Excerpt
Ken learned many new skills. He helped Francisco drill holes in the
rock and set dynamite sticks and blow them up. When the rocks were the
right size, they moved them to the beach and then, as the wall progressed,
farther and farther out during low tide. The tide and the weather dictated
when the work should be done and Ken learned another valuable lesson:
don’t mess with the ocean. And especially, don’t mess with the weather –
it rules everything.
The colours and flavours of Portugal were all around, especially in the
local market, which played a big role in Ken’s new world. It was the largest
market in the area and served many nearby villages. Every imaginable
vegetable, fruit and variety of fish, imported from Portugal’s far-flung
colonies, could be found in the noisy, crowded stalls. Chickens and ducks
hung suspended in the air by yellow, gnarled feet; fish of every imaginable
size and colour glared at shoppers with cold, dead eyes; coconuts jostled
for room with bananas, oranges and lemons.
Libros Libertad 