Monsaraz – Overlooking the plains
Monsaraz is one of the oldest towns in Portugal. Ricardo Pereira is one of the biggest idols of the new generation of Portuguese actors. We brought the two together over a perfect weekend, during which the 30 year-old leading man had the centuries-old setting as his backdrop.
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Ricardo Pereira is an avid traveller and has been to a wide variety of places, including Brazil, where he has developed part of his career. He loved the experience of revisiting this Portuguese gem after having been to distant exotic locations such as China and Jamaica and got to know several cities around the world. Before setting off on his next big trip, which will be “an adventure in South America, from Patagonia to Macchu Pichu”, Ricardo made the most of this outing to Monsaraz. The town is situated 50km from Évora and is part of Portugal’s national historical heritage. It’s a place you simply cannot afford to miss if you’re visiting the Alentejo.
Monsaraz is situated on top of a hill and completely surrounded by the Alentejo plains. The rows of houses which peep through the city walls seem to hover above the landscape. At night, when you approach the town and the lights are on, the place seems suspended in thin air. It’s magical. We stay at Monte Alerta, rural tourism accommodation, where we are welcomed as friends. It’s not a luxury hotel, or chic rustic accommodation. It’s simply a family house where we feel welcome. There are dogs, cats, children and the smell of lavender in the garden. We have dinner en route at the typical Adega do Cachete, in the “Iberian pottery capital”, on the road from Reguengos to Monsaraz. The meal is a variety of tasty regional delicacies, which we peacefully digest as we gaze at the starry night sky.
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The next morning, our tour begins with a visit to the Convento de Nossa Senhora da Orada, located a short distance away. It dates back to the 17th Century and has conserved the minimalism typical of the monastic buildings of that period. It was officially set up by monks in 1670, and was an ambitious architectural project that took several years to complete and which is still admired today for its sobriety. It seems “lost” in the middle of the fields, and is reminiscent of a movie set. Ricardo seizes the mood and poses for the camera as though he was doing an action scene.
We’re near the Rota Megalítica (Megalithic Route). The surroundings of Monsaraz have one of the highest densities of Megalithic sites to be found in Europe. This feature adds value to the cultural, historical and environmental heritage of the town. Ricardo can’t resist taking a closer look at the stones, which date back to the origins of humanity. The most famous collection in the area is the Cromeleque do Xerez, a kind of sanctuary made up of 50 granite menhirs. It was the only prehistoric monument to have been relocated from its original setting as a result of the construction of the Alqueva Dam.
On the road up into town, we stop next to the Ermida de São João Baptista chapel, shaped like a Muslim vat, with frescoes dating back to 1622. It’s the oldest local monument, a Muslim sanctuary from the Almohad Dynasty, which was taken over by Christians in the 16th Century. Monsaraz has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and was occupied by several peoples of the Iberian Peninsula before falling under Christian rule in the 13th Century. The marks left by Arabs and Jews are visible in its medieval configuration. But what stands out most strongly is the town’s Alentejano soul. You feel it in the whitewashed houses, the locals’ weathered faces, the flower pots on street corners and the singing in church on Sundays. Tourists can visit the handicraft shops that sell colourful blankets woven on hand looms, as well as the typical regional pottery. The more attentive tourist will also read the history of Monsaraz in every street, door, window, and corner of the town.
Ricardo, who completed 4 years of a Psychology degree at university, is in the minority of visitors able to understand the ancestral traditions that survive in the collective memory. “It’s almost as though I can hear the sound of people singing and dancing in the street celebrations” he says, in spite of the silence. Inside the town, there is an unspoilt beauty. When you enter through the main gate, you immediately feel like you’ve travelled back in time.
The actor stops here and there, giving autographs and having his photo taken with the locals. Walking in the company of a genuine leading man, with a perfect smile and striking green eyes, is not exactly something you can do discretely. But “our” Ricardo is not only used to all the attention he gets from the public, he is also extremely approachable and friendly. “I like people coming up to me spontaneously. Almost everyone wants to give their opinion about the soap ‘Perfeito Coração’. They keep their fingers crossed that Pedro, the character I play, will have a happy ending at the side of his beloved Leonor”. Ricardo also presents “Episódio Especial”, a programme on SIC channel. He has finished filming Os Mistérios de Lisboa, by the Chilean Raul Rouiz, which was inspired on the work of Camilo Castelo Branco, and he intends to return to theatre work.
Europe’s largest artificial lake
Ricardo feels fulfilled with the way his career has progressed and has great expectations about the future. Besides Brazil, where he is already as famous as he is in Portugal, Ricardo has agents in Madrid and New York. He intends to expand his market, and make an international career. His mobile phone rings continuously. We enter the castle arena, which was built in 1930 and based on a previous defensive structure. It is now usually used to stage bullfights. Ricardo isn’t an enthusiast, but thinks it “interesting to see the whole ritual of preparation surrounding the art of bullfighting.” After that he climbs to the top of the castle walls, next to the donjon: “It’s really worth it, to get a 3600 view of everything surrounding this unique place, which has got to be a high point in any touristic itinerary of Portugal”.
Ricardo concentrates on the landscape. Monsaraz used to be in one of the most arid regions of Alentejo, but is now benefitting from the construction of the Alqueva Dam. The latter was inaugurated in 2002 and is located about 30km away. It has dramatically changed the geography of the region. Thousands of hectares of land were submerged as a result of the raised level of the Guadiana River, which marks the border between Portugal and Spain. “I was really surprised by the sheer amount of water that exists around here nowadays. It’s the largest artificial lake in Europe – very impressive!”
The construction of the dam gave rise to the Alqueva reservoir, which is leading to economic and commercial developments in the area, especially in tourism and various associated activities. “This can give a new lease of life to the region”, notes Ricardo. He finds it amusing that villages which were previously afflicted by drought should now be called “aldeias ribeirinhas”, or “waterside villages”, with piers, anchorage, marinas and water sports. “You sense the love the people here have for their houses, the farmhouses and the land. But you get the impression that they’re still learning to live with the lake, which was just a trickle of water before”.
Monsaraz’s patron saint is Nossa Senhora da Lagoa (Our Lady of the Lake), represented by an image of the town reflected in the lake waters. The town offers leisure cruises on the Guadiana River and Ricardo gets excited about sailing in an old cargo vessel built in 1913 to navigate canals in Holland. “The boat is built completely of iron, it’s 17m long and has a capacity for 35 people”, explains Captain Tiago, who is responsible for organising trips on the Alqueva, during which he serves refreshments and provides information about the environment.
An abundant lunch, presented in a refined way, awaits us at Sem-Fim, an old olive oil factory transformed into a restaurant and venue for cultural events. There are artists of different nationalities at the tables, since Monsaraz is a gathering point for foreigners seeking an alternative life. Ricardo visits the art gallery of the Dutch sculptor Gil Kalisvart, who is also the owner of the restaurant. The latter is managed by his son Tiago, who runs the kitchen too. Tiago’s wife, Gloria Cruz, from Catalonia, is in charge of making the desserts. Gil’s wife, Arlinda Ribeiro, is a Portuguese woman with an Indian spirit, and is responsible for the very original decor. We spend hours talking, in anticipation of that authentic Alentejo institution: the siesta. On hearing of the existence of a Siesta Brotherhood (Confraria da Sesta), Ricardo offers to be its vice-president. “Imagine how good it would be for me to come here to Monsaraz to give some courses on the subject…”
“We received a warm welcome. I loved listening to the locals’ stories and breathing this air” reveals Ricardo, as he looks back on his visit. “The food, always accompanied by wonderful red wine was one of the most intense experiences. We tasted a variety of dishes, with many of the ingredients freshly taken from the land, and that brings the whole experience closer to nature. Fantastic! Of course, I’ll have to spend the next few days at the gym doing spinning to work it all off”. These are legitimate concerns for an actor who needs to look after his image; but he isn’t given to navel-gazing. “I’m open-minded. Travelling, reading and studying are the things that give me most pleasure. In Monsaraz I was able to look around and relax. It made me happy!”
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by Moema Silva
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