After” views guaranteed to please any windmill conversion enthusiasts
The restored version even boasted its own doorway decoration
Excellent weather and excellent views, with the ridge of Soidos to the south
and over the Azinhal-Sobradinho valley north to the Buddist stupa at Malhão
while we paused for some much-needed breath.
Although we were now on the high ridge, Filipe told us that there were still some considerable ups and downs to come and at this point Vitor, along with Dina, very wisely decided to cut back to base.
Not surprisingly, at the highest point, there was a trig and Maria, quick as a flash, was up there.
The chance to take a traditional trig point photo could not be missed.
There then followed a series of sharp descents,
butt-clenching (to coin a phrase) for some……….
but a piece of cake for others……
We had to pass a large sweep of beehives apparently sponsored by some local Portuguese bank (BMMP) but nobody got stung, on this occasion.
A large fungus attracted a lot of photgraphic attention
All these descents safely negotiated, we then had a modest amount of tarmac to cover before entering an area exclusively dedicated, according to a nearby sign, to the hunting of tourists (what a good idea – thanks to Yves for that thought), and with some relief found ourselves on flat ground at last.
Our path was soon blocked by a wire fence –why no one knows – but crossing this obstacle enabled some of the ladies to get quite close to young Filipe.
Once over that hurdle, we found oursleves in an extremely pleasant cork oak plantation and well on our way back to Sarnadas.
The Track and the Statistics
Statistics seem to vary between devices so on this occasion we will stick with Rod´s total distance of 7.35 kms and total time of 2 hrs 42 mins.
Other measurements include moving time of 2 hrs 01 mins and average moving speed of 3.7 kph, which is not very fast, but then we seem to have spent an awful lot of time stopping to take photographs – some parameters needed here?.
There was a lot of climbing and total ascent figures vary between 228.5 metres (Rod´s ) and 242 and 276 metres (my two gizmos). 276 metres sounds more impressive so we will go with that.
And now to the meal because that really was the point of the whole excercise. For this we were joined by Catherine and Hazel.
and so it was that 19 of us sat down for first of the season´s festive meals.
Starters of petiscos,
the soft cheese and thick honey being especially good. These were followed by ample provision of
Feijão com Chourico
Javali Estufado
and Arroz de Pato with fig and almond topping.
Puddings included farturas
followed by les custards brulés, pudims etc. from the trolley. If anybody knows the name of those whipped egg-white beauties, please let me know.
Post-script: they are either molotovs a.k.a malakoffs, or farofias. The jury is still out on this and I suspect we will have to go back for another lunch to establish the true designation.
The trolley of course came complete with dolly.
I think it possible that coffees were served. Certainly medronho was, with Filipe demonstrating the correct modus imbibus.
For once, Rod did not have to make a speech, Myriam doing the honours in thanking Dona Fernanda and her son Filipe for the meal, not only tasty but real value for money.
Paul is even now considering the Resaurante as a suitable breakfast venue for the summer APAPS group. Any thoughts?
Some very happy people made their way home
While some, obviously, didn´t want to leave
Caption, anyone? No prizes.
And that´s it. 143 photographs reduced to a mere 55.
Oh, nearly forgot the statutory limerick requirement bit to close.
Here is Paul´s latest offering:-
The Pre-Christmas lunch in November
Was a wonderful day to remember.
We all walked the walk
And then talked the talk
And stuffed each and every WAGS member.
and here´s an attempt by me:-
“Need a blogger? I know a bloke you can go to.
He´ll do it, but you´ll have to send him a photo -
- or three.” That´s not what he got -
which was one heck of a lot.
Not one picture, but one forty three in toto.
Photo Credits:-
Anthony, JohnH, Myriam, PaulaDev, Yves.
