parabéns.

In Portugal, more common than hearing “Feliz aniversário”, (or in other words, “Happy birthday”), on the day that’s yours and yours alone, you will most likely hear “Parabéns!”, which is, literally, “Congratulations”.  As in… “Congratulations on surviving another year of life!”  “Congratulations on breathing for 525,600 minutes in the past 365 days!”  “Congratulations on……….

When speaking of the birthday of my one true love – the first birthday of his that we shared together, face to face – I should probably say “Parabéns” as well… “Congratulations on surviving almost one entire year living in the same house as me!”  Now, knowing myself better than anyone else, I’d say that’s quite an accomplishment!  I’m so thankful that I married the most patient man in the world, because being married to me gives him lots of opportunities to exercise this great quality!

It is also to be noted that I have moved to a city that has a recurring national holiday on the same day that America celebrates her own birthday... this same day coordinating perfectly with my husband's birthday, which falls on the day after every year.  Perfect for a bit of extra time to do something special.... especially this year, when "Coimbra Day" just happened to give us a 3-day weekend!  I think this aforementioned husband of mine was looking ahead and anticipating the high level of "overboard" that I could potentially rise to when planning a dinner party, picnic, BBQ, or something similar to celebrate the day, and perhaps this was what urged him to suggest a weekend away at a Bed & Breakfast.  At the first thought of not having to cook, I agreed.  Done and done... sign me up!

We arrived at the Casal da Eira Branca and immediately appreciated the warm welcome given to us by the cheerful flowers and charming houses across the street,

...and the even warmer welcome given by the "Dona da casa" (lady of the house), who actually greeted us at our car and shook our hands there.  Yet another moment of my life that felt like I was in a movie... For me, the charm of a personal, heart-felt, face-to-face greeting stands high above a knowledgeable concierge in a 3-piece suit, who greets you with a simple nod from behind a lectern covered with fliers for local restaurants.  This felt real, and there's not much better than that when you just want to get away for a little bit of this...

and a little bit of this...

It certainly was picturesque, with brightly colored accents and hydrangeas to liven the already cheerful location.  Overlooking hills and a bountiful natural landscape, this site offered us exactly what we wanted... a quaint area to rest and rejuvenate!

typical Portuguese cobblestone...

 

  

 

Our room was one of only a few, another perk of vacationing in small village Nowheresville...

... but it definitely was not lacking in the service department!  I tend to judge these "rural tourism" (i.e. Bed & Breakfast) places here, since most take more pride in their picturesque location than the quality of their beds, pillows, showers, etc.  I had almost sworn off rural tourism for good, admitting that I would almost rather have a weekend at home if it meant sleeping on our new memory foam mattress (seriously, go buy one today)... but thankfully, Casal das Eira Branca changed my mind!

Our room was quaint but wonderful...

with all new Ikea furniture and bedding, a personal refridgerator, wardrobe closet, lots of books and magazines in English, and complete with a personalized terrycloth robe for each of us!

 

Additionally, one of the reasons we chose this place was because they had a pool.  Too bad it was too windy to actually swim!  Instead, we lounged on poolside lawn chairs that had personal, adjustable sun protection.... brilliant, eh?

I also busied myself taking photos of the adorable bathrooms designated just for the pool area... check out that amazing mirror and those fun lanterns!

We went out to a restaurant (read: dinky diner) for some typical Portuguese food for dinner... the man of the hour is Portuguese after all!  Here's a shot of him looking handsome watching a soccer game on TV...

and displaying his dinner... just for the blog... 

... and we can't leave out the lovely, hand-painted Portuguese tiles that Portugal is famous for!

In the house where I grew up, it would be a crime if I didn't mention a great deal that I found during our mini-vacay as well... so without further adieu, I would like to introduce the work of Sr. Bordallo Pinheiro!  On our way home, we stopped in Caldas da Rainha, which is known for their pottery stores.  Bordallo pottery is famous in Portugal (and known to be very expensive!), and my dear friend Cristi introduced me, then perhaps caused me to fall in love with some of his stuff! He's famous for many different styles, but I like his solid color pieces best.  You can see that we have a set of round ivory plates that combine perfectly with these great charcoal grey colored platters/chargers we picked up...

Look how well the pieces fit with our super cheap 50 cent grocery store bowls that I score earlier this year too!

Of course we couldn't leave without a few other platters and bowls to match!  Normally, this tiny little store has only one small room with a table in back with discounted pieces due to defects... but we discovered on arrival that they had opened up an entire second floor that was entirely on sale!  These plates, without their tiny defects, were originally 11€50 ($16.50!!) per plate, but we got them for 3€ each!  The bowls and platters were 4€, I think, and overall we got out of there under 45€!  I'm thinking on our way back from the States, maybe we should stop there again and pick up some things to sell on eBay... maybe that's how we will be able to afford to travel the world and see more beautiful architechture like this in Caldas!

We had a fabulous weekend relaxing, and that was just the beginning!  We both worked on Tuesday, the actual birth day, and in fashionable Portuguese tradition, we brought a cake to the rehab center for Luis's Occupational Therapy staff to enjoy.  It's common in Portugal for the person to bring their own cake, treat someone to coffee, etc, to celebrate his/her birthday.  Since our dear American friends were out of the country on the 4th of July (the aforementioned city-wide holiday), we didn't do much to celebrate... but I decided I would add a bit of America's birthday to Luis's... and disguised it inside the cake!

[Interruptive side note]:  When making a flag cake like this one, block out your evenings for the course of a week and freeze each layer (even if frozen cake is kind of gross).  And whatever you do, do not make the cakes from scratch.  It takes an absurdly long time.  And don't think that one little bottle of food coloring is going to do the trick.  You will have to return to the store at 9 pm to buy more, and your blue will still look turquoise.  Not to mention you will fear death by food coloring poisoning.  Your white cake recipe will never look white unless it comes out of a box.  Period.  And it will probably never look as nice as your original inspiration.  Everyone will love it, though, and you will be proud... of yourself AND your country.  Even if every time you serve a piece you have to ask "Do you know which country flag this is?".  Every time.  And you will probably never make it again.  But at least you can say you did it once!  [End interruptive side note].

The O.T. staff and some others serenaded Luis with song, we drank champagne in the middle of the day, and all was well in the world.

We left to enjoy a great view near our secluded dinner restaurant...

Luis surprised me, as I didn't even know that one could access the "back side" of the city, but there are some great parks with even greater romantic spots to walk, sit and chat, and just enjoy each other!

After much weeping (me, not him), I agreed to forgo the idea of having a dinner party with our friends and we instead went to an Italian (!!!!) restaurant a bit outside of the city, nestled in this little forested area.  It was rumored to be one of the most delicious restaurants in this area, and it was our first time.  Good thing we arrived at 7.30 and not 8.00... we sure did beat the crowd! 

There wasn't a soul inside the restaurant at this time of night, as the Portuguese normally eat dinner much later.  We had to wait about 20 minutes for the serving staff to finish their own dinner!  It was worth it though... Feast your eyes on this gnocchi in cream sauce...

It was delicious. Better than delicious.  I have eaten real Italian gnocchi in Italy and it didn't even compare to this!  I forgot to shoot a photo of Luis Miguel's meal, but trust me, delish as well.  Pirates of the Caribbean III concluded our night, an entertaining conclusion to quite a delightful day!

I'm so grateful that you were born, Luis Miguel Coelho Santos Almeida!  Who needs a dinner party when I get to spend every day with you?!?!  Happy birthday once more, Love... and since I'm posting this a bit late, happy 11 months of marriage today as well!

fifth.

Dear Luis Miguel,

You would think that a woman who loves to write as much as I do wouldn't have any trouble with a simple "happy birthday" blog for her sweet husband... but here I am at midnight, on the third draft of this love letter of sorts, searching desperately for the right words to express my undying love.  Perfectionist, I know.

I know you don't need the words, and moreover, you definitely don't need the hype, the cake, the confetti, the banner, or the dinner party... and, funny enough, that's one of the things that this "planner" loves most about you!  (Though it would be fun to have a dinner party to use those nice platters your adorable self picked out this weekend!)  :)  You see, my love, one of the best parts about us being together is the balance that we bring to each other.  Or, in the words of the famous M.C.Harritt, you're the "calm to my crazy".

I see it in your endless optimism, constantly encouraging me to see the sunnier side of things...

I see it in your attentive patience when you care for your clients, and later, when you have become not only their therapist, but their friend and big brother as well...

I see it in your quiet strength as you hold my hand when life get's overwhelming and I just need a good cry...

I see in your incredible sense of balance, being able to stand on one foot on the beach and not fall, even when someone pushes you.

I see it in your servant's heart, always wanting to do the best and be the best for me...


I see it in your quick forgiveness, making sure a grudge never sticks around long...

I see it when you are regularly singing and/or whistling, which is charming and reminds me of my dad and grandpa at the same time...

I see it in your joyful smile, always ready to say something funny when someone needs cheering up...

And lastly, I definitely see it when we attend a themed dinner party... Never did I think I would marry someone who enjoys dressing up as much as I do!


In all these things and easily a thousand more, I realize how true it is that we were created for each other, and how you make my life more fun, more rich, and definitely more joyful!  As Tad Carpenter (a random guy that I don't know) said, "What I love most about my home is who I share it with."  Isso é tão verdade, realmente!

Tu enches meus dias com sol e minhas noites com estrelas, para sempre lembrar-me como a vida realmente é maravilhosa.  Não posso imaginar minha vida sem ti... Amo-te muito, minha coisinha fofa!

lavender.

Have you ever seen a tree with lavender blossoms?  Leave it to Portugal to surprise me once again!

I haven't had a chance to blog much lately, as my schedule has filled up pretty quickly with a job (YAY!!!  Praise God!) (more on that later) and the beach, which, when you really think about it, isn't something the blog can really compete with.  Sorry.  You can be sure, though, that the next few blogs will enrich your lives in such a way that you won't even remember the 3.5 weeks that I didn't blog at all.

Happy spring-almost-summer!  Unless, of course, you live in Wisconsin or Minnesota, in which case you have just received another bout of frosty weather.  Maybe these chilly temperatures are just another incentive to come visit Portugal??

On a more serious note, our sincerest thoughts and prayers are with those in Minneapolis and Joplin who have suffered immeasurable loss as a result of the servere weather this week.  We pray that hope rises out of the devastation and not only hope, but a renewed sense of life and community as well.  We know God's ever-present hand will heal and provide for all that was lost.

See you on the flip-side... which can probably be translated to "this weekend", but no promises... With the first sign of sun, I'm headed to the sea!

birthday.

Imagine that you have a 5 day weekend over the Easter holiday.  Now close your eyes really tight and try to wish yourself to Portugal, where these sorts of things actually happen.  After you realize that wishing just isn't enough, comfort yourselves by thinking that the 5 days before and the actual 5 day weekend had a forecast of rain.  Grey, unfriendly rain.  Definitely not the kind of rain that allows you to drive to the beach and "wait it out" while you eat sandwiches in the car.  This rain keeps you inside for days on end.

Now imagine it's your birthday weekend as well. Bet you're getting pretty discouraged, eh?

Don't be!  Chin up!  Your fabulous, budget-savvy, and super handsome international husband found a great deal on a beachfront venue... in one of the few cities where it WASN'T raining this weekend!  You now have permission to be happy!  Well... that is... if you're me.  Which you're not.  (But if you come visit, you could come a little closer to being me.  Just saying.)  But be happy anyway!  You get to see photos!

Just to save you the time scrolling down to the actual photos (and with the hope that after seeing the photo here, you will actually read the story instead of skipping to the photo...:) ), here is the view we had for 2 days...

Amazing, eh?  That's Portugal for you.  And our guest room is ready whenever you are.  Just sayin'.

We started our trip with a visit to the Grutas de Mira de Aire... the biggest caves in Portugal.  But not before a picnic lunch in a roadside park... whose sign warned us about... bats?

An ironic coincidence, to say the least, considering we were miles away from the caves... which didn't have bats anyways.  I digress.... but not before I show you a super fabulous castle that we just happened to pass by on our way to the caves... the shooting of which my ever-patient husband tolerated while I schlepped out of the car while he waited on the side of a slightly dangerous curve on a hilly little village road.  Oh, the things we do for love.

Not only were there castles along the way, but there were sheep to greet us upon arrival.  After walking through a sparse parking lot, we approached the small store that sold the tickets, which just so happened to be across from a small grassy area with a wooden fence which apparently was there to keep the sheep in.  I kept creeping lower to try to see his eyes, but each time I stooped, so did he... elusive little sheep.

As for the aforementioned caves, no description does them justice, and I would need an f-1.2 lens to capture them in their glory since it was so dark, so you will need to view the location's personal website and Google and click on the photos to see how great it really was.  Click now!  I promise it's worth it.  I remember my grandparents showing me photos of caves like these in the States, but never have I experienced such amazing forces of nature, working such marvels at such a slow pace. The formations are hundreds of years old, and 500 meters deep underground.  As the water (humidity from being underground) drips from the ceiling, it brings with it sediments of the stone, thus forming long "stalactites", or extensions of the rock which hang suspended from the ceiling like this...

 

They then drip water off of themselves, depositing sediment on the rocks below, which form small pillars everywhere... stalagmites... at a rate of 1 millimeter per year.

 
That's right, per YEAR.  Unreal.  And yes, I do realize what they really look like.... but they are rocks, people.  Rocks.

With each staircase we descended, each spectacle became more breathtaking than the one before...

I couldn't help but imagine God's joy in creating something so hidden, yet so magnificent, and something which created marvel after marvel year after year.

And... speaking of God... for those who think He's only in America... think again...

Upon arriving at our destination, we relaxed on a balcony and drank in the seaside air... which, might I add, was full of clouds, which made it feel a bit grey, but without rain, it felt heavenly.  Here's the same view as above, only on the day we arrived...

We had a lovely dinner, which we dressed up for... Is it just me, or does dressing up seem to make a simple meal a whole lot more special???

Too bad the server got that ugly rolling cart in the photo and I no longer have a Photoshop program to edit it out.  Sad.

The next morning brought a bit of fresh air that created a seaside haze... which just can't really be appreciated anywhere else except for on the sea...

... and to give it some time to pass, we headed into a local town called Caldas da Rainha ("spa of the queen") to find an evangelical church we had heard about.  It was Easter after all!  [insert cheesy Christian grin + thumbs up here].  We couldn't get a hold of anyone to find out service times before we left... or after we got there... or that morning (welcome to Europe)... but after assuming it was probably at 11 am, we made it with quite a bit of time to spare!  Good thing, considering we had to ask about 6 locals before actually finding the church, which was not, in fact, on the street that was listed as the address.  No worries... that's why there are locals!

I mention this story for two reasons:  (ok, three)  1) So my mom knows I went to church on Easter, 2) Because the entire service was a very, very strange and out-of-the-ordinary mime-with-powerpoint presentation... first one for the kids (1 hr) and second, one for the adults (30 min).  It included, to be brief, a large pink Easter bunny costume, lots of singing to soundtracks, a Christmas tree, and... to finish it off... 3) the "actors" left the stage to the final song on the Sister Act soundtrack, "I Will Follow Him", complete with Whoopie's solo parts here and there.  Wowzers.  I am disappointed in myself that I didn't take photos, since so many parents took photos of the bunny (cleverly discovering the message of Jesus for the first time), but I can't do anything about that now, can I?

The service concluded with a message from an English pastor (giving the message in Portuguese of course).  Clearly, as with the story above, this piece has no real meaning for the blog entry, except to mention that 1) he used a Power Point presentation with various photos of Jesus life, our lives, etc... talked about building our house on the rock and not the sand... and then proceeded to show a very dated photo of a woman building a sandcastle on the beach... which completely enhanced his message... except for the fact that she was topless.  That's right... she was topless. In church.  To his credit, she was wearing a large floppy sun hat, which provided adequate shadow over her bare bosom... but the poor guy was so concentrated on his message that I'm not sure he realized why people were snickering.  Wowzers again.  After that #1, it doesn't really seem worth it to mention #2, but I will... 2)  He spoke Portuguese with an English accent, so it was really easy for me understand his Portuguese!  (Note:  normally, for me, the words "easy" and "understanding Portuguese" rarely, if ever, appear in the same sentence!)  This in itself could be proof that Jesus is in indeed alive today!

After walking around Caldas da Rainha for a bit after church (I'm including a photo, as many people have shown interest in random city photos),

we headed back to church with some roasted chicken for our picnic lunch at the beach... er, pool... because it was quite windy and cool on the beach.  We made do, though, and I can't really complain, since this was the view of the pool from above...

... and this was our view from the deck!

Since my stolen Kindle had been replaced by a new one for my birthday (thanks, Mom & Dad!), Luis and I both started reading Stieg Larsson's Milennium series together and had ourselves a lovely Easter afternoon.  We would have swam in the indoor pool, provided it wasn't full of screaming children, excruciatingly stuffy and chloriney, and if you didn't have to purchase a swim cap for two euros and then wear it. Gah.  For real, Portugal, get with the times.  Nobody needs swim caps anymore.  Sunny enclosed deck with no wind and a view of the ocean, though?  I'll take it.

In terms of relaxing, the beds weren't the softest and the pillows had lumps, but comparitively speaking, I really can't complain, since the sound of the lazy waves lapping the shore put us right to sleep!  I'm now convinced that this is the best sound to fall asleep to.  And, on a side note, I, like every other American, do really love sunset walks on the beach... 

... even when the path there is fairly long... (but flanked by a beautiful wall!)

... and the descent slightly steep... (see the stairs over on the right?)

... the walk lined with enormous, man-eating cacti...

... the waves quite rough...

 ... and even when the water is chilly...

 ... having the sun on your back and the sand between your toes is worth it!

And aren't these stone stairs so beautiful?  I do believe their texture and personality were formed from years and years of the waves making an impression as the tide came in and out...

A few other things worth noting:

1)  The dusk light through the door to our veranda, combined with the ocean waves and the curtains from the early 70's, was quite serene...

2)  Just to give my dad a little incentive to visit, this venue also had a golf course... But let me just ask this to the general blogosphere... Am I the only one that thinks that sticking a road in the middle of a golf course is not the smartest idea...??

 3) I love big floppy sun hats... but not as much as I love my husband for a fabulously thoughtful birthday weekend!

4)  And, just because... my favorite shot of the weekend!

5)  And last, but not least, a reminder that our celebration was not just about our gratitude that I have another year to live life to the fullest (and my last year in my 20s at that!), but more, that we were celebrating our reason to celebrate:  the miracle of Christ's resurrection on Easter morning, which reminds us that...

Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right.
Faith and Hope triumphant say...
"Christ will rise on Easter Day"!

::: Phillip Brooks, an Easter Carol :::

 

Seeing this small plant triumphantly growing up through a crack in this lifeless rock on the beach reminded me that death is strong, but life is stronger.  Like this boulder, life is heavy, cracked, and lifeless at times, but because of Christ's resurrection and final sacrifice for us, we can poke through the cracks and live... and triumphantly at that!  We have no need to earn our salvation, to prove our worth in God's sight, to clean up our lives so that He will love us.  We have every reason to grow, though, because He promised that we would!  

But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
   whose confidence is in him. 

They will be like a tree planted by the water
   that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
   its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
   and never fails to bear fruit.”   

::: Jeremiah 17:7-8 :::