back to the Albergue.

So back to bed?

The gentleman(Korean, Japanese or an other) who is in the bed next to me is away walking for the day, but coming back here later, so I've a chance to unwind a couple of hours prior to the cleaning of the albergue?

The weather is back to inclement. Yesterday was an illusion. It's winter on the Atlantic Ocean coast. The room I am in faces the garden at the back of the house, so it's sufficiently quiet for another night here - at the front the revellers pass by. And I got being a tourist out of my system.

But the blinking cat is not going to let me chill, with its broken meow out in the corridor (poor mite wants something I can't give it) ... Time to resurrect and discover a Delta café?

Stepped out into more rain. But I have a coffee. Once I return to the Albergue I doubt I will leave it again ... Freshly squeezed orange juice and a cheese toastie this morning.

They're cleaning up the albergue. They let me stay again and I can go to the room once they have passed the vacuum around the upstairs. I am weary... It's my over used phrase. Perhaps weariness is my mental 'state' too. I can't use any facilities until after the official 1430pm check in time, but I definitely don't need anything except solace.

***

An hour's down time. Then off to eat healthier than for a while. No meat or fish in my diet today. Yesterday it was Sardines in the excellent Casa Lopes, but, even in my tired state, I saw a Venezuelan Arepa vendor down on the street leading to the Albergue, and along the pedestrianised section of el Camino on Rua Cedofeita, hopefully it will be open today.

In an excellent wine bar - A Garrfreira - where I enjoyed a number of 'none port' wines from the region (including two brilliant ones from the Azores - Terras de Lava)

and where I finally got the name of the ubiquitous beans -  Lupini - which is an excellent snack to accompany any glass of wine... But today I want none of it!

Belly filled with healthy black bean(Feijão Preto) arepa Dominó (2) and a plain, but superior, salad and 1.5l of mineral water 20.30€ at Dona Arepa and I've picked up two bottles of Kefir on the one occasion I actually entered a supermarket during this final trip of 2023 and it's up Rua do Barão Forrester for the final time?

***

I misunderstood. I was allowed in briefly until I left for lunch. An hour to wait until it's good night Vienna and I am back at the cafe where I ended yesterday's spree and ate Broa...

It's my responsibility to put the smile back on my face? So I just smiled at a passer by. The outside world is a reflection of an inner state?

Time to read more of the Outsider... The character is someone with the same emotionlessness as myself, but am I psychopath too? Would I put my mother in a home rather than support her myself? I don't think I could, but I know if I had to cope with her 24/7 I'd probably be incapable ... She'd hate to have me supporting her needs as she's so independent. It's necessary to look deeper inside and consider if I have a heart which cares? Is it possible to care so much that care becomes impossible because of all the aspects of life which I can't feel positive about? I love animals, but I really struggle with humans, humanity and being a human!

Back in the sleeping bag and had one bottle of Kefir to help bring my body back from the brink I put it at yesterday in those several hours when I fell off the waggon again and a shower once more as I smelled so sweaty today: the humidity and the heavy rain coat just didn't mix!