Day 8; Man is born free ........

....... but is everywhere in chain (gangs)*

It’s the first thing that strikes you about the place; bike lanes everywhere. Groups of 10, 20 sometimes 30 riders - both men and women - in formation, heading for the hills.  And the hills are steep - lung-busting going up - white knuckle coming down.

The bikes are carbon-fibre or aluminium, depending on your budget with at least 20 gears. I think back to my racing days in the early 60s (year, not age).  Steel frame (Reynolds 531) and just 5 gears. 

Although Chris had mentioned the cycling here - he comes often with his bike mates - I hadn’t really appreciated just what a big deal it is. In the evenings the bars and restaurants are full of groups of men and women replacing lost carbs and comparing times. 

Anniemay and I talk about coming back.  When her knee is healed and my dicky-ticker behaves itself, we could hire a couple of electric bikes and pedal off into the sunset.  Which is behind us and on the flat part of the island.

*collective noun for a group of cyclists 


PS.  This afternoon Anniemay, Dan, Varnika, Chris and Rose went on a wine-tasting adventure.  I declined - as someone who no longer drinks alcohol, the experience would be wasted on me.  And would surely upset the vineyard owner.  What to do?  What to do? I ask myself.

I decide on a little shutter therapy. I take my camera for a walk. There’s a first.