Off to the beach...

We just said goodbye this morning to a lovely group on our Cultivate Contentment retreat. The summer is in full flow here in Portugal with temperatures soaring above 40 in the afternoon sun. We knew it would be hot, so we cheekily planned a couple of weeks off in our yoga season this year to enjoy it as a family.

In a bit I'm driving off with Von and the kids down to one of the most gorgeous stretches of Portuguese coastline, the Costa Vicentina. For a week of yoga, pool and surfing. We'll be staying with out friend Sara Serrão in her stunning Cerca do Sul place down there, and have invited folks to join us. 2 of our guests from the week just gone are meeting us there tonight, along with a few others journeying from cooler climes to basque in the sunshine with us.

To the beach, to the beach, to the beach!!! If you happen to be in Portugal this week, I know Sara still has a couple of rooms free. Come down and join us even if it's just for a night or 2. There's a Jazz festival there next weekend too. We're hoping to see some of it.

Other snitch of news from Vale de Moses to share is that Safira, our little black, blue-eyed forest guide of a dog, is shortly to birth heirs to the Moses dynasty. Safi is pregnant. A good 6 weeks by our reckoning. That means a slight chance she might pop some puppies out while we're away. So we have a fully trained, fully prepared, fully excited ("the puppies are coming, the puppies are coming!" team to look after her while we're gone. Katherine, Alex and Hannah. They've promised to take plenty of photos and vids, and if all goes well, watch our Facebook space for details of the new Royal arrivals (Moses granny won best of breed at Crufts don't you know!). We will be needing to find very good homes for all the little puppies. Give us a shout if you'd like to be considered as adoptive parents. :)

"Saude, paz e amor" as they say round these parts. Hope you are having a great summer wherever you are.

Memphis

As Featured in The Guardian!

A pleasant little surprise this week to find The Guardian ran it's first little feature on Vale de Moses. We had no idea. It was only when a guest booked on last weekend and said they had seen us in the travel section of the paper, that we were first alerted.

So now we're officially at "As featured in The Guardian" status. :) We hope the first of many main stream press features to come. You can see all our published articles and reviews so far here on our site.

Other big news is our launch of "Ashtango" this Autumn.  Featuring daily classes of Ashtanga Yoga and evening classes of Argentine Tango, we combine the two disciplines and are playfully calling it ‘Ashtango’.  Retreat dates: October 12 – 19 & October 19 – 26

Tashidawa teaches daily Ashtanga yoga classes and Carla Somer leads afternoon Tango technique classes and evening dance events. Combining the skills of dance and the mindful meditation of yoga, this retreat will explore alignment, balance, acceptance, grace and power.

Argentine Tango is an improvisational dance in which the connection between the dance partners is the most important factor. The dance technique begins with learning simple steps and then exploring these steps with varied expressive, playful, intense, passionate moods. 

Memorising the dance steps is not necessary & you don’t need any prior dance experience to be involved. What is important is the open minded & responsive contact between the dancers. No yoga experience is necessary either, however, a good level of fitness is recommended as the classes can be rigorous.

This retreat is not to be missed, book early to ensure your place…
Retreat price from 550€ includes:

• 7 nights accommodation, all Ayurveda meals and full facilities
• 5 morning Ashtanga classes with Tashi Dawa
• 4 afternoon and 3 evening Tango classes with Carla
• Massage and Acupuncture treatments with Vonetta Winter from 50€ per hour

It would be so very remiss of me, seeing as we are on the topic of Guardian features, not to also mention how incredibly proud we are of our friends Hannah and Charlie, from an olive farm over the hills from us in Oleiros.  These guys who have been instrumental in bringing the Bilderberg group into the global public eye over the last 4 years. Check out Charlie's hilarious satirical Guardian blog entries from this year's not-so-secret-anymore conference in Watford.

While here in the forests of Portugal we are far away in distance from the rest of civilisation, you guys have helped us feel so very much more connected. You are our heroes. Look what you did!! Feet up next year then?

Thanks for tuning in.

Hope you are having a wonderful summer wherever you are.

Memphis