And then the heavens opened!

Christmas week is here and it was looking like the winter rains were going to arrive, so Wayne went down to do a last minute firewood collection.

We also had a unexpected but very pleasurable lunch out at the restaurant ’Cova de Velha’ as we were invited to celebrate the birthday of our new friend we met a couple of weeks ago. We were quite surprised to find another english family in the village (Paula and Bruce, and their family). It was great to meet them for a very nice lunch and get to know them and their friends. It was also the first time we had been in the restaurant, which seems crazy as its literally at the end of our road and we have been here a year! The food was delicious, and we will definitely return on many more occasions. Check out the tripadvisor link above. Wayne’s wingman is back on the tools and working abroad again over Christmas, so at least with our new friends, with Bruce, there is someone else to turn to when the cookery, DIY, and Hallmark Christmas movies become too much to handle!

The future is going to be exciting and we are very much looking forward to beginning a new home here in this fantastic enchanted valley. There is a great deal of optimism for this particular area of Portugal and some very encouraging signs of a revival of fortunes are visible in the valley. A long out of use olive press has been renovated and renewed and is once again producing some fine produce. Their website is well worth a visit: https://ingredientemourisco.com.

There are also some great info available for tourists to the area:

• There is a lovely hotel complex: https://www.cookinghotel.com

• Another nice restaurant we have eaten at, and personally it served the best steak Wayne has tasted! Restaurante A Gralha

In fact, lots of information about the whole park, Serras de Aire e Candeeiros

However, as rosey as it all looks, its now the end of December. Winter looks like it is finally making an appearance. The rain has arrived. when it rains here, it rains hard and fast. The usually dry riverbed and waterfall will be in full flow. As soon as there is some dry weather on the horizon we will get out for a walk up the valley to enjoy the sites. Hopefully before the photographers descend to admire the beauty!