APAPS 2017 no 2: A Stroll Down Memory Lane

It was a cool, slightly overcast, morning as the group gathered by the Encherim Sports Ground just before 7 am. Aristotle, enthusiastically entering into his new rôle as choreographer-in-chief, lined us up for a training session to make sure our legs were in good working order and properly synchronised for the Starters photo.

Whoops - wrong picture - try again.

That´s better. Well, not too bad for a first attempt this season, but first and fourth from the left definitely need to raise their game/right feet some more.
Present: JohnH, Ros, Hazel, Ingrid, Antje, Janet, and Aristotle.
                And Sascha.

The Track:

Statistics:
Distance : 8.71 kms
Ascent: 331 metres
Total time: 2 hours 10 mins.
Moving speed: 3.95 kph

Then we were off on a fairly gentle and familiar path. We made a steady ascent along one of the Algarve Way´s tracks, pausing on an upper level to allow Sascha to show how well-trained she is.

 Then a little bit more climbing followed but nothing too excessive.

Then another pause for fashion photography, which seems to be almost obligatory these days, given that the men are always outnumbered.

And then gently downhill, apart from one slow, scrambly, precipitous  bit.

And then back along Memory Lane. Why Memory Lane, you ask. Well, a year or so ago, the APAPS, passing by, had noticed a dainty pair of ladies knickers hanging on a bush. And there this year, at the very same spot, the same abandoned article of lingerie was still to be seen. The original cornflower blue is by now somewhat faded, as can be seen from the comparative photos below. (By the way, as required by our guru PaulaDev, we have to take our walks photography and the archiving thereof very seriously.) But the material seems to be holding its pattern and shape pretty well, and the elastic (the elasticity of the elastic being all-important, so I am informed by connoisseurs in this particular field, where ladies knickers are concerned) the elastic, as I was saying, looks as strong as ever. Indeed, given the garment´s obvious quality (Marks and Spencers, perhaps?), one wonders afresh why the original occupant of said knickers has never returned to reclaim them. What untapped potential for memories lies there.

                                                                                    Fading away 2017

                                                                                    From the 2016 archive

Ros was heard to remark that, her preference being to gaze at the hills and the trees rather than at fly-tips, she had never seen items of abandoned underwear on a walk before, but Antje assured her that she and Myriam had frequently come across such phenomena.

The walk concluded in nearly the allotted time, we then adjourned to O Retiro dos Pescadores for a friendly welcome by Senhora Fernanda, and where we were joined by Chris and where the absent Maria had pre-arranged a filling breakfast for us of bacon, eggs, tomatoes and buttered toast.

 There was a fair amount of discussion over the meal about butter, tea bags and about how to fry eggs. But our thanks to Ingrid and Hazel who chipped in to help with the serving, etc. Next week, bring back the Kerrygold!