Getting Ready

Today, at the Adega Velha, Sergio had organised for the women's Cante group from Granja to come sing. Here, they were adjusting each other's scarves, over which goes a sort of black bowler hat, with a (felt) poppy in the brim - this was the traditional dress for women harvesting in the fields. There was also a baker and a lady's maid.

It struck me that these women, in their youth, would have experienced this hard life for themselves, and certainly for their mothers. It is 50 years since the Carnation Revolution, which started changing life here in the Alentejo, but it will be these women's children who will have benefitted. You could see the hardship in their faces and statures.

Gratefuls:
- that life has improved for poor Alentejanos (it was always good for the rich landowners)
- asked Mike for a grateful - he says, that we got out of church without fainting with the heat!
- an outdoor shower when we got back, to cool off, love showering outside