Azulejos, hand painted tiles

Well, when in Portugal and you get the chance to visit a tile factory where they hand paint azulejos, of course the answer is yes. Especially when it’s just over the road from your hotel, which was how it happened on our walking holiday in Portugal last June.

And by factory, I don’t mean large and automated. Think more of a place for specialist crafts to take place, though they did have a shop and I was very tempted by the tile above, for no more reason than I liked it.

The ‘factory’ was among residential streets, where we returned later for dinner in a local restaurant, and was set away from the main part of the town. Both made us feel incredibly welcome, with our own tour of the workshop and an explanation of the process, which hasn’t changed vastly, as you’d expect with a traditional craft.

The designs created here, are all hand painted, and are stunning. They create the traditional designs, as well as modern designs and take in custom commissions from across the world for private and commercial customers.

On our visit we were encouraged to watch the tiles being painted, and it was great to see. The detail, and process was fascinating and we were shown every stage of the process by our hosts.

Who’d have thought that we’d have the chance to see such beautiful tiles being created? Certainly not me, but I’m so glad we did. We almost didn’t as we’d been out all day and on our feet again, but it was definitely worth it.

Not going: On a coastal walk from Colyton Fishacre

I thought I’d share another “not going to” post this week, and I’ve a feeling it could become a bit of a series, depending on how long we’re in lockdown for and realistically, how long it takes more normal life to resume. So for this post, we’re not going on a coastal path walk, in Devon, where we didn’t go last weekend. If that makes sense.

These are actually photos from our visit to Devon in 2015, but quite honestly the memories seem more recent than that. And despite the photo below it was actually a nice day, and not quite as grim as this photo suggests. Though I think I prefer to describe this as atmospheric, rather than grim.

We’d visited the National Trust’s Colyton Fishacre, which probably has to be one of their strangest named properties, surely? MOH’s aunt volunteers there and it’s one of the places we regularly visit, but it was the first time we nipped out the gate onto the coastal path. Once we’d seen the view, we weren’t sure why.

I’m not a huge fan of walking too close to the edge, and it’s rare that you’ll find me peering over the edge, but with gorgeous bracken edged views like this I’m more than happy with that. Though I remembered if I stood on tiptoes, the yacht came into view.

And while the views to the sea were great, it really was the plants that were closer that held my attention.

And given my previous comments about being close to the edge, you can imagine my thoughts about this. Yes I know it’s not on the edge at all, but I could still fall. MOH who’s used to this irrational logic when it comes to heights and edges, just helps me along, and we did make it down the path you can see heading off into the distance.

But I do have my limits, and the were soon to be reached. Rocks like the one covered in lichen are much more preferable than heading closer to the edge.

Yes, I am not in the picture below. Not even close.

Even looking at it now makes me more anxious, but the honeysuckle is much more my thing.

Yes, I’m definitely more of a hedgerows kind of girl, I’ll save the edges for those of you that don’t seem to mind them!

Kitchen houseplants with bite

After the colourful bedroom the exhibition led us into another room, this time not full with colour, instead carnivorous and tropical plants. I wasn’t expecting to see a kitchen included, and while this room was impressive, it didn’t get my vote. I think the plants used here were clever, the plants here looked great in the bright room - the sun on our visit, was also welcome.

The traditional scales were the highlight of the room. Carefully weighing the carnivorous plants, as you would. But don’t miss the succulents that are positioned as plates in the drying rack. Or just behind the rack, the copper saucepan planted up.

The rack too has some extra additions to the copper utensils. Overall it’s a very clever room and I can see why it’s here - for a while, I though this would be my favourite, but it was knocked off top spot by the room I was about to walk into…

[Sorry for the cliff hanger!]