Songscapes

Aldeia da Mata Pequena is one of those places where you feel like you've entered another era - another world. A world where time feels different. Where life feels as it should be.

A silence so unknown and forgotten that it feels like you can finally breathe. In this place, you are not just discovering a hidden gem of Portugal; you are entering a dream. A dream of a couple that began 20 years ago, when they bought some ruins and transformed them into this oasis, fighting to preserve not only the history, but also the peace and simplicity. A place that they insist on keeping secret – and I completely understand why.

But I assured them they didn’t need to worry. A place like this will only attract those who connect with it on a deeper level. Because the reality is: Aldeia da Mata Pequena is just a short street in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely nothing to do, and a small restaurant that opens and closes as quickly as the next blink of an eye.

So if you want to be busy and overwhelmed with things to do, stay away. But if you need a break from everyday life, you are more than welcome to come and feel the breeze, the silence and the slow passage of time.

Directed and Edited by: Larissa Vereza

Song: "Chanson d'Hélène" was originally composed for the French film "Les Choses de la Vie" (The Things of Life), directed by Claude Sautet in 1970 and performed as a duet by the film's lead actors, Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli.

Voice and Ukulele: Larissa Vereza