Randonnée

This last two days I’ve been enjoying lots of walking, which I love.  Feels wonderful to keep the body, and the mind, limber with free, available and easy exercise.  On top of that I get to take in the birds and flowers, another cheap free pleasure.

Yesterday we headed off to the Fonte da Benémola, a first time for Diane and the second time this trip for Marc and I.  It’s an easy and enjoyable 4.5 kms, a small farm road on one side, you cross the river then it’s up and down a mountain path on the return trek.  The day was a perfect temperature for this type of activity.

I found my first orchid of the season. Yellow Ophrus.

This cluster of yellow flowers was quite pretty and spread all along the river bed. It felt very waxy, almost like a succulent but not quite.

Paperwhite are prolific right now. Frequently, as was the case here, you smell them before you spot them.

They look all bundled up and cold but they weren’t. Marc was coming down with a bit of a cold and the wind from time to time made it feel cooler than it really was.

Saw this fence post and flower pot onroute to the village.

It was a wonderful morning but then disappointment when we headed to a particular restaurant and found it closed!  Instead, we headed home, made sandwiches and then sat in the sunshine beside the pool.  Lovely way to relax, enjoy a cold beer and then a lazy afternoon.

This morning I headed off on my own and enjoyed an almost two hour walk.  I more or less go where my nose takes me!  I try not to think about it or plan it out but to simply turn when I feel like it and at all times, look for photo opportunities.  I try to see old things in a new angle.

These steps lead up, or down depending on your perspective,from our Quinta parking. The almond tree is almost in full bloom.

Our driveway up and the gorgeous flowers that greet us each day as we return home.

This little fellow seemed to want to keep me company and either flew, or hopped along, beside me for quite some distance.

I found several bushes of honeysuckle starting to bloom in the mountain.

Gorgeous almond trees, soon they will be done and with that in mind, I enjoy them while I can.

I was surprised to find that some of the olive trees still contain fruit. Usually by now it’s all been harvested.

Tall willowy iris are popping up all along the roadways.

I think this is called a rock rose. Whatever it is, I love it.

This rose is just starting to unfurl. I love the soft pink and the textured look of it.

Can never be too many almond blossoms.

I appreciated the visual effect of the lemon and orange trees so close to each other.

This tiny plant is growing wildly all all fences everywhere I go. I sat and watched an enormous black bug, sort of like a bee but not really, pollinate from plant to plant. His wings were almost blue they were so transparent. Tried to capture him (in photo) but no luck.

These deep orange clementines were bending the branches.

I liked this shot. It’s still elegant enough that I can see the beauty of it.

This place, I love the colours and would love to see inside.

The clouds were building up on the horizon to the north of us. Big, dark, they danced with the sun all afternoon but the sun won!

I think this must have been recently painted as it’s so clean.

By the time I arrived at the square it was 12h30 and I had just ordered my meio litro de vino de pressiao (vino verde on tap) when Diane and Marc arrived.  Ana and Simão were open today, first time since our return from Cabo Verde.

The prato da dia was chocos fritos a setubalense…….fried cuttle fish in the style of setubal.   Absolutely delicious.

Diane and Marc opted for menu items.

A taco filled with tasty grilled pork

Bitoque de porco…always with the fried egg.

It was lovely to sit in the square and enjoy each others company and have some time with our friends again.   Marc had rested his satchel under his chair and it too became something special for another of our lunchtime friends.

 A fresh shipment of desserts had a few folks drooling but I took this photo for those of you that are always asking about sweets in the Algarve

Headed home after lunch and discovered a couple of gypsies at our quinta gates…….happily, they were bringing avocados so we let them in, even gave them tea!

And so it goes.   Another glorious day and to top it all off…..Diane is preparing dinner…we don’t have to cook or clean up.  Yahoo!!!!!