Easter Friday

Good Friday was the hardest day of my life as far as customer service. I know that no matter what, you are to be cheerful and efficient. You are to put your personal affairs and emotions to the background and be all you should be to provide the best service to your clients, to make them feel at home and cared for. But it was really difficult, and I am afraid I failed: I burst into tears when a young Brazilian couple wanted to settle their bill and cut a Swedish couple short when they asked me how the Portuguese celebrate Easter. For this I apologize now publically.

Good Friday was one of the hardest days of my life in general - it was the day I held Zoe's head on my lap while she slept away to her eternal sleep as her kidneys stopped working due to the leishmanhose disease that had bothered her for 2 years.

Many of our guests remember Zoe - the gentle porcelain Great Dane of 4. She loved attention and company. She loved walks on the beach and playing with Ruben and Viiri. She loved sitting in front of the fire and watching the flames as much as suntanning on the top of the stairs by the entrance of rooms 3 and 4. She was very forgiving when the other dogs told her off or destroyed her toys - she was so easy to love that she won the hearts of everyone who came her way.

In a guest house like ours it is difficult to keep dogs. They have their routines of early morning and late evening runs usually successfully avoiding the guests: Zoe was so big that many guests were afraid of her because of her size only. But not for long. She was much photographed and caressed - some clients knocked on the door just to ask if she could come out and play, as they missed their own pets at home. Zoe was glad to oblige.

And we do miss her.

(If you have any pictures of her, please post one on our Facebook page!)