Thursday, July 10, 2025
Porto, part 2
My favorite spot, watching the Douro River.
The Lello bookstore was apparently an inspiration for Harry Potter when the author was living in Porto .
Our apartment was so nice
Wednesday, July 09, 2025
Monday, July 07, 2025
Ponta da Altaira, Portugal
This place, walking along the top of the cliffs, watching the gulls and swallows in flight, I wanted to fly along with them. I wanted to walk and just keep walking.
I felt this kind of crazy happiness before, where everything is so free and wide open, I just want to run and sing, haha. My sister was laughing when I told her, and asked "Like the sound of music"?, and yeah, kind of like that.
I felt this way last year in Switzerland hiking on top of mountains with incredible sweeping views below.
Anyway, this crazy joy, all I can say, is I am so grateful that I was able to know this feeling and these places in my life.
Friday, July 04, 2025
People coming together
One of the best moments on this trip so far happened yesterday as I walked around exploring Lagos, and stumbled on a tiny little street with a cafe and a few tables outside. There were a handful of people sitting in small groups at the tables, and a small dog. The small dog had a balloon and as I walked by was getting really excited playing with it. The people at the tables got into it, hitting the balloon from one to another, trying to keep it in the air for the dog, while the dog ran excitedly between the tables. Everyone was into it, including me, because it was so fun watching the little dog's excitement, it was impossible not to laugh. For a few moments, it was like we were all friends, all of us who would've otherwise passed each other without notice.
I thought about how easy it feels sometimes to bring people together and let our otherwise defensive barriers fall, if only for a few minutes. And also how hard and complicated it can get at other times.
Anyway, I will remember this little dog and her balloon and how she brought together all these strangers. Here's a link to a video with the dog: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ydcmPg4onfMM2Ha39
And some pictures from Lagos :
