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It Takes a Village

Writer's picture: Nancy SedgwickNancy Sedgwick

Tuesday July 23, 2024



Animals are part of every village, and seem to have freedom to roam around. Today we saw these cute little kittens outside the bakery, and the two dogs on the street. Dogs sleeping in the shade in the afternoon are called Siesta dogs in Portugal. So, I guess we have our own Siesta dogs!

Elphie, Dixie and Bailey


Before we share our experiences from today we want to thank our tour guide Mariana. Viking made the excellent decision to have the tour guides stay with the same group of people all week, which really allowed us all to get to know each other. Our guide was excellent. She is a local, with a depth of knowledge about the area, the history and the customs. And she was willing to share personal and family stories to help us better understand the local traditions and customs.  Obrigada Mariana!



Favaios  Village


Today we took a tour to a small town (1500 people) in a region known for its bread and Moscatel wine.  There are at least 8 bakeries in town and they all make Four Corner bread. The reason for the name is unknown. The owner of the bakery we visited is an older woman who has been making the bread the same way, in the same old ovens, for over 60 years. And the bread is delicious. Frequently she delivers left over bread to families in need in the village.



Next, we went to a wine and bread museum, where we learned the difference between Port and  Moscatel. Port is generally aged longer and has a higher alcohol content (19-21%); Moscatel is always 17%. And Moscatel is made from only one type of grape, the muscat grape, while port contains several varietals. Both these wines are sweet, and served either before (Moscatel), or after (either) a meal. Favaios is one of only two regions in Portugal that produce Moscatel wine.



For hundreds of years Moscatel has been made by people stomping on the grapes. The entire village would join together to help stomp the grapes every year. Recently some wineries have shifted to a more modern process, but the best wines are still made by stomping. 


An another example of the importance of community in this area is the community washing station. It isn't that the homes don't have washing machines or hoses, but rather that the washing station is a community meeting place where the residents can meet and talk.



Dona Antónia Ferreira is our final example of the "it takes a village" theme. She loved the Moscato region and invested heavily in vineyards in the area. When the plague of phylloxera destroyed vineyards across the Douro, many farmers lost everything and planned to move away. She encouraged them to stay, bought their stocks of wine, while also bringing American grape vines that were plague resistant to the Douro valley. As things got worse, she fed the families in the region to help everyone get through this difficult time. To feed everyone a healthy meal she created a soup recipe that drew on herbs and vegetables that grew in the area, some beans and pasta, and whatever else was available at low cost. The soup became famous and is still served today across the region. We had the opportunity to try some and it was good, unfortunately I was too busy eating it to take a picture.



And now a quiz:



What are the two things wrong with this clock?








These are doors to the old schools. What difference do you see?



Dona Antónia was ahead of her time with the "it takes a village" saying when she was quoted, "Everyone should do all they can for the good of humanity." Let's follow her lead in our own village, state, country, and world.


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jyfaulk
26 jul 2024

Animals, wine, and food. You hit all of the travel essentials for a great day.

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Nancy Sedgwick
Nancy Sedgwick
27 jul 2024
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And there was shopping too!

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Sarah Pierce
Sarah Pierce
24 jul 2024
Obtuvo 5 de 5 estrellas.

I’m very upset that this post was not accompanied by a photo of Karen stomping grapes. But I can imagine it. Also, yay for puppies!

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Nancy Sedgwick
Nancy Sedgwick
24 jul 2024
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Wrong time of year for stomping grapes! She would totally have done it!

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