Helen and Peter in Portugal

A day trip to Lisbon with our Dutch neighbours Ferrie and Ingrid was planned.   Ferrie had to go to the Dutch Embassy to sort out his passport, while Peter and I wanted to go to the super Chinese supermarket we know in the downtown area of Lisbon. In a city where people queue for tins of sardines, we wanted to buy noodles, sweet chili sauce and shrimp paste (not items normally found in your average Portuguese supermarket, where flour tortillas are considered risky).   A coffee break on the drive into Lisbon (just 2.5 hours away) we realised that Ferrie had left his phone at home!   Not to worry, Ingrid had her phone with her .    The plan was to part company at the Embassy, for Peter and I to take a walk from one side of town to another, stopping for much needed Sargres (beer) on the way and for us all to meet up in the downtown district once our Dutch friends had driven over and called us.   An hour passed and Peter and I we...

This is not a new subject for those Central Portugal bloggers, but it’s my version and I’ve been meaning to show off this very special (‘special’) part of Castanheira de Pera for quite a while now. A friend, Emma, has already written one of the best blogs about our town on her blog, Emma's House in Portugal – read it here. Rightful Castanheirense (those born in Castanheira de Pera) were a very proud bunch.   In their lifetime they have seen the town change from flourishing to slightly sad (like Brighton about 30 years ago before it got good again – you know what I mean).     Castanheria de Pera is a town built on wool, from socks to traditional hats the town was once full of mills powered by the Pera stream.   Sadly, a walk along the stream at the back of town shows the decline of this industry, abandoned mills almost litter you pathway.   The whole industry replaced by cheaper imports. But despite this sad decline, Castinheria de Pera is not so diffe...