Our First Solo Road Trip

What a great time this week has been!  Today has been the first day we were able to take a breath and take in a few sights...  The past several days have been filled with making final arrangements and looking over the many details as we prepare for a group of PLNU MBAs to join us here for their study abroad "field trip."

We also have met with our dear friends A & P, pastoral couple of the church here in Massama to discuss an  exciting upcoming social ministry to practically help people in need in the surrounding neighborhood in significant ways.  I am excited to share more on that as details mature. 

Oh let's add also four hours of Portuguese language lessons this past week, and add several hours of homework.  Talk about brain fry!!!  That's exhausting on its own. 

Let's talk about being mature...  Randy and I decided that we would take a road trip to Sintra.  Sintra is an absolute charming little town on the slopes of mountains toward the sea, with lots of trees, wooded ravines, fresh water springs, and it was first a retreat for the kings of Portugal.  Today it is a favorite for many visitors and local Portuguese families wanting to get out of the house for the afternoon.  The cobbled walkways and steps up and down the hills of the quaint village, the many shops vying for our attention with beautiful tiles, pottery and products of Portugal make for a very pleasant afternoon.  Cafes with pastries and amazing coffees are plentiful and hard to choose from.  It is "a picture everywhere you look" - can't go without a camera! 

We were off.  We had no map or GPS, but knew we could navigate our way there and back.  After all, what could be more fun than to spend an afternoon in Sintra???  Besides, we have been there several times during past visits.   A piece of cake!, no problem!  



street corner in Sintra

We arrived in Sintra after taking the long way, knowing there had to be a shorter way, but oh well, we made it.  We had a very nice time together.  We sat and shared an amazing crepe with sugar and lemon juice with two "abatanado pinguados"  (= dark coffee with just a few drops of milk.)  We walked, stopped in a beautiful little shop owned by gentleman that we have met several times before and visited, and of course I took pictures -- and then a few MORE pictures!! 

tiny cafe with seating for 2 on the "patio"



crepe folded into flower shape



Randy thought we better head back in plenty of time before it got dark as the highway signs are hard to read after dark.  I was in no hurry, feeling confident that all we had to do was trace our way back from the way we came.  No problem, right?  Hmmm, but after several turns we didn't remember taking earlier and several highways later, as the sun was beginning to go down behind the mountains, the drive was no longer familiar.  We were heading in the general northern direction, but knew by the signs that began to read "Porto" (3 hours north), was NOT where we wanted to go!   A call to our friend O; he calmly directed us back towards Loures.  We took a deep breath -- we were home again.  The wisdom gained?  Next time take a map!  

Depois de um jantar de salada de peru e pão, uma noite tranquila em casa!  (= After a dinner of salad, turkey and bread, a quiet evening at home.)



one of MANY favorite doors (this one with a self portrait)

Note:  Doors and windows in Europe -- a favorite of mine to photograph.  

a fun time in Sintra!

Today as I read, "Yet He has not left Himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."  (Acts 14.17), I know that He does give all good things and does fill our hearts with joy!  Praise Him!  May your hearts also be filled with joy today!  Blessings my dear BSF sisters! 

Bem Vindo!

Bom Dia!  Boa Tarde!  Boa Noite!  Greetings! -- depending on the time of day, of course!  I think all three are appropriate as I don't know what time you will be reading this.   Porco, frango e peru são as carnes mais barato no supermercado. Mas o cheiro de peixe ... Olá!*  I need to dust off the old Portugese as Randy has scheduled a lesson for me tomorrow morning.  Oh boy!!!

Yes, our flight arrived in Lisboa last night on time at 11:00 p.m. Our dear friends, O & M greeted us with smiles and a camera in hand!  We greeted, hugged and drove to our new "home" here in Loures.  We unloaded our 4 suitcases (weighing the airline limit) and carried them up a flight of stairs into our apartment - where is an elevator when you need one???  Oh well, the elevator would have been too small and would have 'told ' us we could not all be the elevator at one time with the 4 suitcases anyway.  That will be another story... the elevators here in Europe...  Needless to say, we were grateful to be only one flight up.  The apartment was waiting and ready to be inhabited.  M, of course had food in hand so we wouldn't starve before getting to the store in the morning!?!  We unpacked a few things, took showers and were in bed by midnight.  The next thing I knew, I woke up, looked around, remembered where I was, looked at the clock and was surprised -  we both slept a good 8 hours!  8:00 a.m., how could that be??? We don't sleep in, ever! 

Soon the apartment smelled of fresh brewed coffee... ahhhh!  We rolled up the shades and saw that it had been raining over night.  A beautiful cloudy rainy day in Portugal in a sweet cozy Portuguese home!  We eased into the day with coffee, (did I mention how good it tasted?) a small breakfast of fresh baked bread, butter and jelly around our tiny kitchen table. 

After lunch at our favorite restaurant here in Loures, we went grocery shopping.  Now I thought we were going to have to navigate this adventure by ourselves, but M, who loves to grocery shop and wouldn't pass up the chance to go, went with us.  O came along for the ride... not his favorite thing to do.  We cruised through the isles with grace and ease and of course with the 'system' she knows best.  Randy learned quickly NOT to rush her and to sneak into another isle until it was the 'right time.'  We enjoyed it and always have a few laughs wherever we go.  :)    Oh yes, the sentence in Portuguese above -- *Pork, chicken and turkey are the least expensive meats at the supermarket.  The smell of the fish ... Hello!  I knew you were all needing to know that bit of information. 

The key to our apartment is huge, maybe a bigger purse to carry it!?!  And the tiles on the walls as you enter the apartment are beautiful!  The blue bidet in the bathroom - not so much.  Ahh, the bidet ... so many uses ...  Maybe Randy will demonstrate some of them another time for us.   

Everything needed to survive:  Fresh fruit, coffee, rice, flour, olives, olive oil, sea salt, hot sauce, mini moos (from Smart and Final, two large boxes, the reason for such large suitcases) and flour tortillas from Fresh and Easy.  Can't live too long without tortillas and you cannot buy them here!  Join us for dinner??                  

God is so good and provides all, well, more than we need!  Grateful to be here. 

Saying Good-byes

The time has finally arrived!  We leave tomorrow evening.  The large suitcases are packed and sitting in the living room ready to go.  The last loads of laundry are nearly done.  The final two beach bocci games were played.  What?

Well you know the important things to take care of before leaving... playing bocci ball on the beach with our good friends M & C.  We have been playing all year/season - boys against the girls.  However, there is a bit of dispute as to whether the season is over or not ... there are a couple of weekends in December when we get back that may be open ...  so the season may not be quite finished ... yet.  And by the way, who needs the sun to play on the beach???  The weathermen predicted sun yesterday and today, not a ray to be seen either day!  Several friends even came to the beach to see if we were playing ...  You bet!  Go Girls!!!  :)

Our cat Butternuts, aka Bufurd, will be left here to watch the place while we are gone.  (Actually, the kids will be watching him while we are gone, but he thinks he is the one in charge.)  We will miss the silly cat as this will be a long time away.  Each evening as we take a hottub, he is right there with us drinking in that wonderful hot-chlorine water -- yum!?!  "Can I go too?"  he says.

Goodbye Cute Kitty!  We are ready.  Next stop Lisbon...

"The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make His face shine upon you..."   Numbers 6.24-25



Organization and packing

Organization is the name of the game this week.  Well, at least that's the plan...

The lists get longer and longer.  It is hard to plan for 6 weeks being away from home.  Or at least I think it is.  I keep reminding myself there are grocery stores, clothing stores, and whatever-else-we-may-need stores, but somehow I want to remember and pack everything now that I may need in Portugal!?!  Silly me! 

Now I need to fit it all into the suitcases.  Where do I fit all the shoes?!?  You know that you are easily labeled a "tourist" by the shoes you wear.  I am not a person that has a pair for every outfit, the basics will have to do once again as comfort definitely is the priority.  A couple of years ago I learned a hard lesson by wearing flip flops most of the trip and walking on the uneven tiles, roads and sidewalks.  It was not a good idea for my feet!  This trip the weather will be cooler as it is fall, so sturdier shoes will be worn again this trip.

We will meet once more this week with the group of MBA's that will be joining us in November.  Details will be worked out ... suitcases will get packed ... the house will be taken care of and of course BT, our cat will be fine.  We will board the plane on Monday and fly across the big pond to London and then into Lisbon. 

The town that we will be living in while in Portugal is Loures, just minutes north of Lisbon.  In Loures is the location of the church fellowship we look forward to attending, our favorite restaurant in all of Portugal,  (so far), a favorite cafe and fresh bread market, O & M's home and also the apartment we will be renting during our stay.  What more could we ask for? 

At this point, I will likely not write again until we have arrived in Portugal.  I ask you to pray with me that all the details will be taken care of here at home and that our flight over the big pond will be smooth.  (The flight is always so hard for me.) 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"  Proverbs 3.5  I was given that verse several years ago as I was getting ready to fly somewhere.  I don't completely understand how planes stay in the air and fly, but that's okay, the plane does fly.  The same is true in trusting God, I need to trust Him completely and NOT in the little I understand --- in flying and in all of life.  

Until next time...  Blessings. 

Why am I doing this?

 My dear son JP said "you can do it mom."  I wanted to believe him and try.  Now... I'm not so sure. 

Actually the reason I even considered doing this in the first place, is because my dear friend KA wanted to "see and hear" about our time in Portugal.  I'm not sure that my days will be of any major excitement or adventure for anyone, but I am going for it!  So here goes...

A jornada means "the journey" in Portuguese.  And that is what it will be!  We will be away for 6 weeks, the kids will be taking care of our home and our beloved cat, Butternuts, aka Bufurd.  The hardest part for me personally is that I will be away from our home and family for such a long period of time.  This is a trip that has been in the planning for a couple of years and will finally be happening. 

It began as R and I wanted to spend an extended time with our dear friends and missionaries in Portugal, O & M.  They assured us there would be plenty to do as we love spending time with them, being in the churches and with the people there we have come to love during our visits to Portugal over the past several years.  The trip has expanded in purpose and not only will we be spending time with O & M, we will be joined by 18 or so MBA students, faculty and staff from PLNU for a "study abroad field trip."  We will travel together as a group in Portugal and also in France for 2 weeks.  The students of course, will have the good pleasure of class time while there, as they continue their course work.  But many days will be spent touring several businesses and sights in both Portugal and France.  I am excited and feel so privileged to be able to take this extended time away. 

We will be leaving the states in about 10 days from now and will be living in an apartment we have rented from friends in Portugal not far from O & M's home.  We look forward to being "neighbors", but also being somewhat independent as a van will be also waiting for us to drive as we need it.  During our last visit I drove the van several times and realized I can do it although it will take getting used to.  I am grateful that driving is on the right side of the road, but the turn-abouts instead of actual stop signs will be interesting to maneuver around and through. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I am excited and yet at the same time I am also nervous.  We have been to Portugal several times over the past years so I know what to expect, yet because we will be away so long, I don't know what to expect.  Please pray with me as we prepare over the next week to travel, leaving behind our life here for a few weeks.  Pray with me that God will use us/me in whatever way He has already planned ahead of time for me to do while there.  Pray with me that our children will be safe here at home. 

"Show me Your ways O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior and my hope is in You all day long."  Psalm 25.4-5. 

PS  Please come on this journey with me and respond with a comment here or of course the old fashioned way -- email.  I know I will look forward to hearing from you!