I am more than 1/2 done with my trip and just starting this level of documentation! I guess that is a good sign as I have had a lot of social contact instead of publishing!
First day, Wednesday 2/22, I picked up the bike at a square here in town and road to the place that is closest, Barao de Sao Joao. I wanted to be sure I could get there and back in good time. I even took a “short cut” that I usually only use on the ride home. The lunch was over the top. Not the food, tuna stake, but the socializing! A Belgium woman who works at a local guest house and her male friend. They were very engaged with each other. They were on bikes, probably gravel bikes but I can not be sure now. A man 60? was sitting at a near by table and we started talking once the couple had left. He spent 40 years in LA. Was writing in a loose leaf notebook and said he threw them out once he finished one! Needed to impress with his knowledge. The first US President was not Washington, John Handcock even took it on for a week? and then quit. It took me a day or so to realize that I did not know anything about the executive during the articles of confederation time. He had at least one other data point like this that I have forgotten.
But then the real event of the day. A young, very attractive woman comes and sits on a bench that is right next to the restaurant tables where we are eating. She probably opens with a question that I have forgotten. But her story tumbles out. Last night was the worst of her life. She has lost her passport, her money, her pocketbook. The police who arrested her would not tell her their names. She seems to be living in rooms here and is happy with the set up. As far as I could tell, she went to someone’s house, left her pocket book, tried to get back in to retrieve it and the owner called the police. Now the owner has found her pocketbook and when we saw this young woman later, she had it back. She came to Sao Joao as she was told she could earn 10 Euro an hour picking fruit. Early in the conversation I had turned our half over to the LA man. He is living in a camper just outside the town and so far the police have not moved him on. He was able to direct our young lady to the next bar with a name to ask for who would know about such agricultural jobs. I tried to give the LA man my card, but he would not accept it. He had noticed that I had taken a picture of my dinner and commented on how he was not recording his life! As I went in to pay, the Belgium woman was back on bikes with another man! She even had different cloths so that I really did not recognize her but she had my name!
Thursday, I went to Restaurante Solar Do Farelo. I was early, probably got there at 10:40 and they do not open until noon. I had called and made a reservation though I think the owner, Fernando, always makes room for me. So I road out another little road in that area. The sun was out to keep me warm but the wind was blowing and it was cold. This road T’s with another after a mile? At least 4 bikers came by going the other way. Once I had gotten off my bike to walk and stretch a little. a man in a van stopped and said “problem?”. I was able to assure him all was well, I was just stopping to rest. There is a speedway over the next ridge and one can hear the cars zooming. I tried to use the video to record the sound but I do not think it came out. I have a place along this road, a rock wall, where I have sat to read in past years.. The trick today was to be in the sun but have some protection from the wind. I was ok. I was not really out of the wind but I put on an extra layer, read James portrait of a lady and did some sudoku. At Solar I had the Lamb Shank. Fernando warned me that it would be slow but I am very happy sitting, drinking reading etc. On the way home I did walk up the one steep hill!
Friday I road with Fergal down to Burgau.