[Note: I have pretty iffy access to WiFi here, so I couldn’t post this until today! Just bear with me and pretend it’s yesterday.]
Hello from Accra!
Today is Monday, July 29, the official halfway point of my trip. It’s pretty surreal to think about. On the one hand, I already feel like quite the weary traveler — I’m going to do that all again?!? — and yet I also feel like I’m just getting started. I can still remember the nerves I felt when boarding my flight to Australia, the cloud of uncertainty and apprehensive excitement that felt almost physical. It’s easy to see how far I’ve come when comparing that to my travel day yesterday, which included three trains and two planes over 24 hours. I’m very thankful that most of that anxiety has worn off because I honestly don’t think I could have made it through something like that back in June. Not to say yesterday was particularly easy — I am SICK of red eyes (probably adding to the weariness). But at least I’m confident enough to get through it despite the exhaustion.
After writing my last post, I realized I’m a bit behind on actual travel stories. And what better time to catch up than while waiting to check into my hostel!
The streets of Agueda, Portugal. Beautiful even in the 96-degree heat
My parents and I took several mini-trips through central/northern Portugal last week. On the way down to Coimbra, we stopped in Mealhada for traditional suckling pigs, served with potato chips, salads, oranges, and sparkling wine. While the town looked small, the restaurant seemed like it could hold at least 50 parties. White tablecloths were covered in a sheet of paper — for all its elegance, they knew you wanted to get your hands dirty. And we did. I seriously think my two-ish weeks in Portugal have canceled out my more than six years of vegetarianism. We also stopped in Agueda, an eclectic town known for the umbrella art installations above its main alleyways, casting colorful shadows across the cobblestone. We might have stayed longer except for the extreme heat beating down on us. It was almost as bad as it had been in Greece — still, very much worth the stop.
The day we went to Pedrógão Grande was even hotter, a whopping 104 degrees. On the way down, we stopped in the Roman ruins in Conimbriga, which was beautiful despite the weather. The intricate tile work reminded me that this architectural motif has ancient roots, even as we saw it across every Portuguese town we stopped in. The highlight of the ruins was the recovered floors covered in mosaics depicting detailed faces, geometric designs, and scenes from Roman myths. The center of the ruins even had a fountain sprouting with deep purple irises. They, however, were also wilting in the heat.
Nazaré!
My favorite trip was our drive to Nazaré. It’s a beach town almost closer to Lisbon than it is to Coimbra, known as the home to the biggest surfing waves on the planet. It wasn’t the season for the 90-foot waves that surfers from around the world travel to try their luck at, but even so, they were some of the tallest I’d ever seen with my own eyes. The best views are from the Nazaré lighthouse, which sits atop a dramatic cliff. The hike up was well worth it — I will never get over how beautiful these Portuguese beach towns look from above, mosaics of white and orange tiles beside the bright green sea. For lunch, we stopped at a popular seafood restaurant called A Tasquinha. Even though the sign in the window said “full”, the host squeezed everyone who waited into one of many cramped tables, again covered in white paper covers. He seemed to know many of the families that came in, and mentioned that another waiter was his son — when we asked the younger man if it was a family business, he said, “sometimes too much so.” My favorite dish here was the grilled sardines. I had finally mastered the art of splitting them down the middle, extracting the light meat and crispy skin, and pushing the remaining skeleton and guts to the side of my plate. They are served with olive oil, which seems simple enough, but their freshness makes them borderline addicting. I could probably eat a dozen in one sitting.
Coimbra itself was also wonderful — if I thought Porto was underrated, Coimbra was even more so. In between interviews, I explored the university grounds, botanical gardens, and city square. At night, the downtown is filled with performers singing and students drinking wine from outdoor cafes. You can hear a new song with every block you walk down. It makes the city feel rich with culture and yet not too touristy — it is a college town, after all. My parents and I were particularly impressed by the university chorus, which performed rich, almost angelic renditions of fado (traditional Portuguese music) in the hauntingly beautiful streetlight.
A view of Coimbra from the hill up to the university, taken during one of my days off.
I will miss this cozy nook in central Portugal. And, although I’m happy to keep exploring on my own, I am already missing the company of my parents. We parted ways several days ago after many assurances that I was — and will be — completely fine for the next leg of my journey. I will be the first to admit that I sometimes tell my parents things to help ease their nerves (as every hyper-independent child surely must). But I genuinely believe that I will be more than fine. I am incredibly excited for the travels to come! It’s even more true than ever.
Until next time!