On a summer holiday in 2005, my partner, Jo and I spent some time looking after a friends' house near Coimbra in Portugal. On a whim we decided to look at some houses and the first one I saw (I did see others!) was obviously meant to be mine.
The house - actually there are three - is in a tiny hamlet called Retorta and is a total ruin but will be a dream house when its finished. It's in its own valley with a stream, a waterfall and some land. Hopefully, we'll live in the Mill house and enjoy a lovely garden and plenty of peace and quiet - not a bad prospect for the future. The Mill house is about 100 years old (not lived in for 30+ years) and once had 6 millstones as well as a separate Olive Press (Largar).
When I bought it I was assured that I would have planning permission and have it rebuilt in a year. Sounded optimistic I know, but little did I think that it would take 5 years of red tape and other bureaucratic delays before building could even start - but now it has!
It would be nice to make its as environmentally friendly as possible with solar panels and maybe even solar electric power and/or hydro electricity - a house for and of the future and ready to survive global warming.
There's a lot to do but I like challenges and I've hopefully got a sympathetic builder to do the work! There are three houses to do up, but initially I’ll only do up two and the third, an old olive press, will have to wait.
It's surrounded by beautiful countryside which reminds me a bit of Scotland, and is good walking country. There's also Serra da Estrela about an hour away (skiing in the winter) and the beach is about the same.
Eventually, I hope I can also make an income from rural tourism when I do up the old olive press.
Com esperança!
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