Life is short, the world is wide

 

This hat has traveled with me to over 15 countries in the last 10 years.  It’s perfect because we are always outside and it protects from the harsh sun.  It flattens to fit in a carry-on suit case.  Lastly, it looks great (I just said that to make my daughters laugh).

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

 

Last night we listened to Fado music.  Fado is Portugals most famous style of music.  It consists of soulful songs dripping with emotion.  The songs tell stories of painful twists of fate, unreachable distant lovers or wondrous days that have come and gone.  The spiritual qualities of the singer is as important as the words themselves.  Usually there are 1 or 2 singers accompanied by guitarists with 12 string Portuguese guitars.  BTW; Fado means fate in Portuguese.

Cinco de Mayo

 

I had a margarita to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (the Mexican Revolution).  Of course no one here has ever heard of Cinco de Mayo.  They also don’t know how to make a margarita…BUT the waiter told Alan “his wife was beautiful” so all was forgiven 😇

A man who reads lives a thousand lives, a man who doesn’t lives only one

 

This is my favorite reading spot.  I’ve developed a passion for reading.  It used to be I had to read for school and then work now it is only for pleasure.  I read all types of books; fiction, nonfiction, very deep or light & funny.  Sometimes I have two books going at once so I can read what I prefer at the moment.

Cliff views (not for the faint of heart)

 

The cliff views are amazing here!  The height doesn’t bother me however there are some real dangers.  Because of the sand stone, parts of the cliff can wash away leaving fragile rock edges.  People don’t realize how little is supporting them when they sit on the edge.  

Those walking below the cliffs need to be mindful of rock falls as well, especially after heavy rains.

What friends ask…

 

“Do you get bored traveling to a new place for a whole month?”

We generally use a VRBO so it already feels like we are at home.  I love to start exploring right away.  Everything I see is new and with fresh eyes.  New places and new people are fascinating to me.  I become more comfortable talking to the locals.  People generally like to talk about themselves and their home.  I start to notice the subtleties of the way they live and why they live that way.  I try to fit in.  After about the third week I think about the things I will miss when we have to leave.  Here in Portugal I’ll miss how relaxed and kind the people are.  I’ll miss the board walk by the ocean and taste of sangria in the middle of the day.  I will feel sad to leave but part of this place will stay in my soul…

Day at the beach

 

It is a sunny, warm beautiful day here so we decided to spend it at the beach.  There was silky white sand and…oops…two young men got in the way of my shot of the ocean 😎

😎