Portuguese Christmas Meeting '23

Last year's Christmas meeting was in Beja. Beja is a little far away from me and, once again, I missed a meeting. Miguel and Vitória were there and sent me these postcards.

 

Foto: Paula Ribeiro

I've already wrote a bit about Beja's Castle tower in the previous post. If you want to visit it, you can do so from Monday to Sunday and the ticket is €2. Once inside, you can visit the three floors, where the pointed doors and carved vaults stand out. The top is reached by a spiral staircase with 183 steps and from the top you have one of the best views over the city and the region.

 Foto: Luís Pavão

Back in Beja, I suppose, Vitória found this postcard with a farrier from the village of Baleizão. 

Before the development and massification of cars, the ox, the horse, the donkey, the male or the mule, with or without a cart attached, were the animals most used for work, transport, traction and load. 

Each village had its farrier, because horse cattle, until the mid-20th century, were the most advantageous and widespread in all regions of Portugal. The profession of farrier was often associated with that of blacksmith, who in his workshop forged horseshoes adapted to the characteristics of each animal. After the horseshoes were made by the blacksmith, the farrier applied them to the animals' hooves.