Alentejano Hospitality

There's always wine, juice, nuts and dried fruit served after the talks in Monsaraz. Don't think I've ever been to anything in the Alentejo without food and wine being served. (Well, church maybe - whereas in the UK, there would usually be coffee/tea and biscuits.)

Today it was two professors from Évora Uni leading a discussion on the Alentejano landscape, specifically the Montado - a human shaped landscape of widely spaced cork and holm oaks, under which animals graze, and really well suited to the poor soils and harsh temperatures of this region. Now under threat, mainly from extensive monocultures of olives and almonds.

If interested, an academic article for Unesco here, and a shorter one, with photos and a slightly cringey video here. 

As ever, amazed at how long winded the Portuguese tend to be, and at the lack of visuals and organisation to their talks. (Yesterday's was a lovely exception.)

Gratefuls:
- walking round Monsaraz without visitors and finding new bits
- a guy playing the sax in the main square, not for money, just playing
- Netty dropping by with all sorts, including wine, eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes