Sometimes the best travel experiences come not from meticulous planning but from following instinct, serendipity, and curiosity… and Portugal— with its history, culture, and unexpected connections, offers the perfect backdrop for such a chapter.
The terra-cotta rooftops shine in the afternoon as the sun beats down on the little white village buildings. As I write this I’m in a little sea-side village called Vila Milfontes heading south from Lisbon on the way to the Algarve. I rented a car early this morning and have been slowly making my way down the coast. This seemed like a scenic spot to get caffeinated, do a little work, and writing.
Late last night I was feeling stressed because I accidentally booked a fully electric car and hadn’t been able to change it. I was frantically looking on the map for chargers on the 4+ hour drive and drawing a route, figuring out how often I’d have to charge, download the needed apps, and educating myself on how to drive an e-vehicle. Turns out I stressed for nothing because when I got to the car rental place, I paid a bit more and was able to get a gas vehicle.
Rewind: I arrived in Portugal last Saturday after having spent the past 1.5 months in Paris, and I’ll be calling Lisbon home for the next month. My final weeks in Paris were a bit mellow as I was sick with bronchitis, but I guess sickness doesn’t care where in the world you are or if you still have many things to do in your Paris list. But time was up and it was time to move on.
A few weeks ago I had not made any plans for after Paris, and time was ticking so I needed to plan my next move soon. One day while on the phone catching up with my friend who rented me the Paris apartment, she told me she was in Lisbon and was enjoying it. It occurred to me Lisbon could be a good idea as I’d never been to Portugal before.
But I looked on Airbnb only to be faced with absurd prices and very limited options. So I called my friend and asked if she could put me in touch with the person who she rented the Lisbon apartment from. She did, and it worked! We swapped and she went back home to her apartment in Paris while I replaced her in the Lisbon apartment. It was one of those moments where things work out pretty seamlessly and you can’t help but feel it’s just meant to be.
First impressions of Lisbon are that it’s as if San Francisco, Istanbul, and Tanger had a kid and it came out with some mutation of a Latino gene. Lisbon has the hills of both San Francisco and Istanbul. The colorful buildings, trolleys, and Golden Gate Bridge copy of SF. The views of river and sea mimic the glittering Bosphorus of Istanbul and ferries making their way across. The signature labyrinth streets of Tanger and its medinas can be seen throughout the city too. But in the culture— the liveliness and language— it’s evident of latin roots.
On my first day in Lisbon I went to the world’s oldest bookshop, Livraria Bertrand, where I got a historical fiction book about Lisbon’s role in World War II. Although this genre can be exhaustive, the book really covers the strategic importance of Lisbon at a time where the country declared its neutrality during the war. However, it became a hotbed for Allied and Axis spies, particularly women librarians. I’ve ready many books about the world wars and this is the first that ever mentions the importance of Lisbon and women’s roles in this city to pass on information and resume historical manuscripts and books that were otherwise being destroyed.
One evening at a “mirador” or viewpoint, I stood near a tour group and eavesdropped. I learned that a massive earthquake rocked Lisbon in 1755 and changed the course of history. In brief, the series of shockwaves, tsunami, and fires set off a chain of events that would trigger the Enlightenment era because it proved to people the importance of science and nature. This would come to shape the era of modernity as we know it, not to mention the eras of exploration and “new world.”
One day I received a message from a friend from France who told me he was bummed we didn’t get to see each other this year and I had already left. I replied that I left France but was going to Lisbon. In pure coincidence, turns out he was coming to Lisbon for a day on a stopover. So, we were actually able to meet up after all and spend a day exploring Lisbon.
When you find yourself in a city where you don’t know anyone, there is one way to make friends quickly. Run clubs. On Wednesday I joined about 150-200 other runners of Rookie Run Club at Cais do Sodré for a 5K. A friend had told me about this club and had connected me with a few people who welcomed me when I arrived. It’s a wonderful feeling when you go somewhere and suddenly find yourself immersed in a community. Especially a mix of Portuguese and people from many other countries and backgrounds. I left with a handful of new friends and I’m sure I’ll continue to see them throughout my time here.
Now I’m writing this from Odeceixe, another tiny town about an hour before Lagos. The past 2 hours of the drive reminded me of those agricultural towns in California on the other side of Big Sur where field workers pick strawberries and other big agricultural crops. There were big irrigation fields, and farm workers covered with hats picking food in the hot sun.
I pulled over into this town and searched for a cafe to get cold lemonade. I happened to stumble upon one that had arepas and empanadas on the menu. Turns out it’s owned by a family of Venezuelan-Colombians. So of course we ended up chatting for a while.
I was curious how they ended up here in this dot of a town so Meli, the cafe owner explained that she had fled Venezuela and moved to Medellin where she met her husband. Then they moved to Madrid but it was difficult finding work. They got offered a job in the fields here in Portugal. She worked in the fields for a few years then as a waitress, then back in the fields. Then they found a small space in Odeceixe and decided to turn it into a little cafe. Meli’s husband remodeled the space and Meli + her 3 sisters and mom run the cafe.
It’s interesting the comparison between the west coast of Portugal and the west coast of the US. Not just jagged edge of the continents is very similar with huge cliffs that lead to big blue ocean, but also in that they are both important agricultural lands and have influx of migrant farm workers. As I sit outside writing this, I can hear the conversation happening inside. Among the sisters they are talking about the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone. About how everything felt uncomfortable when they decided to leave Venezuela, but that that’s how it is for a lot of people and that we just have to go for it. To take a chance on ourselves despite the challenges.
Feels like the perfect conversation to eavesdrop on :)
Well, it’s time for me to continue my drive south. One more hour to reach Lagos in the Algarve. Chao!
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Aww I love reading about your Portugal experience, Maria! the month I spent there 3 summers ago now, holds such a special place in my heart! Sending you a couple of my favorite coffee shops in Lagos :)
Welcome to Portugal! Enjoy your time here. And, just curious because I’m a booklover, what is the book you bought?