It has been three weeks since my last post. Longer than I normally allow myself to go, and I gave myself permission to wait last week because I knew there would be more to say.
I knew I wanted “having a full heart” to be the message/ title of this post after just one week in Lisbon. Initially, I wasn’t sure about the messaging after what the American people, we, have been going through this past week. Then after reading Kamala Harris’s post on Instagram the day after the election, “My heart is full today- full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve.” I knew it was the message I wanted to pass on. The alternative just isn’t an option for me.
I haven’t been shy about who I voted for in this election. It has been a difficult few days and my heart goes out to everyone regardless of where they land. To be honest I have been grateful to not be in the US during this election cycle. Western media and propaganda are impossible to get away from, and in the aftermath of the results, I feel guilty about that. And, I am reminding myself that what I always say and believe still rings true, multiple things can exist at the same time, even in times of disappointment and sorrow. I can be grateful and enraged. I can show compassion and love and still have questions. Our differences are what make us uniquely human. I wouldn’t want us to all be the same and if I didn’t feel that way I wouldn’t be honoring myself or this experience. I have done what I can control by voting absentee and I must not become idle. I have seen the quote from Martin Luther King Jr. being shared as a reminder “only in the darkness can you see the stars.” In spite of it all that is what I have resolved to do. I need to continue to be a light to those around me, the one I hope to see in the world.
We finished off our three weeks in Bergen with a full week of rain. Which is part of the reason there wasn’t much to report. I’m glad we went and experienced the beauty of Norway and with minimal interactions outside of each other, and barely being able to afford to do much outside of what was free, I was ready to go to Portugal!
We will be home in 9 days!!!! After two incredible weeks in Lisbon we are now in the city of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel, which is part of the Açores (Azores), in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. With how fast time has been flying I am doing my best to remain present and grounded in gratitude.
I don’t know if it was coming off of the lack of warmth in Norway but Portugal has warmed my heart in a way that I haven’t felt since Scotland. The architecture and weather are beautiful and the way people have opened up to us has filled my soul.
The first week in Lisbon we mainly explored all the wonderful things to see in the city. One thing that Lisbon has a lot of, besides amazing architecture that is covered in beautiful tiles, are Miradouros. Which are open squares that offer amazing views of the city from above. One of the days I took the ferry across the river and explored a little of Cacilhas. It was recommended by a woman we met at an outdoor festival on Sunday to go over there and try the vinho verde and some seafood. So that it what I did and I enjoyed both very much.
On Friday the 1st I took a day trip to the gorgeous coastal town of Cascais. The weather was perfect and walking along the coast was exactly what the doctor ordered. On my way back I got off at Belém so I could see the Torre de Belém and the Jeronimos Monastery which were very cool!
On Saturday the 2nd Dave was in charge of the plans. After breakfast we took a tour of the Estádio do Benfica where the Portuguese football (soccer) club Benfica plays. I wasn’t expecting a lot and was completely blown away by how spectacular it was! We got to see the press room, locker room and we’re even able to go down on the field. They also had a pretty impressive museum with a massive amount of trophies dating back to 1904.
After the stadium we made our way to the MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology in the Santa Maria se Belém area of Lisbon along the Tagus river. Another impressive museum. We finished our day with dinner at the Time Out Market, which is a kind of food hall, and almost 15,000 steps!
On Sunday the 3rd it was my turn to plan so I brought us to the magical town of Sintra that was recommended by a friend, and magical it was. I did some research and tried to avoid the crowds by getting off one stop early because someone on the internet said that the bus that brings you to the National Palace of Pena also stops there, and that was incorrect. Luckily Uber works great in Portugal and is very inexpensive so we took an Uber there instead to avoid the 55 minute steep uphill climb. It all worked out in the end because we had the most amazing driver that gave us some very helpful tips and he truly set the tone for the wonderful day ahead. After visiting the outside of the palace we chose to walk back down to the town, re: our driver’s recommendation, and I’m so glad we did. The hike was beautiful and we were able to get views of The Moorish Castle, Villa Sassetti, and the National Palace of Sintra along the way. When we arrived in Old Town we wandered around the cute streets and found a craft beer bar that had delicious beer and food. We have been drinking mostly lager so it is always a treat to find a nice hoppy beer.
After that we walked around town more, we did a porto tasting at Bar Do Binho, and then walked along the river to see the Fuente Morisca de Sintra and the Câmara Municipal de Sintra. On our way to the Câmara Municipal there were vendors selling their wares. We met a man selling designs on little pieces of wood and one of them had my favorite image and quote from The Little Prince on it. We started talking with the man and he was explaining how his wife does the design and he does the painting. I showed him the tattoo I have of the same image and he shared how important the story is to him and his wife, instantly forming a connection. He insisted upon gifting me with the piece of art when I asked how much it was and I was extremely humbled by his generosity. It just goes to show that taking time to interact with people you don’t know can make all the difference in the world.
We finished off the day at Incomum which is an adorable wine bar where we met Ricardo who is the person that taught me the phrase that is the title of this post. We learned the vinho verde can also be red and has to be from a specific region in Portugal similar to how champagne has to come from that region of France to be called champagne. We ate some amazing melted sheep’s cheese with toast and scallops with risotto. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was a lovely way to finish a magical day.
On Thursday the 7th I took my second solo trip of this adventure to Porto for the night. So many people have talked about how incredible Porto is and with Lisbon only a three hour train ride away I thought I would be silly to miss it. I’m SO glad I took the trip as Porto is gorgeous! I found a really nice apartment hotel in a great location for only $75 a night and was able to check in early. I dropped off my bag and headed out to explore. I saw the Miradouro da Vitoria, Livraria Lello which is said to have been used as inspiration for Harry Potter, Torre dos Clérigos, Jardim da Cordoaria, Igreja do carmelitas, Porto São Bento which is one of the most gorgeous train stations I’ve ever seen, and the Sé do Porto which is the cathedral. Then I walked across the Dom Luis I bridge to Gaia. I walked along the river taking in the view of the Douro River, peeping at vendors and listening to music along the way. That night I had a delicious meal of gnocchi at Porta 4 which was conveniently located right around the corner from my hotel. I feel like it is important to have solo adventures in the middle of adventures together as it is nice to have a chance to miss each other too.
Our last night in Lisbon we went to Cooking Lisbon for a Portuguese cooking class that Dave found while he was researching things to do in Lisbon. I am not very well versed in cooking so I was a little hesitant at first since we have never taken a cooking class before. The nerves instantly disappeared once we arrived and met our amazingly gracious instructor Filipa and the two other couples taking the class with us. The food was delicious and everyone was incredibly warm and friendly. I feel like the universe definitely brought us together for a reason.
Now, as I mentioned, we are in Porta Delgada for the week. We have a really nice Air BnB in a great location and are excited to explore everything there is to see and do while we’re here. We went to the botanical garden yesterday and walked around town and through the port. Last night we found a wine and chestnut festival just a block away that had delicious food and local music. Dave is taking Friday off and we’re going to rent a car to explore more of the island outside of the city. We’re hoping to go to the nature preserve, see some of the lakes and waterfalls, maybe visit the volcano region and swim in some hot springs. It should be lovely. Then on Saturday we’ll fly to Boston to visit some friends for a few days before we are back in MN on the 20th. The European part of the adventure has been truly wonderful. We have a better understanding now of the places we definitely want to return to and the ones that we’re good with for a while. All of it has been good for lessons in growth and understanding and I wouldn’t trade any of our experiences. We’re excited for time at home with family and friends over the holidays and are excited for whatever the future has in store for us.
Thank you for following along on our journey. Sending you a universe of love wherever you are!
Alison 🙂
