It's an old man's game.

I started the day with lunch. I went to a little Portuguese restaurant down the road from my hostel, I was trying to make out the prices on the menu through the smudgy glass door when the owner came and beckoned me in. He led me downstairs into a sort of cellar/dining area. It was the first time I had actually sat down to more than just tapas by myself. I was scared of becoming one of those "table for one please" people that I have served so often in my life. Anyway he sat me down and started with the most important question "wine?". "Wine not" I said, and ordered a glass of red. From what I gathered it was a husband and wife operation. He brought me a menu and described everything on it. It was a bit early in the morning for tripe so I ordered Portuguese duck with rice, followed by homemade apple crumble (you can't go wrong there). All in all it came to around 11 or 12 euros. It was brilliant, the food was simple and nice and the service was excellent and polite. In fact, that's one thing in Portugal, everyone was very polite. We had barmen going out of their way to advise us on places to go, things to see.

Afterwards I took a walk down the riverside, past some successful fishermen and up a long, dirty cobbled street where I saw and over flowing sewage pipe and some cats mating. Disturbingly I found myself watching the cats for about a minute, then I realised what I must have looked like to passers-by, "check out that cat fetish guy, jeez".

So I turned and left. I met up with Sara, Julia and Abe again and we walked around with the intention of going to a gallery. We kept that intention but have yet to follow it through. These old fellas were playing cards at an area with a nice viewpoint. It looked to be an interesting game, judging by their faces. There was no room to rustle in and get a look at the live action close up. But I think I saw enough live action for one day.