Up North Somewhere

Always a bit nerve-wracking coming away with a bunch of Portuguese  because they never tell us anything much, so we just have to go with it... but have ended up in a banking union place - the main guy is a lawyer for the bank (or something!). It's vey 70's and they are going to get rid of it (too expensive to maintain), but this is the view from our balcony - shame it's too cold to swim! 

Went for a walk with some of the women (it's all very segregated), asked them where we were; they didn't know! So, so different from the Alentejo - so green, pines, sweet chestnuts almost ripe, cabbages everywhere, and a woman in socks and a cardigan scrubbing clothes on an outdoor tank.

Anyway, off to dinner, which is a celebration of the banker and his wife's 33rd wedding anniversary.

Gratefuls:
- being included, though we're neither Catholic nor Portuguese
- talking with our friends in a meeting as we were driving along, including Paul and Karis in Ireland, and Deb on a train, such strange times!
- a bath in our bathroom, and excellent food