Roomy Clare was feeling a tad ill and wanted to stay in. She is funny, off the beat and likes a drink (well she is Irish). Clare loves tea.... I mean reallllllly loves tea. She brought Irish tea bags with her just incase she couldn´t get any while traveling. As she was bed ridden and wanted to share her tea love with me, I was given the mission of going to the coffee shop below our cottagey hostel to purchase two cups of hot water with milk. Speaking absolutely no portugese, I tried to learn a word: Abrigardo (thank you); and can´t spell it.
In the shop two lovely ladies; mother and daughter, nodded at me a lot and tried to understand my broken spanish - all english had failed. Suprisingly bad spanish didn´t work. I touched my tongue with my finger and made a sizzling noise ´tzzzzzz´ as though my tonge was hot. It wasn´t clear so I tried this same action and noise on my arm, this time saying água´. Then positioned my body in a tea pot shape and poured tea out of my spout. They understood my tea pot! However, they thought I wanted tea = Problem. So, no te, agua. Their faces were taught with confusion and half-smiles. There were now two onlookers watching this catastrophe over my shoulder. we were the show for this small village. Mother picked up a jug of water, pointed at it, pointed at her stove and gave me the thumbs up. I returned her thumbs up with a smile, then two fingers that suggested I needed two cups of hot water. Whoops I sweared - turned my fingers around the other way. Blimey this is going well. Getting milk is going to be difficult. Moooo comes out of my mouth. She looks and me and says ´leche´ - oh there was no need for my effort as it´s the same word in spanish. Daughter points at hot water now in two cups and picks up some leche to point at. Thumbs up for both. She picks up tea bags, I waved my arms around frantically with a horrified look on my face - no no no! She looks utterly confused, I mean, why wouldn´t I want a tea bag in my cups of hot water and milk? Again nodding while pointing at the hot water, the milk and then pointing at the tea bag she shakes her head. Yes yes!!! Relief spread throughout the cafe. We had our two cups of hot water and milk in two lovely tea mugs plus two biscuits on the side. Oh bugger, I wanted to take these away. Somehow this is the easiest bit, I show her me walking away and walking back again with the mugs. Asking for two only for me must have given it away. Back in our room, I saw the delight on Clare´s face and it was worth it.
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