APAPS 20.6: Safety First

The heading picture is what faced drivers heading east on the N269 towards Poço Frito at 7-15 am last Wednesday. Not designed for easy driving. Myriam very sensibly pulled in and waited for ten minutes. Safety is our motto of the moment.

There was a reasonable turn out of seven in the early morning sun at Café Martins

and without too much preliminary ado, they assembled for the Starter picture.

Although this walk was all over familiar ground, the Leader did make one small mistake which was seized on and for which he was teased unmercifully. Lucky that the followers did not notice the two or three other errors. Apart than that, not much to report, so this will be a mainly photographic record. 

At the clump of old oak trees which have figured before in this blog, Terry noticed that one of the limbs was drooping a bit

so he re-adjusted it. Hopefully, it will be good for a few more years now. But that was a risky move, Terry. Next time. please wear your safety helmet; those branches are heavy.

Yves got up to his usual little game of balancing ever more impossible rocks on other impossible rocks.

Shortly after this, Jim and Yves decided that they had had enough and headed off on a short cut towards the nearest tarmac, 

hoping no doubt to thumb a lift back to the Café, while the rest of us followed a more roundabout but uneventful way back to base where Hazel was patiently waiting for her breakfast. The Leader was just about to drive off down the road to look for Jim and Yves when, in a miracle of good timing, they arrived having indeed managed to thumb a lift in Paul´s khaki green jeep. 

Safety is our motto. but I don´t know about those brakes or was the van used to bring it to a stop?

The caption to the following picture (and I don´t know who wrote that caption) reads 

"I´m glad I got out of that alive".

The two passengers who emerged may have been a bit shaken but that didn´t stop others from wanting to have a go.

The Track and the Statistics.

The Breakfast

Adequate if a trifle disappointing would be this critic´s verdict.. The cook´s technique for frying eggs seems to involve an element of simultaneous scrambling. Paul´s photography presents the food in a different light.

Another disappointment at the meal was that it had been anticipated that Paul would unveil his very latest Tilley hat,

but he had forgotten to bring it and was wearing the same old same old. Janet and Ingrid will just have to contain their excitement for one more week

Coming back to the safety theme, Myriam gave a presentation on her new First Aid kit

while the enthralled audience marvelled at its contents.

There is some debate about whether mascara provide any safety benefits; meanwhile, away from the walking, Yves has been continuing his series of estátuas mascaradas pictures.

If there are any more statues near you which have not yet been masked, please let him know.