So here we are. Even if you don't see us much. We survived. And as always it's mostly thanks to invisible angels.
Before buying the villa and moving to Portugal, the whole project of doing so has always been something of a roller coaster ride. We met many dead ends. Many instances of doubt. Many days without a clue how to move forward even when necessary prior steps proved impossible to complete. The birth of the project, the sale of our home in Luxembourg, the move to Portugal and setting up Monte-Bougainvillea is a book we've yet to write. Someday we might. What we did and how we did it would NOT make a good 'how to' guide but does make good humour. Some say we are lucky. We see the intervention of angels.
The Portuguese teller at the Luxembourgish bank and her direct contacts in Faro. My previous employers HR and staff rep. The real estate agent who didn't call for the listing. The lady who signed to buy the house, but never did. The Notaries secretary who saved our file from the police when the Notary died the week we closed. The agent who offered us a personal tour of any villa for sale in the Algarve, over a weekend, in her car. The real estate agent that finally did sell our house months after we'd already moved, in a week, at asking price. French fiscal policy (don't ask). The couple who ran a small café nearby, for being there, then. Someone's sister's husband's uncle I've never met but who built us a 2'338km bridge. The English guys who packed our stuff. The family that made our very first 'real' booking and remain our top 'returning' guests. Our gardener (the one we pay, not me). The insurance agent who got it and went to his bosses. My neighbors' electrician. The other insurance agent who got it and just didn't tell his boss. An honest car salesman (really). The young girl who drives up the hill on her moped each day with a big fat smile on her face as she putt putts about delivering whatever fresh produce she can sell. The guy in Africa, who I've only met a few times in the past 30 years and who really funds our survival.
Some go out of their way, others just do their job. Some get something out of it, others don't even realise it happened. Then there are friends and people we just know since a long time, yet have not seen in just as long. All had a major impact at critical times. There's been a lot of those. Instances that are themselves invisible have had positive outcomes for us because of the invisible people involved often doing things invisible to themselves, for our benefit. Angels.
I have held this idea since long ago that angels are not invisible, they are people, like you and me. We are all angels. But only sometimes, in very peculiar situations, the consequences of our decisions create a net positive outcome to someone else that goes beyond anything conscient or intended. Making us an angel to that person in that instant or event. On the other hand, most of us also have a Demon on our shoulder stuffing little devils in all the details that we continuously have to sort out in order to keep the peace. So we are human, thus quite visible. What is invisible about Angels is in the act, in that 'extra positive impact'. Only the benefactor can see the impact clearly, yet, like the new mosquito screens we installed on the apartment windows, they are visibly invisible. You see through them. You may not notice they were not there last year, You may not recognize the angel nor the act, and you may not even feel the impact: no itchy bites from evil mosquitoes. Heavenly.
So now we thrive. And in doing so we take pride in honoring our angels by offering the best experience possible to our guests. We like to ponder the hell out of little details to chase any devils that may be hiding there. Upgrading table cloths, beach towels, toasters, kettles, carpets, vacuum cleaners, Nespresso machines, and adding new utensils in the kitchens. Most people will not be able to tell the difference between old and new, but the majority still give us raving reviews. Because even when you can't really see it, if it's been taken care of with the touch of an angel, it shows, if you can see what I mean.
Like the light detecting led bulbs we installed outside each apartment. They look just like ordinary light bulbs but they can see the light, so they turn on only when it's dark, so it's never dark. Devine when you think about it, no? You can just leave it on and not even think about it. How visibly invisible can you get?
Five years after we had the villa painted, some parts had visibly changed to a faded shade of not so white at an invisible rate. From day to day we do not notice as much, but one day my son William spent some time becoming an angel, for a whole month. Not only is the villa totally refreshed once again but the entire property entrance wall along the street and the gates have been freshly coated too. While we were at it we trimmed and cleaned the land all along the wall on the inside. We also re-did all the gutters of the villa. No one will notice but this is the most important and difficult work we did this year. The gutters here are special. Believe me, we had a hell of a time on the roof with 34+ degrees Celsius roasting our hides.
Meanwhile the low probability of cooking a roast was becoming difficult to hide. We could never identify the cause of our main circuit going on popping sprees for a couple of hours for a few days every now and then. Often in the rain, but not always. Our main circuit is in another building, so I had to go out in the rain, but not always. A French electrician recommended by a neighbour resolved this issue that was only visible to guests left in the dark when it started popping every 10 minutes, and he got the electric company to fix it, free. Total cost 60 bucks. In another 15 minute episode, because he didn't have time, but came, he showed me how, gave me parts and unknowingly explained why my 'regular' electrician was not answering my calls. He's on the angel list now. No one will notice the electricity is not tripping like it used to. No one will notice the extra peace of mind we now have. We couldn't see what it was, when it happened we couldn't see in darkness, and now the only thing observable is its absence. Invisibly at its best. Let there be light.
We were visibly not at our best with internet access for guests. WiFi has always been the weak spot in our almost perfect guests scores. So we did feel blessed when the network guy finally appeared and installed a wicked antenna that multiplied our signal strength by a factor of ten. We have a great set-up that now offers consistently high speeds, and we are grateful, but this angel is thorny because he is in the local time zone 'maybe tomorrow, maybe not'. Time is measured in seasons, not days. Thorny angels can't fly very fast in this heat...But it's now SOLVED! Fast & Robust Wifi is just as visible as no Wifi, until you turn it on. The antenna is hidden, so you can't see it, and the signal strength is invisible. Because the difference between dripping and streaming a movie is quite visible, let's call this one invisibly visible while we keep an eye on the guest ratings and how long it takes for the thorny guy to come install the other one I ordered.
Each year we continue to raise quality and comfort in all sorts of ways, but mostly visible ways, from the gardens, the pool, the kitchens, to decorations to new tires on the cars. We've continued investing everything back into it. But also the invisible. Every detail counts. This may not be heaven, but it's as close to paradise as we know.
And we know angels exist because every booking is an answered prayer.
Believe it or not, there is only one way to verify this :
Come see for yourself !
See you soon ?
S&jc
Monte-Bougainvillea
PS: Merci mamour, jtm mon ange xx
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