My First Trip to Portugal
Little did I know when I went on my first trip to Portugal in 2018, somewhat on a whim, that it would become one of my favorite places in Europe. It was one of those trips where everything goes right from the start, and then kept getting even better, day after day. Of course there were a few mishaps, as always when you travel, but they sorted themselves out beautifully. I have been back several times since then, and every time, I fall a little bit more in love with the country and the people. In a way, it doesn’t make sense because I like quiet, serene, zen-like places, and Portugal is anything but!
The waves are huge and powerful (and awe-inspiring), the sun is strong (sunscreen is a must), the landscape is dramatic (and stunningly beautiful), the people are intense (but so very kind), there is a lot of noise (especially in the larger cities) and quite a bit of chaos (at least compared to Sweden). But all that is perfect in Portugal, and only adds to its charm. And after a while, you realize that there is plenty to zen to be found as well. 🙂
On an early evening in June 2018, I boarded an Air Portugal flight in Boston for an overnight flight to Lisbon. I got to my seat in the back of the plane, and saw that all the seats around me were empty. I thought, wow, maybe I’ll have a row, or even more to myself, and it’ll be quiet, and I’ll be able to sleep. But a little before takeoff, a large group of teenagers in matching t-shirts came down the aisle and started filling all the empty seats. My heart sank, and I thought to myself, no sleep tonight. But as luck would have it, one of their chaperones was in the seat next to me, and we introduced ourselves. He was a dentist and avid cyclist from Utah, and the kids were part of a church group going to Cabo Verde to build a school. Not someone I would ordinarily meet, but we hit it off right away and ended up having a great time and chatted all night long. We approached Lisbon in the early morning hours, and as I marveled at the Golden Gate-likeness of the 25 de Abril Bridge, he pointed out the Cristo Rei monument on the other side of it. From the air, it looked like a mix of San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro, and I couldn’t wait to get off the plane and start exploring!
Soon after, we landed and went our separate ways.
I took a taxi to Cascais, to the Airbnb I had found online. It was a room in a Portuguese woman’s apartment. I would normally book a place all to myself, but I didn’t know a word of Portuguese, and I thought what if something catastrophic happens and people come running and screaming down the street, at least I’ll be staying with someone who can understand what’s going on. And the reviews looked great. But I was still a bit nervous about the whole thing – would it be a pain to share an apartment? What if she was crazy?
The cab driver didn’t speak any English, but we managed to communicate enough that halfway to Cascais, I understood he didn’t take credit cards. I didn’t have any euros, and really didn’t know what to do. We arrived in Cascais, and it turned out the driver didn’t know how to get to the address of the Airbnb, so we drove around, up and down cute, narrow cobblestone streets, back and forth. We seemed to go in a circle, passing the same places again and again. All of a sudden, I spotted a bank I recognized, it was the same bank I used in the US and there was an ATM. I squealed and pointed and the driver slammed on the breaks. We came to a stop with a screech and I jumped out and managed to get cash out of the machine. While he was waiting for me, the driver stopped another cab driver and asked how to get to the Airbnb. He got directions, and off we went again. We arrived in less than 5 minutes, and I paid him in cash. Whew. Stressful at the time, but pretty funny in hindsight!
I went up to house and rang the doorbell. I was buzzed in and told to take the elevator to the second floor. I went up, and there was my hostess, waiting in the doorway with a big smile and open arms. She gave me a warm hug and said “welcome” and all my fears went away. It turned out we were almost exactly the same age and had a lot of common interests, and we quickly became good friends. During my 3 weeks there, we went on many fun adventures, and by the time I left, we felt like sisters. We’re still close friends and I visit every time I’m in Portugal.
Portugal is an incredibly beautiful country, and there was so much to shoot – everywhere I looked was something I just had to capture. I would get up early in the morning, grab my camera, and head out exploring for the day – Cascais, Estoril, Praia do Guincho, Lisbon, Sintra, Azenhas-do-Mar, Praia do Magoito, Nazaré… I returned with a full memory card every evening with many hours of photo editing ahead of me, and I loved every minute of it.
I often just walked around Cascais for hours on end, and always found something new and exciting.
Left: Future Memories / Middle: Umbrellas No. 1 / Right: Santa Marta Lighthouse
So much happened on that first trip to Portugal, I could go on and on. There were so many unexpected twists and hilarious situations, but I’ll save some for other posts. By the time I left, I was busy trying to figure out how and when I could come back (spoiler alert: I returned in September that same year and stayed for almost 3 months).
In 2018, Portugal was definitely still more under the radar than it is now. It’s a lot more crowded, even I can tell the difference, and I kind of wish I had gotten in on the secret 10-15 years ago. But don’t let that stop you: if you haven’t been yet, definitely add it to your travel list – I think you’ll love it!
