POSTCARD N.238 - PORTUGAL

Postcard sent on the 3rd August; received on the 4th August 2026

Postcard image: Rio de Onor

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The Parque Natural de Montesinho is a protected area in the northeast of Portugal, in the Trás-os-Montes region, which goes up to the border with the Spanish province of Zamora in the Castilla y Léon Autonomous Region.

One of its most picturesque villages is Rio de Onor, a small urban nucleus home to some 50 people, which lies divided from its  Spanish sister, the equally small village of Rihonor de Castilla, by the administrative border between the two countries.

Still both villages make but one urban nucleus and  in truth there is but one population for family and friendship bonds between both side of the imaginary line are plenty and have been so since the formation of the two villages.

My friend the Flying Dutchman has recently visited Rio de Onor and sent me a very nice postcard with a view that it still very vivid in my mind for I too have been to Rio de Onor a couple of times in a not so recent past. 

Hartelijk dank, Eric, que é como quem diz: Muito Obrigado! Um abraço.

The remoteness of Rio de Onor led, over time,  to a tradition of  self governing and communitarianism, that was evident not only in the way  that agriculture and herding were carried out, and bread was baked, all under communitarian principles,  but also in the administration of the village which was the responsibility of a Communitarian Council.

The isolation led also to the development of a local dialect called rionorês, which today is sadly fluently spoken by not more than a dozen (old) people.

Rio de Onor has been much talked about lately, because it will be one of the very few places in Portugal where it will be possible to observe the coming eclipse of the 12th August in full totality. There was even an event scheduled for the place, but given the sensitive nature of the local and the crowds expected to be drawn, the observation event was relocated to the Aerodrome of Bragança, the District capital.

Anyway, I was very happy to view the photo of the bridge of Rio de Onor, on the postcard Eric sent and I could not help but go and search my archives fro pictures of it... and I did find one, of  the main arches:

As well as one of some of the typical slate roofed houses 

For postage, Eric used one of the stamps of the 5 x 0.69€ minisheet issued on 10DEC2025 dedicated to Portuguese dog breeds. 

Fittingly, Eric used the stamp illustrated with a photo of a Cão de Gado Transmontano (Catlle herding dog of Trás-os-Montes) a rare local breed, whose males can grow up to 85 cm tall, and weigh up to 75kg while females can reach 78 cm and weigh 60 kg.

- The 0,04€ stamp with an image of a Marching Lyre is part of the definitive issued dated of  02APR2024, dedicated to Musical Instruments of Philharmonic Bands.

Postmark from Vila Nova de Cerveira, another border  town in the northwest of Portugal, right on the bank of the Minho River,