Jo’s Monday walk : Over the border

I’m keeping it short this week, rather like my trip to Spain.  In fact, this is a visit I wasn’t planning to share, but sometimes, despite my best intentions, the camera starts clicking of it’s own volition.  Before you know it, I’ve got another Monday walk!

I’ve mentioned several times that on Sundays I generally take part in Todos a Caminhar (Let’s all walk!).  A health initiative, organised by the local council, the walks take part across the Algarve and, once a year, extend across the Guadiana to Ayamonte parish, on the Spanish border.  Last year we went along, on a romp through salt marshes very similar to those in our Algarve.  You might wonder about the point of this.  On my part it was mostly curiosity.  I wanted to see if it differed from the Algarve walks, and I always enjoy walking in new territory.  No such excuse this year, but some friends wanted to go, so we volunteered to give them a lift.

As we neared the sports centre, venue for the walk last year, we remarked on the absence of cars.  Last year they had lined the road.  Worse still, when we parked up in Punta del Moral, the streets were empty.  Puzzled, we listened for the sound of music or some sign of activity.  Slowly it was dawning on us that we might be in the wrong place.  Fortunately a number of others had made the same mistake, including a coachload of prospective walkers.  When they radioed for help, and were obviously redirected, we scurried back to our car and followed.  The venue was not as advertised, but in the nearby resort, Isla Canela.  We arrived just in time to join the throng, and head off through the starting gate.

I assumed we would be heading across the salt marshes on roughly the same trajectory as last year, but no!  We stayed on the footpath, and followed the road back in the direction from which we’d arrived.  A bit of a disappointment, but it did mean a closer look at the Torre Canela.  One of 40 towers, commissioned by Felipe II in the 1500s for the defence of the Andalucian coast, it was reluctantly paid for by a fishing tax on the local community.  The tower is special in that it contains a well at its centre, but the site is closed on Sundays.

Next we were directed around the back of the resort, closed and tired-looking in its winter garb, out to the lengthy promenade.  The almost deserted beach doesn’t have sands as golden as those that surround me in the Algarve, but the palm trees and lace curtains of white broom create a fragrant backdrop.  So beautiful, it’s just one more sign that Spring is rolling along in my part of the world.

Eventually we arrive back in the immaculate marina, the focal point of this rather soulless resort.  Building work continues so there must be a market, but I was happy to cross the water to the real Spain, no less attractive for being a little shabby round the edges.

We chose a restaurant by the waterside to look back on Isla Canela.  Faced with a menu in Spanish we became surprisingly fluent in Portuguese, but the waitress was kind.  And we can ask for dessert in many languages!

We thought the roses a rather romantic touch.  And my triple chocolate mousse was delicious.

walking logo

I’m still in a state of wibble regarding future scheduling, but there will be another Jo’s Monday walk next week.  Thank you so much for all your kind thoughts.  It’s not easy to stop when we have so much fun together.  You are great company!

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All’s right in Amanda’s world!

Walking with Kangaroos and Galahs

Isn’t this a lovely name?  We could all do with a bit of this, Alice :

Thankful Square

I was so relieved when I found it was the geese Janet was talking about!

Jo’s Monday Walk…morning light and taking a bath

Just when I’m starting to think warmth, Irene has me shivering again :

Rescue on the Ice

Food and art- 2 subjects dear to Jackie’s heart :

Breaky

Eunice loves street art, too.  Her lovely dog has just died, so please visit.  She might enjoy the company :

Bolton’s street art

If anyone has a spirit of adventure, it’s Mel, but she’s also an appreciator of art :

Art Outside – Getting Out Amongst Walcha’s Sculptures

Drake has a sense of adventure too, and an eye for an interesting shot :

Color hunting

While Cathy takes an intimate look at Italy’s capital :

Rome: Continuing the “heart of Rome” walk past the Spanish Steps & the Trevi Fountain

And Natalie gets up close and personal with a waterfall :

Hiking to Devil’s Cauldron Waterfall

Let’s finish with Jude.  Who wouldn’t want an amble with her?  I’ll get there myself one day!

Hayle: Copperhouse Trail

Have a great week everybody!  This last one has flown.

110 comments

  1. I so enjoyed joining you on this walk, Jo, as always. Your photos and descriptions are wonderful, and nice to see the sweet touches of spring coming in. And oh-so-wise to know how to order dessert in many languages.

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  5. How I miss lovely spring blossoms. Another reason to look forward to returning to more northerly latitudes. Of course, that marina, with its blue water is beckoning me to sail eastward …even if it is off a soulless resort. Someday. I wish I’d been there to help you finish those yummy desserts.

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    1. Strange, but the desserts never last long, Lisa. 🙂 🙂 I was out this morning with our local group, up in the hills. My dessert was called Molotov- basically a lot of fluffy egg white and caramel sauce. Too busy chatting and I forgot the photo! 😦

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  7. The white broom would be reason enough for me to take this walk! Like a few others, I am amazed at the size of the groups on these walks; while it might seem overwhelming to me, I think it’s great to get people out and moving. Good for them!

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    1. We have heaps of the broom this year, Lexie, here and in Spain. It’s everywhere across the marshes. 🙂 🙂 A couple of my friends like to challenge their fitness and run or fast walk these Sunday walks, but everyone goes at their own pace. I realise it’s not for everyone, but it’s a nice social thing to do. I take part in some and not others. Then we usually go back to one or another of our homes for a light lunch and a chat, but in Spain we had rather a nice meal together, 16 of us.

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  9. Interesting that the group has so many people going along. I know I’d prefer to be walking with just a few as I would not enjoy the pressure of having to converse while walking, but I can see where the social aspect could be appealing to others. Is that the motivation for walking with a griup or is it more for exploring new locations/walks that on your osn you might not discover. I’m curious!

    Peta

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    2. This is a weekly event which can attract up to 500 walkers/runners, Peta. If it’s an interesting location I go along, or sometimes we go as a small group of friends. That day there were 16 of us eating together afterwards. My normal group walks, one of which I’m going on this morning, attract around 20 people. The numbers fluctuate as this is a transient community. The reason for walking as a group? Mostly social- we’ve met some lovely people this way. We tend to explore independently and then introduce the walk to the group, so those I share here are a mix (or my version of events 🙂 )

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  10. It must be quite exciting to wake up on a morning and just say, “I’ll be home later. I’m walking to Spain.” I’m envious of your walks, although not nearly as adventurous as you have been in taking on a whole new home and environment, Jo. I enjoy all that you share and I guess you’d say I’m living the adventure vicariously. 🙂 The desserts are an adventure in themselves. LOL!

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    1. The desserts are often a surprise, Debbie. When we eat as a group we usually have a choice, but sometimes the dessert just arrives! Nobody minds too much, so long as it does 🙂 🙂 We’re only a half hour drive from Spain so it’s easy to walk over there too.

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  11. You were amongst a throng of walkers, but there’s no-one in your photos, Jo! 🙂 It sounds like a good health initiative, although given your regular activity, probably not aimed at you. In fact, I would have expected you to be one of the leaders.

    I love the photo of the abandoned boat. Those are beautiful desserts. What did your friends have? 🙂

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    1. I believe there was cake too, Draco, but I can’t remember what kind. 🙂 🙂 I’m never walk leader because it wouldn’t give me the opportunity to take those photos. I hang back then gallop to catch up. That’s my fitness initiative! 🙂

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  14. Jo, How nice that you already saw signs of spring where you are. The white blooms and the views from the marina look lovely. I like reading about the Canela tower. Thank you for including my hike on your list. Have a beautiful week and no pressure, just blog when you feel like it.

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  15. Wibble all you like Jo. You are a fantastic supportive blogger, and I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. I hope you do ocassionally write a post without feeling any pressure and do it just for the enjoyment of it all.

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    1. Thanks for that, Suzanne 🙂 🙂 I do, thoroughly, enjoy the writing and it makes it hard to stop. I love the interaction, too, but it takes big parcel of time. I just need to get the balance right.

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  16. I totally missed your comments last week – I think I skipped straight from the end of your walk to the other walks. It wasn’t till Jude mentioned it that I went back to check and caught up! It must be hard work keeping up a series like this, so I totally see why you want to row back a bit – which is not to say I won’t miss your walks.

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    1. Thanks, darlin! I’ve just finished reading your Skye piece and am struggling to keep my eyes open to comment. Sometimes it all catches up with you, doesn’t it? Conserving strength for walks on Tuesday and Wednesday 🙂 🙂 I love the writing, Anabel,, and I will really miss it if I step away.

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  17. Oh yum! Death by chocolate at the end of your walk! I think I am going to have to try to do the same when I head to Spain in May for my next camino adventure! I can use you as an excuse. 😉 Have a great day and thanks for the link. Melx

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  18. Jude’s very restrained about you chocolate mousse, I’d nab the lot pdq. It’s hard to pinpoint what makes a walk wonderful instead of okay isn’t it? One I’ll never forget is along that wide road to the river in Warsaw with you in your little soft shoes, scrambling up hat slope behind me 🙂

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    1. Nor me! 🙂 🙂 Even ambling round Brum was a treat in your company. We did too much walking beside the road instead of through the marshes on this one, and Isla Canela is plastic city. Aside from that… I did my best 🙂

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  19. I seem to remember a wibble about your move a long time ago Jo I think that time has passed 🙂 You seem to be enjoying so much in your new life you really are and that’s wonderful . Gosh 8 or 9 coaches and … quite a throng Lol glad you made the rendezvous .
    Love the white broom .. can’t say I’ve seen such here in UK so that stood out for me . Happy Monday Jo .. what’s left of it x

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    1. I’m all wibble sometimes, Poppy 🙂 🙂 If you ever meet the other half he’ll tell a tale or two. But you’re right- this feels very much like home now, and family and friends apart, I hanker after little from my old life. Thanks for the constant support, darlin. Roasties in the oven, chicken and Yorkshire puds coming up soon.

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  20. Despite your lovely photos this walk doesn’t seem to have inspired you as much as most of your walks do. Thinking about a coachload of walkers turning up makes me wonder how big the group is. I would not enjoy group walking, I like to do my own thing and stop when and where I want to. The white broom is lovely! And I wouldn’t mind a teeny taste of the triple chocolate mousse, but I expect it has all gone by now…

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    1. There are plenty of photo opportunities, Jude, but the walk itself was a bit of a non-entity. You have to remember that this is a fitness initiative to get people moving, and it does just that! The Portuguese aren’t walkers, in the main, though many of the youngsters jog and ride bikes. It’s aimed at the sedentary generation and is successful in that respect. The youngsters think it’s a bit of fun too, so it gets everyone together. You would be horrified to know that there were 8 or 9 coaches, and that the leaders run. It’s a choice, and no, I wouldn’t expect you to do it. Nor would I expect you to hike in the mountains, but that doesn’t stop me including hikes? You take what you want from this. I seldom amble alone with my camera, but when I do I enjoy it. 🙂 🙂

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      1. It sounds like a good initiative for getting people walking, but definitely not my cup of tea. I know you like walking with a group. I’m very happy to tag along, up and down dale especially when there is cake 🍰 I wasn’t complaining about your post, but you’re usually more enthusiastic about the walk.

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      2. Sorry- didn’t mean to be grouchy! 🙂 🙂 On Tuesday me and Michael walked on our own because I wasn’t feeling great, and I thoroughly enjoyed a uiet (giggle!) ramble in the countryside (probably next Monday’s post). We joined Todos as an opportunity to practise our Portuguese, though it seldom happens. We did 2 trips to Spain within a week. The photos from the other are fairly boring so I focused on this one but it wasn’t a walk to excite.

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