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The top 5 things I miss the most about Portugal

September 4, 2013

I am not one to complain and spend my days sighing for the life I left back home in Portugal (otherwise, why would I have moved, right?) but there are always things that I feelare missing. During my latest visit the other week I thought I’d show them to you, in no particular order.

The bread 

Omg, how I miss the bread. Not that there aren’t nice breads in England but I have to say that the bread that can be found in Portugal is in general a lot better. (sorry!) My favourite is from Alentejo, a region in the South of Portugal and I think the best way to describe it would be that it is a sort of sour dough. When it’s freshly baked the outside crust is brown and crispy and the inside white and soft. It goes well with virtually everything – butter, cheese or  even dipped in good olive oil. Deliciousness!

 The light

The light has to be one of the main things I have been missing in the last 3 years. Not only because photos look a lot nicer when the light is bright but also because of my mood.  This past Winter was hard and long and my happiness levels were crumbling down – it was difficult not to feel crappy when it was cold and miserable for so long… I had never thought how the lack of direct sunlight would be affecting me so much until the Summer arrived and I had an immediate mood boost. Maybe I should get one of those special lamps to keep me perked up through the Winter.

The seafood and the hundreds of ways off cooking salted cod

I think the title says everything. We are a country by the sea with warm weather in the Summer -the best combination for having delicious meals al fresco of all sorts of grilled fish and seafood. Our national dish is also the salted cod and we really have a gazillion way of preparing it, from simply boiled to other more sophisticated and inventive ways with sauces, and side dishes. You really have to go there to try it! The photo above was one of my lunches, of grilled squid, which I never really have the opportunity of eating here.

The fantastic views all over Lisbon

 Not everywhere will have the same view as above but as the city sprawls over a few hills, you always have a different perspective wherever you are. This makes for a lot of beautiful views and there are a lot of view points with gardens and seating you can take advantage of, particularly in the Summer. The area of the country where I am is flat as a pancake and that makes for a fairly boring landscape sometimes. Maybe I’m too used to living in a hilly city, I don’t know.

Friends and Family

Last but not least, of course. I’ve been here for 3 years now and I am happy to report that I still have good and close friends back at home. You can see me and my friend in the above photo – we got the Saudade tattoo exactly one year before we took this photo on our trip to the beach. Distance means nothing when someone is close to your heart.

Stay tuned for the next and last post on my latest trip to Portugal – more adventures and outfits coming your way!