Planet earth’s self-governing ecosystem has managed to sustain life in all of its forms for millions and millions of years. It regulates all of the components, in just the right amounts, to ensure that life continues and will continue.
A continuous and fragile balancing act that is in constant motion during every second of every day. An invisible and essential life giving force that never sleeps.
The human body has its own ecosystem too. A finely balanced conglomeration of miniscule cells. All working together, yet all vying for essential nourishment. A mass of complex chemical equations undergo perpetual autonomous analysis; a unique formula just to maintain equilibrium.
In both scenarios the human ‘element’ finds it difficult not to interfere. Body and planet fight against will and lack of will.
Food, exercise and rest the a + b + c that equals x are on 2 Cheeses’ menu today. Mr S gets the day rolling with an earlyish morning portion of b, while Mrs S indulges in 2c.
A 40k touch n turn along the fabulously smooth Ecopista do Tâmega – an old and now converted railway route that used to connect and serve the local hillside villages between Arco de Baúlhe & Amarante.
Each station en-route, an historic monument to a bygone era. Traditional tile designs, now protected under Portuguese law, add a certain sparkle.
One of the local villages gets today’s Saint Anthony’s festivities off to a musical start.
Interspersed between lunch and pool, 2 Cheeses add b to b with a hike along the Ecopista. The old line crosses a motorway. It’s easy to see why Portugal’s roads make for easy driving.
Geert runs this site single handed. 1.5 hectares of scrub land he bought seventeen years ago. A vision brought to life through a mammoth amount of hard work.
As an ex-chef, he also provides a daily evening meal of either fish, or meat stew, Portuguese style, for any peckish on-site guests. We join eighteen others for a + a. He cooks, serves, dish and bottle washes. A grafter. He calls it fun.