APAPS 22.14: Then There Were Three

 There are two main types of walker. There are those who, to paraphrase the old Punch cartoon,

when asked about their style of walking, reply

“Well, sometimes I plods and thinks, and then again sometimes I just plods.”

But this type certainly do not talk a great deal while walking.

And then there is the second main type of walker, those who obviously look on the walks as an opportunity to have a good old chin-wag. And nothing wrong with that.

This last week, our walking numbers were very considerably reduced below the normal complement, and the Leader was a trifle concerned about the potential for silence during the walk, particularly given the absence of those stalwarts of the second main type, Janet and Yves. But he need not have feared, because Myriam was there to meet the challenge, which she did most valiantly. Virtually single-handedly, she kept the flow of conversation going for almost the whole of the two and three quarter hours, only put off her stride (so to speak) for 5 minutes or so when the Leader attempted to tell, uninterrupted, the story of how Geraldine aged about 11 had managed to fly unaccompanied from Edinburgh to Dubai without a passport. Even then there were interruptions.

Anyway, to be brief, there were just the three Starters at Herdade de São Bom Homem..

The paths and the views were familiar, of course, we have been there very often.

What was refreshing, however, was to see the greenery after the recent spell of rain.

The dams are, of course, not nearly full enough but the trees, washed of their covering of dust, and the revived grasses are freshly green.

Also good to see is the success of Silves Camera´s tree replanting efforts.

Myriam also took over Yves´ duties as official portrait photographer, and did a very good job too. 

There were hills to be tackled but we took things very gently  with lots of pauses for rest, as the average speed stat will tell you.

Myriam captured a shot of JohnH managing to stand balanced on one leg.

"Stans pede in uno"   (Horace, Satires 1 iv 10)

 

The trick is the two poles of course.

.And now two more of her portrait shots.

How she talked us into that one I am not sure; but with her patter and camera skills she should be able to get a job with one of those glossy society gossip magazines.

The Track and the Statistics

After the walk, we drove to Poço Baretto in just under 15 minutes, for a second visit to Café Victoria, arriving there at just on 10.30. There we found Maria, just off the plane from Istanbul, and Rod waiting to join us for breakfast.

Our choices were various, which puzzled the staff a bit..

Vegetarian breakfast without vegetarian sausages but plus black pudding.

(Does that still count as vegetarian ?)

Full English without egg yolk

Full English without bacon and plus a second egg

And the Full English with an extra egg yolk and black pudding.

There were coffees which I understand were acceptable, sauces and English mustard.

AND the draught Guinness had arrived !

The Guiness Caneca went down extremely well...

The breakfasts are not bad but, on the minus side, there is only white bread of the Bimbo type, no brown or integral bread, and the small Guinnesses were very small, not good value. General verdict - not a place to visit too often. 

Music to close. Last week, we had Moon River which Myriam said was one of her favourites. This week and continuing our atmospheric theme of sun, moon and stars, we have Hazel´s long time favourite, Stardust.. with Django Reinhardt (guitar) Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax) and Stèphane Grappelli (on piano for once), What a combination!

and, for good measure, a vocal version by Hoagy Carmichael who it was who wrote the tune in 1927, so Wikipedia tells us; the lyrics were added by somebody else two years later.