After my time traveling up the UK from London to the Scottish Highlands, I decided I was ready for a change of scenery and, though I enjoyed pleasant weather during my time under the UKs notoriously overcast skies, somewhere warmer. I had planned my RTW ticket to land in the the northwestern most hub of Europe (London) with the intention to move, generally speaking, from North-to-South and West-to-East across Europe; both in an effort to be cost effective by not back-tracking and, to chase the tail end of the warm summer/beginning of autumn while traveling during the lesser crowded "sholder"season. Though I orinigally had hoped to visit Ireland, I decided my time and money would be better put towards migrating across the English Channel and catching some surf with my relatives in Portugal!
My last post explained I found the surf, sun, and rest I needed but, left out everything in between...
Upon my arrival to Lisboa (Lisbon) I had a short train ride to catch to get up the coast and rendevous with a friend-of-a-friend in the seaside town of Cascais. I was now in Portugal... my first non-english speaking international destination... and, I knew little or no Portugese! With no computer, internet access, or phone, it wasn't simple but I had little doubt, one way or another, I would find my way to where I needed to go; be some cirmstances more frustrating than others as the method of finding ones way unfolds (FYI - this will be a recurring theme).
After catching a bus from the airport to the train station, I took up a spot in the line waiting to purchase my train ticket. The line was long. And after making slow progress, a lady in the front of my line started yelling and arguing with the ticket clerk behind the window! I was in no rush and looked on amusingly as the womens displeasure grew and a full on scene occured. Fortuntely, the experience provided some entertainment and a way to break the ice with a smart looking gal in front of me. Her name was Claudia and she turned out to be an english speaking German living in Portugal on her way up to Cascais for the day to soak up some rays on the beach. We struck up a wonderful conversation that lasted through the line, on the train, and ended with her graciously allowing me to borrow her phone to call that friend-of-a-friend and let him know I had arrived!
The friend-of-a-friend was named Luis and I easily guessed it to be him when he rolled up to the station in a silver Audi station wagon stacked with surfboards on the roof, long bleached blonde hair, and a sporting a big smile from ear to ear. Luis had been introduced to Becky (my close friend Noah's wife) and Bethany (Noah's sister) some time back during a surf contest trip to Portugal, and, Becky had put me in touch with him. Turns out Luis oversees a "hostel" (more like a private villa with bunkbeds) and teaches surf lessons for a living in addition to many other surfing related ventures. We quickly became friends and my whole week in and around Cascais was spent tagging along with Luis going surfing, being his photographer during a surf lesson, taking in some local grinds (food), and talking & sharing about life. Luis and I will be good friends for a long time and I hope he comes to Kauai next winter so I can repay his hospitality and show him how the "Podugees" do it in Hawaii!
Towards the end of my visit to Portugal I caught up with my good friend (and newly married to my buddy Santo) Hayley who is on her own month long European holiday. She happen to be staying real close to me with a family she was connected with through ties to the worldwide Quiksilver surf company. In addition to being kind enough to bring along with her a couple items I needed (a Eurail pass included that I had not earlier puchased and are not able to be delivered within Europe) I was greatly looking forward to seeing a familiar face and congradulating her on the marriage I missed. I just so happen to show up at the right place at the right time to partake in Saturday lunch with her host family and a group of guests. Olivere and Shevon were super nice and welcomed we with open arms into their beautiful home located just on the beach in Cascais! There was platters of delicious food and a dessert fruit tart that was "off-the-hook!" It was a welcome break from my budget driven diet.
My awesome week in Portugal ended with a BBQ get together at the home of Marty and Carey Uhler (originally from Santa Barbara, California they have helped run Christian Surfers in Portugal and raised their kids there) along with visiting friends and family. It was a great week but, is was time to move on. Luis dropped me at the train station the next day, we said our "see you laters" and I boarded the train with the intention of hopping on a bus to Seville, Spain. Although Luis assured me the bus woudnt be full (and there was no need to call ahead for a reservation) it in fact was, and I was stuck! On a whim I decided to take an alternate route to the south of Portugal (The region known as The Algarve) and find my way to Seville from there. I was again heading into the unknown with no connections or idea of precisely where I was going, where I was going to stay, and whether or not I could find a way to Spain.
Only one question remained- "I'm in Portugal... where was all the bean soup?"
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