There have been so many responses to last week’s blog that I feel I have to report how things are going.

Are we going to be followed by the camera of B&B full of Love?

Shall I keep the suspense for a moment and start with a few considerations? Of course, we’re all used to our phones. She stays with us everywhere; we would miss her if she wasn’t here. Through that phone we’re followed by the big names: Google of course, Facebook and all its sister sites, Amazon, and all the companies to which we have given our email address, or to which we gave permission to leave cookies on our computer.

No problem, you don’t notice it, and most people just shrug it off.

We also don’t care about all the cameras in shops, petrol stations, banks, shopping centers and on metro platforms. We Portuguese and resident fake-Portuguese are not very used to this, especially in the rural areas, so it’s often still done the old-fashioned way.

It becomes a bit different, I thought, if something like this happens in a way that you do notice. That you do notice that you are being followed, because suddenly a person with a camera on the shoulder is in the way in your kitchen when you want to eat your yogurt. And another person next to the camera with a large fishing rod with a microphone to catch every little sigh from you.

They don’t go with you to the toilet, like your phone, but they’re still very present, I heard from one of the participants of previous episodes. You have to be able to handle that, because when things get a bit tense, they won’t go discreetly smoke a cigarette on the terrace, on the contrary, those are the times they will buzz around you.

And I’m already not crazy about being asked to take a photo with friends/acquaintances/guests/volunteers/ passers-by!

(start to feel it?) Another thing I thought of: it seems like such a huge coincidence that you meet someone who is similarly burned by the fire of life, that it kind of fits together nicely. I mean, a relationship depends on a lot of little things, habits and interests, and as you get older it becomes more and more difficult to find a match.

In short, the fire didn’t start last week

You all are completely right: it would be a fun adventure, it would be good for brand awareness, for turnover, it would probably give the sales of the third B in our B&B&B* a Boost, but… I suspect it would also be quite a Blow to my nervous system. Thanks for all the advice though, it helped enormously.

But … it’s easy for you to talk, you sit on your couch with a bowl of popcorn, in your pj’s and enjoy how it’s all playing out, while I have to be nice to someone (for a week!) whilst I might think: “Oh my God, what have I done? I’ve been too optimistic again!”

In other words, it scares the hell out of me, and it seems very invasive, and I’ve decided that I’m going to stay in my comfort zone. After all, it’s not called that for nothing.

And in terms of fires, I’ll stoke this one then instead …

* Bed&Breakfast&Bathrobes – the webshop is in the making

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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