23rd May CASTELO BRANCO

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER!

We spent the morning at the Zona Industrial comparing prices in the builder’s merchants and agricultural stores. We were quite encourage by the price of floor tiles; we’ll be able to tile the whole of the house for around 900€. We were very discouraged by the price of tractors – nearly as much as the truck (and they only had one seat!); so we’re going to buy a walking tractor (cultivator) for the time being (we might think about getting a second hand tractor in a few years time); meanwhile we’ll pay a man from the village, to come in with his tractor, when we need a big area cultivated. We did ask about buying Mr Luis walking tractor, but he told the estate agent that it wasn’t in very good working order, so he didn’t want to sell it to us; which we thought was very honest of him.

The agricultural store sells poultry and rabbits; there were ducklings (about a day or two old), chicks, some that were definitely eating birds  (good solid legs) and some that looks like layers, quail and turkey chicks, and rabbits (again for eating) they were big and white, with black markings. It was all rather distressing; they were squashed into tiny cages with wire bases (which look very uncomfortable for their feet). This is the main problem I have with the Portuguese, their lack of compassion for animals, I hate to see the dogs tied up and cowering (not to mention their incessant barking throughout the night), and the tethered horses, donkeys, sheep (even lambs) and goats – all out in the blazing sun. Not that it doesn’t happen in the UK - battery hens and factory farming etc, which is all done behind closed doors; so perhaps the Portuguese are just more honest?

We were in the last store looking at generators when suddenly the lights and music were turned off and the staff started walking out – it was 1.00, lunch time (I don’t think that anyone had noticed us in there, if we hadn’t have moved I’m sure we’d have been locked in).

Today has been quite productive we’ve chosen a generator, sourced some cheap tiles and have come to a decision about a tractor v cultivator. We think it will be even better when we go to Fundao as it is a farming town, so we should have more choice. Mark (someone who’s also staying on the campsite whilst he renovates a property, that he bought from the same estate agents as us) is busily sourcing materials for his house too, which is great because he then he shares what he’s found out with us, today he was looking a roofing joists.

We have been trying different Portuguese fare; we like the individual custard tarts, sometimes with short crust pastry (I prefer these) and sometimes in puff (Brett prefers these). Today we chose something that looked a bit like Greek shortbread (a very short biscuit made with almonds which I like to make for Christmas); however these turned out to be a little balls of puff pastry with a kind of very thin royal icing over it – they are weird, we’re eating them as we’re craving something sweet, but they’re not satisfying the craving!