It’s been a busy week with lots of variety. I’ve been enjoying the hospitality, working on the quinta, a little on the house and preparing for some of the weeks ahead. I will endeavour not to make this a chronological diary, but who knows how it will pan out.
Meeting friends, enjoying the hospitality
My experience of the Portuguese, so far, is that they are so welcoming, keen to invite you into their home and shower you with hospitality if a little inquisitive.
Over the last week, I’ve enjoyed the hospitality of two Portuguese neighbours. Whether it’s been for a coffee or to taste this year’s vinho, it’s been very kind of them, and much appreciated. I feel they are exuding warmth and openness.
One neighbour also invited me for a one-pot lunch of galinha, tomate, espinafres e espaguete [chicken, tomato, spinach and spaghetti]. I am presuming (I prefer to presume rather than assume) it is one of their regular weekly lunches. My knowledge of Portuguese cuisine will improve with time.
However, the beginning of the week started with a walk, coffee and cake with someone who has also moved from the UK in the last year. While we connected online, and I have benefitted from super advice and guidance on my recent SEF appointment, it was great to meet and share experiences. And the cake was amazing! Muito obrigado.
Due to the need to go to Castelo Branco this week, I also took the time to set a destination on the satnav and meet Phil and Kimberley. Once again, lovely hospitality and the chance to admire their views. And their views are amazing! I also saw their evolving plans for the land and barn as they “live as they dream”. Kimberley writes a daily blog on Facebook while in Portugal which is well worth a read.
As I’ve progressed in my own adventure, I’m grateful for having met (virtually) lots of people with similar mindsets, ambitions and destinations. It was though, a delight to meet Phil and Kimberley in person. Muito obrigado. (Phil, COYI!)
Finally on my list of meeting new people, are a local couple who moved to the next village three years ago. After living in many different countries, they have now made Portugal their home.
It was a chance meeting in the CTT [post office] which led to an exchange of telephone numbers, followed by an invitation for a coffee. A lovely couple who have been incredibly helpful with some of the local knowledge including hidden shops and Aladdin’s Caves, as well as the best places to eat and towns to visit. Super helpful. Muito obrigado.
Practising Portuguese
Before moving to Portugal, I had undertaken two online courses with a Portuguese tutor so when I arrived, I knew some basic Portuguese. While working through a textbook and online group work was helpful, it is nothing like attempting to speak Portuguese every day.
This week, when I have gone into a shop, I tried my hardest to start as I mean to go on – speaking Portuguese. My opening statement has become: Bom dia. Tento falar português. Eu sou inglês. Falo pouco português, mas tento.
In fact, Eu tento [I try] has become this week’s phrase!
Mostly, I did ok, although there were a few people who gave me sympathy and we had to resort to a little more English than planned. But buying a woodburner and collecting an order was always going to be quite tricky to do entirely in Portuguese.
However, my pronunciation needs improvement as I was speaking with my neighbour at the quinta. She does not speak any English and I’ve not really progressed to the lingo on the farm yet.
So, when I pointed out a “sapo” [toad] who had nestled in the vegetation, I was quite surprised when five minutes later she comes back with a huge bundle of kale. The conversation continued and I understood that she was giving me the kale to make sopa [soup] in the cozinha [kitchen]. Oh, I laughed.
I could’ve been making toad soup, but in the end, I made kale, carrot and ginger soup – and it was delicious.
As an aside, given that I’ve at least one family of toads living at the quinta, this is a real positive as it shows that while there is no pond or surface water and the wells are covered, the land has good water source and is fertile.
I have also noticed that Sapo is a media, newspaper and online company in Portugal and a lot of companies use sapo.pt as their email address.
Progress on the house and quinta
This week I’ve fitted my cooker hood and almost finished the kitchen. It’s more than liveable (especially compared to both Portuguese and off-grid standards) but there are a few small things that need completing.
I’ve purchased a woodburner. Just need to reach out to see if I can find someone to help fit it with me…. Feel free to contact me with your offers of help!
On the quinta, I had a grapevine pruning lesson from my neighbour who has already pruned his vines. I had to practice on a few vines to show him that I understood. He came back the day after to check on my work. I passed, but maybe I didn’t get a distinction. However, I don’t plan to start the main vineyard until after the olive harvest.
Mentioning olives, I have been put in contact with the local lagar de azeitona [olive mill] and over the next week hope to understand more about taking my olives for pressing. In the village, there is an old olive cooperative although they don’t press any longer so it’s a short trip to the next village.
The medronho harvest has also continued. I’m only a week in and I’ve already filled one barrel so it’s on to the second barrel. Oh my, is it fermenting!
Also this week I’ve picked more quince and gathered some of the early oranges and citrus fruits that are beginning to fall. I need to make more quince jam (the first batch was pretty good) and might attempt to make some marmalade. Gee, I never knew I had so many skills! Soup, jam and marmalade. Whatever next!
Exploring
Until now, my focus has been on moving into the house and understanding the quinta. I’ve used a few local shops as I’ve needed things, especially the builders’ merchant which is the best Aladdin’s Cave for miles (sorry, that’s twice I’ve used that phrase).
A couple of times, I’ve gone for a walk around the village and popped into some of the other shops including one of the supermarkets and the cozinha shop. Yes, we have a kitchen/catering shop in the village.
Still to visit are the flower shop (which also appears to sell plug plants), electrical shop, furniture shop, garden shop, the two butchers and the pharmacy. The latter, I hope I don’t have to visit too soon.
I believe one of the butchers is renowned for their plangaio, a speciality sausage which is only made in the local area. I guess it’s a little like Cheddar cheese or the Cornish pasty. It must be good though as they even have a festival to celebrate it, the Festival do Plangaio e do Maranho.
Finally, I need to head to the small industrial zone on the edge of the village with an aluminium manufacturer (doors and windows), tyres and exhaust fitter and some other companies.
No doubt there are other shops and businesses hidden away. I just need to find them!
As always, thank you for taking the time to read and, if you’ve got this far, thank you for joining me on my adventure. It is much appreciated, and I am grateful for your interest!
Melhores cumprimentos. Até logo.
Hi Marc – A fascinating read. It sounds like things are going really well. I don’t know an expat in a non-English society that moved in with such apparent grace!
When I was working in Brussels, where French and Flemish operate as the “official“ languages, English was usually what everybody wanted to speak. You gradually learned of exceptions. For us, the local supermarket only operated in Flemish. In the local newsagent you could speak anything including English, French, Flemish, Swedish, German and so on. Indeed, most of our local shops found roughly 30% of their customers were not Belgian.
It was only when I started working in Paris another decade later, that I found it useful to be able to speak French. Even then, The professional staff were so fluent in English that they had no patience with my relatively poor French. This was reserved for encounters with my flat cleaner, shops, TV installers, etc.
About 12 years prior to moving to Paris I had decided to have a go at French immersion course in the town of spa in southern Belgium. this course had a house rule that, from the moment you walked through the door, only French was to be spoken by anybody. The effect of just five days immersed in this environment moved me from something just south of A-level French to a much more confident and reasonably reliable listener two spoken French and vastly improved ability to speak for myself in French. I astounded some French colleagues I knew by addressing them in French and making it accurate! They were not quite able to believe it was me! I am sure you will find that similar levels of continual involvement with your local neighbours will have the same effect, as will forcing yourself to watch television news! I say the news rather than other programs because then it will be possible you’ll have some idea what they’re talking about!
I am currently dialysing which is rather early in the day for me. This is because earlier on this morning I had a call from the hospital telling me that there might possibly be a Kidney available for me today they will call again later on if this proves to be the case but we shall see.
Very best regards
Chris
Olá Chris
Thanks for your kind message. I’m going to jump to your last comment first – I will have everything crossed that you get a call later today and that the potential kidney is a successful match. I pray for good news so you can say goodbye to dialysis.
Regarding learning Portuguese, I agree and I try to immerse myself in various situations. A friend only speaks Portuguese in his local cafe/bar and it is a “não se fala inglês” [no English spoken] and I am trying to do the same. But as you suggest, a lot of people want to practise their English too! This week I hope to go to the local council in the nearest town as they have a “learn Portuguese” programme for immigrants. Pouco a pouco.
As always, it is lovely to hear from you and thank you for taking the time to comment.
I’ve my fingers crossed you get the call!
Felicidades!
Marc