Doors and Windows in Évora

Tiny Streets and Open Plazas

There are tiny streets and open plazas in almost every town in Portugal. When you walk down the small streets, you have to be very careful because there is not much room for your body and a car that might be passing at the same time. This day in Évora, a very hot, over 100 degree, day (most of the people were in the shops, cafes or restaurants staying out of the sun), we were looking for a place to buy some hats. There was a sign at the head of a street,  just off the plaza, with a store listed that sold hats (chapéu). We went down to check it out and our friends each bought a hat. We then went on to a little restaurant, tucked away in another side street that served traditional Alentejo food (the region of the country). I found that I really enjoyed everything I ate - even the little appetizer that was made of bacalhau (cod fish).  We stopped at several cafés for water or coffee, visited the palace, an art exhibit, and the Chapel of Bones, and just had a very good day spent with our Portuguese friends.

A Normal Day

Yesterday we found out that our driver's license paper (the temporary paper we have before our real Portugal cards come) was expiring today.  A few months ago, I would have had a little worry attack, dreading all the possible difficulties, but this time the first thing that came to mind was, "Lord, help me not to worry about this and help us to just get this taken care of."

Not only were we able to find the place this morning (about a 25 minute drive away), with the help of good directions from a friend, be we also had our Portuguese friend able to go with us, as his day was open. There was no problems and then we went back in the afternoon (again with our Portuguese friend) to pick up our "renewed pieces of paper"(aka our temporary driver's licenses).

But the biggest thrill of the day for me was being able to drive there in the afternoon traffic, navigate the traffic, not stall the car or grind the gears, make all the right turns and have the sense of things just being a "normal" day. (Have we told you about there being very few legal left turns on the roads here and when you miss an exit or turn you have to sometimes go a long distance before you can find a way back?)

When we got back to our apartment building and were going into the garage I didn't have the sense of relief I used to have when we'd go somewhere new (usually with a few wrong turns) and would get back - so glad to be off the roads and safely home. It was just a normal day that I thought would never come!

From Segovia back to Lisbon

Castles, Kings and Queens

I have always loved going inside houses and seeing how people live (or lived), what their daily lives look like as they move around the rooms, how they decorate, the view from their windows...

I have always wanted to go inside a castle, too, to feel what it might have been like to have lived in a certain time period. Last week I got to go into two castles in Spain. The splendor and workmanship that went into the surroundings was beautiful and in some cases, according to my taste, almost gaudy. But more than that, I had a feeling of hollowness, an emptiness, of knowing that years have come and gone, wars have been fought, some of the kings and queens were good rulers and others horrible. Living in a castle might have made life a little better but not necessarily happier, and a life without God and the love of Christ leaves only the momentary wealth and power of a spec in eternity.

I am so happy to be living in a small apartment without a lot of worldly possessions and having a relationship with the creator of the universe! And, as far as grand houses go, isn't that what Jesus said, that He is getting a place ready for us in His Father's house?

Come Inside the Castle (Segovia, Spain)

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An Old Picture of the Castle

Outside the Castle (Segovia)

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Storks

Storks are a common bird in Portugal and Spain. As we were driving we saw many areas where the nests would be on top of the power line platforms, one after another, and sometimes a field would have a whole flock of them on the ground pecking for grain or whatever it is that they eat.

When we were walking down to the castle in Segovia we saw this little park and Don looked up and noticed a stork. It was sitting by it's nest in the tallest tree in the park.

Market Day in the Square (Segovia)

A Trip to Madrid and Segovia

On Sunday, this past week, we took a trip to Madrid for four days of meetings. It was nice to be with co-workers, re-connect with friends from past training, be blessed by worship and music in English (!), and just be out of our city and apartment for a break.

For this meeting we were able to ride with co-workers who have been here for more years then we have and have worked and traveled in Spain. There is just something comforting in being able to go to a new place with someone who already knows how to get around and can navigate and show you some interesting sights. They even brought along a delicious picnic lunch to eat on the way.

We had an afternoon off on Tuesday and went to see some of the sights in Madrid and then on the day we left, we went home to Lisbon by way of Segovia - a really neat town in Spain, known for the best preserved aqueducts left by the Romans on the Iberian Peninsula. There is also a beautiful castle that was used by the kings and queens over the years. I'll put more pictures up later.

To Madrid

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Landscapes - Lisbon to Madrid (most out the car window)

Last Friday

Some days things happen - like losing golf balls and not getting to eat at the restaurant that you'd planned to eat at. But that doesn't mean the day will end badly.

Don went out into the little "garden" that we have in front of our apartment building to practice a little on his swing. He only had two practice balls (lightweight nurf type) and he came back with only one. I think he spent more time in the bushes looking for the ball than getting to practice.  I couldn't help but also think that the crowd of young people, walking by right after the wind took the ball to (or through) the bushes, had picked it up off the sidewalk and taken it on with them.

Then later in the evening we left our apartment and walked around the next block to the building where our Portuguese friends, Rui and Susana, live. We had decided to go out to eat for the evening and were riding with them into the downtown to eat at an "American" place - The Hard Rock Cafe. There was a wait of at least an hour and we had to stay there, standing on our feet, if we wanted to keep our place in line.

We decided to walk around a bit where there are many restaurants and cafes lining the streets and where you almost get accosted by the waiters who are out to drum up business for their tables. After walking around a bit we ended up going to a very well know Portuguese restaurant that was not in the center of the tourist area. We enjoyed some really good steaks, some good time with our friends, and a very good end to the day.

Pictures of the day in the Baixa

An Afternoon in the Baxia (or downtown, as we would say)

Today was a culture day and we went downtown to meet with a few people for lunch and say goodbye to a colleauge. We went to an Indian restaurant and then went looking for a straw hat for Don. Didn't find the hat but we had a good time looking.

I took a lot of pictures and Don would sit and wait for me sometimes when I would want to step into a store. We also saw some really interesting things as we walked around and even had to cross the street right in the middle of a political rally parade. The banner said "social service - yes; privatazation - no!" They had a car with a bullhorn leading the parade and they were leading the people in shouting slogans and such. People who wanted to cross the street would wait till there was a thin space in the crowd and cross over.

There was a guy playing the accordion who had a little dog holding a cup in it's mouth for donations.  Lots of beggars - one with a really nasty looking wound on his leg that we wondered later if it was just a really good makeup job. If he could get up and walk on it, it would have been a miracle and he can't stay there all day every day. It is sad but there are places that will help the beggars but from what we are told they don't go there because they can make such good money off the tourists.

We carried around leftovers from the restaurant that Don intended to eat later but with the heat we were in, I just wondered how it would hit his stomach later. That was one reason we didn't give it to the beggars.

Last September we were down in the Baxia with our Portuguese friends and it was strange to be there today, just the two of us, knowing our way around, being confident of getting what we wanted (even if we couldn't speak well), navigating back to the metro and knowing how to get home. I used only Portuguese to order when I found a really good lime ice cream on a stick that is like the orange dream cycle. It tasted so good on a hot day with your mouth all dry from the heat and the wind.

Today's Language Route

As part of our language/culture hours we have several "language routes" that we take. Stopping at some of the same places every few days, getting to know the shop owners and workers and practicing our language. Today's route took us to places where we didn't speak any English and understood almost all that was spoken back to us! We did stop in our neighborhood on the way home to our little mini-market where some of the girls speak English but know that we are practicing and let us use Portuguese but  will help us by way of English - explaining to us why something is said or not said a certain way and laughing with us over our (mostly Don's ; ) mistakes.

We walked down to a little cafe near our metro stop and ordered coffee, water, a scone, and a piece of cake and worked some in our grammar books. We rode the metro and didn't walk too far as it was such a very hot day but shopped for awhile in an air-conditioned store. It is 97 degrees right now with a very strong sun and most places, including our apartments, are not air conditioned. Oh, and typically the metro is a fairly cool place to be on a hot day, too.

Don and I split up as we were looking for different things and found workers to help us with what we were looking for. I was so happy to be able to ask for what I needed and not get a confused look and have to repeat what I said, but instead I got a direct answer that I understood! Granted it was not long sentences or big words but still a big encouragement. 

Just a few pictures from today and I forgot to take one of our mini-market. I'm going to get some pictures of our friends in there sometime.