A Jaunt into the Alentejo (or did he mean Joint)

Fourteen walkers gathered at the café at Malhao on 4th April 2018.

The walk leader arrived and hardly before he was out of his car, Jim sidled up and said he was so disappointed now that he had given up smoking as he had read that “we were going for a JOINT in the Alentejo.

As he walked away disappointed, Isabel strode up and asked about this JOINT we were going to and if there would be any Distinguished and Refined people there.

So I directed her to the U-Tube video that defines and told her to click below.

https://youtu.be/d8gJHFPyWxI

I told them that we were just going for a pleasant stroll in the countryside.

So it was a downcast group that lined up for the starting photo.

Those attending all had only 2 feet. The leader was a bit disappointed as he had arranged for quite a bit of water to be available on the walk.

John H, Sue M, Rose, Ros, Nick, Gill, Jim, and another Jim ( I can never remember which one is the good looking one), Hazel, Pam, Frank M, Isabel, Jan,  and last but not least is Susan from Cork ( the place from where the Jaunting cars come from and not the stuff in the photo further down). Also what is the name of the film in which John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara went courting on a jaunting car? Rose and Susan from Cork are not allowed to take part

At 09:30 prompt we were off. As we left the café, there were many attempts to count the nos. Eventually it was agreed that we were 15 or 14. Perhaps this was because John H has his new camera device and can take the photo and also be in it. I think that it was Nick who was counting that 14 lined up for the starting photo and assumed that John H was behind the lens.

As we walked through the village, we could see that spring was really here. This was not taken by John as you can see someone’s thumb and part of their hat in the top right corner. And I refuse to do photoshop or cropping, etc, You get what you get.

And we were off at a cracking pace. Nick was spotted breaking the 4km/hr speed limit.

The leader had to give them a good telling off, but as usual not everyone listened. I think the leader is better with dogs than walkers. He has such empathy with dogs.

At the 7km mark we met the water.

This was just bizarre.. Some wore blue suede shoes, others appear to be pulling “bloomers” over their feet. I think they stole them from the tree we passed on John H’s walk And then here comes Sergei Jim Bubka with his pole intending to just vault over the stream. See him just behind Ros.

But I do not think he is going to make it. His head is down and there is not the spring in his step that is needed

And then there were those who had hot feet and decided to cross it 3 times to retrieve their belongings that were too heavy to bring the first time, and so they left on the other bank.

And so up the hill and on reaching the Almodovar road, those who spend the walk talking, finally found where we had been.

After crossing a few more streams and some crossed more than others, we stopped for lunch

Some sat at the “low” table,but some made their way up the slope to the “high” table.

And there in in the middle of nowhere they were obviously cultivating  something. it was fenced in and protected. Was this the “WEED”  being grown for the Joints. When I told Jim that it was for the cattle, he trudged off disappointed.

And on we went, and then in the middle of the wilderness, when the leader was scratching his head at which path to take and thinking of retracing his steps to the sign that went to nowhere, all was revealed and we could take a road to everywhere.

We had a quick stop at Cork to placate the Irish, but there was no Jaunting car to be found. There was an elderly gentleman from Malhao, with his wheelbarrow collecting firewood whom I have seen every time that I have passed this spot. On reflection perhaps he was not that elderly. We surmised that he had been sent out by his partner to  get him out the house. Probably a bit like some of the AWW.

And then it was a drink.

The Portuguese do wear gorgeous hats, even if they are a bit flyaway.

But it takes a lot to beat the gorgeous Portuguese countryside. We are so lucky

And then there is some truth

Technical Details

Walked 17.44km

Time 09:30 till 14:30. Thirty minutes for lunch, but Ros still not able to finish her oranges, but she was one of those who hiked up to the high table.

Average walking pace 3.99km/hr

Elevation gain 350m

Frank M

4th April 2018