"Awwww c'mon Tanya, not now, it's only half past six in the morning."
This was drearily intoned as I struggled out of bed, opened the door and let Tanya out for a morning roam. I then boiled the kettle and with hot cup of tea, crawled back into bed, opened the window and pondered, as you do with that early morning half awake mind, the situation, place and the different life we were living.
Tanya is very much the decision maker of our varied wild camping overnight stops. We had chosen well last night. High on cliffs overlooking the Atlantic between 'Luz' and 'Burgau'. A level spot off a rough track amid flower filled rough clifftop pastures. A place with no traffic and certainly no other motorhomes and with houses and plush villas at a respectable distance. Yes; this was a place where Tanya could roam to her hearts content.
The downside? Hmmmm! I think she must have found something a tad unsavoury as two sessions of vomiting up her tea on the floor of Sadie were not a welcome addition to the pleasant, warm and balmy evening we were enjoying. Hence my reluctant but necessary early morning start. I did not want a repeat of the previous evening.
Tanya, by the way, wandered off, returned about 20 minutes later, climbed back onto her bed and has been there ever since, some 3 hours ago. She has also declined her breakfast! I wonder why! These 'tummy upset' days are not unusual although thankfully not too often either. Breakfast goes in the fridge and comes out again at tea time when usually her appetite has returned to normal.
The morning has continued in a slow, slow very slow way. I am also compromised this morning with aching joints and one dodgy knee. I felt it go yesterday as we were climbing down a rather dodgy and very steep cliff path to a secluded beach where I could take Tanya. This was between 'Lagos and Ponta de Piedade.' A stunning area with sea sculpted caves, coves and grottos in clear blue water. We had earlier walked down many steps to take a tourist trip on a wee boat around these cliffs. The little boat with just 4 of us, Tanya, myself and a young couple from Slovakia, slipped in and out of these amazing cave, grotto and sink hole, sea slopped cliffs. The boatman pointed out a tiny beach with some rough steps and, grinning all over his face, said.
"Is nudist beach". We all laughed, noted it was deserted and carried on. I noted it in particular as it was at the end of, and separated from, all the plush beaches complete with their 'No Dogs' signs. I don't mind the fact of 'No doggies on the beach' as we were on the edge of the large, plush and busy city of 'Lagos'. But here was a beach, if I could find my way to it, that offered a chance to do some snorkelling amid the stunning cliffs and in the clear blue water that, would in all probability, be free of a 'no doggy' sign. The beach was also tiny which meant I could safely leave Tanya as I disappeared out to sea. She wanders around up and down the waters edge wondering where the hell I go!
We eventually did find the way down. I had nearly given up as we had already attempted several downward paths that disappointingly ended at high clifftops. I suddenly spotted a couple of timber steps eroded away to a point where they were a jumble about 2m below a crumbled away part of the footpath. That was the story all the way down, a scramble down a badly eroded, but just feasible cliff path, with my knee giving notice about half way down that it did not approve.
We made it though and I managed my swim/snorkell in the clear blue water amid the rocky cliffs. Caution is the name of the game when on my little snorkelling trips. Especially in such a place where tourist boats are dodging about and tidal eddies and flows could take you too near undercut cliff edges. Stunning though with amazing fish, Octopus and colouful gardens of sea flowers clinging to the many rocks below.
Oh! And after my swim I did strip off and lie out in the sun to dry off. That gave the tourist boats something to look at. Poor tourists!!
The early morning pondering continued. Particularly around the stunning beauty which is just everywhere you look. Out of Sadie's window as I supped my tea there unfolded a majestic play of light upon the immense canvas of the Atlantic. Artists cannot but be in awe of all this magnificence. Their works, wonderful as they are can only ever be an approximation of 'Godfellows' 24/7 creative capacity.
I was raised Catholic and as such my early life was very much influenced by the Trinity, God the father, the son and the holy spirit or ghost as I used to know it. Today I still have a Trinity but termed very differently.
There was this couple you see called Mr & Mrs Infinity. They were pretty much successful and had a yard full of everything you would ever need to create anything. They really needed a good manager though. Well, they thought, lets pop down the job centre and see who is about. They interviewed a couple without success when all of a sudden and very unexpectedly a feisty lady barged in and said.
"Hey! I hear you're looking for someone who can manage everything and create anything. Look no further I can do that standing on my head. My name is Chaos and I ask for only one thing."
Mrs Infinity was a bit skeptical. Another woman on the team and all that. Mr Infinity however; was impressed and asked.
"Tell me Ms Chaos, what is the one thing you ask?"
The reply came quickly. "You employ me you employ my team too. OK?"
"Who are this team?" Queried Mr & Mrs infinity in unison.
"My team are called 'Time'. I have worked with them many times and they are highly sensitive to my creative management as well as being a relentless work team"
A deal was soon agreed with initially a couple of Big Bangs and their ensuing debris set as a trial run and .... well ..... the rest is history really. Infinity, chaos and time. Still a trinity and still there creating anything and everything.
Right. The sky and sea are blue. The waves are big. I think, here at 'Boca de Ria' its time for a swim.
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