That hermit's warning about the arroyo and the Zuckerberg intel feels almost prophetic. The whole piece captures how getting away from it all ironically puts everyone in the same place chasing different versions of escape. I spent two months in rural Portugal last summer and kept running into digital nomads who were supposedly disconnected but still obsessing over wifi speeds. The aquamarine waters bit paintsa vivid contrast to the chaos on land.
Tx for reading friend! Portugal sounds super interesting - no connection and now you’re just a plain old boring nomad. Cave hermit was different than the vanlife escapees on the other side of the beach. I couldn’t put him in a box and the Zuckerberg prophecy, well that was just weird. We hit the beach early and there was no Starlink antennae poking out of his cave so I’m sticking with my story that he knew that boat by sight, having escaped it three and half mos prior :)
"I'm certain the locals feel the same burden of problems, probably more, just different" - you're right!
It's easy to look at a fishing village and think everyone there has achieved some kind of zen enlightenment through manual labor and fish tacos. But the lady at the taco stand is probably stressed about supply costs and the vaqueros are dealing with difficult gringos who can't remember their donkey's name. The grass is always greener, even when the grass is thorny scrub and angry brambles.
I love that you encountered this entire spectrum of escape. Thank you for sharing it with us, Andrew.
The taco stand was a well run multi-generational machine. Grandma was clearly running the show and I didn't need words to see she didn't take BS from gringos or anyone else; she'd seen some things. Her son was the fry cook and her grandchildren brought the food.
At some point another one of her kids pulled from somewhere in a beat up Bronco back to the village for inventory. About that same time a little kid - maybe 3 - busted out the back falling down in a screaming tantrum. But everyone was busy so he cried himself out and started playing happily with rocks.
Not unlike the crew we brought including our Abuela. I could've stayed there all day.
That hermit's warning about the arroyo and the Zuckerberg intel feels almost prophetic. The whole piece captures how getting away from it all ironically puts everyone in the same place chasing different versions of escape. I spent two months in rural Portugal last summer and kept running into digital nomads who were supposedly disconnected but still obsessing over wifi speeds. The aquamarine waters bit paintsa vivid contrast to the chaos on land.
Tx for reading friend! Portugal sounds super interesting - no connection and now you’re just a plain old boring nomad. Cave hermit was different than the vanlife escapees on the other side of the beach. I couldn’t put him in a box and the Zuckerberg prophecy, well that was just weird. We hit the beach early and there was no Starlink antennae poking out of his cave so I’m sticking with my story that he knew that boat by sight, having escaped it three and half mos prior :)
"I'm certain the locals feel the same burden of problems, probably more, just different" - you're right!
It's easy to look at a fishing village and think everyone there has achieved some kind of zen enlightenment through manual labor and fish tacos. But the lady at the taco stand is probably stressed about supply costs and the vaqueros are dealing with difficult gringos who can't remember their donkey's name. The grass is always greener, even when the grass is thorny scrub and angry brambles.
I love that you encountered this entire spectrum of escape. Thank you for sharing it with us, Andrew.
Happy Friday!
Thanks for reading Neela!
The taco stand was a well run multi-generational machine. Grandma was clearly running the show and I didn't need words to see she didn't take BS from gringos or anyone else; she'd seen some things. Her son was the fry cook and her grandchildren brought the food.
At some point another one of her kids pulled from somewhere in a beat up Bronco back to the village for inventory. About that same time a little kid - maybe 3 - busted out the back falling down in a screaming tantrum. But everyone was busy so he cried himself out and started playing happily with rocks.
Not unlike the crew we brought including our Abuela. I could've stayed there all day.