Good grief!

Where does the darn time go?  It can't be Saturday since I last posted can it?

Guess so...... and not much accomplished either.  Seems I've been doing a lot of running around though.... which means I am out and about instead of here at home "doing".  That does it.  Today I'm not going out of this house.  I'm staying home enjoying myself.  Got some fabrics yesterday so I can try to get some work done on poor little neglected Rumpel...remember him??  He's getting ticked waiting..............

However, I still have hundreds of photos left from Portugal.  Don't worry...I won't be posting all of them.  I'm just trying to pick out the most interesting ones for you ........there will still be toooo many I'm sure.

We decided to stay at 'home' on the third day... a town called Entroncamento.  We put a lot of miles on our walking shoes.   And, may I just mention...when you walk on cobbled streets and sidewalks.... you spend a fair bit of time looking where you are putting your feet.  You'd better!   Uneven surfaces can be hazardous to your health.....  and may I say, no wonder there were lots of shoe shops around.  I bet they wear out plenty of pairs of shoes on the sharp edges of those chunks of marble.  Tires too come to think of it...and hey...I did see lots of tire shops too...

But, today...I also want to show you some construction.  Solid construction.  How I wish our homes were built this solidly.  Of course, it would cost a fortune here because we don't have easy access to bricks, tiles, marble and granite...nor do we have tradespeople who have the same skills and knowledge.  But... I bet we could save on heat...and we probably would never need A/C.... and.... they would last for a much longer time than wood structures.

Your hubbies might appreciate this more than some of the ladies will...but if, like me, you have been involved in a lot of renovation projects, you will be able to appreciate the techniques and labour involved...and can see the amazing finished product.

The slabs of concrete....the brickwork....the forming and attention to detail....

Each of the houses and complexes had their own cranes for heaven's sake.... pretty darn amazing to us.

 Of course, the cranes were a necessity to hoist such heavy weights of materials into position....

Here are a couple finished..... sort of a modern retro look to me....

And....just down the road..... the more traditional.... although, this one was a bit more colourful than most...but, still.... very nice...... and, how beautiful against the sky!

more new construction around another corner.....

I would have loved to get a look inside some of these homes... wonder what is in that little rounded area?

Some had palms....

Some had their very own orange trees...

Even small homes had marbles and granites .... see how close some are to the roads and traffic?  I was wondering how it works with kids...... these Moms must have kids that actually listen when they say watch for traffic.  Certainly wouldn't work for any of the kids I've seen around here lately.....

This guy had quite the collection of marble...and granite....and a lot of other stuff.

Actually.... there were a couple of his slabs that I would have liked to bring home for my bathroom reno...

Here's a cute one.... although, saying that.... they are not really little at all when you consider two levels...and they usually go further back then they do from side to side ...

Of course, this tree caught our eye .... been like that a while I think....


        



















....cobbled marble chunks everywhere.... definitely a way to use up leftover bits from the quarries .... which I am supposing is the idea.... why let good marble go to waste?  It was everywhere...even for building up little chunky fences and borders around large natural acreages, garden areas and unfinished properties...

We walked for miles....just enjoying the architecture of houses and small property this time... churches and cathedrals were a whole other ballgame....

 












...although...there was still some pretty elaborate tile and iron work on modest homes... well, sort of modest...

again...the doors just opened straight out onto roads.... ..... so surprising to me.  Single file please.

The guys were pooped....hahahha.... should we go for coffee now ladies? ....

Yes please..... make mine meia de leite... that would be half milk for uninitiated ...

A lovely little reflecting pool in the downtown area... right beside a very modern coffee shop.

a fun day wandering all over the town and snapping many, many photos.....
Hey.....another great little told doorway!
Like I mentioned before.... always some modern juxtaposed with the seemingly ancient..... loved it.

A few four legged friends wanted to say hello ......

Now...come on.  There had to be a table or a ladder somewhere behind this wall..... or maybe a trampoline.  How did this guy get up on that wall?   He was up there almost every time we walked by over the weeks we were there.