Strong and Shredded Lands

The news is that we are back in the hunt for a house.  The one we made a bid for in Serrelies went off the tracks due to the greed and guile of the sellers and their realtors…we so wish them well.  But that turns out to be fortunate circumstances because, across the river and over a ridge, we found the perfect house set in tidy walled grounds, looking at a mountain ridge to the south, three kilometers across a valley of red-tiled roofs of grand villas set among august vineyards, and off to the right the ocean, in mist and distance. Of course one must walk out on the second floor veranda to see the ocean from this house we so desire, but what a pleasure that is. This house is perched on the edge of the town square of Barroselas, a hillside farming village with roots in the Bronze Age.  The house is only about 20 meters from the closest chapel, but 40 meters from the nearest cafe and only twice that far from a storied bakery…life may be good there. 

In 1220, Vila de Barroselas is praised, “…its valleys, well protected, the strong and shredded lands speak for the diversity of trees and cultures of the potentialities already little used.”  Lyrical way of saying it is drop-dead gorgeous with good vineyard potential, but may need a little work.  Unlike our house-of-interest which is recently built with all systems working quite nicely, thank you.

It seems that grapes have been grown here and wine produced here since our women wore wimples and their men, pointy shoes and leather smocks on their way along the worn paths to the communal wells and cisterns of the valley.  Have to admit it delights me that the worn paths and roofed springs, cisterns and wells are still here and are still being used. 
But then, as now, there is the ocean in the mist, breathing and sighing, cooling the valley, giving life to potentialities already little used.
And who could imagine what forms those potentialities would take?  Since the late 1990s, Barroselas has been the venue for three days of Heavy MetalFest…bands from all over the world!  (I wouldn’t make stuff like this up.)

We may have to go all the way to Porto to get our black gear and spiked collars, but we’re gonna be there.  Wanna join us?