Vem para Jantar - Estilo Português!

Come to Dinner -- Portuguese Style! 

The Menu:  Aperitivos
                  Sopa Calde Verde
                  Bacalhau com Natas
                  Lombo de Porco
                  Arroz
                  Salada
                  Pudim Flan
                  Arroz Doce
                  Salada da Fruta

Time:  7:30 p.m.

Place:  Portuguese Bible Institute

* * * * * * * * * *

Five days earlier -- Meeting with M and B to plan the menu at B's home.  Actually this served as my Portuguese lesson for the day as they spoke Portuguese and made the list in Portuguese.  Only fresh ingredients will do as the meal will be prepared! 

Three days earlier -- Next Portuguese lesson - shopping with M and B for all on items on the list.  The carts were full as we left the store and loaded the van. 


B picking out the Bacalhau (Codfish)



Cutting, well, sawing the Bacalhau into pieces

The day of the dinner -- M, B and I were joined by P to prepare an authentic Portuguese meal for the MBA group.  B, chefe de cozinha (chief cook) was in charge of assigning each of us specific jobs for preparing the food.   First things first, B brought me a bata (smock) to wear, Portuguese women wear them as they cook, clean, do laundry, etc around the house.  --- I am "official"!!!  ---  P put her bata on and proceeded with the first priority of the day -- coffee!!!  I like her style!  :)  The adventure in the kitchen began with a cup coffee.

Lots of details - lots of potatoes to peel, lots of fish to debone, lots of help, lots of fun!!!  B did an INCREDIBLE job!





P making coffee!



First things first -- coffee!



M pealing potatoes



Deboning the Bacalhau

Boiling potatoes

Bacalhau com Natas ready to bake

 Pureeing the sopa

Aperitivos




Aperitivos

Tossing the salada



Bacalhau com Natas (Codfish with potatoes)

                                                                             

Kitchen and serving crew!  

 A delicious jantar (dinner), a very fun day and all ate until full!   



Lunch by the Sea

Cold breeze, sunshine, Christmas time in the air, good friends, good food, the sea ... any better combination to make it a great day?

Destination -- Colares!  We set out to see somewhere new.  M and I had not been there before.  Are we there yet???  No, but we are in Penedo-Aldeira do Espirito Santo (=Penedo-Small town of the Holy Spirit) -- an adorable little town.  Up, up atop the hills, no, not Colares yet.  We will get there.  Beautiful pine trees and lots of green landscape!  Huge homes on hillsides overlooking green valleys and the castle of Sintra on a distant hill.  Down the windy road toward the sea.  Colares?  No, just drove through Almocageme. 



Entering Penedo

                                       


Looking to the Sea

                                                                                


Penedo Centro Historico (town center)

 

Here we are -- Colares?  No, not yet, but in Azehas do Mar (=Cliffs by the Sea).  What a place - perfect for vacationing by the sea!  The beaches and waves are inviting even on these quiet days of the winter.  Today was a Portuguese holiday (December 1 - the restoration of the monarchy of Portugal from the Spanish.), all is pretty quiet in these small towns.  In years past, this was a busy bustling place in the summer months, Portuguese families coming to soak up the sun and surf the waves.  Until now, "the summer place to vacation" is to head to the south, the Algarve region, for summer sun and fun.  To us, this looked ideal to spend some lazy relaxing summer days. 


Azehas do Mar



Lunch by the Sea

                                                                                                                                                               

Lunch in a small restaurant overlooking the beach and sea was quiet, relaxed and encouraged conversation about family, church, friends and .... life's joys and disappointments.  A typical meal of beef or fish, french fries and salad.  The mushroom sauce covering my beef was delicious.  Very simple, yet tasty! 

After lunch we headed to Colares -- are we there?  Finally!  So small, so quaint.  Colares has sandy soil and therefore produces its own special wine.  We stopped at a farmers fruit and vegetable market on the side of the road - incredible winter vegetables!!!  Next stop -- a cafe and pastry for dessert in a small local pastelaria.  And what good fortune -- a little shop next door for some Christmas browsing and shopping.  The men solved the world's problems over another galao (coffee) while we girls went next door. 

Colares Farmers Market



Colares vineyards

                                                                             


Colares Winery

                                                                                

Colares

I don't think we really ever knew exactly what town we were in as they all run together.  They all contained roads that were barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other, older men that sit and pass away the afternoons visiting with each other on benches in the "town centers", cafes that serve pastries and coffees to people as they come about 4:00 p.m. each day, and old OLD stone houses that stand right next to the very new ones.  Today we enjoyed seeing what I often imagined Portugal "to look like."

                                                                                

This day was spent with good friends.  This day was a good gift from the Lord! 

                                                                                 







A History Lesson in Normandy



Upon leaving Paris, we rode the train out to the region Normandy where we were met and taken to a small town call Mereville-Franceville.  We settled into a retreat center, operated by our friends S, P, E and D.  The center hosts, ministers to and educates many groups of primarily college students throughout the year.  The town is on the beach, excuse me, “at the sea,” The center is one block from the sea.  In the winter months it is sleepy little town with many homes closed up with the shutters and shades down.  Since it is dark in the morning until nearly 7:45, nothing is open until 7:30 -- maybe.  One morning, R & I enjoyed a café on the plaza in the morning as we walked to the center to join the group.  (R & I stayed at a nice comfortable “boarding house” about 2 blocks away as overflow housing.)  In the summer months, the town swells to 15,000, as opposed to 1,500 in the winter months.  It is a favorite vacation spot for Parisians taking time away for a holiday (about 2 ½ hours from Paris.)



MBA Group (in front of retreat center, Franceville)



While in Normandy, we visited various historical locations led by S (who had joined us in Paris as our tour guide.)  He has a wealth of historical knowledge and of WWII in particular. 

We visited Mont St Michel – I’d say one of the 8 or 9 “wonders” of the world.  I don’t have enough time to write about it and you don’t have enough time to read about it so a few pictures and possibly a google search will have to do.  It is one of the most visited sights not only in France but in the world.  I would say it is enchanting.  I’m not sure how many stair steps it is to the top, but I can confidently say A LOT!  One visit, in one day hardly is a beginning of all to see.  The cathedral and surrounding village began in the 10^th century as an abbey continuing to be added onto through the 18^th century.  Supposedly monks had lived on the island since the 6^th century.  Please take a few minutes to look it up and be amazed!  (sacred-destinations.com/france/mont-st-michel)



Mont St Michel



Mont St Michel - cloister





Michael (model for the sculpture at top)

                                                                                   

Mont St Michel



Mont St Michel - ramparts



Mont St Michel

                                                                            


Mont St Michel sillouette (as we drove away)

                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Our Our time in Normandy also included visiting all five D-day beaches.  Years are wearing away the landscape, softening the harsh terrain left by the intense battles.  But many bombed out bunkers remain and can be explored.  To walk on ground that so many lives were lost is sobering.  We also spent time at the German WWII military cemetery holding over 22,000 German soldiers.  A stop at the American National Cemetery, which is US property, in which 9,000 soldiers were buried and names on a wall list about 2,000 of missing soldiers.  It is absolutely beautiful with perfectly manicured lawns, flowers and trees.  The rose bushes still had last blooms on them. 



Pont-Du-Hoc Monument



Pont-Du-Hoc bunker remains



Pont-Du-Hoc canon base remains





American National Cemetery

                                                                              



American National Cemerery



German Military Cemetery

                                                                              

                                                                          

During our stop at the American Cemetery, we had the privilege of laying flowers at the graves of relatives of two from our group.  It was very touching as we took time at each grave to honor and commemorate the death of these and so many young soldiers.  Also as were leaving the visitor center after watching a short film on the cemetery, an elderly French couple came up to Randy, stopped him and asked in broken English if he was American.  Yes, was his reply.  The gentleman took R’s hand in both of his hands and said “Merci, merci, merci.”  Wow.  The scene brings tears to one’s eyes.  It was an incredibly moving time at the cemetery.

The city of Rouen was our last stop before leaving Normandy.  It is a city founded at the lowest point where the Seine River could be bridged.  It was severely damaged during WWII but now is a beautiful city rebuilt.  The Cathedral was a highlight to visit as it still stands as was built in the early 15^th century.  It has been made famous by Monet, who painted nearly 30 paintings of the cathedral which are now on display in a museum in Paris.  Rouen is also the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for her faith and courage. 



Rouen Cathedral



Rouen Cathedral

                                                                                

                                                                       



Rouen Cathedral

                                                                                                                                               







Rouen - Place Joan of Arc was burned at the stake

                                                                                    





Rouen

                                                                                 

Rouen

                                                                              

Rouen



Rouen

                                                                                 

Rouen

We walked the quaint old streets and enjoyed a café before leaving….

                                                                              


Mmmm... did I mention the chocolate croissants??? 

Rouen -- A wonderful place to spend a cold and cloudy afternoon with friends!