Archive for the 'Project News' Category
The Yurt is Up!
The first structure is completed at Quinta da Mizarela!
We ordered a beautiful Mongolian yurt from Sophie and Andy at Pure Portugal. It was built in Mongolia, shipped to the UK and then on to Portugal, eventually arriving at the top our track about a month and a half ago.
So you are probably wondering why did it take us a month and a half to set up a yurt! Ahhhhh because setting it up is only part of the picture!
First we had to get all the bits down the track. There were 9 different bundles and some of them weighed a ton!
Then we had to build a huge deck for the yurt to sit on. We hired Reg, the yurt deck specialist in this area that came recommended to us by Sophie and Andy. He told us what wood to order and we did. To make a long story short the wood took a very long time to arrive. In the end we aren´t quite sure how it all happened but somehow someone showed up with a truckload of planks and poles.
Over the next 10 days the deck continued to materialize. I remember one day looking down on it and I thought, ´what were we thinking building a deck this high, we must be crazy´ Thank goodness it was too late to turn back so I just hoped for the best.
Our volunteer Andrea spent hours painting the wood so the insects wouldn’t eat it before we had a chance to use it. She had some help from me, Pete, her boyfriend Al, and another friend Ana but Andrea was the driving force in getting this completed. Thank you Andrea!
Painting the wood was one thing but then we had to move it all down the terraces to the deck below. This is no small task and again we were lucky to have friends help us.
Reg worked tirelessly, sometimes in extreme heat to get the deck completed. The wood came in all different widths and lengths. It was quite a job for him to make this all fit which he did. I think he used about 10,000 nails and screws!
Once Reg finished the deck we moved in with a highly specialized team of 7 yurt assemblers. 6 of the 7 had actually never done this before but we were full of enthusiasm and optimism so in our eyes we were highly specialized. Our friends Danny and Anna from Greenheart Ibiza from just happened to call a few days ago and tell us they were in the area and asked if they could come and see us. Danny had put up the exact same yurt in Ibiza so the timing of their visit couldn’t have been better. Danny was elected the yurt assembly leader and it made it a lot easier to have his experience at the helm.
Our other team members included Pete, Andrea (volunteer and master painter mentioned above), Paul and Nathan (friends who organize and lead meditation retreats and are trying to buy a quinta close to us and will soon be putting up their own yurt!) and me.
To start things off we formed a human circle about where we thought the yurt would sit. We decided this probably wasn’t exact enough so we followed it up with a tape measure and pencil markings.
In 3 short hours we had the base completed.
We probably could have gotten it done a bit quicker but we had to stop for the Mongolian Blues Band to play a few tunes. We had Pete on guitar, Paul on bass, Danny on drums, Nathan as the roadie, Andrea and Ana were the groupies and I was the official band photographer.
We took a short break and with only an hour left to work we sprung into action and the roof emerged!
Just when we hit our stride we had to stop as we were all headed off to Pete’s Friday night meditation/conversation group. Danny and Ana had to leave the next morning but the remainder of the team was ready to go bright and early (OK maybe not so early, more like around noon) the next day.
Just as Danny, our fearless leader had said, the hardest part (the lattice framework) was already done. The Yurt has 4 layers of sides and top. The inside layer is white cotton, the next is a very thick felt for insulation, then on top of that is a really think canvas and then a beautiful white and blue top cover.
We had a great time figuring out how all the bits fit on and then getting them to cover the whole yurt. In a couple of hours we had a beautiful yurt fully assembled, sitting majestically on its base overlooking the gorgeous mountains that surround the quinta. It looks amazing!
With our work completed we were off for a dip in the waterfall below the quinta.
This project was so much fun and working with everyone was a complete joy. If Pete and I had to put this together by ourselves I know it would have taken us at least 10 times longer. Thank you everyone!
Today is Saturday, on Tuesday Pete and I will be moving into the yurt. It will be the first time in over 60 years that someone will be living at Quinta da Mizarela! We are hoping our house will be finished soon.
Stay tuned for the a post on the progress of our house and also of Jacqueline´s house and yoga/meditation/meeting room By the end of the year we should have 3 finished buildings sitting above the yurt!
Cheers,
Cynthia
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The Secret Arts of Slate Stone
Here I am learning the secret Portuguese arts of creating beautiful walls of slate stone from the masters! Wielding brush and damp sponge I was soon delicately revealing the choicest stones from under the layer of cement that was applied to fill in all the holes.
With expert instruction from Fernando and Philippe I was learning fast. However, it was only after they insisted I stop for a brief copo de vinho/redwine break with them, that my stone polishing flair went to another level. I joked with them saying now I knew the secret of their art!
Next day they were busy laying the stone floors, which they laid with passion and precision in hardly any time at all. They gathered huge slabs of slate from the nearby ruins and carefully crafted the different shapes and size together.
The whole house is looking so amazing we can hardly believe it. Here are some views from above the house and valley…
Schist House Renovation at the Quinta
The water tank is completed and the house is well on its way!
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Here is Juliano proudly introducing his handiwork!
We are at the quinta everyday now planting and clearing the land and it’s such a joy to look up and see our house appearing before our very eyes stone by stone! The original house was 2 rooms, one up and one down. The original room upstairs is now our living room (sala) and downstairs is the kitchen. We have added an extension on, the top room is our bedroom and the bottom is the bathroom with a little wood storage/dog house space next to it.
The whole house will be in slate stone. Where there are bricks (on the new section) it is being stone faced. The walls on the original part had to be raised as the bottom floor was very low. These walls are being done all in stone.
We are getting estimates on the solar hot water system, wood burner central heating system and the general solar system. Then all that’s left is getting the water pump and the pipes in place!
The pictures will tell the rest of the story! If are looking for a builder we can wholeheartedly recommend Eusebio Santos and his crew. They are efficient, the price is good, they are great guys to have on ones land and they do a great job.
Stay tuned, will post more photos as the job continues!
Cheers,
Cynthia
1 commentExploding After Rain
After plentiful and much needed rain in April the dry stream is now gushing pure mountain water across the Quinta and over our waterfall. It is a wondrous sight to behold and also wondrously bracing to take a dip in!
Down from this waterfall which borders the Project stretches the amazing gorge of Fraga da Pena. It means Gorge of Pity in Portuguese, which must have been some medieval morbid Catholic interpretation of this gorgeous gorge, so we are renaming it Fraga de Alegria or Gorge of Joy!
It was voted one of the top 10 beauty spots in Portugal recently and after the rains it is echoing with raw elemental splendour.
There is something about waterfalls I find completely captivating. If Nature is a mirror then the rushing waters and explosive fronds of incandescent spray evoke the Uncontainable Mystery of Life in all its wild glory…
Crashing clear cascades
Seething dance of the cosmos
Freefalling abandon
White light
Ever mounting crescendo
Fount of Life
Bestowing
Becoming
Shouts I AM…
Forever ungraspable
Forever flowing
Forever felt in the Soul
May you find the fount of freefall!
Love Pete
1 commentWow, We’re Really Doing This!
The Awakened Life Project has been in the making for a long time. I’m not sure exactly how long but it started to come into our consciousness about 2 years ago. 8 months ago we found the land; 4 months ago we bought a big chunk of it, we started our blog and many friends have visited and supported what we are doing over time. So in practical terms the project has been well underway for quite a while! I think that’s why it was so surprising to me that it wasn’t until a 12 ton bulldozer showed up to put in a track & a couple of local friends came to help us burn the branches from the fire that I thought to myself, ‘Wow, we’re really doing this!”
It was a Monday at 8:30 am we met Joao and Elsa (one of the owners we bought the land from) at the quinta. They got there early and had already begun working. It was pouring down rain but they had still managed to get a fire started to burn the brush we needed to clear. We were happy to get the last remnants of the fire cleaned up and to prepare the hillside for planting new trees.
About 9am we heard a rumbling from down the valley and sure enough Joao (yet another Joao) and Pedro and a really big bulldozer showed up as scheduled. We had a lot of things we needed the bulldozer to do and we were a bit nervous on the effect it would have on the look and feel of the quinta
First we needed to put a track down to the first house we are renovating and it wasn’t clear if it would be possible. We didn’t have a lot of width and the incline was quite steep so it was bit dodgy from the beginning. Not only were we putting in a track but also we needed to dig out a space for the 10,000 liter water tank that will gravity feed all the buildings, as well as needing to dig out another space for a car turn-around, and yet another space for our bathroom and kitchen!! An idea that came at the last moment was to put in a terrace to the side of the house for a patio, greenhouse and a good sunny spot (in Zone 1) for some orange and lemon trees so we needed this done too!
Joao was recommended to us as the best digger in the area. Once he got there I could see that he was fearless and operated the bulldozer with precision and determination. Pedro hadn’t worked in the mountains as much and was less of a daredevil and sometimes looked at Joao as if he was a bit crazy. I have to admit that if I hadn’t been so completely confident in Joao’s expertise I would have thought he was a bit crazy too! We needed every bit of his nerve to accomplish what we needed to have done.
So as Joao and Pedro worked below the rest of us were working above the houses clearing and burning brush on the mountainside.
Every time we’ve had Portuguese people help us on the land I’ve been amazed at how happy they are while they are doing really hard work. Working with Joao and Elsa was like this. There was so much joy coming from them as they worked and such a sense of family and communion as we worked together. Even in the pouring rain on a steep slope they didn’t hold back and I found myself inspired to keep up with them – well maybe not keep up with them but at least not look like some city slicker that didn’t have a clue about what she was doing! In fact I do have to admit this was my first conscious fire/burning experience. And another confession before I go on is that after the fire we had I was very nervous about purposefully starting another one, so when I woke up and it was raining I was a bit relieved. In the end I didn’t need to worry as Elsa and Joao knew what they were doing and were very conscious of safety.
After about 4 hours of slip sliding around and numerous attempts at trying to light another fire we surrendered that we needed to stop and try again on a dryer day. Even though we were wet and cold our spirits weren’t dampened and we ended up finishing clearing the hillside about a week later, which is great.
Meanwhile Pedro and Joao were moving A LOT of dirt.
It was quite something to see the land transform. As I mentioned Pete and I were both a bit nervous about how these changes that we needed were going to affect the quinta so over the next 4 days we spent a lot of time watching what was being done.
Parking space & turnaround
After the first day I started to relax as the track didn’t leave the horrible scar I was expecting.
In fact something surprising emerged. Because we didn’t have to destroy any existing slate terrace walls or any other existing structures it became clear that we were actually ‘extending’ the quinta, something new was being created without disturbing anything old. It turned out to be the perfect blend of old and new coming together to create something different that fully embraced both. I think this is the first time that I felt that we are not only reviving the old but we are bringing something new to this amazing place. I’ve always felt the presence of all those who have contributed to creating this extraordinary place but somehow I hadn’t seen myself as one of them! Now I see that we are not only caretakers of the old but are the conscious creators of what is to come.
By the end of the week everyone had gone and Pete and I stood looking at all that had been done. It’s hard to express but there was something very moving about having so many people on the project at one time working to help make it a reality. We’ve had friends come and help in the past but somehow this was different. I don’t know if it was because the Portuguese were there or because so many major structural things were put into motion, all I know is that ‘Wow this is really happening!’
From LA to a farm in Portugal…Diggin’ a carrot patch!
Stay tuned for updates as the water tank is built, the house renovation starts, we figure out our solar and water system. If you have any suggestions on any of these they are greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Cynthia
1 commentSpring has Sprung!
YEEEEAAA!!! Spring has sprung here in Central Portugal. Bright ringing lucid blue skies. Yellow mimosa blossoms bobbing on the breeze. Purple mato gracing the hillsides. Pine trees sprouting reaching for the sky. Green shoots declaring the jubilant arrival of new life on the quinta. The procreant urge of the earth trilling with sap, sensation and promise meeting the sun as it scales the sky…
Hmmm man to I love spring! The sap of ever new Life writ Large is humming in my veins. Visions, inspiration and ahh the sheer love and joy of being on this wonderful fecund land. I still can’t quite believe it is ours to nurture and tend, it really is a dream coming true and there is so so much to do!!
We are sowing seeds and planting subtropical trees that will need some protection in winter; avocado, cherimoya and even a mango! Continuing to clear the remaining brush and brambles, the quinta is gradually revealing more of its secrets. The burned pines have been cleared up above and that land will be planted with chestnut, oak and other native deciduous trees come autumn.
And on top of all this we are getting our house renovated starting soon. There is the water system using a miraculous non-power consuming ram pump to figure out including a cistern to gravity feed all the buildings. Then there is a compost toilet to build and a pond for the greywater to dig and…ok it’s one step at a time, it’s going to be a busy Spring!! Any one what to come and give us a hand??? 
Love Pete
No comments“FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS, FOLKS”…A VISIT TO THE QUINTA!
Once a hamlet, the Quinta (farm) ‘Mizarela’ blends easily into the valley landscape. The Schist houses, which take their name from the local brown and grey slate, appear to be carved from the hillside. Now abandoned, they wait, patient and awake, for their new caretakers to take residence.
The intricate walls, terraces and myriad styles, shapes and sizes of their steps, stairs, bridges, pathways and waterways speak of a subtle intelligence which calls to us, and of a mystery at which we can only wonder. On the day that we needed water to plant trees, the dry stream started to flow. On the day that all our efforts to get water to flow into the irrigation channel failed, the pipes ‘accidentally’ fell into the perfect position for the water to flow easily through them.
We found an ancient and substantial stairway while clearing a huge thicket of brambles, its purpose and destination are still unknown. On the several days that we had no idea what to do or where, when or how to do it, the land appeared to have its own agenda; gently and tangibly coaxing us and teaching us to leave our limiting will power behind, and to release the full potential of our imagination; to plant trees, clear stairways, create new paths, prepare terraces for planting and use the traditional and specialised tools which are sold in the local markets.
The land guided us, energised us, and the cool, clear water urged us forward to open up the irrigation channel to the fertile terraces which, once again, will provide abundance. In the evening of a good days work we had more energy than when we began. After planting trees, opening water channels that have not flowed for 50 years or simply taking in the breathtaking presence and vibrant tranquillity, it was often difficult to leave the harmony of the soft evening light, the silvery green of the olives against the vivid greens of the vegetation and the deep blue of the sky; and in between the striking tones of orange, brown, purple and black; the light playing in the scintillating energy that is the quinta.
Our days have the loose structure that eating, sleeping, cleaning, keeping warm, chopping wood and carrying water (literally), provides for those who live off the land. We generally live without the luxuries of power and light, as they must have lived in the quintas for decades, if not hundreds of years, which provides its own challenge, satisfaction and fulfilment. It provides the basis for a life that is full, unpredictable, fiercely creative and participatory. These are the elements that we need to work on the land, and to reclaim it, while discerning, with eyes, hands and heart, its own natural flow.
The villagers of Benfeita and Pardieiros have accepted Pete and Cynthia as their own, and in some cases as the next best thing to family. As friends of theirs, Ian and I were greeted with a warmth and welcome that is rare. After only a few days in Benfeita I was greeted by name and was able to return the greeting. They have a delightful innocence and enjoyment of life, of giving and including, and very quickly I felt completely relaxed and ‘at home’ in this small village, in this remote region of Portugal.
The one immovable feast of the week is market day. We all put on our best togs for going to town, which is a useful euphemism for looking like we have just left the farm; and head out to Arganil, a town about 45 minutes drive away. Many of the people at the market know Pete and Cynthia, which is a smart thing to do if you are a market person in a small town in Portugal, but again there is genuine warmth and good humour and laughter, and I love going to the market. My ‘cinquenta palabras’ (fifty words) of Spanish went a long way, and along with my Greek phrasebook of hand and eyebrow gestures, and the several words of Portuguese that Pete and Cynthia taught us, I felt that I could communicate with confidence.
My favourite tent in the market is the hardware stall. There are many tools that we do not recognise, and many more which, in most other European countries, would be in a museum of Anthropology/Ethnology. They all have specific uses and are technologically advanced in their efficient design; they are a thrilling discovery in circumstances in which a modern tool would simply not be useful. There are many things in the market which were available in my youth, just a few years ago, but have since disappeared from high street stores, and only reappear in up-market car boot sales and the collectors’ pages of Ebay. My next purchase will be a set of eight goat bells from egg cup size for the kids, to tea cup size for billies and nannies, all hand crafted and ringing true.
After the market, and a few mundane tasks like keeping Pete out of jail; we have a relaxed lunch at the preferred snack bar – O Telheiro, often meeting new people and discussing the day’s events; the ‘ementa do dia’ costs the princely sum of 6 euros for a three course lunch with vegetarian options, wine, bottled water and coffee. Elsewhere three teas, one coffee and a delicious piece of home made cake, big enough for four, costs 2.60 euros. The last task of the day is to pick up and drop off the laundry, which is a little confusing; sometimes we drop it off and don’t pick it up and sometimes vice versa. Like Tom (James Fleet) in ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ I was never quite in and never quite out of the picture. I’m also not sure if there is a word in Portuguese for ‘dry’, or at least one that can be used in the same sentence as laundry. In English we actually include ‘dry’ in the word laundry, so that one really does get the picture. Fortunately we have all visited India.
There is a richness and charm in Arganil and throughout the day we speak to 25 or 30 people. Although it takes more time, it is more connected than the supermarket or banking online; we are an essential part of the market pageant, and happy to give and take in this natural and healthy exchange. We are, in many ways, renewed by the experience.
The loose structure of our days and the vagaries of the weather also allow time for sightseeing. The land adjoining the quinta has one of the top ten areas of natural beauty in Portugal, the Fraga de Pena; a spectacular series of cascading water falls. Needless to say we were a little hesitant when diverting its source, and thankful that mother nature herself channelled our enthusiasm.
The village of Piodao, a World Heritage site, is a complete schist village, carefully restored, but blessedly unaware of mass tourism at this time of the year.
We could handle and examine all the exhibits in the museum; and the proprietor of the local unbranded, peach brandy tasting stall, would have happily entertained us all afternoon, which we couldn’t necessarily handle; we did, however, buy hand knitted woollen sweaters from his very kind and helpful wife, who was very adept at handling visitors, and who spoke perfect English after establishing our intent.
Her father, irresistibly solicitous, and in a strong show of family solidarity, owned the shop down the street, which sold honey, bee pollen, a particularly invigorating and anonymous Aquadiente, and a colourful variety of unusual rural items such as head rings, used by the upstanding and righteous, who presumably didn’t drink the Aquadiente, to balance and carry large heavy items, possibly Aquadiente, for long distances on the top of their heads. And if these seem like long sentences, then you get the idea of how life was in an authentic schist village in the mountains, and some of its more vital ingredients.
It’s a wonderful life at the quinta and there is so much more that I could write about; the vitality of the raw organic vegan diet, the joy of our intimate times together, our discussions around a wood burning stove in the candlelight, listening to Peter Ragnar CDs, the songs and guitar playing of Pete and Ian, and the ‘saudade’ of the Portuguese Fado music; of our discoveries and of every large and small triumph on the land, and the vastness of the stars above the Serra da Estrela (Mountains of the Stars). You step out of time and into the timeless, into an unbroken symphony which gives voice and action to the pure energy of the Quinta Mizarela, and this particularly pristine region of Portugal.
I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to visit this place, and at this time, in these circumstances; in many ways it has changed my life.
Rich Scanlon
2 commentsNEW YEAR AT THE QUINTA
After a few days of silence and deep meditation over the winter solstice and Christmas period we emerged into the quickening stream of the coming new year for the arrival of two spiritual brothers, Ian and Rich. It was great to welcome them here into our life and share our creativity, vision and passion for the Awakened Living Project with them. Although adapting to our rather tough off-grid living situation was a challenge especially in the cold and rainy weather, their pioneering spirit always shone through. After a day or two it was hard to imagine that they hadn’t always been here as they were soon enjoying the nightly wood burner lighting ritual, carrying spring water up the slope, and making (and eating) salad by candlelight!
The same self-organizing flow unfurled when we went to the Quinta to work. Boy was I glad to have Rich and Ian’s help to get the 25 fruit trees I had bought planted. However, on the first day the tank of water that the local mayor had assured me would arrive to help us plant never showed up. Not being able to plant without ample water and without any fixed plan of action for the day, it was quite beautiful what occurred. After digging a few holes ready for the trees when water did turn up, we found ourselves following our own bubbling inspiration in different directions as the awakening Quinta’s whispered wishes seeped into our consciousness.
Ian cleared the stone steps going down the terraces…
Rich cleared a pathway into the Quinta for easier access…
Cynthia strimmed through a forest of brambles liberating two walnut trees in the process and I began preparing veggie beds with cardboard mulch.
By lunchtime the landscape had already changed significantly and we all simmered with wild exuberance as we wolfed down gobs of sunflower seed pate on carrot sticks and crackers.
Next day after a heavy rainfall on arrival at the Quinta we were greeted by the sound of water rushing through the stream below. It had been dry since July and now here it was casting its dancing music up the valley. Now we had all the water we needed nearby and so we grabbed buckets and began a day of joyous tree planting!
Enthusiastically wielding shovels, hoes and full buckets of water we soon had two terraces graced with slender young almond, fig, plum, apple, pear, persimmon, peach, pomegranate, nectarine, walnut, hazelnut and apricot trees. It’s hard to convey the satisfaction of planting a tree. As I lovingly tamped down the earth around the trees with my boot I felt the beginnings of a long and deliciously ‘fruitful’ relationship with each, as I imagined harvesting their god given sun soaked abundance under leafy branches.
Once the trees were in we turned our energy to the awe-inspiring task of clearing the ‘levada’ or irrigation channel. It must be over half a kilometer long from where it meets the cascading stream higher up the valley to its destination on the Quinta. Another miracle of Portuguese engineering along with the slate walls and steps, the levada served to bring water to the Quinta for irrigation and domestic purposes. I don’t know how long it was since water had flowed along it but boy when Rich, Ian and I arrived it was clearly crying out for release. After two days we had cleared the channel almost all the way to the Quinta and got the water flowing to boot! Seeing that pure life giving mountain water cascading along that channel seeking out the Quinta was pure magic.
It was a delight to feel all of us loving and giving to the rebirth of the Quinta. I felt the earth and trees rejoicing at the presence of our voices now of a different tongue. I felt, as I always do, humbled by the immense care and sheer hard labour that generations of Portuguese poured into this place. I felt the echo of the past and the call of the future ringing in the vast eternity of Now. I felt the quiet ecstasy of homecoming and the thrill of creation coursing through my veins. What will 2008 bring I wondered as I gazed out over the valley??
A field of limitless possibilities stretches ahead…May all you come here drink deeply from the wellhead of pure incandescent Life lived in all its brimming vitality and fullness. So be it!
Pete
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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Coimbra…
A few days ago Pete and I needed to go to Coimbra but first we were going to stop in Benfeita at the house that our friend Nancy is in the process of buying.
First thing you need to know is that even though Nancy hasn’t bought the house yet and won’t for another couple of months Alice (the owner of the house) has already turned over the keys to us. Nancy (and Alice) has given us free use of the house so when our generator decided to stop working which means our washing machine has no power then we decided to go and check out Nancy’s washing machine. What could be better, drop in a load on our way to Coimbra and pick it up on the way back? How organized is that?
So we drive to Nancy’s house. As we arrived (we hadn’t been there but once or twice before) people start came out of nowhere. All of a sudden the lady down the street (Alda) was there, then the next door neighbor, and then others we didn’t even know were there, lots of activity for a Saturday morning! We went inside to figure out how to use the washer, when I say ‘we’ I mean all of us went inside!
First the cord from the washer doesn’t reach the electrical socket and we don’t have an extension cord so one man says we can borrow his and off he goes to get it.
He returns and we plug in. Using the ‘group mind’ available to us we figured out all the buttons and the machine starts chugging away, the crowd dispersed at our success. Pete and I both look at each other and exclaim, “Esta Bem!’ (That’s good!) and at that very moment the electricity goes out. After several attempts with the circuit breaker Alda reappears and asks what the problem is. She figures it out and says that Alice probably has the power turned on the lowest setting to save electricity and we wouldn’t be able to change it until the next week when the EP office is open.
So one minute we are in ‘esta bem’ land and the next we have wet soggy clothes and no where to wash them. AHHH but wait – Alda is right there with a solution, she says bring our clothes to her house and she will wash them for us! We actually couldn’t believe it, not wanting to take advantage of her we picked out the clothes we needed washed the most and would leave the rest for later.
We took these to Alda and she said to get the rest of the clothes and take them to Alice’s house for her to wash them! I have to say I hesitated to show up unannounced at the woman’s house who Nancy is buying her house from with my dirty clothes and asked her to do my laundry! Alda says ‘nao problema’ and takes us to Alice’s house. She explains the situation and Alice says sure bring the clothes down. Talk about Portuguese hospitality!
But wait, there’s more!
We arrive back in Benfeita after our trip to Coimbra a bit late, around 6:30 pm. We first go to Alice’s house. Not only did she do one load of our laundry but she did two! We talked a bit around her woodstove and then headed to Alda’s. Alda wasn’t there, we checked in her garage but didn’t see our clothes so we set it up with Alice to come back the next morning around 11 to pick them up.
Once we got home I hung everything up. We have limited line space and no sun so getting laundry to dry is a marathon adventure.
The next morning I drive back to Benfeita. It’s a beautiful, bright sunny morning. I pull up in front of Alda’s house and I hear Alice calling me, she’s hanging out her window telling me to come down.
When I got to Alice’s house she took me inside. She had a beautiful sheepskin coat that was given to her and was too small. It was brand new and she wanted to give it to me. I loved it and was happy that it fit perfectly. I’m not sure if she thinks I’m not such a snappy dresser but she also said she has a lot of family and they have a lot more clothes that would fit me – at least that’s what I think she said, since my Portuguese is pretty basic, I figure I’ll just wait and see what happens!
So off I go to Alda’s house in my new coat to pick up my wet laundry, wondering where am I going to hang it all up! When I came to Benfeita the day before I hadn’t planned on doing all the laundry in one go, I had the ‘phased approach’ planned so this was going to take some creativity.
Alda meets me with a big smile and takes me to the back of her house where the last bit of my laundry is happily hanging on her line in the sun and the rest is neatly folded on the table! In one way I wasn’t surprised and at the same time there was something so sweet about all that was happening I just had to smile.
You have to understand women have very defined rolls here and laundry definitely falls under the woman’s role. They take great pride in laundry, cooking and cleaning so I wasn’t surprised when Alda went on and on that she hung the clothes up so they wouldn’t wrinkle and which ones were a little wet still and how I should separate those from the dry ones. One shirt of Pete’s she wanted to make sure I ironed it correctly; I didn’t have the heart (or the Portuguese ability) to tell her I didn’t have an iron. If I did I’m sure someone would give me one on my next trip.
Anyway as I drove away from Benfeita I was warmed by the hospitality and realness of the people here. One day I have a bunch of dirty laundry and a washing machine with no power, the next day I have a bunch of clean clothes, a new coat, a smile on my face and happiness in my heart. Everyday I learn more and more from the people here about how important it is slow down and be kind to each other. In contrast I feel my own speediness and am thrilled to have such beautiful people to learn from.
So a funny thing happened on the way to Coimbra…
Cheers!
Cynthia
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