Don’t leave. Let it linger. And stay, just a little longer… Here, the right time to leave is the time you’re in no hurry to arrive. The one who escapes traffic by getting stuck in a sheep jam
and the one who follows a poor intuition in the hope of getting lost halfway.
In any case, if you do lose out, you may find yourself thinking that the best thing to do is to turn back. There would be no mistaking it: just follow the trail of memories, still fresh as the grass cut that morning… The truth is, the way back is always easier to find.
But most of the time when you come here, you’ll end up getting home safe and sound, even if you can’t quite remember what kind of duty Monday calls you.
In any case, we’ve come to warn you in advance: you may suffer from a period of adaptation to your old habitat. When you get out of the car, you’ll see: The city flashing euphorically, with the same hysterical lights as always, but looking more dazzling than ever.
Maybe it’s because they don’t let you see a shadow of the true brilliance of the stars you discovered in the Alentejo.
We would also like to warn you that you may feel slightly dizzy when you get out of the car. Seen from the outside, from the distance of a time gone by, the merry-go-round where I used to ride every day can suddenly become nauseating.
Get into bed and lie down for a long time. You can sleep soundly. The next morning, it may not be the turtledove’s cooing that wakes you up, but there will always be a stray breeze next to your ear, whispering to you about the place where the peace you found at Herdade da Matinha lives: only and precisely within yourself.
That’s where it will be at every moment, resting quietly on your nose. If it’s too close to be true, just close your eyes and you’ll see better. There is an astronomical phenomenon that happens to those who truly dedicate themselves to Herdade da Matinha: they come back lighter, but with luggage full of the most important things to carry in life. Want to know what they are? You’ll have to come and feel it. If you have already done so, repeat. We promise you won’t forget.
