This Is Alentejo – Time Waits
We’ve all done it.
It’s a beautiful day.
The windows are down.
The sunroof is open.
The air is warm.
The cork oaks drift by.
Lunch is booked.
Your partner took a little longer getting prepared.
The children weren’t ready.
You’re running slightly late.
Nothing dramatic.
Just enough to notice.
Then, inevitably, it happens.
A large truck appears in front of you.
Not travelling particularly slowly.
Just slower than you would like.
The road narrows.
A bend appears.
Then another.
A cyclist could be around the corner.
A family of wild boar might emerge from the forest.
A stork could be standing in the road wondering what all the fuss is about.
Perhaps the recent rains have left the surface a little different than expected.
Perhaps construction traffic has left a few potholes behind.
Perhaps there is simply something ahead that you cannot yet see.
But patience is beginning to wear thin.
You pull out slightly to look beyond the truck.
Maybe your steering wheel is on the right-hand side because you drove over from the U.K., making the view ahead even harder to judge.
The temptation arrives.
Just a quick overtake.
Just a few seconds.
Just enough to get back on schedule.
And that is often how these stories begin.
Not every day.
Not even every month.
But often enough.
A tragic accident.
A friend of a friend.
Somebody’s neighbour.
A complete stranger whose family expected them home for dinner.
A moment’s impatience.
A decision that cannot be taken back.
The reality is that many country roads throughout Alentejo were never designed for urgency.
They were designed for connection.
For villages.
For farms.
For forests.
For people moving at the pace of the land itself.
For centuries, little changed.
Only the speed of modern transport arrived.
The rhythm of Alentejo never did.
And perhaps that is the lesson.
Not just for driving.
For life here in general.
The paperwork takes a little longer.
The lunch may arrive a little later.
The builder might finish next week instead of this week.
The search for the right property may take weeks rather than days.
Patience is not a flaw in Alentejo.
It is part of its character.
So, slow down.
Enjoy the scenery.
Feel the wind in your hair.
Look at the rice fields.
Notice the cork oaks.
Watch the storks gliding overhead.
And when you arrive, you arrive.
Your friends are probably running late too.
The restaurant could be a little busier than expected.
The beach will still be there.
The ocean isn’t going anywhere.
Five minutes lost is rarely remembered.
A moment’s impatience can be remembered forever.
So, take your time.
This is Alentejo.
Time waits.
Notes From The Coast
A quiet reminder from the roads, forests, and villages of the Alentejo Coast.
I can already hear Brigadier Bernardos’ opinion:
“If you’re late, leave earlier.
If you’re very late, leave much earlier.”
As the Duke might observe while staring at absolutely nothing in particular:
“The road was never the problem.
The hurry was.”
July 2026.
Ronald Wayne
Notes From The Coast & Real Estate
Previous – Take a moment to appreciate one of Portugal’s most treasured coastal landscapes.
Homage to Praia do Pinheirinho →
NFTC Hub – Return to all our Notes From The Coast.
Next – Discover why one of Alentejo’s greatest luxuries is something that can never be built.
Comporta, Alentejo Coast, Portugal – Discover why it may make sense to speak with a professional Advisory if you are considering purchasing property in Comporta.
Where should we search if we wish to buy a large country estate with privacy, but still be close enough to the beaches?