Unexpected camping guests

The day before yesterday, a caravan suddenly appeared on the road with a new white car pulled up in front. A very nice little caravan, a bit round with a blue underside.

Unexpected camping guests are always welcome

The owner walked over to ask if he could camp. Normally, the answer is: “Sure, just come with me and I’ll show you where everything is.” – but this time I had to disappoint him. It’s the middle of winter, rainy, and the grounds are unmown and impassable.

“Is there anything nearby?” he asked. Yes, there is a real campsite (1) 15 km from here, but that’s closed too. We stood there chatting for a while. It started drizzling again, and I had nothing but drizzle to report also, so I suggested we walk to the kitchen, and maybe he’d like a cup of coffee?

There’s actually not a single campsite open at this time of year

The unexpected campers turn out to be him and his cute caravan, looking for a ruin to renovate and preferably live off-grid, with solar panels and batteries and all that. How brave! Now I happen to know of a cottage in the neighboring village. He wanted to take a look.

João Pedro’s grandparents acquired this a long time ago with much hardship and sacrifice, and lived in it their entire lives. At the end, grandma was alone, and son Luís and his family moved in. Grandma had some health challenges, and that’s how it all came together nicely.

It’s still not very unusual in Portugal for a surviving parent to move in with a child, or vice versa. Now grandma has passed away too, the children are grown, and the cottage has been sitting unused for a few years. “You better sell it,” I’d warned my foster son JP several times before, “it’s not going to get any better.” Yeah, right, no time, work, life; and three sons and a mother have to reach an agreement.

There are more ruins in Pedrógão, just like in all other villages in Portugal. Often dilapidated, almost collapsed, because no one knows who they belonged to anymore. Or the only remaining heir has moved to a foreign country, nowhere to be found. Or one heir refuses to give permission, and then it can’t go ahead. Or there’s simply no one left. Then the house gradually collapses, and in that way, it’s returned to nature.

Finally, the unexpected camper guest and his caravan settled on the hill for a night.

That turned into three nights, because his enthusiasm only grew. “What a beautiful hiking area!” he exclaims when he sees me again, “and what beautiful mosaics you’ve made everywhere! I peeked behind there too…” and points to the patio with the pool.

Around five o’clock, we start a nice bottle and chat for a while into the evening. There are plenty of stories to tell. One thing I can tell: this is someone with very little Portugal experience.

And we’ll continue on that topic next week

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(1) I always stress that it’s just the basics, and usually very quiet. There’s a group of people who really appreciate that, but if you like a bit of hustle and bustle, a restaurant and a pool, other campers to chat with, or organized activities, then we’re not for you.

(Disclaimer: I’m a bit tired of the keyword stuff and Google’s dictatorship. So here they are, and I’m also hoping for the cleverness of AI in this matter that it will still be found and read, but that I don’t have to force myself to use the right terms in the title and headings.#unexpectedcampingguests #housesforsale #Portugal )

We moved here in 2000 from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to the Termas-da-Azenha, Portugal. We started to rebuild one of portugals cultural heirlooms: Termas-da-Azenha, an old spa.You’ll find mosaics and paintings everywhere. Since Covid we rent the houses for a longer period of time, not as holiday houses anymore.

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.

In the weekend we publish it on Bluesky, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.