Good Morning, Portugal! This was the view that we would wake up to, for the next two years. The sheep, the chickens, the dogs, the birds and of course the ocean, were our wake up clocks. You could hear the ocean much better at night, when all of the other sounds have already calmed down. Depending on its mood, the ocean would either freak you out or be a pleasant lullaby, to whose sound you would lovingly fall asleep.
Just like the Jardin Botanique in Nice, South France, the ocean would now be the place, by which we would spend so much time. Each morning we would walk approximately 300 meters from our apartment to the beach wondering, if today was going to be a low or a high tide. Low tide was great, the kids loved jumping through the puddles and between the rocks, picking up shiny stones and shells. Oh what a joy it was, and some of our best memories.
We visited all the local shops in our village on our first day. There was the convenient store, with lovely, chatty ladies, where we bought some Portuguese plates and table linens. Right behind the convenience shop, was a family run fruit shop. One of the owners, a French lady moved in from Paris, to join her family in Portugal. We loved visiting her shop and always bought the fruits, that grew in their private garden, such as avocados, bananas, oranges, papayas and mangoes. I will never forget the huge box of avocados we bought, for just 3 euros.
We arrived in Portugal after the rainy season has long ended, which in the north of Portugal lasts from winter through to spring. During the season it rains almost everyday, and when it rains it rains.., with the occasional beautiful blue sky and a warm sun for you to enjoy. If you have a balcony or a garden corner protected from wind, you can easily enjoy your meal or just sunbathe in your bikini in the middle of November; but we arrived at the end of June, right in time to enjoy the very first days of summer.
During the day, we just ate lots of raw fruits, made smoothies and ice creams. When out in town, we ate at the local patisserie Lili, a family owned cafe and shop. They made everything on their premisses and lunch was their busiest time of the day. Always searching for vegetarian, sugar-free options, we enjoyed their homemade seasonal vegetable soups, such as pumpkin or broccoli. Sometimes we would just pop in for a cup of tea and a cake, an organic juice and blueberry ice-cream for kids.
Our first days, included spotting bougainvilleas and taking photos.. :)
We visited the local markets and made fresh raw meals..
..and lots of smoothies..
We skated and cycled and ate and drank, and relaxed on the beach, and cooled down at home, and travelled to local villages..
Life was simple.
to be continued..
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