Last week we talked about us, us poor foreigners who are not allowed to vote, and this week we are talking about foreigners again. This week is about them, non-poor foreigners. They aren’t allowed to vote either, but that doesn’t matter because money buys you all kinds of things.

A good architect, for example. An architect mainly takes care of the bureaucracy. That’s no small task here in Portugal.

Novelty: the Paço from Tentugal has been sold. To Arabs, they say, from Dubai. And the architect is already at it

A long time ago, when I was still working for the Agência Imobiliária in Coimbra, I was once in that same Paço. This realtor mainly dealt in “rústico” – old country houses (completely eaten by the woodworm but with a brasão – coat of arms above the front door); monumental buildings in the middle of a small village (half collapsed but very nice fixers); huge quintas (heavily neglected) and therefore also palácios and paços (uninhabitable).

What a palácio is seems clear, but a paço probably not

That is one category higher than a palace. A paço has usually been the residence of royalty; as well as this one in Tentugal. King Dom Pedro, and later Dom Afonso, came here every now and then to relax, enjoy the countryside, and probably do a bit of hunting too.

Officially it is called “Paço dos Duques de Cadaval”

Later it was sold to the Dukes of Cadaval, hence the name. Cadaval is a town right below Caldas da Rainha, which means “the Queen’s hot baths”. Today she would be in a jacuzzi, then they needed a whole town for that.

Caldas da Rainha was one of the destinations of the nobility and monarchs to enjoy themselves outside of Lisbon, as was this paço in Tentugal. Take a leisurely bath in the pure and nice warm mineral water in Caldas, bring some excitement into life by hunting wild boars in Tentugal… the life of the nobility and royalty was not so bad somewhat more than a century ago.

Unfortunately, they have gone out of fashion. The portuguese royal family was overthrown in 1910. Too bad for Dom Manuel II, because he had only just taken over the crown from his murdered father a few years ago. Not nice when your father gets killed, and you have to take over his job, and it’s not even appreciated!

Portugal has been a monarchy from the country’s foundation in 1139 to 1910

A monarchy for 771 years, briefly a republic, a dictatorship and then a republic again, and now an increasingly multicultural society. Also not so fashionable anymore, but who knows what will happen to all those rich and filthy rich foreigners who show up in increasing numbers – again, money buys you everything.

In any case, the architectural office is already doing well.

When you look at the photos, it seems clear to me that there is still a nice task ahead of them. Well worth it, if you look at the view!

I’m really curious how this will develop. Not so much the property, because if Arabs are involved, and it is an expensive purchase, I don’t think it strange to assume that it will get a rating of 7 (out of 1-5), to quote a Tentugalese. I agree.

I may be getting carried away by prejudice, but I suspect this is not far off.

Last week the socialists won big, with the populists right on their heels. Real socialists should make everyone, especially rich people, pay a lot of taxes, and the populists just want Portugal for themselves. A foreigner here or there, okay, that should be possible, but especially those from Muslim countries should stay away from here.

I can’t help but chuckle a bit at this.

What are they going to do with these honorable Arabs? Squeezing them to pay their fair share of taxes, or trying to work them out?

We moved here in 2000 from Rotterdam, Holland to the Termas-da-Azenha, Portugal.

A big step, especially with two small children.

We are busy to rebuild one of portugals cultural heirlooms: Termas-da-Azenha, an old spa which has been turned into several holiday houses, rooms and a campsite.

You’ll find mosaics and paintings everywhere.

Since 2018 we call ourselves the first B&B&B in the world – Bed & Breakfast & Bathrobes. You can buy a home-made unique bathrobe/housecoat with us.

Each week a little blog about what is happening around us. An easy read. A few minutes in another world. A little about what it going on in Portugal. If you plan your holiday to Portugal, it might be a nice preparation

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