I saw Fernanda in action last May, and she does work hard. She is a real hostess, from the moment you arrive to when you leave. This must take its toll on her family life, especially her teenage daughter.
I was there on a rainy day, and we congragated on the patio by her garden house/albergue drinking homemade wine: they must have an industrial production of it going on in the basement when you consider how much this group went through!
Then we were invited into the kitchen/dinning room for dinner and ate, and yes, drank, very well. And then the guitar came out and she and her husband started dancing and singing. This made for a late night! I think it was passed 10 pm when itwas all over.
Some "hardcore walkers" who knew this route inside out were more practical, ate, drank just a bit and retired to bed early. One of them apparently liked my sleeping bag liner because when I got back to bed kt was gone. I didnlt have the nerve to wake the possible suspects, but I thik if this ever happens again I would. Actually, next time I would also retire after the meal and skip the singing and dancing, and drinking, to ensure a perkier start the next day.
Honnestly, I have to wonder if people would feel differently about staying there if there was no singing amd dancing which would allow for a bit more normarlcy for the family. I hope they don't do it so we don't feel less about their hospitality.
When you drop in, please consider how much of itself this family is giving.
It is a combination of the Portuguese hospitality, they are warmhearted
for peregrinos and have the capability to organize.
We have been hospitaleiros there several times so have seen ourselves how it works.
As long they will have the health and energy they will care for and entertain their visitors. It is an important part of their lives.
I hope the pilgrims will appreciate their stay at casa Fernanda by leaving their donation behind because that is very important to finance and continue their services .
I saw groups of 3 to 4 coming in, eating drinking, feasting etc and left behind 5€ for all of them. I mentioned this earlier and people here on the forum defended this for the reason that not every pilgrim has money.
But on the other hand they travel to Portugal from their homes , and anyway before they arrive here and stay somewhere else after they left they have to pay there too. Why leave a donation then of 1,25€ for such an unique service. .. sorry I have to write this here. It makes me very sad !
And then people take money out of the donation cardboard whiskey jar instead of putting in ? A shame.
I bought them a metal letterbox with a lock to hang on the wall so pilgrims can only put their donation in but not take it out. I do not know if Jacinto put it on the wall. It was last May that we were there and I gave the letterbox the day we left.
It is sad that this thIs is necessary .
I can assure you there is no industrial production of whatever may be in their house.
In the rural area where they live, they are a member of a small community of family, relatives , neighbours etc.
One produces wine, another the aguardente firewater, somebody takes care for the bread, logs for the fireplace , all have a garden with vegetables, potatoes etc.
If there are no greenbeans left in her garden, she goes to the neighbour and gets her beans there.
