AWW. 30th January 2008 Marmelete to Aljezur or Fainting in Coils

David's Painting Workshop or

The Flower Power Parade

Alunas: Paul, Myriam, Tina, Lindsey, Andrew, Hilke, Brian, John H, John O', Mike, Dina, Vitor, Ian S, Janet, Ian W,

Artista: David

Inspetores Convidados: Nick, Sam, Jerry

Gerentes do Transporte: Mike, Myriam

Representivo Unico do Mundo Canino: Maddy

It had been agreed that once a month David would lead the group and teach them all how to prettify the countryside by painting daisies on rocks, poles and ?perches (one for the English old-timers, that). This news was greeted with such enthusiasm that the largest group of the season gathered at Marmalete to trek down the Passil valley to Aljezur.

Class of 2008

One senior member was so excited that he turned up in his carpet slippers but, true to his bulldog spirit, he vowed to walk the rocky road nevertheless. (Looking for another wooden spoon, that's what it is.)

Where's the Pointy Cap?

Another early casualty was Brian's Tilley, but fear not!, Myriam was on hand to make it much worse.

Tilley Poultice

There was some speculation that David had suddenly developed a huge appetite, but the Yellow Plastic Box was not for comestibles but was full to the brim with the necessities of the true artista.

'Five sausage rolls, six bananas, three pints of Tetleys..'

David Lean should have been on hand to film the epic as the small army marched through the streets of Marmalete to the Aljezur road. At the first Daisy Point ("one I prepared earlier"), the Leader explained that from time to time he would dive off the track and slosh white and yellow paint on the nearest convenient piece of masonry or timber in what he hoped would be roughly the shape of a flower. No one seemed to question this odd behaviour, which goes to prove what a weird bunch the AWWs really are, I suppose. Painted flowers in the Algarve countryside - what an absurd idea.

No Fallers at the First

Masterclass

The other oddity of this walk was that with this Leader, everyone was walking downhill for much of the time, as the descent to the river was made. Had the Updulator finally flipped, or perhaps age had taken its toll? No one seemed to know, but all kept quiet for fear of bringing on an ASCENT. (Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!)

Arriving at the Passil, the usual stream-crossing oddballs emerged from the pack - rock-tossers, the odd black-plastic fetishist, the walk-on-water merchants, you know the type, but all overcame the obstacle one way or another, to continue on down the broad track and past a couple more daisies.The second stream was far more amusing, as Janet and Mike attempted a kind of dance during the former's crossing, but Mike had apparently forgotten the rule of the see-saw, and Janet ended up with soggy socks. Pity I only got the tale secondhand.

Three Bags Full

Don't You Dare Pull Me In

All Fall Down

Lunch was taken in a shady glade by the roadside, on what was a perfect walking day.

Paul a Traseiro

A seemingly irrelevant request for a concertina player as the group moved off again was answered by reference to a Portuguese musician encountered on another walk. (I'll take a rain-check, thanks). At any rate, there was no dancing, but a fairly rapid progress down the road towards Aljezur. Arriving at Nova Igreja, a pause ensued for a photograph which Mike assured us would remind Maurice of yet another historic moment in AWW history. (I think we should have a collection of these, bound in calfskin, for fuure generations of WWs to marvel at.)

The Balcony Scene (Ask Maurice)

On the walk into Aljezur, Luis the Taxi sailed past and was accosted to discuss the time of the return journey. This gave Paul the opportunity to lead the group into the first available bar by the market, rather than walking on the extra thirty metres or so to the one selected by the Leader.

Detentions All Round

Which leads one to the saddest task of all for a leader - to disqualify two -thirds of the group for failing to complete the walk. As a teacher, he should have remembered, I suppose, that pupils never do as they are told. So, gold stars to the Super Six who toiled up to the castelo, and letters home for the rest.

In fact we almost lost Andrew, who disappeared into the depths of the castle, having ignored a red and white chain across the track, and seemed likely to have been thrown into the nearest oubliette. The survivors beat a hasty retreat down a perilous travessa back to the bar, to join an already well-ensconced set of boozers (add that to the letters, Miss Smith), where a very lucky Andrew finally reappeared, none the worse for his adventure. (At least he seemed all right. Counselling may be required.) The taxis turned up only just in time to prevent the whole scene from degenerating into a sex romp, as Mike appeared to be about to investigate Janet's trouser pockets. And all because the gentleman wanted to paint daisies........

Fetch the Blue Pencil

Track of the Walk

Total Distance: 18.8; Moving Time: 3hrs 40 min.; Total Time: 4 hrs 35 min.; Moving Average 5.0 km/hr; Overall Average: 4.0 km/hr;Total Ascent 335 m.; Max Elevation 395 m.

Advertising Feature

Olientar Rady, Lepailel of Tirrey Hats. Velly Good Lates fol Wednesday Warkels. No Gualantees.

This week's quote is just for Ian. You didn't go quite far enough, obviously.

“If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would paint more daisies.” (Nadine Stair)

CB's relevant quotes:-

"Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and have his shoes."

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."
Larson, Doug