Sorry for the long silence!
I arrived in Portugal on Tuesday and came straight to my WorkAway.
WorkAway is a scheme where people who need help with a project reach out to travellers. The travellers help with the project and in return get a free place to stay, 3 meals a day, a chance to learn new skills and to meet other people travelling in the same way.
I am at a small homestead near Ponte de Lima. The owners Mario and Rula moved here last year and the house was still as it was in the medieval times. It was an old flour mill with no electricity or running water and the toilets emptied onto the floor below where the animals were kept. The land surrounding the house was wild and overgrown.
Now the house has been modernised and they are in the process of developing the outdoor area.
They have a beautiful woodland with a river flowing through it
An outdoor kitchen where we all eat together
Lots of nice places to relax
2 vegetable patches
A tree tent
And many more ideas and plans for the space. I’m looking forward to watching the progress!
This week I have been helping look after Fillipe, Rula and Mario’s son. He is 3 years old and lots of fun. He doesn’t speak English but somehow me manage to have lengthy conversations, each speaking our own language.
I peeled and chopped the peaches, which had fallen from the tree, ready to make jam (with fellow vontunteers Mateu and Sarah from Spain)
Everyday I feed the animals
And water the vegetables
I have eaten delicious food, including fresh bread made in the outdoor wood fired oven
I have had a tour of Ponte de Lima (I will do a separate post)
Have been swimming and kayaking in the river nearly every day
And have met lovely people.
It is a nice place to be 😊