Until next time, Portugal!

Well, plans have changed yet again. I’m flying back from Lisbon right now after a strange few days. I left Aljezur on Monday morning on a 4 hour bus ride bus to Lisbon. After arriving at the bus station, I realized I couldn’t get to Montijo from that station, so I found a train that would take me further outside the city, and then another bus that stopped in Montijo. It was a little tricky figuring all this out because the bus stop wasn’t where I got off the train, so I had to do a little bit of wandering. I eventually reached Montijo, which is a really cool little city on the other side of the Vasco da Gama bridge, which crosses over the Tagus River, and is actually the longest bridge in all of Europe.

I had Maria’s address and what turned out to be vague directions to her home… which meant more wandering. This was the first time I found it incredibly challenging to ask anyone for help, because I literally couldn’t find anyone that spoke English, which was surprising because it seemed a little more metropolitan than the areas I’ve been, but also perhaps less touristy.

After an hour or so of walking in and out of shops and approaching people on the streets, I found a woman who recognized the address and was able to lead me in the general direction. Maria had instructed me to ring the bell outside this gate on the corner, but when I finally arrived at this green gate I was looking for, no one answered. So I was just hanging out trying to figure out what to do when these 2 younger girls approached the building. They were friendly, and when I managed to get across that I was looking for this woman, they led me inside to an apartment and had me put my stuff down and showed me a few bedrooms on this pretty rough looking first floor. I was trying not to stress out, but after a long day of travel and the frustration of not knowing whether I was really in the right place, I was getting a little bit worried. I tried asking if there was anywhere I could get online but there didn’t seem to be any internet cafés around. I’m not sure if these girls were tenants or what, but one of them called this woman Maria, who said she was away right now and to go upstairs to wait. I was about to leave to go find somewhere to get a drink and maybe just sit outside, when this other woman came in and took me upstairs. She brought me to this room on the fourth floor, which I think was an attic, with just a few lamps on the ground and some other random shit, told me to wait there, and then left. Hah, so at that point I kind of thought, hmm… I don’t think I’m going to do that. I don’t think it was actually dangerous, but the whole situation just seemed really shady. I lugged my stuff back out into the town, and found the police station to ask if there was a hostel in Montijo… figuring that if I could stay somewhere overnight I could at least have more time to think about what to do.

There was one guy at the station who spoke a little of English, but he informed me that weren’t any there. I knew I would have no problem finding one in Lisbon, so they kindly called me a taxi. I still didn’t know where I was going, but I remembered Laurie had recommended checking out a hostel called the Lisbon Lounge, so I asked him to take me there. He dropped me off somewhere near the centre, definitely not at the Lisbon Lounge (hah), but at this point I had no shame in asking for directions, and soon had someone point me to the Yes!Hostel. I’d never been to a hostel before, and despite the somewhat disappointing circumstances, it was really cool. Only about 15 euros a night, it’s very luxury-college-dorm-esq. The downstairs reception area doubled as a bar, and hang out for the young crowd of travelers.

Not really knowing what was going on in Montijo, and pretty stressed about how I was going to afford to travel anymore without working or volunteering for room and board, I ended up switching my flight yet again to Wednesday morning. Overall, I feel a little disappointed in myself for perhaps not waiting until I had a little more moola to do this, but I’ve also had an amazing past few weeks at Tipi Valley and don’t regret the trip one bit, even if it was shorter than originally planned. (My biggest regret at the moment is that I didn't bring more snacks with me on this 8 hour flight... how out of character for me).

The silver lining… my last few nights at the hostel were actually really fun too. I met some great people, and was able to spend all of Tuesday exploring the vibrant city, first with an early morning run amongst the hustle and bustle of commuters through the cosmopolitan streets of the centre, followed by a several hour long walking tour (offered through the hostel), and finished with a long stroll along the River Tagus to Belem with another traveler I had met on our tour (a student from University of Alabama on his spring break from his study abroad program in Scotland).

Belem is known as the port of Vasco da Gama, as this is where he left from when setting sail for the Indies and Americas (in 1497... I think?). I later read that Belem is the "spiritual home of Portugal's 'Age of Discovery' and the opening up of the East to European traders and adventurers."

We saw Jerónimos Monastery & Belém Tower, which are both UNESCO World Heritage sites. I later read that this Monastery took over 70 years to complete and was built as a tribute to Vasco da Gama's successful 2 year voyage to India.

Unfortunately we got there a little too late to climb the Belém Tower, which was built as a marine fortress to protect the harbor from attack... but still pretty cool to see.

Overall, architecture in Lisbon is so incredible. Like most everything I’ve experienced so far, pictures don’t do it justice.

And so I’m half way through another long day of travel. I was so nervous I wouldn’t wake up in time this morning (rightfully so, I don’t have a phone or alarm clock with me) but thankfully, my makeshift wake-up call (pre-arranged knocking on my door from this South African guy Andre that I had met at the hostel) was successful. One bus to the airport, layover in Madrid, plane ride to JFK, drive from the city with my dad (+ much needed stop at Whole Foods) later... and I’m home in the good ole U S of A. All in all, not a bad adventure...

Peace out Tipi Valley!

At the time I’m writing this, it’s my last night here at Tipi Valley. It’s been a great few weeks, and I’m a little sad to go… but also feeling ready for something new. Tomorrow morning, I’ll be catching a bus out of Aljezur to Lisbon, and then heading out to Montijo. The plan is to stay there for a bit with another WWOOF host. I’m not exactly sure of what I’ll be doing there… from what I gather, she’s an author and is involved in some urban permiculture work… we shall see.

Jodie and I spent our last day here (our day off) in Lagos, which is a coastal town southeast of Aljezur, situated at the mouth of the Bensafrim River and Atlantic Ocean.

We had been thinking we would take a bus, but the only one headed that way didn’t leave until noon and we wanted to get an early start… so we walked from the valley into town hoping we could hitchhike the rest of the way (about a 40 minute drive). We ended up getting picked up by this Dutch guy… who we learned had come to Portugal twenty years ago as a biologist and then retired to teach sailing in Lagos. It’s so intriguing to learn the stories of people that have ended up here. A few days ago, we hitched a ride with a girl (early 30’s I’d say) who, ironically enough, had moved to Portugal from London as a photographer after volunteering at Tipi Valley.

Jodie and I spent the day roaming through the streets of Lagos. It's relatively touristy, but the narrow streets, stucco buildings, and marina help to maintain a very authentic feel to the small city.

Sundays are pretty quiet, but we wandered in and out of a few local shops and cafés. I LOVED this one…

Freshly-squeezed carrot-apple juice… delicious.

I know showers have been few and far between, but our self-esteem took a bit of a blow after many failed attempts at hitching a ride home. Finally, these 2 young Portuguese guys on their back to Lisbon picked us up. This ride confirmed just how crazy Portuguese drivers are.

beautiful sunsets and one crazy man

You know those moments when you think… ok, where are the hidden cameras? Yesterday wasn’t too eventful, but I do need to recount the afternoon while it’s still fresh in my mind.

I’ve been doing a bit of “marketing” work for Tipi Valley this week, which means I've been walking into the village from camp every morning. The hour-ish journey is a surprisingly refreshing way to start the day, although I carry my ridiculously overstuffed backpack everywhere which can make it a little tiring. I have this desperate/prepared mentality since I never know when I'll be able to get in a good shower or where I'll be when the sun goes down and the temperature plummets, so I usually have a towel and fleece blanket strapped somewhere on my back... I'm sure it's quite a site. Yesterday I actually found a t-shirt of mine on the side of the road walking home. I have managed to start catching rides back in the afternoon. I don't think I can call it hitchhiking, because so far I have yet to actually stick my thumb up, it’s more like sympathetic foreigners (Dutch, English, so far no Portugeuse) pull over and ask me if I want a ride. That’s pretty passive hitchhiking, but I’ll take it.

Yesterday though, Laurie asked me if I wanted to ride out to this guy Mitch's “farm” to check out lumbar for tipi poles. It’s fun to see different areas of Aljezur, and especially since I’ve been walking everywhere, I jumped on the opportunity to go for a ride in the truck.

We stopped in the village to pick up this guy whose trees we were going to look at. I really wish I had a picture of this man because it’s so hard to capture him in words… Picture a backwoods drifter type.. He was British and everything that came out of his mouth seemed to be sandwiched by "bloody hell". I'm not sure when he had last bathed, but I put the truck window down when he got in. He was joined by another dude, mid-20s, similar state. not sure of his name but he had one front tooth so that will be the reference. One-tooth was also carrying a pot of food, the kind of pot you boil something in… but they were coming out of an internet café so I think he might have brought in a carry-in lunch?

Anyway, they hop in the seats behind me, watching out for the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana... aka the police) who they think are trailing us. I didn’t think we were speeding so when I asked why they were worried, I learned that it’s never good when the GNR are involved. There’s probably more to that, but fair enough.

After a few miles we pull onto a dirt road to Mitch’s place. At this point another van pulls up and this other guy they know hops in the bed of the pick-up. I'm a little nervous for this guy in the back as we continue into the woods because he walks with a crutch (I find out later he’s physically disabled from mercury poisoning and has come to stay with Mitch to fast in an attempt to rid his body of the toxins). Laurie’s also nervous because his surfboard is back there.

After we make it a ways into the woods, one-tooth and the guy on crutches take off on some trail for Mitch’s “camp”. I just caught a glimpse of the hut from the bottom of the hill where we were parked but it I didn’t get the sense it was any form of “glamping” (glamping = glamorous camping”) Mitch, Laurie (and his dog Sheesa) and I trekked through some more woods. This is when Mitch started to talk about why he was at the internet café earlier… he was checking the “world’s destruction calendar”, and proceeded to casually inform us of some specific dates when shit is going to go down. I think he said Australia and New Zealand won't exist by September of this year because of the poles reversing... you know, stuff like that. They went off to measure more future-tepee poles while I hung back… partly because I wasn’t prepared for bushwacking through prickers in my running shorts, but mostly because I needed some time to take it all in. I think that's when I looked around for the cameras.

Hah, oh man. I learned on the way drive home that my new friend Mitch is supposedly an ex-stock broker who “experimented” a bit too hard in the 80s, moved out to the woods where he now grows hallucinogenic cacti. Somehow, that cleared a lot up.



On a completely separate note, we caught a beautiful sunset tonight at Monte Clerigo!

Jodie and I are both leaving Tipi Valley on Monday. She’s headed to Peniche for a few days before heading back to the UK and I’ll be off to Lisbon for the next few weeks. We’re planning to catch an early bus to the coastal village of Lagos on Sunday for a touristy last-day in the Algarve. Should be a fun weekend!

holy shit, and a great canoe trip

Yesterday was one glorious, muddy adventure. Here is the evidence of me struggle to get out of a canoe.

This attractive photo below was taken after the feat of getting to shore, but before the preceding treck through an entire field of cow shit.

All in good spirits, of course… but our sense of accomplishment was slightly crushed after returning to Tipi Valley only to learn that we had no running water.


Starting from the beginning…

After some good food and wine at this cute café in Aljezur last night and some failed attempts at finding a taxi to get home (not too much going on in the village on Saturday nights), Jodie and I made the journey back to the valley on foot. In the pitch black, arms loaded with grocery bags, and a few glasses of wine in us…this takes about an hour. We headed to bed after our crazy night on the town, ready for the canoe trip we’ve been looking forward to all week.

The skies didn’t look too promising when we woke up this morning but we had to take advantage of our full day off. Laurie came down with a truck to help us get the canoe to the water. This involved off-roading through a cow field, which we then got stuck in before hauling it the rest of the way down to the river.

Rowing down the river took us maybe an hour and a half… and I think the best way I’ve ever arrived at the ocean.

We pulled the canoe across the beach and had some coffee at another café overlooking the water, enjoyed some lunch we had packed and spent the afternoon reading (and napping) on the sand…ah, Sunday.

On our canoe ride back, we pulled off so Jodie could collect some mussels.

The trip back up the river was a little more tiring but so peaceful. When we arrived back at the spot we had pulled out of, I jumped out to pull us on shore and quickly sank into this quick-sand like mud…laughing so hard at this point that I’m not sure how I managed to avoid a complete face plant. So now we’re so covered in mud that our flip flops won’t stay on feet, trying to make it through this field of cow shit, just dreaming of the shower that awaits us. But that would have made the night too boring.

After failed attempts at turning on the generator and trying pump more water, we resorted to boiling pots of water from the hose that fills the frog pond, and somehow bathing with that. I also forgot my one and only towel at Laurie’s yesterday, so needless to say, I've felt cleaner. But a good fire warmed us up and now it’s off to my humble abode for some mucho needed sleep… we changed the clocks last night… yay for an extra hour of beach time starting tomorrow!

good ole rainy day

I woke up this morning (a 6:55 am internal alarm clock has yet to fail me since I’ve arrived here) to the sound of pouring rain. The gloominess outside didn’t make crawling out of my warm sleeping bag(s) too enticing, but nothing that hot oatmeal and coffee can’t fix. Good timing for a rainy day too, because Laurie had asked last night if I wanted to come down to the village in the morning and work on some marketing for Tipi Valley on his computer. 

It turns out that I can’t tolerate a cold shower long enough to actually reverse days of working in the gardens, painting, running at the beach, and trying to repair a bike (will get back to that), so I was also pretty excited to get in a legitimate shower at his apartment this morning. I trekked into town from the valley this morning… most of these walks between town, camp, and the beach are pretty eventful, with the exception of some pretty intimidating dogs. I’m walking along the side of the road and see two charging at me, their owner standing ahead of me on the roadside with his arms up, palms facing me. Hah, what the hell does that mean? I thought this sign was great though...

                                           

After dropping backpack off at Laurie’s place, I went off for a run through the village. Another plus of the cloudy, cool day… perfect running weather. I’ve been wanting to check out the Saturday morning farmer’s market in the “new” part of the village, so I made sure to tuck a few euro into my shorts and planned my route to finish at the market. I stocked up on some organic greens, which don’t seem to be available at the grocery store in town, and some clementines and peanuts (thinking I might try to make some peanut butter this weekend).  

Will write again soon about my plans for the next few weeks, after I leave Tipi Valley!

(hoping black and white pics capture the rainy-day-ness)

fell in love at the seaside

ah, the kooks. love when the song playing on my ipod is so perfectly appropriate.

Hard to believe it’s already Thursday. The week seems to be flying by. Since my last post, not too much to update on work at Tipi Valley. The past few days I’ve spent painting, mostly the bamboo showers and wall by the yoga area. Some of the work has been more physically demanding, but overall I find it to be therapeutic, if that makes sense (that might be the paint fumes talking though). I’ve also got accustomed to taking a “tea break” halfway through the morning (the English girl Jodie drinks tea like I drink coffee… so it works out). Since we don’t have power in the kitchen, I’ve been making mine in a coffee percalator on the gas stove.

I usually stop work a little after noon to make us lunch. After the first day, that was the arrangement we agreed on, since I enjoy cooking and it’s actually easier for me to just make something I know I can eat (as a high maintenance vegan) and Laurie and Jodie seem happy with whatever I make so far.

On Wednesday afternoon Jodie and I walked down to Amorera beach, which is where the river meets the ocean. We didn’t catch the tide at the right time, so couldn’t cross the river, but hung out on this side…the views are breathtaking. She swam here for a bit and I had myself a little workout on this pier (you can’t complain about pushups when you’re looking out at this) and then went for a quick run. My hips have been feeling great, which is such a relief but my shins still aren’t great so trying not to overdo it (trying… but how can I resist this??)

Before walking back to the valley we had to stop for a coffee at this café, which sits alone atop this cliff. This picture makes me beyond happy…

Today I’m back in town trying to sort of my plans for the coming weeks. I’m not sure I’ll be staying at Tipi Valley the whole time I’m in Portugal. Jodie is headed to Peniche in a few weeks before heading back to the UK, and I’m thinking I might try to find somewhere around there to stay for a bit. I love what I’ve seen of the Algarve region but it would be fun to explore a different area, especially Lisbon. 

I could use a helmet

It’s Monday night and I’m sitting in the Moroccan lounge, which is now pretty much fully furnished and decorated... pretty luxurious if i do say so. We obviously don’t get internet down here, I’m posting this Tuesday afternoon from town.

It’s nice to be settled in down here, but I have been a little homesick last night and today… hoping it will pass as I get into a bit more of a routine. Last night I left the village a little too late and by the time I went to grab the bike at Laurie’s to head back to camp it was pitch black. Luckily I happened to have my headlamp in my backpack it was still a little tricky getting back because there aren’t streetlights and the road back is basically all up-hill and full of hairpin turns. Once I got on the road that Tipi Valley is on, I had to keep turning my headlamp from the road in front of me to the side because the long dirt road down to the valley is hard to find in the dark. Drivers are pretty crazy here too. I´m not sure there´s a speed limit and red lights seem pretty optional.

When I finally got down here, Jodie was in the kitchen bundled up reading so we made some tea and talked for a while before heading to our separate tents. Here’s mine below…

I was worried about staying warm during the night, especially since both my sweatshirts hadn’t dried outside yet but it turns out sleeping in 2 sleeping bags with about 7 other blankets wrapped around your body keeps you pretty toasty. Who knew?

This morning, Laurie didn’t being the other Thai guys that have been working so it was just the three of us. I worked mostly in the gardens, planting some lettuce, zucchini, and cucumbers. I hope I´m here long enough to see some of the fruit trees blossom. I saw a tiny peach today but the apricot trees are definitely my favorite. I´ll try to get a picture of one.

We didn’t start until 10 this morning so I worked until about 3, took a refreshing shower (a picture of our bamboo and cork tree outdoor shower below) before biking back to village. I’ve been trying to call home with this calling card I bought at JFK but turns out it doesn’t work in Portugal (many thanks to my new Portuguese taxi driver friend who helped me figure that out after witnessing my struggle at the payphone). I was able to find one at another shop in the village and finally spoke to my mom : )

When I got down to the valley, Jodie had made a fire but we decided to hang out in here. For dinner I had a weird combination (“weird” being a relative term for my eating habits, I suppose) of the food I’ve been traveling with and what we have here at camp. Tonight’s delicacy consisted of some zucchini, avocado, and cashews, a blueberry smoothie from the natural food store in town (with some of my brown rice protein powder added in) and of course, some chocolate. Not bad. And a meal just seems a little more badass when prepared with a headlamp.

Wrapping up for now. We´re going to explore another beach this week and hopefully on Saturday, will be taking our canoes down a river to the ocean!

Side note: I already found a prime spot for my TRX,  hanging from a cork tree. This is the yoga area when guests arrive in May.  I´ll have to take some moer pictures of the cork trees that fill the valley - they are beautiful!