Postcards from Portugal

my uncle's dog wakes from a nap to find some asshole (me) trying to get a shot of him. by the way, he's a special breed that exits only in the Alentejo: Rafeiro Alentejo. They are really big dogs, very loyal, but reserved toward strangers.

Augusta has worked for my family for as long as I can remember. She's a great cook. She's one of the most warm-hearted and decent people I know --  it's written all over her face.

the rural hotel, surrounded by 10o year old olive trees, and the swimming pool visible at the end

the view looking down from close to the swimming pool

the hotel building

walking in the estate

pure-bred Lusitanos (Portuguese horse breed) galloping

I arrived safe and sound, though 1 hour late (thank you Lufthansa). We left for the countryside the next day -- for the interior central region of Portugal known as Alentejo. My father's family comes from there and we have had land there for generations, so I feel a connection to the place. It is undoubtedly beautiful as you can see from these photos.

The family estate is large enough that you can walk for miles without any other human presence. I rarely feel so relaxed as when I am there. I like people -- but I have to admit being able to walk among nature, close to meadows and fields and among cork and olive trees, without being able to see anyone else, brings about a deep ease and calm. 

The people from Alentejo are known for their slow calm lifestyle, in fact they are often made fun of by other Portuguese people because of it -- it's pure envy, I think. They are also known to be reserved and silent, which are qualities I also share. 

The regional cuisine is great if a little heavy -- lots of bread and local herbs in cooking result in substantial and aromatic dishes. The architecture is also distinctive: since it can get very hot, the houses are low, with small windows, and thick stone walls that are always painted in cool white with a colored stripe around the windows or doors.

I took the opportunity to go horseback riding in the country, which was something that years ago I used to do several times a week. We also breed horses at the estate.

Tourism in the south of Portugal, the Algarve, where there are good beaches, has been strong for a long time. But the Alentejo is still off the radar of tourists, which in a sense is good because it is unspoiled. If you would like to sample the delights of this region we have a small rural tourism hotel, which you can see in the pictures. When you stay there you are out in nature without anyone to bother you, except for the ladies who clean and serve breakfast -- and at the same time you have the extensive grounds and facilities of the estate, such as a swimming pool, tennis court, hunting reserve, horses, and so on. There are beautiful towns close by if you want to see sights, like Evora (45km away) which is so remarkable it has been designed a World Heritage place by UNESCO. There are also numerous prehistoric monuments in the area, Stonehenge-style. And all this about 1 hour by car from the nation's capital Lisbon. It's good for people who just want to get away from it all. A lot of our guests are people who come every year, some have been coming for 15 years.

Sorry about the shameless plug -- but it is a place I love, and can't help telling people about it. If you want to know more about it, or about visiting Portugal in general feel free to e-mail me: ourdailysouffle@gmail.com