Saudade, vai-te embora do meu peito tao cansado....

I miss the sea. I miss the blue, blue skies of the land that seems to be drifting further and further away from me.

This bench is a reminder of so many happy memories. It is a typical portuguese bench found in most parks and public places. A place of rest after running like a little goat, a wild little goat with my friends.

Porto

My parents lived in Porto when I was born. But this is not my birthplace. They would be visiting my father's parents in what was then a very small town by the name of Povoa de Lanhoso over the Christmas Holidays and that is where I chose to be born. Legend has it that I was born in the same place as Maria da Fonte and that was my nick name for a long time growing up. I had a lot of her characteristics too. I was a tough cookie.

I no longer see myself that way. Perhaps age takes away our courage. Perhaps it was a myth all along.

Sunset

This was the view I had every evening as I sipped my coffee. Pictures do not do any justice to the spectacle that blessed my eyes....

This fabulous detail is in the house of the author Moreno's residence in the city of Porto. His granddaughter still lives there today. I had the honor of spending an entire afternoon with her last year. An incredible woman of astounding intelligence and great writing talent herself, although she practiced medicine her entire life. I could have spent days on end in her company.

She had a crisp and energetic voice of a young woman. It was hard to believe she is in her late eighties. What an incredible spirit!