These pictures taken in March 2010 are unfortunately a little hazy due to heavy sea mist and high humidity.
As you drive through the countryside of the Algarve and Alentajo regions you cannot fail to notice the Portuguese landscape features many abandoned houses – ruins as they are called. I often wonder what happened to the occupants and why they abandoned their homes. Was this the price of progress? People no longer wanted to live off the land and therefore moved to towns to find work? Or perhaps the owners died, their siblings had moved on, and these old houses unwanted and unloved abandoned to fall into disrepair. I attempt to paint a picture in my minds-eye of the family who lived in the house pictured below, but I fail miserably. Their life so different my imagination could never do them justice.
These wonderful old ruins do arouse my curiosity because we are not just talking about a few ruins, they litter the landscape like discarded candy wrappings.
Why? I would love to know why?
“Landscape” is this week’s photo theme for the “SUNDAY POST” over at Jake’s blog. Why not join in as this is not just for wordpress bloggers?
Piglet in Portugal 
Any idea what that building was before it ran into trouble? 🙂
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The explanation for the ruins is very simple :
The land is extremely poor ,that’s why properties had to be huge and a few land owners had almost all of it . Many families lived totally isolated mainly looking after small herds of cattle in houses known as “montes” because they were normally on top of a hill .Those “montes” are now in ruins because because people just left for a better life when they had a chance ,leaving behind only poverty and destitution .So there is nothing romantic or sad about what you see !
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Hi manuel and welcome 🙂
No I don’t feel romantic but saddened by so many abandoned properties that they are not sold on and then restored, but from Sami’s comment above I understand why. I can only imagine how hard it was to live off the land in such isolated places and diffiucult conditions. Yes, some are not isolated now, but go back in time…
Interesting info re “montes” . thank you 🙂
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I like seeing your Portugal photos. Thanks.
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Thank you 🙂
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Hi there, I saw you had commented on Rufus´ blog and was intrigued by the name of your blog! I love what I see – we adore Portugal and try to drive over as often as we can. I agree with Sami about the buildings, it´s the same here in Spain – people are obliged to leave property to nearest living relatives and often they can´t agree how to share the property, won´t sell and then they just decay and fall into ruins. So sad.
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Hi Chica and a warm welcome to sunny Portugal! I love rufus blog and recipes and I should comment more.
Which part of Portugal do you visit?
It is the same with abandoned properties here in Portugal I believe and confirmed my Sami’s and manuel.m ‘s comments
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A landscape that seems to shout “ADVENTURE!” Beautiful, fun, and exciting post. Have a great weekend.
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Hi island traveller, I think ADVENTURE is a bit OTT, unless the cows are lions and I’m being chased
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I think the humidity and sea mist added something very nice to the pictures. I love them. If walls could talk huh? Wouldn’t it be so very interesting to be able to learn who once occupied places such as these? Hugs
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Hi Chancy, it certainly would, but they are long gone, and moved hopefully to an easier way of life
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When I first saw the top photo I suddenly asked myself if there were lions in Portugal. Then I mentally slapped my face and looked again. Not lions but cows! Talk about not paying attention!
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Lions! Tilly also thought the cows looked like lions LOL
I will forgive you as the picture is murky 🙂
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You’re increasing my curiosity about Portugal. Am looking forward to a follow up on these ruins and the people who lived there.
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Hi Fee, Potugal is indeed a curious and beautiful country. The residents of the buildings are long gone and I think manuel.m gives an excellent explanation
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Quite some time ago, Cindy did a similar post about abandoned farms in South Africa.
Perhaps, when people can’t make a go of it in the country . . . they move to the city.
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Hi Nancy I can imagine farming on a small scale was very difficult and life was hard.
South Africa has it’s own history. We met someone in the UK who had a farm there and he had to abandon it and escape with his life!
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When i was in Portugal there were a lot of old buildings going to waste.
Btw we might be going back to Portugal this year.
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Hi DP which part of Portugal are you visiting?
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Just the thing to make your imagination run wild! What a beautiful landscape.
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The landscape in Portugal is diverse and beautiful 🙂
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At first I thought those cows were lions! It looks like African bush.
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Lions! Good grief, you would not have seen me for dust!
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Beautiful landscapes. I’d love to hear the stories behind those ruins. If only walls could talk.
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I think they would make a good theme for a book
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What do the locals say, PiP? I’ll bet they could unravel some of the mystery for you.
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I think manuel.m sums it up well with her comment below!
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Ruins are awesome. One time I climbed a big hill made of boulders in Morocco and there were ruins on top of it. People had actually lived on top of that hill, which I literally had to climb. How did they do it??? Better yet, why?
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Hi edrevets and welcome 🙂 Perhaps they lived on top of the hill so they could see who was coming. 😉
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Maybe it was just the view….why not live on top of a boulder pile for that?
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Yes, or even the view 🙂
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Nice, I like those. have you ever visit Beira-Alta?
greetings e abraços,
BlueShell
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Hi BlueShell and a warm welcome 🙂 I’ve never been up north. Keep meaning to…
I loved the poem you wrote BTW and ahve subscribed to your blog 🙂
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That looks SO like Tasmania!!! Amazing similarity.
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Hi Robyn,
The scenery in Portual is diverse. I’ve yet to venture up north yet
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So true and sad! Most of the times it´s because people died and the lands, buildings, etc are not properly registered, then the family who inherits it has a lot of trouble to sort it out. Other times the descendants inheriting it, are just so many, they don´t agree on how to share the stuff, or they just can´t sell it off, as not many people want to work in the country or off the land… We actually own a piece of land in the center of Portugal, where we meant to build a house sometime in the future (had we not come to Australia) and it has an old brick and tile shed, falling apart, due to weather, old age, disrepair, but it will just sit there until it all falls down. It´s been on the market for close to 5 years, and no takers. Maybe one day we will have enough money to build a little retirement/holiday home.
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Hi Sami,
thanks for sharing an insight as to the possible reason why. I wondered if it had anything to do with the revolution?
When you retire to your plot of land you will be able to grow veggies!
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Great entry you have here my friend Thanks 🙂
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Hi Jake, just a shame about the picture quality. It was very murky that day. I look forward to this week’s challenge!
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I am curious as well.
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Hi Jeanne , just noticed Sami may have an explanation below!
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Now you have me as curious as you Carole! Someone must still own these dilapidated buildings that used to be home to someone.
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Precisely Barb! There are just so many though…
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