This is the cute little kitchen of last night's hotel. I didn't use it but I did appreciate it. I was in room four the only room down the hall...nice and quiet.
I could see this from my hotel room. It was dedicated to a long time metal mason. I know there is a better word than metal mason, I just can't think of it.
Definately a cat of a different color.
I had to cross over the railroad tracks. These gates ensured that I would pay attention.
A cow crossing in the middle of town.
Look at those ears. Hee-haw.
The green here is so vivid.
Yesterday was 18.2 miles of mountains and then I walked an additional two from my hotel to dinner and back and all around. My dogs were barking. I am off today.
The beautiful Arcade River. I could see from almost any where in the Arcade Mountains.
Look at the color of this section of the river. As I got higher in the mountains, it became this amazing color. I think it is caused by the type of rocks.
I did see a group of people yesterday. There were about ten of them and three dogs.
They didn't have backpacks so I knew it was a day hike. I saw them coming down the mountain and I thought, Yippee a village--no such luck--I turned in a different direction and there were no villages the entire day, so no Coca-Cola Zero.
I have seen a number of birds, butterflies and flowers but I have not seen this guy! I haven't been in any caves either.
Splendiferous!
I am assuming that this is the Algave Dam since it is on the Algave River in the Algave Mountains. But you never know.
I walked across the dam and promptly lost the trail markers. Had to wander around a bit until I found one. Cost me about a mile.
There was a big forest five here, less than a year ago.
Thought I was going to have to swim across this one. I found a medium size rock and heaed it into the pond and was able to get through it, on the side where it was not quite as wide. Unfortunately, it was sort of through the sticker bushes but I got through with a minimum amound of wet boots.
It translates to "Beware to eat fish."
More magnificient scenery. It is hard to tell how very high these mountains are but I can tell you, it was a buns of steel, OMG will this up and up-never end day. PANT--PANT, Gasp--Gasp. My guide book warned that after the dam. was the most challenging part of the day. Talk about understating. The other block of Baringer is more challengine that the block we live on. And you hardly notice it goes up hill. But I will say that it was my kinda day. Beautiful as far as the eye could see.
I sent up so many arrow prayers yesterday that I looked like I was trying to set the Guiness record. I learned if I couldn't find the marker right off the bat, I took the steeper way first. I don't mind as much if the backtracking is downhill. However, if I have to climb back up a hill, it seems worse. The things I tell myself. This is one of the trail markers. As you can see, it was pretty burnt. Earlier in my hike, the nice transport man and then his wife told me that section 9 (yesterday's walk) and section 10 (tomorrows walk) was not marked due to the fire. I fretted about it and then called Camino Ways. The Irish gal I talked to said, "No worries, they have been replaced." Ummm, mostly
Nature is amazing. Look how much of the green is coming back.
Another trail marker. I was really hoping that who ever sat the marker on the pole wasn't a prankster.
I love this tree. What a fighter. It didn't rain on me but it did sprinkle about three times. Not enough to drag out my rain gear.
Getting close to Silves here. Look at the steepness of that last hill. Whew.
My first stork sighting. I love them. Those nests about the size of Eagle nest. Not quite but almost.
Silves is centered around a castle. And as soon as I finish this blog, I am out to do some exploring.
I was starving at about 4:30 so I wander back into town. I found this little snack place and the woman said that the kitchen didn't open back up until 6:00 but she could make me a pizza. SOLD! I ordered the hot and spicy one. It did not disappoint in either flavor or hotness. I have learned that in Portugal: a bar only sells liquids, a snack shop sells sandwiches, pizzas, and other easier items to make, and a restaurant sells more three or four course sit-down dinners.
adeus por enquanto (goodbye for now)
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