A Cottage in PortugalTheir dream was to flee the harsh and unforgiving New England winter for a simpler life in the sunny climes of Portugal. All their friends told them it couldn't be done. Buy and renovate an old cottage in a land that time had forgotten? It was madness, impossible. Where would they find competent workers and craftsmen? The Portuguese were notoriously insular and suspicious of strangers. And even worse, the impenetrable government bureaucracy was known for looking with disfavor upon foreigners. Against all the odds, Richard and Barbara Hewitt decided to buy a 300-year-old cottage in a tiny village just outside Lisbon. She was an artist, he a master builder. But it was to be an experience that neither of them had bargained for. They soon discovered that their picturesque dream house was structurally unsound and had one electrical outlet and no running water. Indeed, the entire village was without water, with the exception of a few private wells and the fountain that bubbled in the central square. The Hewitts' adventures - and misadventures - had begun. Charming, funny, and high-spirited, this delightful true story portrays the inherent frustrations and hilarities of life abroad. More than once Barbara and Richard were tempted to give up. Progress was slow and the money was running out. But while guarded and suspicious at first, their new neighbors welcomed them to the village. Antonio, master mason and carpenter (or so he said), was so strong he could lift a cement-mixer over his head with one hand. He was also master of a dazzling variety of excuses for not showing up for work. And then there was Alberto, the electrician, who wired the house in the tried-and-true Portuguese fashion - bytrial and error. But in spite of these many challenges, the Hewitts were enchanted by Portugal, from its heavenly climate to its remarkable denizens. Richard's descriptions of the beauties of the Portuguese landscape and the peculiar logic of the Portuguese way of life are loving and luminous, and are further enhanced by Barbara's exquisite line drawings. |
Common terms and phrases
Alberto Almoçageme António arrived asked autoestrada bacalhau Bank of Portugal Barbara began Bernardo blue van café caldo verde called cantarias Cascais cement mixer China cobblestoned coffee Colares Constance corner cottage course desk dogs door drink Eugaria eyes finally fireplace floor foreigners front garden gate gave going greeted ground hand haute couture head heard huge immediately José kitchen knew later Lisbon Little Cats lived looked minutes morning mountain move never nodded notary Olímpio Paulo Pena Palace pile plaster Portugal Portuguese Prego problem pulled Queijadas quickly renovation replied residency responded road roof Sandra's Sara seemed Senhor Pimenta shook shovel Sintra smile someone staircase stared stones stood stopped stucco sure tank things thought tion told took truck trying Valium village walked wall water company wheelbarrow wine woman