WAGS 2019 05 29: Poço Frito: The Magnificent Seven at Café Martins

This turned out to be one of those walks where all the drama takes place at the start.

1. The Café was closed. On arrival at 09.30 we were greeted by a brief note on the door.

                                                      In Mourning
2. Yves arrived sans ses chaussures de marche, i.e. bootless. Only he can explain why. Instead he sported a pair of dazzlingly white new tennis shoes which had TerryA salivating at the thought of what deep red muddy patches might do to the virgin canvas.
                         

3. There was a minor earth tremor just as the Starter photo was being taken.
                                           

                   Never mind the blurring; we know who you are.......

4. One minute after we had set off, Yves was seen consulting a diagram (or map?)  – a real vote of confidence in the Leader, I must say.

5. The very first track we went up turns out now to be fenced off by a brand new building site in the Caravela urbanisation, and we had to scramble our way round it. Regrettably, no deep red muddy patches were to be found.

                           
                                 Hey, that´s my track you´ve just fenced off !

6 . And seven minutes after we had set off, Yves (yes, him again) sat himself down on a rock and demanded that Ingrid provide him with a pair of socks  to go inside his pair of dazzlingly white new tennis shoes – in order to protect his delicate feet from potential blisters, so he said. Ingrid –our newly crowned Full Leading WAG – duly obliged, bless her.

After all that, well -  not very much of note. We walked. We paused in the shade. It got hot. We walked some more. We paused in the shade again. It got hotter.
In the middle of nowhere, we passed a newly cleared and electrified site for a wooden cabin.  A good place for a WAGS club house was the suggestion.
                                              

At the Casa Estrela crossroads, the idea of taking coffee at Casa Esperança was mooted but, that establishment being too far off, we headed in the direction of Casa Frew which was a bit nearer, but there was no sign of life there. Luckily however, Rod´s little local bar just across the road opened its doors especially  for us on request and some of us had refreshments inside while the landlady gave us all the latest local gossip. And a cosy little place it is too.

                                  Room for about eight drinkers in the snug.

It was then that Ingrid mentioned, using that certain tone of voice that demands attention  – (she is after all a Full Leading WAG) – that “it is getting very hot”.

The Leader took the hint (thank goodness –or otherwise there could have been hell, not to mention a fine, to pay), called a referendum and, as a result, abandoned a planned further 2 kilometres circuit through Torre e Cercas, and cut the walk short. If he had not listened to the people´s vote, WAGS distance parameters could have been shattered and there might even have been a rebellion. As it was, we now had a gentle stroll back, across the tarmac at Tinhosas and over the flat land towards Caravela. On the way down to the café and the cars,  we passed that under-completion villa which Hazel and Maria had inspected  back in January (WAGS 2019 01 16: Poço Frito – Just A Stroll In The Park). It now has a working piscina and a Jean Paul Belmondo type Frenchman who was busy with a BBQ on his terrace. A long conversation in French then took place across the fence. Work still to be done  but habitable, apparently.
  

There being no chance of a prato de dia of feijoado e couve at Poço Frito, so it was off along the road to  Poço Barreto to chance our luck at Café Sustelo. There, the service was prompt and the food was. I suppose, adequate. The bifana was judged to be slightly too greasy,

 and the tosta mista, a somewhat squashed papo seco version of this classic fare, not a patch on the previous week´s masterpiece at Café Bravo. 

Ah well ! You take it as it comes.
The Track

The Magnificent Seven Starters

Yves, Ingrid, Jill, TerryA, Maria, Dina, JohnH.

The Statistics

Total Distance: 11.4 kms. Total Time: 3 hrs 12 mins.
Moving Time: 2 hrs 30 mins. Stopped Time: 42 mins.
Average Moving Speed: 4.6 kph. Ascent: 249 metres.

WAGS 22.05.2019: Carte Blanche at Carrapateira

To avoid any misunderstanding, there wasn´t anybody in our WAGS group called Blanche who needed to be carted away, although in among the jostling crowds of other walking groups that we had to contend with that morning there may well have been someone or even two of that name.
No, it is just that our Leader for the day has given your Blogger a totally free hand to write whatever he will about the day´s events. She is adamant that she will not even submit a Leader´s report. So, here goes – Carte Blanche it is! Real News or Fake News: you, dear Reader, you decide.
First of all, a word or two about the day´s Leader. She is, of course, an AWW Emeritus, having done the complete Algarve Way in her time and having led several AWW walks. But, within the more exclusive and fastidious ranks of the WAGS,  she has recently been promoted by the Powers That Be to the giddy heights of (have I got this right?) FULL LEADING WAG! (there is an acronym somewhere in there, struggling to get put.)
And this was to be her day of reckoning, the ultimate test. Would she be up to the task and able to live up to her new title? After all, it is one thing to lead a mob of semi-ignorant AWWs for miles and miles across the arid Algarve hills until their addled brains can´t think straight any longer and they come to accept anything that goes; the broad brush on canvass approach to Leadership as it were. But quite une autre affaire  to provide a walk meeting the refined and exacting standards of the WAGS, finely tuned over the years, with strict parameters as to distance, timings, speed, not to mention standards of conversation; the skills of the miniaturist in comparison to the graffiti dauber. And all this to be accomplished in front of a highly experienced and highly critical jury.  Probably more stressful than taking one´s driving test.
And so it was that we gathered for a 10 am start,at Carrapateira´s estimable Café Bravo to be greeted by the café´s proprietress with her customary beaming smile. The café´s opening hours are now displayed on its window – “10.00 – 16.30, Secunda – Sesta” –take it or leave it. The town has smartened itself up. There is a shiny new town sign, around which we gathered for the Starter photo, and a spanking new Turismo office, due to open any year now. And crowded! I thought that Venice had been bad enough a few weeks ago but this was unreal – walkers, walkers every where, jostling for coffees.

The Starters
Leader (and Examinee): Ingrid
Panel of Assessors: Rod, Maria, Hilke, Dina, Yves, Hazel, and JohnH.

Getting our starting coffees took a bit of time, what with the crowds, but we managed to set off just before 10.30 am, within WAGS norms. The Leader´s first task was to set a measured speed so as not to bump into a large group of tourist walkers who had set off just in front of us. Luckily they headed to Amado beach while we headed for the hills. Ingrid consulted her local guide (a.k.a. Rod) who seemed determined at this stage to lead her astray. But, having been led down the garden path so that we seemed about to be faced with a bit of unplanned scrambling, she had second thoughts (see Map), put her foot down and raised her voice, and told us all to back-track.

           Stop  - I have had second thoughts -Go back

Back we went, which enabled the photographers among us to snap some cows and their cowherd.

Soon we were on familiar ground, doing one of the Whittles´walks in reverse. When we paused in some shade for some refreshment, Yves took the opportunity to exhibit one of his prized possessions, his French Army knife.

 In case you can´t distinguish between this utensil and the better known Swiss variety, this little diagram may help.

We crossed the N268 where Maria did her usual thing picking flowers

with this result.

The Leader resisted the temptation to swing left onto the Monte Velho track and stuck to the tarmac road leading down into the Vilarinha valley –an astute move since it gave us just the right number of kilometres in the end. It was noticeable that several of the previously grottier cottages in the valley have been restored and converted into holiday lets. Much whitewash in evidence.

Down on the valley floor and now in a homeward direction, we  made our way past the Alojamento Local of Herdade do Beiçudo, which too was looking pretty smart.

Conversation  turned to the meaning of that word “beiçudo” and speculation of why the Herdade uses that name. The normal dictionary translation of the word into English is “thick-lipped”, but why would one describe one´s homestead as “thick-lipped”? Here the Local Guide´s limitless historical knowledge came up with an explanation. Apparently, in years gone by, the property was owned by some expatriate horsey types, one of whose horses suffered from a malformation of the mouth going by the name “beiçudo”. In English veterinary terminology, this is known as “underbite”, not to be confused, as of course you will well understand, with “overbite”.

An underbite (monkey mouth, sowmouth, prognathism) is a deformity in which the lower incisors extend beyond the upper incisors. 

 An overbite (parrot mouth, brachygnathism) is a congenital deformity in which the upper incisors overlap the lower incisors.

Last week, ticks; this week, horses´ teeth. Yup, conversation well upto standard. We dealt with fear of ticks last week. There doesn´t seem to be any phobia specifically for horses teeth, so we will settle for the more general Equinophobia
Equinophobia is an extreme fear of horses. The word is derived from the Latin word 'equus' which means horses and phobos which is 'deep fear or dread
Even so, Beiçudo is a strange name for a bed and breakfast establishment.

                                          Three Colourful Caps

After this, the group spread out along the road somewhat and I was bringing up the rear, so I missed out on some discussions of Rod´s tentative proposal for a lateral WAGS walk from Bensafrim to Carrapateira, which (I think) may involve overnight accommodation, whether at Herdade do Beiçudo or at the other Alojamento Casa Fajara (see Map). That establishment, which we walked past towards the end of our stroll, also seems to have been smartened up recently.

                                       Casa Fajara

(We can deal with the meaning of "Fajara" in a future Blog.)

The Statistics

Total distance: 11.8 kms. Total time: 3 hrs 21 minutes.
Moving time: 2 hrs 45 minutes. Moving average: 4.4 kph.
Total ascent: 311 metres.
(All logistical parameters satisfied.)

And what about the food back at Café Bravo. I only caught a glimpse of a bifana or two disappearing too quickly for my camera, but I did hear good things said about their garlic and piri-piri dressing. My tosta mista was near perfection, toasted just right, and well-filled.

                                  The Perfect Tosta Mista

                                           Washed down with H2O

Maria has a story to tell about the couple at the table behind, quite unsuitable for this                                                                    family blog.


And, finally, did the Leader meet the required standards? The votes are still being counted and the result will be announced on Sunday in Brussels, along with the EU results. But for the record, your Blogger voted “YES”.

WAGS 15.05.2019: Tick-Tac Go

We will get into the title later.  This was (probably) to be Myriam's and my last WAGS walk of the season as by the time we get back from UK, we may be well into the heat of summer and early starts. 
No doubt someone will come up with something for the next couple or 3 weeks.
       Cafe Tassbem in Figueira chose this week to take a holiday from preparing excellent TM's for hungry WAGS, so after a bona fide recce on the Monday, Trigo Bom Padaria and Pastelaria was the chosen RV point. The wording of the green embossed WhatsApp invite read:- 

".....we will meet between 0900 and 0930 for coffee and drive to the Cultural and Sports Centre to start soon thereafter."

   By 0935 we were still a couple short of a full team, and no exculpatory phone call, nor did they answer our attempts to contact, so we moved to the start point near the Sports Centre, and after a pause for the starter pic, set off. 
    

Ten at the real start: Myriam, Ingrid, Hilke, Paul, John, Hazel, Frank, Jill, Terry and Tony

We had a lot of firsts: First appearances of Frank, Tony, Hilke and Jill for some time, though Tony assured me this was not yet another comeback. Also, the eagle-eyed may have noticed something new in the Headgear Department - not only the four genuine Tilleys in various traditional shades (Ingrid kindly removed her facsimile so as not to ruin the photo!), but a bold vibrant statement by myself in the debut of my Hikers' HypeKewl Evaporative Insert T4M0-1 Tilley . It is in a rustic shade of Russet, and I had spotted it in a flash half-price sale at £40. It has a padded absorbent insert which should be soaked in cold water before going out in the sun. It slowly evaporates, maintaining the head at 10-15 F cooler than without. It says! And I can say it does work. Can be replenished with a splash of cool water from one's drinking bottle if it dries up on a long sunny walk.

HyperKewl T4M0-1 modelled by.........(No Botox used in this picture!)

        Anyway enough of that, the Ten Good Walkers were just crossing the N125 to head for the bridge, when John detected the Lost WAGS arriving in a cloud of dust, sweat and excuses. 'No it wasn't 10 o'clock'  RTFM!!

Most of the main group straggling across the temporarily deserted N125.

A little late for the Starter photo!

John went back to round up the Lost Sheep, and safely herded them across the road with Myriam

and then to the bridge. Our original crossing was to have been around 0945 when I had checked there were no trains By now it was past 10 am so we took extra precautions!

Myriam checking for trains!

All clear - let's go.

Tony's highly trained dogs, Jess and Shadow enjoying a mud bath

A hot dry day but fortunately a cooling breeze from the Atlantic.

The dam made a convenient break.

Descending the calcada slide

Ancient Monument photo opportuny. Only one Conchie!

There followed a pleasant walk along the cliff path till we turned back over towards the main Alvor road, 

Estuary view towards Lagos.

The main road was very busy. Tony's dogs were running free and this caused some anxiety to everyone except Tony! I sped on ahead to avoid witnessing any potential problem.  Myriam and Dina hung back. Hazel acted 'in loco suo uxorem' and told Tony to control the dogs. It worked, as we all (including dogs) survived the 500 m of Alvor road before we turned down a wide track back to the dam.

Track by ViewRanger

John's SatMap Stats

Total distance: 10.00 km precisely
Total time: 3 hrs 01 mins
Stopped time: 0. 45 mins(?)
Moving time: 2 hrs 16 mins (Of course, I went back to collect Yves and Dina.)
Average moving speed: 4.4 mph
Ascent: 160 meters.

    I had reccied the open restaurant/bars nearby and we reached Restaurant Tic-Tac, which looked promising with a Prato do Dia and a promise of TMs and bifanas. Plenty of space, but as is the common practice, Tony and Frank didn't linger. Hilke and Ingrid stayed for a short chat but apparently don't need quality tucker after a walk! Myriam got stuck into her Prato do Dia, which was tentatively identified as Red Snapper.

Prato do dia

A couple of us settled on the bifana option:

Colourful but a bit dry!! needed the tomatos, mustard and a dash of piri-piri sauce.

.....while John, Terry and Jill kept faith with a type of TM, that is unlikely to have me rushing back.

Hilke says farewell............

......closely followed by the new Full Leading WAG!

Good head!

Hazel spots something....

Yes, in the Restaurant TicTac, we had a tick attack, which provoked quite an extreme reaction from Yves to the point where he almost left the scene. By then the poor little bloodsucker was so mangled that photographic attempts failed, though  post-walk it prompted this exchange from a couple of accomplished Google researchers:-

John wrote:

It seems that there are something like 899 species of tick, and that there are three families of tick. One family, the Nuttella (Nuttalliellidae. CB Nutella is a brand of sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread.) or something like that, are a single species so it is not very well-known. The other two families are much better known and are well-established. 99 million years or so. One family, the Argasidae, are the soft ticks which consist of about 198 species. But we are not concerned with soft ticks. We in the WAGS being tough nuts are naturally more concerned with the family of Ixodidae or hard ticks, some 700 species, which have a scutum or hard shield and an external feeding apparatus or “mouth” to be technical. Unfortunately, because Yves knocked the living daylights out of today’s specimens, your correspondent is unable to be more specific about which today’s species was

DNA analysis suggests that the Argasidae may be paraphyletic whilst the Ixodidae may be a clade (me neither).
There seem to be two scientific ways of classifying the hard tick.
One is:-
Species: Dermacentor variability
Genus: Dermacentor
Family: Ixodidae.

The other is:-
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Subclass: Acari. (hence the general phobia)
Superorder: Parasitformes
Order: Ixodidae
Superfamily: Ixodoidea.

What all this leads up to is that we can now invent our own phobia to describe Yves’ quite understandable reaction today as “Ixodidaphobia”.

Myriam riposted:-

All the identifications are too technical! When I had dogs, it was a routine in the summer to check them. I must have killed enough ticks to scare Yves shooting up to heavens and would refuse to come down ever again!!

Allegedly only the females stick on the skin to suck blood until they look like dark beads and the males only crowd around the bloated female. Never did any research on this way of identification (discrimination?).

I leave that to the very recently qualified tick expert to find out the truth! 

Luckily he does not suffer from Ixodidaphobia, otherwise even reading the word would trigger the phobia!! Perhaps a glass or two of grape juice will calm the nerves!

For those that have not followed the above and are still with us, I will use graphics for clarity.

 No precise pictures were found of the Algarve Salt Marsh ticks, but possibly a larger blacker version of this one below,  Why the poor thing has had its anus and anal groove highlighted, can only be down to the perverts that frequent the world of media. Be afraid - be very afraid!!

And now a quiz to see if you have been paying attention:

Q. How do you insert a tick into a Frenchman?

Answer (scroll down)

A.   French✅man