Come 7 am , there were only four of us ready at the Start. Admittedly, the walk had been advertised as having an ascent of only 250 metres, but I hadn´t expected that slight relaxation in rigour to deter so many people. But we shrugged off the initial disappointment at the poor turn-out and took a normal Starters picture at 7.01 precisely.
But then a group of late arrivals came straggling up the road from Pára e Fica and , of course, all the arrangements for a traditional Chorus Line photo shoot had to be gone through. M. le Principle Chorégraphe, back from his Alpine vacation, even laid on a chair for two of the more fragile ladies, one of whom, Confuschia, showing her disdain for running dog cultural revisionist tendencies by velly deribelatry sticking her reft foot out to the light.
Rod and Sascha likewise indicated their disdain for proceedings in their individual ways.
The Starters: JohnH, Ros, Hazel, Antje, Maria, Rod, Myriam, Ingrid, Janet, Terry and Yves. Canines: Sascha, Java and, concealed at the rear, Ember.
And Aristotle´s judgements:-
Alors, félicitations à toute la classe !Des progrès remarquables, considérant l’âge des participants…
Noter aussi l’art du photographe pour arranger un symétrie quasi-parfaite dans la composition de l’image.
Les puristes diront : ‘Quel Rubbish’ en inspectant la photo avec une loupe ; too bad !
Les points : 2 points pour chaque participant ; exception faite de Maria et Comfuschia pour usage illégal d’une chaise (even if only one buttock was perched on it) ; l’expression ‘zen’ démontrée ici valorise leur position Ying-Yang : points attribués !
Aussi, 1 point pour Sasha et son ‘Thilly Hat’… et 1 point pour le ‘steely stare’ from Old Steadfast.
Encore un petit effort : le perfection est à proximité !
A (Head of Lyceum)
The Track:
The Statistics: Total distance: 5.78 kms; Total time: 1 hour 49 minutes; Moving time: 1 hour 24 minutes; Average moving speed: 4.1 kph (not bad): Ascent: 258 metres.
Eventually, we got under way and moved along the Aguas Bélas track, discussing inter alia water filtration, solar pannelling and a contemporary American political comedian. For the second week in succession, a local mutt attached itself to our party and, in a very friendly fashion did the whole route with us. Things turned slightly serious when we veered of the valley floor and began a gentle but steady climb into the hills on our right. Half way up the hill, Yves kicked a bucket (yes, there was a hole in it) and Myriam put her foot in it.
The path emerged from the woods onto a familiar bit of ridge where we been the previous week. here we paused for refreshments –liquorice of course and other sweets.
It now seemed rather pointless to tackle the nearby highest hilltop only to have to retrace our steps immediately afterwards, just for the sake of the view, so instead we turned sharp right for home. Just as well, because Sascha,, after a long rabbit chase in the valleys below, was beginning to feel the heat.
A lttle bit later, we trod quietly and took other precautions as the track passed close by a row of beehives.
But maybe the precautions were not necessary becasue all seemed quiet. And we were back at the start promptly at 9 am. Under 6 kms, probably the shortest APAPS walk ever.
The intended arrangements for taking breakfast at Pára e Fica had fallen through because the good Ana, lacking any assistance, and responsible for cooking the Café´ s lunch on her own, had felt unable to cope with a breakfast for 12 or more people. So, as she sat there alone on her verandah, we headed off again round the back of Silves to Mira Rio. Last time we were there, they had been so prompt in serving that we felt lucky that we hadn´t been late. So this time, I had asked them to serve at 9 45 am. Communication failure, obviously, because sharp at 9. 30 am, 12 ample plates of food were on the table. Super efficiency. But some of us hadn´t yet had time to sit down. The walkers were joined by Paul, Chris and Andy.
Janet prefers the healthy option
T-shirts with logos and messages seems to have been the theme of the day, make of them what you will.
One mutt print
A mis-spelled item worn by Aristotle provoked some (a little) laughter, although one is not sure if Descartes would have joined in; “one philosopher´s wisdom is another philosopher´s folly” (after R W Emerson.)
Eat your heart out René
Nevertheless, Paul felt inspired enough to air his unparalled knowledge of 16th-century Venetian artistic environment by reciting off the cuff a bit of doggerel:-
When Titian was grinding rose madder, his model was posed on a ladder,
Her position to Titian suggested coition
So he ascended the ladder and ´ad her.
to which the sequel is:-
So it´s said, but the true story´s sadder, he felt giddy when up on the ladder.
His model, fair Rose, frustratedly froze,
So Titian was mad – and Rose madder.
That will have to do for the closing quotation stuff. Competition result on the next page.
.
1 comment:
Thanks for a good (if short) outing: in future will the Leader please select stray dogs-free routes? The present Mrs F. was quite upset that some bitch had laid paws on her man... Thank you!
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