Laundry Day!

Who knew laundry could be so much fun! Well, perhaps the novelty will wear off? Until then we are enjoying our days here at Quinta da Torre! Whether it is working in the garden, walking the country side, or yes, you heard it here first folks! Doing laundry! During our first week here in Portugal our washing machine went kaput! We had a few brief moments of panic, as we don't speak Portuguese to call a repair man, not to mention we are in a remote area and I doubt if someone could actually find us! Oh, and our hosts live in Switzerland! So began our clothes washing in the tub, which isn't so bad, until you try to stand up and your back disagrees! So finally we gave in and dragged an old relic down the hillside! Here she is just waiting for someone to notice her.. or him?

Anyways! If our ancestors could do it, then so can we! Not to mention it is great exercise and really gives you a feeling of accomplishment! After a good scrubbing, and de-spidering, is that a word? We slowly walked this baby down to her final destination! Today was day 1 and I truly felt like an old babushka! It was great! LOL!

Our new laundry room!

Wash cycle! Where is my kerchief?! 

Check out that laundry bar! Have I lost my lid? Why is that so exciting to me!? Haha!

Drain cycle! So high tech, non?

Rinse cycle!

Spin cycle!

Last but not least! The dryer! Nothing better than crisp clothes off the line!

Sabado Mercado!

We went and checked out Santo Antonio das Areias Saturday market! Another hot day walking the hour plus to reach the small town, but it was worth it! Prior to arriving in Portugal Graham and I did a lot of research on the country. Learning about the area we would be living in, the culture, and the history among many things. We had heard that Portugal was one of the more inexpensive countries to visit, but since joining the European Union the cost of living has risen. Fortunately for us it hasn't taken a dent out of the ole bank account! Having a house sit assignment with free accommodation hasn't hurt either! On this day we filled our 4 grocery bags from home with all sorts of goodness! Fresh baked bread and buns under a euro, 2 types of local cheeses about 4 euros for both, a giant bag of local olives 2 euros! YUM! By the way I come from a family of olive fanatics, and Graham is now a happy convert! How can you not love olives!!? Lots of fresh veggies and fruit, a bottle of local wine for under 3 euros, a wine opener, etc, etc. In total we probably spent about 22 euros, or $32 Canadian! Anyhoo! Like I said we have been pleasantly surprised! Now back to the bread, cheese and wine! 3 of the regions specialties, and found on every dinner table! The breads are amazing, always warm from the local baker and simply delicious with Nutella of course! The cheeses are rich with flavour. Goopy or firm and lightly fragrant to extremely stinky but oh so tasty!! Also good on the fresh bread! The region is covered with wineries. Let's just say we have sampled a few of the local wines, red and white, and have not been disappointed, never paying over 3 euros a bottle! That's $4.50 people!

Well that is about all the gloating I can do for the day… I believe I have made myself hungry and must hit the refrigerator for cheese and olives! Signing off with a few pictures of the town of Santo Antonio das Areias!

Bird cages hang outside of many homes!

All of the small villages we have visited have fresh water fountains in the town squares! Perfect place to refill the water bottle before the trek home!

Eat, play, sleep…

Ok, eat, play, sleep is a little different from Elizabeth Gilbert's book "Eat, Pray, Love"… but it is pretty close! Our days have been filled with delicious foods, fun days exploring the country side, working in the gardens… and then sleep! Like konk out kind of sleep! Oh, and apparently some heavy snoring so I've been told! I still don't believe it! Ha! It is amazing what a little fresh air, exercise, and happiness can do for the spirit! Not like we all don't already know this, but sometimes we do forget and get caught up in the other stuff life throws at you! So here are some photos of what our days have been like!

Rise and shine! Who knew Nutella was so freaking delicious! I had a jar of this sitting in the cupboard at home for over a year. We bought this jar about 2 weeks ago and we are nearly out! Another 911 emergency! 

Man's best friend!

We came across this old farm house and the little animal pen on the left. It's been empty a long, long time. There is no driveway, power poles, or any other sign of modern conveniences.  

I took my chances and ran in to snap a couple pictures. Check out the fireplace! Just as I took this photo Graham let out a holy crap! The place is now home to some mice! Funny, I thought he saw giant spiders! When he said mice I was relieved… They are cute!

A little afternoon wine… Why? Why not!

The crazy neighbour gang! Snoopy and Rex. We can't get by without being chased and barked at. Graham has been trying his "Dog Whisperer" on them to no avail. 

A day at the Sever River!

This is not trick photography folks! I think she actually got air rolling around! Happy dog!

From Black Lab to Chocolate Lab!

You still love me right?

Our walk home from the river. Marvao in the distance.

Making new friends!

Have I mentioned we are in the wilderness? OK, maybe I'm being a little extreme… Our closest neighbour is about a 5 minute walk away, and the closest village is about a 20 minute walk away. It really isn't a village though… Basically it is 3 private homes and one house with some table and chairs that you can stop at and have a beer or a coffee. The only way you know this is because there is a universal symbol throughout Portugal… maybe Europe? A small little picture of a martini. Which is strange right? A martini in the middle of some rural village… Should I expect to see the "Sex and City" gang hanging out?! Hee hee! That would be kind of cool! Anyways, getting off track… The next 2 towns are approximately a one hour and 15 minute walk away. Ok, maybe we are a little isolated, but we love it! So we were running low on cheese, cookies, bread, olives and wine. I know!! An extreme emergency! Call 911!! So we put on our walking shoes and headed to St. Antonio das Areias to replenish the cupboards! Being city folk from Canada we forgot there is this thing called "Siesta"! Basically we walked into a ghost town, except for the 2 older ladies chatting outside of the bull fighting coliseum, no, I'm not joking, and the 2 teenagers sucking face at the bus stop. Some things are the same no matter what country you are in! No not the bull ring… the kids making out! So to make a long story short we found a small food market run by the friendliest woman ever! She looked like Frenchy from "Grease", I think I'm aging myself! We bought the most delicious cheeses and packed up our IGA grocery bags from home, starting the long trek back. We took breaks along the way to share some apples with our new friends, and also stopped to play "we don't speak Portuguese" charades with the neighbours! A fun day had by all!!! By the way, Portuguese is HARD!! Like super hard! Kind of a mix between Spanish, Arabic, and French! Not easy! Wish us luck, I think we are going to need it!!

See the lady doing her laundry in the distance? It is quite a common sight. We are very spoiled back in North America with our fancy machines!

Another common sight. These spring fed pools are mostly for drinking water. Note the built in washing board on the left side. People still use these pools for laundry and dishes too! 

The Bull Ring… I know it's tradition… But I don't have to like it!

See the martini glass on the left!

Graham, always the gentleman! Wouldn't let me carry any of our groceries home!

A simpler way of life!

Imagine, no TV, no radio, no movie theatres, no shopping malls, no Costco, no Whole Foods…. No traffic, no honking, no crowds and no loud neighbours. After driving around the United States, cruising along massive interstates, and through crowded cities, the slower pace of our Portugal house sit is a welcome change. We have been going to bed as the sun falls, and waking up earlier and earlier every day. Each morning we wake to the sound of the Coo Coo bird (Cuckoo), yes they do exist and they do not coo coo on the hour! There are also wild pigs in the area. We haven't caught a glimpse of one yet, but last night I heard a happy squeal! In the distance you can hear our neighbour laughing and chatting with his wife as they work in their garden. Even further in the distance is the soft clinking of bells, reminding us that sheep and goats graze their way through the fields! The property is full of undiscovered treasures. Old granite walls built with the rocks once cleared from the fields. Overgrown garden terraces, old terracotta olive oil jars, an old bread oven… Centuries old granite bowls which were once water troughs for the animals and wash basins for the farmers. In one corner of the court yard sits an old granite table and benches, where farmers or perhaps even further back in time, where soldiers may have once enjoyed their meals. It feels like we are on the National Geographic Channel! The property itself is named "Quinta da Torre", "Farm Tower". Hundreds of years ago it was an outpost to the ancient fortified town of Marvao on the distant hill. If this is heaven I think we've found it… or perhaps a small piece of paradise! Does paradise smell like fresh grass, roses, and lavender? Today we realized we have both been whistling to the tune of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah! Seriously!! Pinch us!!

The front gate to the property

The table and bench I mentioned. Amazing eh?! See the small carved bowl to the right?

This is the court yard of the house. Note the olive oil jar! The door to the left is the entrance to the old tower. Walk inside and it is circular, now it is only one level, but I wonder how tall it once stood?

Oak Corks. Notice the markings of where the cork has been harvested. It takes 10 years for the cork to grow back, and then they harvest it again.

Graham in his glory! Yes that is a scythe! Doing it old school!

Just call me Martha, or Ms. Stewart if you like!

Our supervisor!

No, this sunset is not photoshopped!

Marvao Portugal… We have arrived!

We have arrived safely in Lisbon Portugal! With only one hiccup! Mango was temporarily lost after landing!! Why? Let me tell you, I was near tears waiting at the over sized baggage area! Out came golf clubs, baby strollers, baby seats, everything…. but our precious cargo!!! Finally I spotted a fellow passenger who had also brought their dog and informed us that Mango had just whizzed by on a cart…… Off I went like a mad woman! I eventually found her parked outside the Lost and Found! What the heck!!?? Two hours later we drove into Portalegre to return the rental car and anxiously awaited for our rendezvous with Werni, Christa, Tanja, and Noel, to begin our house sit assignment! The last 3 days have been a whirl wind of activity! Learning the lay of the land (about 3 hectares), becoming familiar with the 300 plus year old home, and touring the nearby towns that surround this beautiful property! The family is more than we could have hoped for! They have been welcoming, generous, and kind, not to mention multilingual! Their patience with our minimal knowledge of the  Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, French, and Italian languages went above and beyond! We have been very fortunate! Today they set off back to Switzerland. Spring break is over and it is time for Tanja (16) and Noel (12) to return to school. As they drove away we felt a mix of emotions. Sad to see our new friends leave, and excited to begin the next chapter of "Have T@b will Travel"…… minus the T@b!

How sweet was this!

In the far distance is Marvao. A small village that dates back to the early 1200! The white home in the foreground is our new home for the next 2 and 1/2 months! "Quinta da Torre"!

Our front door!

Mango in all her glory!!

A day exploring the property. 

Rio Sever!

The ancient village of Marvao 

One of the local residents of Marvao!

A quick break at the local lake to enjoy lunch al fresco!

One of these hats is not like the others!

The 2 pictures above and the 3 below are of Castelo de Vide, another ancient fortified town in the area.