APAPS 24.04: Herdade 2024 07 24

A hot day made for a short walk, possibly one of the shortest on record. And a very small group again. Obviously, only a very brief report is needed.

The Starters in the Herdade Bom Homen, up the prison road.

The distant trig point looked inviting but we resisted the urge to climb it.

and very soon made our way back to the car for a water pause. .

 

Our journey home was interrupted by a passing flock of sheep and goats.

The Track and the Statistics

Moving time, scarcely 1 hour, ascent 91 metres although to some it felt more, and distance a mere 3.2 k. For a walk of 3.2k, Myriam travelled 37 k and then 37 k back. There´s dedication for you !

The Breakfast

Regrettably small numbers of walkers and eaters do not justify the special ordering breakfasts, so we resorted to Plazza Pizza once more.

First of all, the Chinese Tea Ceremony.

Three went for their English Breakfast with or without frankfurters.

But the Leader, in a fit of pique, broke with tradition and went for the Plazza Salada.

Good value.

And to close, nothing to do with APAPS, but to record the fact that Hazel managed to catch her bête noire. O´Malley, Figaro´s dad who has been terrifying peaceful cats in the neighbourhood and in the process boosting Hazel´s vet´s income quite considerably. O´Malley had made the mistake of intruding via our cat flap and then got trapped overnight in Casa Esperança. Next morning, a slightly bloody struggle ensued with JohnH at the receiving end until Hazel wrestled the feral cat to the floor and caged him. Some effort !

We then transported him 20k up the São Marcos road and set him loose near Talurdo. 

Will he find a new area to terrorise or will his homing instincts bring him back ? Watch this space. 

And with that, APAPS takes a break for a few weeks.

APAPS 24.03: Poço Frito 2024 07 17

 

The usual photo record of this week´s APAPS.event. Things got off to a slow start because Café Martins did not open at 07.00 as advertised. The 07.00 Up-Train to Faro (not to be confused wiith the 10.00  Down-Train to Lagos went through  on schedule.

The breadman delivered the daily bread.

The queue of patrons awaiting their coffee sat patiently.

Eventually the Café staff arrived and opened up; Hazel helped carry the bread inside; coffees were served, the Starter picture was taken, creature comforts were duly attended to and we set off  at last at 07.25.

Poço Frito and the Caravela development continue to smarten up and to build. This formerly muddy passage way has now been calçada´d

and enables us to opt out of a rather boring bit of tarmac.

Old houses are being restored

and new ones built

Things are happening in the countryside too, irrigation trenches

The Strawberry Field is devoted to water melons this year.

 

There are signs of increasing activity in the surrounding areas. The first step is to construct your gate, of course.

Behind this gate with its security warning sign is a ruin; watch this space.

This rustic retreat started off a couple of years ago as a solitary caravan.

Find a ruin, put in a new track and give it a name:the house on the heath.

And this caravan has just started; let´s see how it goes. Water, electricity, and a guard dog to come.

Now a couple of mystery photos by Myriam.

Fruit trees by Hazel.

And so back to base through the orange groves.

The Track and the Statistics.

Because we had set off later than planned and needed to be at the Café by 10.00 (JohnH got to the table at 10.00 precisely), the pace had of necessity been a bit more pressing than of late. Nearly 4 kph is not too bad; Janet would have been pleased, had she been there!

The Breakfast. 

For this the four Starters were joined by the Lagos delegation, consisting of Paul, Louisa, Armando and Bernard.

Mother and Son.

There were grapes from Hazel´s horta, 

Chef Marcio repeated his excellent breakfast menu of last year...

and some generous but anonymous donor met the whole bill..Could it have been because it was Bernard´s birthday.

And Paul offered safari trips in his open top jeep - generic name - at an undisclosed price.