Ouch.

26 June 2013

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Sunburns hurt. Sunburns are not fun. Sunburns hurt. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

Well I am burnt to a crisp. I feel like a half baked lays potato chip… It probably was not the smartest thing to face the Portuguese sun head on in the middle of June with no sunscreen. I lost that battle hands down. If the sun could laugh it would be having a jolly good time up there, chuckling at the roasted little duckling it has made of me. I was doing good monday and tuesday, but today I woke up and could barely get out of bed. As I got moving around my body loosened up a bit, but the backs of my knees and shoulders are still sting with pain whenever I move. I am sitting on the train now on the way to Lisbon (Lisboa) and am trying my hardest not to move so that I won’t feel the regrets of enjoying too much Portuguese sun. Alright, I am being a little over the top about it, but trust me…you do not want to go to Portugal without sunscreen. Bad. Idea.

A lot has been going through my mind as I am here in Portugal. Several thoughts have crossed my mind as some opportunities have presented themselves to me. I will wait to expound on that after I get more information a increase my understanding of the matter. I hate to show you the light at the end of the tunnel without bringing you there right away but trust me, this “secret” will be better if I wait to tell you.

Today I got on a train again for the first time in nearly two and a half weeks and it made me reminisce all the wonderful times I have had here in Europe. One of my favorite things to do is to enjoy the scenery out the window of the train while blogging my little heart out on my beloved Ipad. This Ipad has been the best purchase I have ever made as it has gone through thick and thin with me through 16+ different countries. It is so nice not to have a heavy laptop to carry around everywhere I go, yet still have the capacity to connect with everyone and everything I need through the internet as I travel. Grandma and Grandpa Brown, my mother just informed me that you bought an Ipad, and I am so glad to hear it! You two are going to LOVE it and will be glad to have such a light and convenient way to carry all of your documents and internet needs. Love you both dearly!

If you are ever in a Portugal bakery and are unsure what to get, just ask for folar. It is a very delicious bread (Pao) made with a spice called anise that is sweet and different than anything I have ever tasted. We laughed that the bread tasted like a “healthy donut” but if actually tastes more like an orange roll than anything. Pao de Avo is the name of of the best bakery in Lagos according to the Grave and Battaglia families. If you get a chance while you are in Lagos, go there.

Words that I have learned
Pessego(peach), Cereja(cherry), Morango(strawberry), Meza(table), Caza(house), Cozina(kitchen), Faca(knife),Garfu(Fork), Pratt(plate), Meinto Bien(very good), Praia(beach), Lun(moon), Mar(ocean),cupo(cup), etc…

We made it to Ana’s house today and I was amazed at how beautiful it was! Lisbon is a huge city and there are numerous suburbs that extend beyond it’s borders making it a massive area for people to live and work. Ana lives in Amamora, a suburb of Lisbon that is actually quite a beautiful area. Her house is gorgeous and absolutely spotless. She doesn’t speak any English so already I have had to learn more Portuguese than I thought was possible in a couple of days.

When we arrived Ana already had lunch prepared for us. We started with an apple, cranberry, and nut salad for the appetizer, then proceeded to the main course with a delicious chicken dish and a side of cooked kale, finishing with fresh strawberries and cherries for desert. Every meal I have eaten with Ana thus far has been a three course meal. It is really fun to eat in such a nice dining area with fine china and in the progressive course manner. I have learned a lot about the Portuguese culture and I haven’t even really stepped foot out of this wonderful woman’s home.
Dinner was a similar situation. We started with ham, bread, and cheese for the starter and then ate a chicken and broccoli dish for the main course. For dessert we once again had strawberries and cherries. Many people may not like how they eat here, but I love it! It is so good yet so healthy and it makes you feel very satisfied yet clean with your meal.

We are getting a bit tired…

Dancing, dancing, dancing in the “princess” castle of Sintra.

The giant well.

The “unfinished” well.

Crawling through the tunnels in Sintra.

We were able to venture out to Sintra, a place where the kings and queens of Portugal would vacation to. Think of it as the Park City of Portugal… It was beautiful and very, very adventuresome. There were lots of underground tunnels, huge wells, castles, bridges, ruins,

Nobody would sit next to me on the train…

These two were happy as can be over on the other side 😉