Following a very much needed nap, we came
back downstairs to a huge dinner of seafood stew. It was absolutely delicious, but Silverio thought immediately that I
didn’t like it because I did not take a very large serving. It was wonderful, but it had only been tow
hours since we had been fed a huge “snack” of fruits and cheeses and
sausage.
Following dinner, we headed out into the
village of Mira and walked a coulple kilometres on the beach road. On our
return, both these intrepid travellers
were so tired that we fell into bed and fell fast asleep.
I woke late on Thursday morning, and since my dear wife was still in bed, and our hosts were not to be seen, I went and explored the same few kilometres
of the beach road on my own in the sunlight.
It was a beautiful walk, and a great way to start the day. Upon my return, Becky was ready to get up, and so we were
once again treated to a huge plate of fresh figs and cheeses as a
breakfast. Speaking as one who usually
doesn’t eat much for breakfast, this was
a veritable feast.
After a little time socializing with
Silverio and Lourdes, we went to the home of their friend João who had prepared
a meal of Feijuada, a very traditional meal of beans, vegetables and various
kinds of meats, slowly stewed together.
Silverio’s daughter was also here visiting from France, and so to have enough room, we ate at the table of the outdoor summer
kitchen. As this lunch was being
prepared, the wine bottles were once again opened, and you could not set your glass down without
it being refilled with beautiful red wine.
While the Feijuada was finishing, we went for a walk to give João a
chance to show us his gardens. First we
met the pig that he would butcher in December.
Afterwards, we saw his orchard of plums, apples, pears, and English Walnuts. At the very back of the garden there were also
the most beautiful wild rasberries. With a handful of these berries, we headed
to the summer kitchen to enjoy the meal.
João proved himself to be an amazing cook,
and the feijuada was phenominal. The company was even better. We talked and joked, ate and drank, and
enjoyed the relaxed environment. Lunch lingered until nearly 4:00.
After Lunch, Silverio went off to assist a neighbour to
dig his potatoes, while Lourdes accompanied Becky and I on an exploration of
the beach and coastal region. Our first stop along the way was the town of
Costa Nova. This beautiful seaside town
is filled with traditional Portuguese architecture, but the buildings are all
painted in bright and different colours. The colour that you choose to paint your house bears testimony to the colour of your chosen Football team. Judging by the variety as you drive down the street, there must be some real rivalries in these neighbourhoods. It is a total delight to the eyes.
We got to the beach, which was far more calm than yesterday, and Becky got her first opportunity to get
her feet into the Atlantic Ocean.
From Costa Nova, we carried on to
Aviera. This city is just across the
river from Costa Nova, and has smaller rivers running through it. Beautiful traditional river boats take
tourists on to see the city from the
riverview. We walked through the city to
get to the old rail station. This
station is decorated inside and out with the blue mosaic tiles that are a part
of the local artistry. Each of the
mosaics depicts another part of the local history. Sadly, the interior of the station was closed
due to construction, but we got to se
many of the mosaics on the outside of it.
On the walk back to the car, we stopped at
a little café to get ice cream and a bottle of water, before falling exhausted into
the seats of the car, and driving back to Mira.
As I write this, I am stretched out on the bed. Becky’s breathing certainly sounds like she
is sleeping. It has been a very full day, and there is still dinner and most
likely an evening walk still in our future.
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