Looks are Deceiving

I know none of us really sees ourselves as others do. I was wondering, as I went for a walk today, what people saw when they looked at me. I had on jeans and my white T shirt from Death Valley, with desert flowers. Over that was my light blue denim work shirt, the one with a small row of lighthouses and Out Banks lighthouses stitched underneath. My earrings were lapis with shekel coins. New Balance walking shoes. My hair is wild, what I used to call Berkeley hippie, and it's back in style but with better hair products. Does that outfit on me scream American. I know how American it is but people here have English logos and slogans on a lot of their clothes. Of course when I am walking both Curly and Jack in his stroller (pram, here)they don't know what to think.

I mentioned at lunch the other day how restful it was not to speak the language. Conversations are going on around me and I have no idea what they are saying. Ramona, a work friend, responded that she feels alienated. I may feel that way eventually but not now. For now it is all a puzzle, trying to read the simple signs and messages on billboards and bus stops. Trying to understand how what people are saying matches any words I know.

I was walking Curly tonight and the invisibility factor kicked in, that is a middle age woman,walking past a group of teenagers. I often feel invisible, don't know the impact my presence makes, (some of you are chuckling) but it's true. I like to think I blend in. Light rain tonight, a delightful walk and pounding surf.

Casa Antigua

I'm sitting in a rest stop on Hwy A2 just past Lagos on my way back home to Estoril. I'm feeling so comfortable. I've learned so much. Portugal has 200 grape varietals, Alentejo is magnificent. The letter S at the end of a word is almost always the sh sound. The pottery is varied and beautiful. They serve fries with everything and I have to stop eating them. Substitute tomatoes? Sim chips, com tomate?

Before I left town, I looked at a house for sale. In the window of a real estate office I saw a "casa antigua" for 125,000e. I asked about it and a young man took me to see it. It was unlivable but interesting. I'm sure it used to house a family. Two bedrooms with just enough room for the beds, a kitchen dining area and a larger bedroom. No indoor plumbing. They have built an illegal bathroom out front with everything needed but the house itself is crumbling. The attached houses on either side have all been redone. Interesting that places are so attached in Portugal. Less land? Huddling together with the sea at your back? Protection? Community? The towns all have attached homes, even though people may have land and farm outside of town. Why not free standing houses? Living in town instead of on the farm? They have farm land outside the town but live connected.
So, rent, don't buy. I could stay at the Navigator for 25e a night with housekeeping.

Sagres

I'm sitting on the SW corner of Europe, at the Navigator Aparthotel. I'm ooking at cabo St. Vicente, a lighthouse on a promotory, with the Med sparking in the sunlight, a cool breeze, birds are chirping in the trees around. I'm across the street from the Posouda de Infante, 120e a night, with fluffy towels. My place with kitchen is 36e a night. It's a perfect 70. It is eerily like Point Reyes. I remember an exhibit at Point Reyes about the many Portuguese settlers there. I think it shows up in the local cheeses. There is one boat sailing by and that makes me think of the history here, Henry the Navigator. St. Vicente was supposed to have washed ashore here, his corpse. It is so peaceful. All Saints Day, we honor them and so peace? Why write another word, shatter the peace. This too shall pass.
I fantasize, plan, turn over the idea of buying a house here Spend the summer here. Summers in Sagres has a nice ring. I could afford a house here? Not likely in Point Reyes. Or rent a place here this summer with side trips to Sevilla, Morrocco and Barcelona. Azores too.

Almograve/Zambujeira de Mar

Sitting in Pastelaria in Almograve. Sun is shining. That is my silver car in the corner of the picture. It is Halloween and no sign of witches and ghosts, whew. The pastelaria/coffee shop is busy with locals chatting away, young and old. A German Shepard lifts his leg on a tire. Mei de leite, half milk, half coffee and a tart, custard, light. I could spend the day having coffee and different pasteries at different beaches, or spend all day here, trying these. Lots of dunes for long walks and crashing waves along the beach but I'm headin on. Will I make Sagres today with only 90 km to go?
The difficult question today, stay at another Pousade or the cheaper places? Treat myself to a pampering? Or explore towns? So much to do, so little time. I will definitely be back to the Alentejo beaches. Almograve, quiet, beautiful and friendly. Would I ge tired , not working, of the leisure, the unstructured time?
Next stop was Zambujeira do Mar, I'm now in the Algrave region, As good as it gets. I could stay here for a week!

Vila Nova de Milfontes, Almograve

After a delightful breakfast at the castle, I set out, in the wrong direction, but corrected, heading south again after 30km or so. Drove through part of Alentejo, N120, past miles of cork trees. They look like California Oaks, just found out they are they same family. Why aren't they grown in California? Beautiful rolling hills up to Santiago de Cacem, got to walk around a fort/castle but not in it. The chapel was open with a special exhibit on St. John, with pictures and statues of him across four centuries. I love the wooden ones.

Beautiful dramatic beach in Vila Nova de Milfontes. Spent a couple of hours walking around town. Cute like Cascais but Alentejo style. Alentejo is a region that has white houses with blue or yellow trim. great look. Winding street, breezes, clean air. There are no straight lines in Portugal. Everything turns and twists, taking time to get there. Worth a stop. Didn't see the castle, it took me three tries to get out of town. Stopped at a "Rural Hotel", wanted 80e for a room in the middle of nowhere, nope. Heard Almograve was pretty. Caught the last of the sunset here and checked into the Residicial, small hotel, Duna Praia, 25e, clean room, thin towels. Good barbecued chicken dinner and Michael (owner) speaks English. A family affair with whining daughter and TV in the restaurant, but quiet and warm room. I may be the only guest this night.

Sitting in Alacer, sipping an abbatando. About 65*, opera playing to one side. A Western, John Wayne?,on the television inside Pastelaria Gaby. The proprietor doesn't speak English? at least when I first inquired. A wonderful breeze is blowing. It occurs to me to tell the man, I'm from Orange County, John Wayne country but...

What would he understand from that? He would think of cowboy country, chaparral. I don't think he would get the picture of Laguna Beach. What would the hand gestures to communicate look like? What would be the result? Would he smile, look confused, say something in Portuguese that I don't understand? So I smile to myself at the odd? connections in life. John Wayne on TV in Alacer do Sol.






I am sitting on the balcony at Pousada Alacer do Sol, beautiful night, clear, dogs barking as everywhere in Portugal. I'm actually sleeping in a castle tonight!High on a hill, looking down at the Sado River, the church to my left. The bells go on the hour (all night?). Stuffy dining room with too expensive salad, three wait staff, only one smiled, 2.50e for coffee. Sitting in this castle, looking out and down at the town. What a feeling of power - as if you can see what is coming - not so in life.

I love Portugal! The pao de chorizo, the coffee, the people, the weather, the landscape, the sunsets. I'm beginning to love the food. Found a good pizza place, Castelfiora, still don't love Bacalhau.

Time Flies!

It is just over two months since I arrived in Portugal. I have started work, rented an apartment, bought a car, got a phone, bank account, fiscal number and learned a couple of dozen Portugese words.Seven of them are different ways to order coffee. I can shop fairly comfortably and of course know how to use the ATM and pay for things. I am not having trouble driving, the roundabouts even make sense to me now. The roads are usually okay, but some streets don't appear to me to be two way and they are! Parking is an art form here.

Whenever I go to a new place, the first thing I(we) do is relate it to places I know, saying it reminds me of ....., or it makes me think of ..... Do I (we) do that to make the new less strange?That is so easy to do here. It looks and feels an awful lot like California. The vista I am looking at now reminds me of Paso Robles, rolling hills, lots of green and the ocean about 30 miles away. The difference is, not as crowded or built up, no Target around the corner, not as populated.

Portugal feels great! The people are helpful and warm. There is humor and time and tension, just like everywhere? I hope to publish at least once a week. Right now, I'm on vacation and have some time to reflect so there should be more soon. Enjoying, hope you are.