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Our Little Secret – What Pegman Saw

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This area is on my “To-Visit” list so I could not resist participating this week which got me digging into a little of the history of the region.

Pegman did not get enough of this lovely region of Europe, so this week Pegman heads a little further west to the Douro Valley of Portugal.

This week’s suggestion comes from the talented Lish over at Up From the Ashes. Be sure head over to her blog and enjoy not just this week’s story, but her excellent poetry and other entertaining stories.

Your mission on Pegman, as always, is to write up to 150 words inspired by the prompt. Feel free to use the image supplied above, or visit the Douro Valley yourself via Google maps and find your own street view or photo sphere for inspiration. Or better yet, visit it in person, and take the rest of us Peg-people with you!

Once your story/essay/poem is finished, share it with others using the link up below. Reading and commenting on others’ work is part of the fun!

 

 

Our Little Secret

“They don’t pay any taxes and they get our best wines.  This works for those desgraçados inglês¹ but how is it best for us, eh, João?”

“But we sell even more wines, Santiago.  It is good business!”

“Good Business? Bah!  They are not paying what it is worth.  Yes, we sell larger quantities but it’s still not right.  We can make more.  A lot more.”

“But how?  The Methuen Treaty signed between our governments has tied our hands.”

“What good are their textiles to me?  They cannot fix our roof or pay for more hands to work the vines.  I’m telling you, I have the solution.”

“O quê? Como²?”

“We will dilute our good wine with our cheaper one.  They won’t even be able to tell the difference and we will be able to increase our profits.”

“What if they find out?”

“Who’s going to tell? It’s our little secret.”

————

¹English bastards

²Oh?  How?

51 thoughts on “Our Little Secret – What Pegman Saw”

  1. Q,

    Nothing worse than when a person ‘wines’ about wines. I hate that! But he does have a point, it IS good business. And really, Santiago is gonna know if his little business stratagem is uncovered should he hear anything through the grapevine. In which case, squash!

    Okay, enough punny business. NICE bit of research done, and it shows!

    To the sweetness that comes with time.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. I’m not sure if the wine here will be weaker or stronger, but I’m starting to think I should go to the Douro Valley and find out for myself. Entertaining story that left me thirsty for more (wine) 😉

    Liked by 2 people

  6. I know the Douro Valley, we spent our honeymoon there (and it was raining the whole time…. – coming from wet England at that time was a bit of a let-down !!) and we started then and there to appreciate their wonderful wines. So how dare you, my little (ha) Dale, to suggest such a horrendous ‘secret deal’? 😉 😉 😉 But of course, many might think exactly that – and not completely wrongly. I have read an article that a large number of Europeans, many of them English, stay in Portugal at least 6 months, for tax reasons = meaning they don’t pay any taxes at all. The hard working Portuguese mustn’t like this too much….. And I for myself wouldn’t mind spending the winter in a warm place myself – but we can’t do that (all of us, anyway!)….. So it’s a great little story but one that leaves a bit of an acrid taste in my mouth – Santé!!!
    For those with a chance to visit the Douro Valley; it’s magnificient, even when it rains. It has lots of greenery, beautiful landscapes and kind and friendly people. And GREAT wines! And honest, simple, straightforward food and fish…. mmmh
    Kisses from France

    Liked by 2 people

    • Dearest Kiki,
      Please note this little tale is based on history… dating back to the 1700’s. I assure you, they no longer practice such things..
      I wonder if the Portuguese dislike the “Snowbirds” that much…
      It is high up on my list of “To Visit” places…
      Lotsa love from Eastern Canada!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Nice bit of research, Dale. I imagine some of this went on–and really, I suspect many wouldn’t know, especially with wine that people drank after it traveled on long sea journeys. Madeira–also Portuguese–was a favorite of the “Founding Fathers.”

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Penny! Much appreciated! I could so very well imagine such a discussion going on – and not necessarily between the vintners but between the brokers – the real crooks, I bet!

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Diluting Port? Sacrilege! 🙂 Lovely tale of these entrepreneurs flouting the rules to go their own way. Just so long as I can still have my bottle of Port at Christmas, I;m happy 🙂 Lovely writing Dale

    Liked by 1 person

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