Guadiana Day 2

 Guadiana Day 2

Having all breakfasted well and taxied to Junqueira, Jan wondered if she could Vamus on a bus...

...but decided to stay with the other 10 of us....same number as yesterday.

For some reason Ann liked a photo of our boots.....she said because some people don't like being photographed.....I think perhaps she just likes boots...

So off we set. People in this part of the Algarve seem very few and far apart, the villages all seeming to be ghost ones, but we did see some livestock:

In the absence of Alan , our official photographer, I thought  I would take a picture of walkers' backsides, just to follow the tradition...

The weather was warm, and there were signs of straggling already...

Ros has a thing  about trig points, but this one was not only off-piste, but rather high, so she gave  climbing up it a miss...

It was quite high on the plateau, with great views back to the river, bridge & sea:

David had promised  an early coffee break at Azinhal, but our hearts sank as it seemed closed...

But, false alarm.....coffee in sun ( with some, no names John) having a pasta de nata.....even the local GNR were kept queuing...

Again, a deserted village, pretty little square....but perhaps this is why?

Before....

.....and after???

We had initially thought this was a scarecrow, until she moved...

We were in delightful countryside with glorious November sunshine, old windmills and an occassional glimpse of the river....

The straggling got worse....

He didn't want us to go that way....

And someone didn't want us to go that  other way either....but, after a false start, we did....

Past prickly pears and abandoned farmhouses ......

Before reaching another No Entry sign.....but how else could we have got there? David undertook to complain to someone, somewhere....

Another pretty little ghost village, Almada D'Ouro....

Complete with ancient breadoven...

Almost a water crossing....

And some lovely  Autumnal Spring flowers..

Before lunching by river..

Susan thought she would have a paddle....

John wasn't so sure...

After lunch, some first aid for insect bites...

......more flowers and sheep with some cute lambs...

And so to Odelaitte and the O Campones for a well earned drink.....after a diversion around the town to find it!

And then taxis back to Alcoutim......which had it's own drama! Those in one of the taxis were a bit anxious about the age of the driver , especially when he was doing 140kph ! The car itself decided enough was enough, and promptly stopped! When car and passengers had recovered, they proceeded to the hotel, though David demanded a different driver for the next day!

After this drama,  the evening was rounded off by a drink inside  the Miragem as it was getting cold, before a very nice dinner at O  Camane...

.....with much discussion about the dire weather warnings for next two days....but today had been delightful.

David reckons my phone's Outdoor Active must be wrong, but here are stats.....and thanks to him & Ann for some photos :

 

Geoff