It's working

I am really really enjoying these whatever-I-feel-like days. The Camino was incredibly relaxing in so many ways, but there was fundamental, if extremely simple, structure to each day. In other ways it was an intense experience and I think going straight home after it would have been a Bad Idea so I'm thrilled I have this time in Portugal for a different kind of holiday.

Obviously Atlantis is real but I'm just about ready to add another fringe belief to my arsenal, and that is that there is a fraternity of Australian men called Mat(t), staged globally, that conspire to babysit me and provide a dose of normality right when I need it. The Porto branch of Matt Inc. was great for eye contact yesterday when Rolling Stone Pilgrim was mucking around, and was there when I unplugged my charger in the common area and caused the entire building to lose power ("what a power move", quipped I). It was restored within seconds by flipping a fuse switch.

There's something about that powerpoint I reckon because when the Russian couple sat down for breakfast and their chair leg grazed it we were once again without electricity. Except this time flipping the switch wasn't working. There was one guy working and even with power he was fairly thinly spread between checking guests out, dealing with queries (I feel ya bud) and, for reasons they *must* have, toasting bread to order. Guests must not be in charge of the bread. You will get the quantity and type of bread you requested prior to midnight and he will toast it for you.

Both of these smashed together when the Russian just could not fathom why the lack of electricity was getting prioritised over their breakfast. With an alarm literally going off and the rest of us sitting calmly, he went over to the small man in the baker boy cap trying everything at the fuse box and made a fuss. Can he get their BREAD PLEASE?

The German was brave enough to tell him to let our bread/power hero get on with it and won my vote in the upcoming hostel Student Council elections, but nay BREAD NOW, BREAD IN THE DARK. He was very polite and got the bread and I hope he spat on it. Sadly Mat(t) missed this saga and I had to satisfy myself with the woman sitting opposite but she raised her eyebrows at all the appropriate moments so maybe she's an associate member?

Another big wander with perfectly serendipitous rain breaks, including the local library and adjacent gallery in the gardens with the appallingly good views and all the birds. I've somehow made it four days in Portugal without a pastel de nata, I think because I was putting too much pressure on it, so I sorted that out and perhaps for the best, it was extremely average. So the next one will be better, excellent!Weiterlesen