Monday, April 06, 2009

Portuguese Pleasure


Ahhhh... Here we are in Portugal again. As I said, it's now 2 years and 8 months since we said goodbye to our season of life in Portugal and all I can say is that it feels really pleasant, familiar and comfortable to be here.

Look at that church in the photo above. It pushes out into the road that leads into the center of the village where we lived. So pretty! So totally unlike any of the beauty we enjoy in Africa. I feel fat and full of life to think that I have the privilege of experiencing such different worlds.

You know what I love about here? I love our friends. I looked around the room during the party on Friday night and thought, "Look at all these crazy people that I love." Drums, guitars, food, friends, noise, children, laughter, tears, prayers, ridiculousness. What a fine list of ingredients for a night.

A brief list of highly enjoyables:

Portuguese coffee
Portuguese bread and butter
Portuguese bread and butter with Portuguese cheese
Portuguese bread and butter with Portuguese cheese and wine
Portuguese barbequed chicken (with Portuguese bread and butter)
Walks on rocky Portuguese paths to rocky Portuguese beaches with Carey

FYI I declined the dip in the cold Atlantic with her. I used to always jump in with Carey but my African blood is a little thin right now.

Now, on the yet-to-be-enjoyed list there is really only one thing outstanding...

I need a morning pastelaria stop. This stop will have to be at some highly frequented very local pastry shop where I can order a warm pastel de nata and a piping hot meia de leite. Translation: I need a cream pastry (similar to a little custard thing) and Portuguese latte. Yes.

Byron thinks it's funny that my pleasures here seem to be all about food. Food AND friends, Byron. Food and friends... What could be better than that??

7 comments:

katrina said...

haha Thank you God for food and friends! :-) I just returned to Spain for a visit as I lived there last year and had a similar list of food highlights!

Sue said...

Eat and make merry, Lisa. So rich and good. Food and Friends. Jesus must rejoice at it all!!!

Tehur said...

I want to take you on a pastelaria date!!!!! Message me when you are back, I usually have mornings off and I am missing yáll something fierce!Love you!

P.S. I love my job, its so stressing:P

Jenelle said...

I'm somewhat shocked you haven't stopped in at a pasteleria yet!?!? I would also like you to eat one of those little empenada things for me...esp the ones near my old apartment...at the pastry shop with the good juices. Have you hugged Jasmin yet?

Trevor Borden said...

ITS ABOUT TIME YOU GET HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Max and Gina are so great. I love it here. I think that I may have become a republican though :)


TREVOR

lisa said...

I'm getting antsy to get to where you guys are, now. So glad you're enjoying Max and Gina and TX. Just remember, Gina comes from a long line of democrats :-) xx

Abril said...

i'm the same with food. when people ask me what i miss about ____, I always start with a list of food and beverages, and then realize that might sound a bit strange when my family and/or good friends live there. my excuse is that those are, of course, a given.