Good morning Sunshine...
It is Saturday and it is beaming with UV rays and so we wake up with huge smirks.
What a difference a day makes... And some sun...
We have an appointment to see a house at GUINCHO (famous surf beach) at 11.
Prince is of course, again running late and we leave just before 11. TYPICAL!
And so, the wonderful idea of packing our bikes to do some exercising while there, gets sadly dismissed due to time pressure.
The drive along the coast is magnificent. The sky is the kind of crisp blue, that a child would paint, with just a few lost teddy-bear and bunny shaped fluffy clouds floating along. Only a few hours of sun, and the hills are already freckled with golden blossoms, as if it was the high time of Spring. The seasons certainly have their own agenda, here on the west coast of Portugal.
This is our home I think and I smile.
The house is cute, sunny and small. No privacy, not much garden, but a view over the Atlantic and big open spaces, that let the light in.
Not for us.
The nice Dutch gentlemen (found on the internet true villarenters.com), who is not sure if he likes living in Portugal (he has been here just over 25 years... figures... he must like something) takes us to another home in the exquisite and gated community of the Quinta de Marinha. Elegant, refined, quiet and luxurious, it is the ultimate upscale neighborhood. One could be in Beverly Hills or the Park of Saint Tropez, but it is Portugal. Not bad!
Gated or not, there is no Checkpoint Charlie asking why and where and who, so it does not feel that superficial. There are stables (yipppie), tennis courts, swimming pools, the almost mandatory golf course and some other sorts of healthy entertainments. The Quinta restaurant is renowned and supposedly superb in the kitchen. And very important - it is save. When Prince goes overnight business hopping, I would be much less afraid. (I should not say, that some times I get so freaked out, that I move into hotels after midnight... Last time I mistook the blackberry's flashing light for some kind of ghost...and no, I was neither drunk, nor tripping, just plainly afraid... FEAR... It can really screw your mind - especially mixed with a healthy dose of imagination)
So, Quinta de Marinha has a few plus points. I would consider giving up magic Sintra for the Quinta pluses, if...
Luckily there is no IF.
The villa, grand and stunning is unfurnished.
Too much of a hassle, no thanks.
The Dutch man scratches his head and pulls out another interesting place, and very close to our valley nest.
We make an appointment for the afternoon and head for a stroll at the beach.
What a glorious day.
The beach boys are out surfing, the grandpas are out fishing and the young lovers are out strolling and gazing.
The laid back hippy culture of surf and sea, always has a vibe of its own.
Less promenading, less 'machoism', less loud music and trash, it is a simple lifestyle appreciating one of Mother Nature's wildest elements. To ride the waves. To tame the sea. What a thrill it must be.
I did try a few times, until I got booed away by the BONDI beach (my Sydney times) surf dudes. I was an obstacle, not at all that BILABONG chick I imagined myself to be! (and I felt so hot!) DUMMIE...
Our favorite seafood tavern is closed, so it is a good time to try something new. We choose the old style-think LOVEBOAT - taverna, a time machine into yesterday. Green and white themed, with oversized fruit arrangements and bow-tie sporting waiters, it's as perfect as this Saturday.
We choose a Dorade, baked in salt, some greens and a VINHO VERDE. (green wine... a crisp white with a hint of a sparkle)
"Just a perfect day...I'm glad I spent it with you..."
Lou Reed does agree, I reckon...
Buzzed and ready for siesta we return to the nesting grounds for a well deserved power-nap.
Time flies way too fast when sleepy.
Upupup....Prince, up, we must go...
We stuff the dogs in the back, to take them for a beach run after the house visit.
The Dutchman is waiting for us at the Colares bridge and we follow him into some deep woods, that we didn't even know existed. Wow. This is wild!
We pass some ramshamble places, that are apparently someone's home. It looks a vibrant mix of India and Mexico and Prince is shaking his head in disbelieve.
" Imagine Fedex not finding our home right now, what will happen if we live out here?"
I crack up, imagining the distressed delivery boy on the phone, let's add some heavy rain and the dirt road we are passing right now, all smudged up, while I try to tell him, that we are just behind the 9. pine-tree, behind the 10. elephant-size pothole and next to that bungalow without walls.
Welcome home.
As bad as the drive through the woods might sound, it is charming and it is NATURE PURE.
If we would look for a life away from life, this would be it.
An elegant tall lady welcomes us with a beautiful toothpaste-add-smile. She is followed by a harem of tiny woofers of undistinguishable race. Bonjour, her husky voice resonates true the pine woods." Sorry, but my French is very bad. Could we maybe communicate in English?
French? Us?
"I guess, the Dutchman mistook us for Frenchies? That is a great compliment, as I am in love with France, with the French and anything related... Just like Julia Child. France flows in my blood, just like a good French wine...
The lady of the house (she is also Dutch) gives us the grand tour, while I watch in horror, how a tiny and ancient grandpa climbs a gigantic Pine-tree in the garden. The lady laughs, calming my worries.
"He comes every year, collecting our pine cones for the precious pine nuts inside. He is 87. And these are his dogs. You see...they follow him everywhere, but now they are lost, since he is in the clouds."
I start laughing, the little buggers look much cuter now, that I know they belong to old pops.
The garden is wild and beautiful in its rawness. Some trees are lying around the property like giant corpses, they apparently fell with the last storm on Christmas. (just like ours)
The house is a good size, but with a funny layout. The kitchen is the best space, open and wide and filled with lots of light. The living room, however, has a very deranged shape and the windows are too small and too few. The bedrooms branch off a long corridor, 3 on each side and 2 bathrooms in between. Nice, but again. Little light and tiny rooms. I can not see Prince in any of them, making it a temporary office. The only office like ground is the kitchen, but then, where to cook?
So verdict -here and now - another NO!
We leave the woods and ramshamble places behind to take the furry ones for a beach day. The sea is in finer spirits today - I think it is just like with us...when sunny she is happy and gently playing along, but when rainy and cloudy she gets moody and sometimes very angry... Blame it on the weather...
Praia Grande is busy, just like Guincho, but it has a different feel all together. Praia Grande is less hippy and more family. There are a few surf kids around, but the majority are couples with kids and dogs enjoying the sunny day. Prince keeps Puppy on the leash, while MY dog roams freely. She is such a shy scared soul, that she usually hides behind my legs, especially if anything dangerous (wagging a tail) appears in sight. At least no worries about fighting and biting with this one.
Puppy, leashed or not, attracts a lot of attention. She is such a little beauty and with her new crimson collar, she stands out like a starlet on the red carpet. Prince, obviously, is very proud. It is his girl and every "Oh...she is so pretty...", "Wow, what a gorgeous dog", or "Can I pat her?" his shoulders seem to grow wider. Superman with superdog.
On our way home I see a big wooden sign: 'Biological products'.
Now I finally know, what the lady at the farmers market was talking about. It took me just a few months to find it, but VOILA. Bio goods, here I come.
What I expected to be a little shop in a backyard is an actual farm.
There is a bonfire starting, surrounded by straw-cushions and a whole bunch of people, who are following a longhaired stud. Chickens roam freely in-between, clucking excitedly and somewhere I hear horses neighing in happy agreement. There is an outdoor kitchen and another handsome dude is preparing some sort of ratatouille in an oversized pot. I am beamed into the 70's. Please, Prince, pinch me... Hippies by the fire, cooking a communal meal, while the animals join humans in fairy-tale harmony. I am waiting for the guitars and the joints to come out, but I am instead hugged by a lovely lady with the kindest eyes and a smile as warm as today's midday sun." Hello, I am Isabell", she introduces herself. There is some sort of halo around her affectionate face, a light of goodness and love. "This is our farm, welcome". I am enchanted. And so is Prince. Not older than 2 years, this project grew from the dream of one woman into a community of more than 500 members. When I congratulate her on such success, she humbly shakes her head. "It is not my doing", she says softly, "It is all of us. The people and the land, and this blesses fertile grounds. We are now learning about this very much up-and-coming way of farming called PERMACULTURE, it is doing very well in Germany and the Uk."
And Isabell is starting this concept in just a weeks time.
" So much to do", she utters, "To get it right we must be planted and ready by next week."
We are very impressed. I like the sound of this permaculture. Oh, if we could only find a house with some land...I would be soooo very happy and surely the next one to join the PERMACULTURE.
Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimics the relationships found in natural ecologies. It was first developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and their associates during the 1970s in a series of publications. The word permaculture is a portmanteau of permanent agriculture, as well as permanent culture. The intent is that, by rapidly training individuals in a core set of design principles, those individuals can design their own environments and build increasingly self-sufficient human settlements — ones that reduce society's reliance on industrial systems of production and distribution that Mollison identified as fundamentally and systematically destroying Earth's ecosystems. While originating as an agro-ecological design theory, permaculture has developed a large international following. This "permaculture community" continues to expand on the original ideas, integrating a range of ideas of alternative culture, through a network of publications, permaculture gardens, intentional communities, training programs, and internet forums. In this way, permaculture has become both a design system and a culture of rewilding the human species. It sounds great and indeed very HIPPY.
HAPPYHIPPY, what better way to glide into the future...
We follow Isabell into the little shop and she excuses the limited choice of goods, as the opening hours are usually just in the mornings. Not much fresh produce left, but some lemons, carrots and cucumbers. But there is enough 'dry stuff', that attracts my attention. Like Spirulina powder, loose green tea, whole grain pasta, tumeric powder and local honey. An interesting tea catches my eyes and reading the ingredients, it seems a powerful potion. Must have it, even though it costs a whooping 40 bucks. Isabell confirms it well worth it. It is made by some Shaman... Mhhhh... again I am crossing the Shamanic route. Interesting. Very interesting. I confirm, that on my next visit I will become a member of the bio-society, I can't wait!
In the car back home I am all bubbbbles. So excited. A fire, some fresh veggies, some chicken sounds and the spirit of taken care of earth, is enough to make my heart fill up with joy, all the way to it's' roof. (Or whatever the ceiling of a heart might be called)
Back home I start marinating some chicken breast for dinner. A kefir-tumeric sauce, to give the bird some flavor with all those health benefits. Tumeric, by the way seems to be a blessed spice and I am keen on putting it into my daily routine from now. Kefir, another, super-healing food source has now been replaced by my favorite blue-berry yogurt from Germany. Pure is better. If I really want, I can add fresh fruit myself to the Kefir.
But be warned, Kefir might be a a taste one needs getting used to. If you can imagine a yogurt with some fizz and a very tart flavor, that is KEFIR. Luckily, taste can be altered by sheer mental power and if you ask me - I now love the flavor of sour kefir.
But here some interesting claims on that TUMERIC power:
1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
If these are facts or myths, who knows, but truth is, that tumeric has been celebrated for centuries and is also nicknamed- "the internal healer" in Ayurveda. Got to be something special then...
While the breasts are soaking in the yellow kefir bath, I do some research on this tea-making Shaman. Tony Samara
www.tonysamara.org
"The more highly evolved one is, the more one needs silence"
There we are again, the sound of silence...
The tea is called Theriaca.
Theriaca was a medical concoction originally formulated by the Greeks in the first century AD and became popular throughout the ancient world as far away as China and India via the trading links of the Silk Route. I see. So it is not just a name, it has a meaning. It is an elixir of Life. Maybe it has magical powers? The ingredients are plentiful and powerful, a potent mix of cleansing-healing and adaptogenic herbs. Tony looks shiny like Isabell, they must do something right?! If the secret is in a cup of tea, it is teatime from today. Why not bring back such old-fashion custom and have a cupa at afternoon? Maybe I start baking special tiny treats to go with the brew... (Who says, cookies can only be made for Xmas...?)
After an hourly kefir bath the chickens are ready for hot oil treatment. And then some wrapped sauna bake in the oven. Who would have thought that cooking can be considered 'food-spa-ing'?
RECIPE:
Tumeric chicken breasts with broccoli (for 2)
2 chicken breast
1 garlic glove
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon chilly
6 spoon Kefir
fat salt
400 g broccoli
1 red pepper
3 spring onions
50 g almonds
100 ml chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
pepper
fresh parsley
oil for frying
1. Wash the filets and pat dry with kitchen towel. Dice the garlic finely and mix with the tumeric, the chilly, a sprinkle of salt and the kefir. Brush the breasts with this sauce and let bath in it, for half an hour. 2. Pull apart the broccoli, till you have little 'flowers', chop the pepper into small strips and dice the onion into fine rings. Now heat (medium-high) some oil in a WOK (or a deep frying pan, if you have no wok) and fry the chicken breasts from both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the breasts, wrap individually in aluminum paper and bake at 180 Degrees in the oven for 15 minutes. 3. Gently cook the veggies and the almonds in the WOK for 8-10 minutes, pour the broth, season with salt and pepper and serve with the tumeric chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Enjoy...I served it by the way, with black wild rice, to be extra wholesome.
And this is for today...
Food for thought tonight: SILENCE
PS: I wrote a complaint to Emirates. Here it is:
Dear Emirates,
First of all and not least- You are -besides LUFTHANSA- my favorite
airline without doubt.
I am sad, that you do not fly-YET-from Portugal, where I reside at the
moment.
We flew with you just before Xmas, from Munich-Dubai-Maldives.
The plane was as ever-PERFECT, the food delicious and the crew was nice.
As good as it gets.
However the following flight-DUBAI-MALDIVES was not up to standard.
The crew was just not as polite and kind as one expects from Emirates.
There was a ratio of 20% nice crew-80% bored and unhelpful and very very
slow and somewhat snobby.
I figured, it is christmas, they are tired, they want to be home.
Understandable.
But, returning on the 3.1., Xmas long behind, the crew again was not as
good as Emirates.
Even though, flying 1.class, we waited almost an hour just to get a
glass of wine.
Again, I must say the crew sported some strange sort of snobbism, which
is new to me. Maybe working for such cool airline lifts the nose?
Could be, but should not!
Please remind the Emirates crew, that a nose is also cute at eye-level.
Last... I had my fluffy toy, a so called DODO (typical Mauritian
souvenir) next to me in my seat for cuddling and forgot him at midnight,
when embarking. Checking later on in the Emirates lounge, no DODO was
found.
Not that it matters, it was just a memory, but I think it should have
been taken to Emirates lost and found.
If it was a very special keepsake, it would have been sad...
That's it from the reporting front of your front rows...
Keep up the great work, reverse the nose-up-thing, oh, and last question
(no crew member had an answer):
The skylights, the universe on your plane ceilings, are they real
constellations?
I think yes, but the crew did not think so...
Very best regards, and still awaiting Emirates in Lisboa...
