from Faro to Loulé

Faro. Phew. A good night's sleep in a Hostel. Only one other guest in my room Brian from the UK, who is escaping the cost of England; why else would you come to Faro? Perhaps for the climate, obviously, and to chill the fuck out? That's why I am here.

I was last in Portugal just prior to dog sitting Archie in December, and had a few days of nice walking along that Caminho Portugues route out of Porto, but I had a very tight budget, and quickly ran out of money, and the weather desolved into awful. Five days. This time I am hoping for 7 days prior to heading back to the flat in Leeds to have this new heating and water system installed by the contractors to Leeds City Council. Then I've Ruby again before Glenn and I go to Grenoble, and surroundings...

***

Day One yawns into being. As the first plane screams overhead @ 6:30am. The man, Brian, sleeps with a light on. And has sleep apnea... I thought he was choking a couple of times. What with the night guy cleaning the corridor outside the room and his choking I slept little after 3. It's a good job the night guy made coffee already. Sunrise is my first destination today.

***

I hopped over to the Praia by the ferry feeling the sun on my face. Such a luxury. Everyone around me was wrapped up against the winter cool! But it was like a spring day to me. T-shirt and shorts. If I come back this way on Sunday night then I will stay on the beach...

***

Lots of doggy kisses from the lass with the couple (brother and sister) from Alentejo, and a couple of craft beers in Boheme, before I returned to Seu Café for a bowl of chips. Now I sit in Menu Dourado getting my mind ready with those bodily needs: coffee, croissant and Sumo de Laranja then I am away with the sunrise. North along el Caminho. The same constant news plays behind me... Bom Días

***

Day One wasn't all fun? It was getting me to the promised land, but I was fighting fatigue all day and I can't be inspired and fatigued in the same moment - am led to believe? Sure I had three instances of foraged food - arbutus, carob and a tangerine - (which is inspiring) and the perfume of the herb miasma coming over the hill into Loulé (more of that today), but it's always a war going on between bliss and fear it?

No option in either Albergue (doesn't exist) or Hostel (closed until 14th) front and the Tourist Information said that there is no whereabouts to stay, even with the bombeiro or policial, which I have had as an option in the remoter parts of Spain on el Camino. So I was overnight in a comfortable bed in a damp room at Down Town (boutique) Hotel (€50), Loulé, where I had a very thorough shower and a long unbroken night's sleep. One of the owners of the restaurant I ate in yesterday invited me for supper 'gratis' but I was so exhausted yesterday from the bad night's kip with choking man... The hotel is ok. But the light to my left is coming away from the wall and there are three very dangerous steps by the toilet/sink/shower and doorway. It's all good, but I wish my boots weren't damp this morning!

The proprietor of the restaurant gave me a number and a contact in Salir - Tiago Satori, and I think he was going to get more information about the society there for me, but I was so physically tired and carrying a strain in my left chest muscle from God knows where that I stayed still and waited to meet my maker.

It's a bit chilly this morning. I might be fool hardy sat around with damp shoes and shorts near the doorway? The old lady on the table next to me is wrapped up like those returning from Stalingrad...

... Went outside to assess the weather, remembering the vendor of the local fried bread delicacy and the lady behind the counter took my coffee away... I laughed out loud - Pastelaria Amendoal.