AWW 09.06.2007 - Summer Feast, Benagil

Working up an appetite - or a thirst!

I must admit, it was with some trepidation that we returned from our Eastern Odyssey to discover that the Big Benagil Bacchanalian Bash had been organised by our Back to Basics - Beer and Butties rep, Ian S., but these fears later proved unfounded. Indeed the pre-lunch walk along the coast from Benagil was an extremely pleasant appetiser, although only 11 of the 30 odd diners deemed it necessary to pre-burn the calories they would inevitably collect later!

The Walk: Leader: Ian S.
Followers: Marguerite; Diane & Ian W.; John & Hazel, Mick and Sylvia; Myriam and Paul; Janet.
Guest appearance (non-volunteer) Maio; Shorty.
Distance: 5 km: Time 1 hr 15 mins. Tilley Hats: 4/11

Hazel takes it to the edge

On the way out along this beautiful and popular section of the coast we saw these two 'schooners' which were carrying tourists and enhancing the scenery. Also a film crew were filming a couple of models on one of the beaches, but alas our route did not include a descent from the cliffs to ogle! On the negative side, on our return ramble, a rather ugly large catamaran appeared to be hosting a 'rave' of young people and was polluting the atmosphere by playing inordinately loud bass and drums music from a set of speakers and amps that would have been adequate for Wembley Stadium. We dissed their street cred by resolutely refusing to take a picture as they made their noisy progress!





Myriam stalks Jonathan Livingstone

The seagull in this picture obviously didn't realise he was being approached by an omnivore that had been devouring the flora, fauna and exotic fowls of South east Asia recently.

We returned to Cafe Lamy before 1230, enabling Ian to promptly run a taste test on the draught Sagres which appeared to be to his satisfaction. The crowd began gathering in earnest, and we eventually took our seats and had some hot well cooked but basic Chicken piri-piri or sea bass (robalo). The wine supplied (not from the Wine Mine on this occasion) was adequate, but not so good that it encouraged excessive gargling and lewd behaviour.
Our congratulations to Ian on his organisation and for a splendid end of season event.





The eastern side of the table




The western side of the table



The South Western Annexe!



Pre-lunch circulation - note the untouched water bottles!

Lindsey had laboriously compiled a set of walking statistics for the season, which apparently officially ends today, and announced that she would like a successor as Secretary/dogsbody, a post that Janet has eagerly assumed. Thanks to Lindsey for a wonderful job. A discussion arose as to whether some of the remaining funds should be given away to charity, but a subsequent email from Lindsey reveals there may be some more mileage in discussing this at sub-committee level.

Here are the season's attendance stats:

For the record - We had a total of 36 walks organized but 3 were cancelled.

John Hope walked 29 walks, Lindsey 23; David L. & Ian Scott 21; Janet & Paul 19;

Antje, Rod, Mike & Ian Wilson 16; Chris & Andrew 14; Elaine & Myriam 13; Hazel 10.

Leaders -

David L. led 8 walks

Rod led 6 walks

Ian Scott & Mike 5 walks

Paul 4 walks

Ian Wilson & Chris 2 walks

Hedley & Stan 1 walk

My personal thanks to John H for ably stepping into the breach to keep the blog even more accurate and incisive than before, and for his role as Chief Paparazzi.

John H. with his 'big one'!

I will finish this season's blog with a few, I hope relevant and inspirational quotes:

Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. ~Soren Kierkegaard

Walking takes longer... than any other known form of locomotion except crawling. Thus it stretches time and prolongs life. Life is already too short to waste on speed. ~Edward Abbey, "Walking"

The true charm of pedestrianism does not lie in the walking, or in the scenery, but in the talking. The walking is good to time the movement of the tongue by, and to keep the blood and the brain stirred up and active; the scenery and the woodsy smells are good to bear in upon a man an unconscious and unobtrusive charm and solace to eye and soul and sense; but the supreme pleasure comes from the talk. ~Mark Twain

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

When you have worn out your shoes, the strength of the shoe leather has passed into the fiber of your body. I measure your health by the number of shoes and hats and clothes you have worn out. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


See you all at SparrowsFart!!
Paulo à Pé