Vancouver!

It was a long journey from Lisbon to Vancouver. And transiting in London was not as smooth as it usually is - instead of changing terminals, I left the boarding area altogether. In all fairness, it was not a big deal (I managed to find my way back pretty quickly!) and it might be the reason why I was provided with one of those moments, which are thought only to happen in movies - as I walked through a corridor, I found myself completely alone. Through the glass windows, I could see people moving and talking on the floor below but couldn't feel that energy, couldn't listen to all that sound.

Shortly after boarding on the plane to Calgary, we were told by a friendly voice welcoming us on board that that was the captain's very last commercial flight - he would be retiring at the end of it. And as we approached our destination, he told us that flying had been his childhood dream and that he was very happy for having fulfilled it; he mentioned how, by summing up all the hours he spent flying, he realised that he had been up in the air for more than three years - slightly over one hour per each day of his life; finally, he thanked us, passengers, for having allowed him to live the way he did. He really sounded magnanimous, which was why, when I walk passed him on the way out, he looked rather short...

Anyway, this wouldn't be the last time I would see him. He joined me on the plane from Calgary to Vancouver - this time as a passenger. I wondered if he realised that, from that moment onwards, he would be spending most of his time on the ground? And that it might come a time in which he will have to say to people that he spent ten minutes per each day of his life flying?

Soon enough it was time to land in cloudy Vancouver...

Message in a bottle

Have you ever thought about sending a message in a bottle? Have you ever wondered to whom you would address it and what you would write? Have you ever considered the advantages and disadvantages of throwing it from one spot or another?

I stopped wondering about all this the moment I sent my very own message in a bottle. What I can tell you is that it was addressed to someone in particular and that it was heartfelt; I can also tell you that the pretty bottle, which happens to be pretty robust as well, was thrown to the Atlantic on a cloudy afternoon; and that, after a couple of minutes watching it drift with the tide, it was time to start wondering if the bottle will ever reach the person it was addressed to - will it ever reach someone at all? Or something?

Regardless of what happens next, if something happens next, it was pleasant to walk to the lighthouse while listening to the sound of waves breaking all around; it was nice to smell the sea and realise just how salty it is; but, most of all, it was great to do something and hope for the best. Because hope is definitely a good thing...

A shoppingless view of Porto

In the last couple of years, several shopping malls have opened in Porto. Regardless of whether that is a good or a bad thing, if ever you are thinking about coming over for a visit, note that it is not only possible but also recommended to go around them.

You should know that the city is very nice and, since it provides the possibility to take a trip up the river Douro, it allows combining urban with what I can only describe as rural tourism.

Its historic centre can´t be missed. I would suggest going for a walk downtown ("Baixa") and have a coffee in "Café Majestic"; afterwards you can go to "Ribeira" – in both sides of the river – and then go up the "Torre dos Clérigos", not far from another nice area, "Cedofeita".

Outside the historic centre, there's "Boavista" – the Music House is just by the roundabout and, in my opinion, its guided tour is really worth it – and also "Foz do Douro", where you can walk by the sea or, if visiting in the summer months, go to the beach.

When I´m in Porto I always make sure to have a look at the city from the street "General Torres" – Porto never looks as beautiful from any other place; I always make sure to go and have a look at the books at "Lello" – a bookshop further up "Torre dos Clérigos"; and I always make sure to go for a coffee in one of the many pleasant places, which you will be able to spot downtown. But that's just me.

In any case, bear in mind that you can take the metro from the airport to the city centre; that you should be cautious at night; and, finally, that not everybody speaks English but everyone will try to help you in any way they can.

Lemon cake

The day I baked a lemon cake for the first time

- it was sunny and the light casted over everything and everyone brought out fairytale-worthy colours;
- my very good friend Maria José gave me a call and we had a really nice chat;
- I paid a visit to the magnificent Bolsa Palace and was fascinated by the exquisiteness of its Arabian Room;
- I joined my old friend António for coffee in "Guarany", a lovely tea room not far from the town hall;
- and, weighing 2,7 kg, my niece Sofia was born.

Incredible India

The last book I bought in Thailand was "The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana". While reading the introduction by John W. Spellman, I realised that, in India, the goals of human life have long been defined and can be listed as follows:

- dharma (right conduct, in accordance with what is the natural order of things);
- artha (the pursuit of wealth and material security);
- kama (desire, affection, love, sensual pleasure);
- and, if the previous three are done sucessfully, moksa (the ultimate liberation of the soul from the cycle of rebirths).

It was interesting to read that a lot of importance is attached to the accumulation of material goods; as it was refreshing to find out that sexual pleasures are perceived as one of the most delightful joys of which man partakes – so much so that to neglect them is the same as to deny what we are.

From what I know, most religions focus too much on virtue and repress human sexuality to unhealthy levels. As a matter of fact, if it would depend on the first Catholics and Buddhists human societies would be made out of angels and monks and sensual pleasures would be cataloged as one of the biggest obstacles to the achievement of purity and enlightment. This is the reason why I was so happy to realise that Hinduism is different.

It is true that it is possible to spot serious problems in contemporary Indian society. My admiration, however, goes to ancient Indian civilization and one of the products of this civilization is the above-mentioned book – a literary classic, which has survived for over a millennium. It is in this book that we can read inumerous insightful passages, including the one below:

"Of all the lovers of a girl, he only is her true husband who possesses the qualities that are liked by her, and such a husband enjoys real superiority over her only because he is the husband of love."

And I don't know about you but I never found anything quite like it in the Bible...

Easter by the sea

When I left Portugal a couple of months ago, I didn’t know when I would be coming back. As it turns out, I ended up in Porto spending yet another Catholic holiday with the family.

Easter Sunday was one of those beautiful spring days, which make you want to be outside all the time. This was the reason why, shortly after lunch, three of us went for coffee by the sea.

The sun was shining in such a way that we decided to go for a walk by the beach. But we realised soon enough that the wind was blowing too strongly. Be that as it may, we still managed to take in the pale yet defined colours of the landscape – with the Atlantic as mighty as ever in the background.

At the end of the day, just before I stepped inside the house, I looked towards where the sun had just set and the red colours made me think that the next day would be another sunny one. And it was. It was also the day I found out where I will be going next.

The end of a chapter

When I first arrived in Thailand, I wanted to enjoy a two-week holiday with Ene and Kairit and then... start getting serious! It didn't take long for me to realise that I was not quite there yet; what I wanted, what I needed, was to spend some time relaxing and exploring such a fascinating corner of the world.

Interestingly enough, this realisation came around the time I was confronted with reduced mobility issues - almost as if life was trying to tell me to slow down... But even if the timing of said issues was nothing but coincidence, the truth is that I conscientiously decided to indulge and haven't regretted it for a second.

Throughout the last couple of months, I had more than a fantastic time; and everything I saw, everything I experienced, doesn't even compare to the greatness of all the people I met along the way - and who will always have a special place in my heart.

If there are things, which I will definitely not miss (including being ripped off all the time!), there are others, which I will miss, namely never feeling cold, the tastiness of the fruits and, most of all, the colourfulness and liveliness of it all.

I have surely learned a lot from this whole experience but might only realise exactly what I'm taking with me further down the line - much as I realised during the last couple of months that my way of dealing with a number of situations was the result of what I experienced in the past.

But even though there are things I will miss, even though this was one of the most enriching experiences ever, I'm not sorry I'm leaving because what I now want, what I now need, is to... start getting serious! The time has definitely come to move on and start heading towards the life of purpose I wished all along - even if I am not yet 100% sure how that life will look like...