The colours of music

Following my active, non-stop and free spirit lifestyle, I have decided a few years ago to formally restart the study of piano and music theory. So far, the journey has been full of joy, friends (mostly new), knowledge of undiscovered music, Beatles listening, live music and concerts attendance, live perfomances and certainly of many more music to discover. The certification body I have chosen to learn and pass through the grades (N=8) is ABRSM - Associated Board of the Royals School of Music, which is a UK-based music examination board and registered charity founded in 1889 that provides assessments, graded exams, and diplomas for music students worldwide to promote high standards of musical education. As I pass the grades the study becomes more intense and difficult, even though not less interesting or pleasant. There is less time for playing with friends and it becomes more of a lonely journey with the professor. However, this also allows for stimulant conversations and time to embedd ourselves more in the music. As new exams approach, the feeling of apprehension comes but also the feeling of achievement, acquired learnings and confidence in playing. And here I go again!

Blue Portuguese tiles in Beja green park

Life is full of happy coincidences and hence immensily interesting. I was just reading the the book "Lendas e Narrativas" by Alexandre Herculano when I came across the tile board at Beja green park portraying the scene: "O Lidador." This depicts the battle that conquered Beja to the moors, and which was led by Gonçalo Mendes da Maia, O Lidador. The chapter in Alexandre Herculano's book is named: A morte do Lidador (The death of the fighter).The chapter tells that Gonçalo Mendes da Maia urged his fellow knights to follow him on a battle to conquer land occupied by the moors near the border, that Gonçalo Mendes da Maia managed to kill a moorish leader (caliph) after being badly injured by a moor, and how the Lidador companions managed to scare 1000 moor with an army of only 70 portuguese men, before he finally died at the long age of 95 years old. An excerpt of the chapter in Alexandre Herculano's book is reproduced here: "Quem hoje ouvir recontar os bravos golpes que no mês de julho de 1170 se deram na veiga da fronteira de Beja, notá-los-á de fábulas sonhadas; porque nós, homens corruptos e enfraquecidos por ócios e prazeres de vida afeminada, medimos por nossos ânimos e forças, a força e o ânimo dos bons cavaleiros portugueses do sécuo XII; e todavia, esses golpes ainda soam, através das eras, nas tradições e cronicas, tanto cristãs como agarenas. Depois de deixar assinadas muitas armaduras mouriscas, o Lidador vibrara pela última vez a espada e abrira o elmo e o crânio de um cavaleiro árabe. O violento abalo que experimentou lhe fez rebentar em torrentes o sangue da ferida que recebera das mãos de Almoleimar e, cerrando os olhos, caiu morto ao pé do Espadeiro, de Mem Moniz e de Afonso Hermingues de Baião, que com eles se ajuntara. Repousou, finalmente, Gonçalo Mendes da Maia de oitenta anos de combates!"

Olive green in Alentejo

After a few years without visiting Beja, the return was full of disappointment. The surroundings of the city were not composed with fields of flowers, cereals and oaks anymore but with monocultures of olive trees with no underground vegetation, no birds and no flowers. The new land use changed the local climate, which became foggier and with grey sky as a constant. The city smelled like cheap olive oil. In the middle of the huge olive tree plantations, an artificial beach was created as a present, I believe, to keep locals happy and quiet about the change that brought an ugly landscape, bad smell, air pollution and lack of biodiversity. I could easily imagine the runoff of pesticides and herbicides into the waters of this beach and into the freshwater streams, or these being carried in the air. It was depressive. These infinite fields of olive tree monocultures arrived after the availability of water for irrigation provided by the Alqueva dam. This was seen as the engine of economic development of the Alentejo but instead it brought pollution, biodiversity loss, Asian migrants and simpathy for the extreme right wing party. I love olive oil but I would rather give up eating olive oil than contributing for such environmental, health and social disasters. In the past traditional olive orchards, with 100s of years, balanced olive oil production with biodiversity, but this balance is now lost.

Grey and scary face at Redinha

The joys of climbing, among feeling fit and being mentally healthy, includes also to find the exquisite places(in the middle of nowhere sometimes), to be surrounded by nature and sight birds, butterflies, or flowers, to pass by and stop at picturesque villages, to experience good food at remote cafes and restaurants and, sometimes to meet interesting people with interesting stories to tell. In Redinha, the landscape is beautiful, we can see as far as the sea, and the site is warm and sunny, which is important both in Spring and Autumn. Redinha is not far from Leiria and Coimbra and students from both Universities have a site to climb at hand. The ambience is, thus, energetic and lively. The rock is limestone with routes varying between 7 and 20 meters. The rock also presents weird and funny shapes such the one the photo shows. Is "he/her" not happy for being disturbed or suprised by the presence of crazy climbers?

Blue lake at Barragem de Santa Luzia

This is very peaceful inland beach created by the Santa Luzia dam. A book can be read, a boat can be sailed and a via ferrata can be climbed. I did not know much about what via ferratas were until I came across this one. A via ferrata can be defined as "a protected climbing route which includes steel fixtures such as cables and railings to arrest the effect of any fall, which the climber can either hold onto or clip into using climbing protection." Another definition is "a path in rock walls, prepared with stairs, cables, pythons, among other supports to facilitate the progression and optimize the safety of climbers." I have never climbed a via ferrata. I think rock climbing (sports climbing or traditional) is more exciting and less artificial. In any case, I think it would be easy to climb a via ferrata and would definetly give it a go. Especially, it would be worthwile to do it at Santa Luzia dam, surrounded by a beautiful and inspiring landscape.

Green and ancient landscape at Serra do Açor

Serra do Açor is one of the many hills we have been up in Portugal. It is located in the middle of the Schist villages (Aldeias do Xisto), which are a network of 27 traditional, historic and almost abandoned (some with as much as 5 inhabitants) villages in Central Portugal, and which houses are built almost entirely with the schist rock, quarried locally. The landscape is protected and hosts pockets of the ancient forests and vegetation- in Portugal. Serra do Açor is located at 1438 m altitude but there is no obvious path up the hill so we had to follow the old maps from IGEO (carta militar) and our own instinct. Fortunately, there is now an Adventure Map for Serras da Lousã and Açor. These maps are essential to navigate in the countryside in Portugal, for which good and updated maps are almost inexistent. The Adventure Maps are topographics map and provide suggestions for hiking trails in the covered areas, some relevant tourist atractions, freshwater beaches and swimming areas, waterfalls, campsites, picnic areas, tourist offices and climbing and hang-gliding spots. We have all available maps created so far and use these maps to find our climbing spots, our own hiking trails and quiet places for water dips. And it is amazing that most villages in Serras- da Lousã and Açor have this hidden treasury at everyone's disposal. It is important to choose the quietest villages, as some have become too touristic and have lost their essence, as for example Piódão, visited once and not to go back.

Golden walls in Castelo de Vide

Castelo de Vide was a surprise. We had a good stroll in this little town in Alto Alentejo full of exquisite corners, perfect to spy on the landscape ahead. Contrary to Marvão, this town was burst with life. In there we could smell culture and tradition, and good food. There is a judiaria (jewish quarter) as jews lived in Castelo de Vide since the 15th century when expelled from the Spanish inquisition. They were involved in activities such as commerce, crafts, and medicine. We almost could feel their presence and many signs could be seen, as well as architecture and even a sinagogue. After the expulsion order promulgated in 1496 by King Manuel I of Portugal, many Jewish families left Castelo de Vide, while others were allowed to stay, provided they converted to Christianity. This was a dark period of our story and of the story of the peninsula. How many families had to live and were persecuted and how many brains were lost to other countries with this expulsion. The dark ages of intolerance and ignorance, which are coming back again...

White church in empty Marvão

During the pandemic, as soon as we could travel, at least internally, travelling we went. For someone who grew up in the coast and lived by the coast for most of her life, travelling to inland Portugal was almost the same as travelling to a foreign country. In inland Portugal, the time almost stops, stress does not exist and it is so very quiet (apart from the dogs barking - there are always dogs barking in Portugal). Marvão is a village located at the top of Sao Mamede mountain (approximately 860 meters above sea level). We arrived to Marvão from the bottom of the hill, walking through one small hiking trail or PR (Pequena rota - small route). It was slightly zigzagging as the route was not very well marked and because landowners still think they can block these trails in places. Nevertheless, it was much more satisfying to arrive by foot than by car or bus, as most people do. Marvão was almost a ghost village, it seems that no one lived there, there was almost no life, only many spots with a view to the huge landscape and horizon of Alto Alentejo. The view and the silence were appreciated. The Marvão International Music Festival, which happens in Marvão at the end of July and beggining of August, brings classical music to the roof of Alto Alentejo.