Peace and love to you all.

THIS past week I have not seen a newspaper, watched television or come even close to eating a dead animal.

I therefore have nothing to talk about whatsoever. Goodbye.

Just kidding. In truth I have a great deal to talk about.

My life among the old friends and a number of new who have, for the past few days, welcomed me into their alternative life style has been a trip of rare spiritual refreshment and thankfully my long overdue re introduction to the faith in human nature.

Here on the peaceful often rugged terrain at the very tip of the Algarve region live a whole, rapidly increasing community of gentle folk, who have decided to opt out of the West’s capitalist corporate system and create their own ways to conduct their life journey.

Thanks to the far more liberal minded and more relaxed attitude of the Portuguese authorities, a whole community of these modern day hippies have been able to build their adobes and park their vans and campers almost at will.

Those fortunate enough to retain the means to actually build their homes have done so with pure gusto and the variety of homes and dwellings is nothing short of remarkable.

Just over the hill from where I sit, one new friend, a tall slender and gentle German is builsing an extremely impressive two bedroom house of bricks made from dried mud and a whole variety of different wood from the nearby forest.

When completed his new home will without doubt hold its own in any upmarket residential area in the world.

The all-wood house I am living in with Diane and her beautiful gentle daughter Anisha was erected in just two weeks and is a wonderful building reeking in character and the blessed smell of incense and a wood burning stove.

Those who live in their gaily coloured vans and campers do of course have the freedom of movement.

Often when invited to a meal or the warmth of a camp fire, they become neighbours who stay next door for a while before moving on to the fresh scenery, which enfolds outside their homes every time they open the front door.

Don’t get me wrong, these are not an army of great unwashed drop outs, these are an extremely enterprising and often multi talented bunch of people who have simply decided the world is not being treated or run as it should and adopted an alternative way to exist.

They make many of their own clothes and even shoes. They follow he religions of the East, grow their own crops and barter with their neighbours.

The tranquility of love and peace is everywhere and I for one will be extremely sad to leave it in the few precious days I have left.

Thank you all. Its been GREAT.

Keep the Faith
Love Leapy
leapylee2002@gmail.com