Obrigado

Portugal is cool.  Especially because I  like tile, urban art, beaches, big waves, funiculars, coffee, and inexpensive adventure!

Months ago, my dear friend Steph Johnes and I realized that we’d be in Europe at the same time.  For the past six years, Steph has been creating a documentary film about a surfer, Maya Gabeiro who lives in Nazaré in the winter.  Maya holds the world record for the largest wave surfed by a female - 67 feet!  Nazaré is located an hour and a half north of Lisbon.  Steph said last year, “Come to Portugal for Thanksgiving.” I agreed without hesitation.

Steph and I share a wonderful friend, Elie McLaren. We affectionately call her GrandMcMummy.  Elie and Steph’s mom are forever best friends and Elie lived in Park City for years.  Steph introduced me to Elie when I was pregnant with Brewster in 2004.  We bonded instantly and Elie has been our surrogate grandmother ever since.  She hosted my kids for overnights and playdates since they were newborns. 

When Elie heard that Steph and I were meeting in Portugal in November, she hopped on our travel train.  She planned to meet her son, Brooks and his Brazilian wife, Ana Paula in Lisbon.  Ana Paula’s sister lives in Lisbon and so it was a prefect excuse to all rendezvous in Southern Europe.

Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?  Being with family or friends.  I loved our holiday plan.  Portugal is Europe on sale.  I heard once that it is Spain’s Mexico.  True that!  Our flights, accommodations and meals were  30% less than France.

Steph recommended visiting Porto first.  We flew directly there on Tuesday night from Marseille.   I rented a two bedroom airbnb in the heart of the city so we could walk everywhere.   Our first stop in Porto on Wednesday morning was the Lello Bookstore, one of the oldest and most beautiful bookstores in Europe.   This place inspired JK Rowling’s Hogwart's library.  We bought a ticket next door at the café and we knew we were in Harry Potterland when we saw a cart with Harry Potter props.  Sadie was psyched!

The book store lived up to its reputation.  It was a two story historic building lined with wooden bookshelves.  A grand staircase filled the middle of the store and a large stainless window covered the ceiling on the second floor.