Yesterday we strolled down to a small family-run restaurant on the way to the station, down by the river - a Cais do Heleno. We discovered it quite accidentally several years ago, probably the year before the pandemic messed us all about. They don’t have a regular menu. It all depends on what fish has been available that day. When we started to travel again post-pandemic we wondered whether they would have survived, but there they were, with a clearly loyal local clientele. It’s always a good sign if the locals frequent a restaurant. The staff still seems to comprise a smiling young lady and her partner. Between my broken Portuguese and her broken English we manage to communicate quite well.
We ordered grilled sea bream for Phil, a mixed salad for me (with a bit of swopping but mostly because I am over-faced by the portions restaurants serve) with a glass of white wine each. A small bottle of water was added to the mix and coffee to finish off with. The whole lot cost us €20.90, just over half of what the town centre restaurants charge! And their glasses of wine are much more generous too.
On the television in the restaurant CNN was playing news of a repeated cycle, all sorts of awful reports from Israel/Palestine. Suddenly a headline popped up about Boris Johnson making a flying visit to Jerusalem. Itbwas there and then it was gone. What was Johnson doing pretending he was still an important political figure? I googled it later and found this:
“November 5th
Boris Johnson has made a surprise trip to Israel to “express solidarity and support” as the conflict in Gaza rages on.
The former prime minister is visiting alongside Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, his spokesman confirmed.
He is expected to meet relatives of Israelis still being held by Hamas in tunnels since its dead.y attack on October 7. Mr Johnson will also meet with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and British-Israeli reservists called up for fighting.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison are in Israel making a joint visit to express solidarity and support for Israel after the terrible terrorist attacks on October 7.”
Mr Johnson and Mr Morrison arrived in Israel on Sunday. The former leaders, both supportive of Israel during their tenures, were also set to tour southern Gaza border towns devastated by the October 7 Hamas onslaught.
The visit is hosted by Likud MK Danny Danon, a former Israeli ambassador to the UN.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Mr Morrison as saying he’s “thankful for the opportunity to join former prime minister Johnson to come to Israel as a demonstration of solidarity with the people and State of Israel and the Jewish community throughout the world.
“It is an opportunity to understand firsthand what is occurring on the ground, honor those who have been lost, show support to those who have suffered and are now engaged in this terrible conflict and discuss how to move forward,” he said.”
Well, I might wonder whose side he is on but I suspect he is really only on his own side. Is he staging a comeback, expecting Rishi Sunak to be ousted? We shall see.
This morning, by the way, I ran out in the sunshine and got thoroughly rained on in the last few hundred yards of my run. So it goes.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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