Hello friends! The weekend is here and what better than going up to the mountains to freshen up and spend a pleasant day with the family, this post is special because for the first time I will visit a water mill that is 100% operational, you probably never got to see these mills in your country since they are more characteristic of Europe, so much so that the only countries where tide mills are known are: "(2) Spain, England, France and Portugal", there are records that some were built in Holland, the question it is? are they operational? I don't think they were great tools that revolutionized the field of agriculture and began to be created in the "middle" ages, but the vast majority of them are not functional!🏯🌾🍞

I had to travel many kilometers to stay in a small hotel here in the heart of Madeira, the only working mill on the island is located in the city of "(1) São Jorge in the parish of Achadinha" the atmosphere is too beautiful, we are in a mountainous region with very little environmental pollution and you feel the freshness when you breathe through the mist, this area is known for its prolonged rainfall but also for its beautiful history! I needed to meet the person who makes all this feat possible! a "miller" who has spent his whole life working in the mill!🧭👨‍💻⛲🌲

This space is practically cultural heritage of Madeira, and represents the Portuguese culture! It transports us many years ago to learn how the population worked the seeds to create products for daily consumption! the mill is more than "(1) 300 years old" and the person in charge of maintenance and operation is the great and famous miller "Albino Mendonça together with his deceased wife", entering here generated many doubts in my mind that Mr. Albino was answering me one by one with good disposition! this particular mill works with the force of "Levada dos Reis" which is basically conduits through which several mountain rivers flow and pass under the mill!😲🧔🧭🌾

It would not be fair to describe my experience here in this beautiful mill without first commenting more or less on how they work, in reality a water mill is a structure that is powered by the force of water that in turn moves a set of gears, then there are a stone that with movement grinds the seeds to create a "flour" "there is not only one type of water mill, some work with the force of the tides and others with the direct current of water! "(2), Mr. Albino told me that the island was so poor that only once a year they ate meat and that was in December, practically they were forced to eat a vegetarian diet! and many "madeirans" like him had to emigrate in search of new opportunities!😲🧔🧭🚩🍀🍁🌱

Mr. Albino is a very humble person and he had to live in the hardest years in Portugal, he ended up emigrating to South America, passing through Colombia and Venezuela, then his last years of work were in Angola, until he retired, but he never neglected his work with the mill, it was inherited by his father and before his father his grandfather, there are more than 4 generations that still preserve this beautiful heritage! Mr. Albino agreed to give me an interview after I told him that he was a blogger and that I would review the mill here on HIVE!! and I saw that he was very excited since many come there just to take some photos but few come to know his story! He is currently 82 years old and he sees himself as a person with energy and health! he sells his flour for 2 euros a kilo!😱😇😇

Finally and to make our day perfect! we went to a famous restaurant called: "Jardim da Carreira", it is famous for its medieval and natural atmosphere, we ordered 2 dishes with sangria and spent less than 25 euros, so our experience was nice and cheap! After buying 2 kilos of flour from Mr. Albino, we enjoyed the most beautiful side of Portugal! HIS TRADITION!!🤩🤩💥💞