Camping on rio Pirigara

As we arrive at their small pier, Maria and Carmindo are already waiting for us, sitting on a wooden bench in front of their house. After greeting them (I think it’s a welcome change for them that I speak Portuguese) we unload the boat - I’m allowed to help this time - and put everything on a table in front of the house. Along with dried meat, onions, tomatoes, rice and beans we brought a big water-melon for Maria…she’s crazy about it!
Their home is simple but very tiny and clean. It’s in a beautiful location, in front of the river and surrounded by fruit trees. It consists of a one-storey brick building with floors made of dried coloured mud, where they have a living room and bedrooms. In the back they have built a big kitchen, with a smaller storeroom, made of wooden walls and with mosquito nets as windows. Outside there is a bathroom with shower and a white chapel ornated by a blue cross on top. It is quite impressive, the chapel seems to having been built for a larger community, it is quite big with a lot of benches. They have two big ton’s to collect rainwater that serve kitchen and bath. A big brown dog and a smaller black and white one and a lot of chicken complete the family. One of their daughters lives with them, but she is not there at the moment.
We put up our tents, inflate the mattresses and prepare everything quickly because this is the hour when mosquitoes and flies start getting aggressive. We put our bags and equipment on a big wooden table and cover it up with a waterproof sheet. Then we help Maria to prepare dinner. They have a generator that is turned on every night for some hours to do guess what? To see novela…the two of them sit in front of the tv and comment every action, hilarious. After novela we dine with dried meat, rice and beans and tomato salad. Than we all go to sleep after an exciting day, it must be very early but I have no idea, it’s dark, this is what matters.