Last week I wrote about how Lisbon had stopped feeling like a trip and started feeling like life.
It kind of felt like we had our own little neighbourhood. Even our favourite restaurants. And our walking routes. And our little place felt like home. We truly loved the location!
And then, before we knew it, we had to leave it.
The Last Days in Lisbon
We started the week heading back out to Cascais because we loved it so much the first time. We ended up finding a cute mom and pop restaurant and the meal ended up being one of our top meals of the whole trip! (We love to rate out meals on what position they fit in comparison to all out meals… our meal in Porto is still holding strong though) .
From Cascais, we walked along the water to the next town to catch the train back to Lisbon. It was quieter than the first time we’d done that walk. We finished off our “last full non working day” with a visit to Leon Bistro (which I always get confused and call it Chez Leon) which was one of my fave places in Lisbon.
The next few days we did some walking around, but it was mainly work time. We did walk about checking out some hotels for next year’s retreat in Portugal (we will spend a few days in Lisbon before going to the Algarve for the retreat).
We checked a few more areas we hadn’t explored, had a delicious meal in a less touristy neighborhood, and then had an ok lunch in a very touristy areas. We couldn’t resist the lure of the location, knowing we would likely sacrifice cost and maybe quality (although the food was decent). And of course we had to go say goodbye to my new friend at the Cookie House. He had just opened when we arrived in Lisbon, and already I think we were some of his favourite clients:)
Walking through Lisbon those last couple of days, it was weird to think about how everything that had been new at the beginning now felt familiar. The streets I used to have to use my map to figure out now just made sense. And I loved how the little spots we’d discovered had become “our” spots.
And that is what I learned about spending a month somewhere. You end up settling in. You build a rhythm. Your nervous system stops orienting and starts belonging. I definitely recommend it!
And then you leave….
Starting Over
On Friday, we headed to the airport so we could pick up a rental car, and then we headed south. We decided to do a little detour to check out Evora.
Evora is known for their Roman ruins and the Chapel of Bones, which is exactly what it sounds like. About 5,000 bones making up the walls. It’s intense, but fascinating too. The Roman ruins were also pretty interesting to see. To think how long they have been there!
The town of Evora itself is cute. All white buildings with red Spanish-looking tiled roofs.
But seeing the uniformity, I realized how much we’d been spoiled by the colours of Lisbon and Porto. There’s something about all that colour on the buildings that just makes a city feel alive! Evora, while cute and had some fascinating history, felt a bit flat to look at in comparison.
We then headed to our destination for the next week: Comporta.
Comporta is supposed to be the “Hamptons of Portugal”. The new Algarve. Everyone’s coming here, apparently. And honestly? We were wondering if we were missing something.
We were very grateful to have a friend of a friend who rented us their place for the week, but the area itself feels (and is!??!) very unfinished. Lots of construction. Lots of building vacation type homes. But everything was “under construction” .
Even where we are staying still feels a little cold. Kind of in the middle of nowhere. Tiny fridge. No bath (again!). Harsh lighting and then concrete floors (I know they are modern and cool, but they are not cozy).
And this is where the nervous system piece kicks in.
Your environment is the first thing your nervous system reads. Before you consciously think about whether you like a place, your system is already scanning. The lighting. The temperature. The sounds. Whether it feels open or enclosed. Safe or unfamiliar.
And Comporta read as unfamiliar. Unfinished. A bit cold. And of course we have no routine, no groove, no bearings.
I unpacked (because that always helps me settle in), but it still didn’t feel right. And I caught myself thinking, “I want to go home.” But the funny thing is, by home I meant Lisbon!
I think that says a lot about how quickly you can attach to a place when your nervous system gets comfortable there. A month ago, Lisbon was brand new and disorienting too. And now it was the thing I wanted to go back to.
Beach Days and Tablecloths
Comporta’s saving grace is the beach. It really is stunning. Reminds me so much of the Outer Banks which is my happy place.
But the beaches are also raw and beautiful, and we didn’t bring loads of beach stuff with us… so we went into town looking for towels, couldn’t find any, and ended up buying two tablecloths instead. Resourceful for sure!
The first full day we headed to the beach and it was packed because it was a Saturday. We lay in the sun on our tablecloths for a while, got super hot, and with no umbrella, no shade, we eventually just came back to our place.
Usually I’d be in my head about “wasting” a beach day, but I’m choosing comfort these days so it felt good to just head back to lounge at home, watch some shows, read, have a nap. Later we returned to the beach for a walk and a spectacular sunset. Much better. Luckily the next day, we found a place that sold beach umbrellas – which we knew would be useful for when we head to the Algarve next.
Restaurants in Comporta are also insanely expensive. Ridiculous really. Scandinavian prices. Which when we are on a lengthy trip like this, not the best.
But we were kind of tired of eating out anyway, so cooking it is! We are packing picnics for the beach. Making dinners at home. Tried some of the famous Portuguese sardines (which we paid a fortune for… long story but we thought 4 tins were 24 euro, but they were actually 74 euro. Yikes). They were ok. Protein for the win.
What This Trip Has Taught Me About Food
We have always loved food. We love to eat out. Even at home. And as much as we want to cook to save money, I didn’t realize how much eating out is part of how we get to know a place.
Over the years, as we travel, we have had some incredible meals. And the meals we remember most aren’t the ones at the fancy restaurants (we actually rarely do fancy).. They’re the hole-in-the-wall spots where someone’s mom made the cake. Or the little neighbourhood restaurants where the locals go.
Food has been how we’ve gotten to know the culture here too. The way people eat, what they take pride in, what they share, and what they recommend. We have never eaten so many octopus dishes and chocolate mousse (and yes, pastel de natas too).
And being in Comporta without that, with a tiny fridge and restaurants we couldn’t justify, made us realize just how central food has been to how we’ve experienced Portugal. While we have always known that food is a big deal to us, this trip made it really clear that when we travel, food is a big way we connect with a place. And when you take that away, the experience feels completely different.
It also made me think about something we’ve talked about for years. We live downtown Toronto and we’ve always wondered what it would be like to live somewhere quieter, more rural. And I’ve always said I thought I’d miss the restaurants. Being in the middle of nowhere in Comporta confirmed it! Food and access to good food is a huge part of what makes a place feel like home for us. Something to keep in mind for our future…
What I’m Noticing
The move to this new location has reminded me of how much energy our nervous systems spend on orienting. When you’re in a familiar environment, that energy gets freed up for other things. You think more clearly. You feel more grounded. You enjoy things more.
And when you’re in a new environment, even a beautiful one, your system is working overtime just to figure out where you are and whether you’re safe.
I guess that is why travel is considered an amplifier for your nervous system. It pushes you to expand, to be uncomfortable, and then to recalibrate. And the best thing to do is to just roll with it. Give yourself time to adjust. Unpack. Go for a walk. Find a cute restaurant. Locate the grocery store. the grocery store. Just let your system catch up to where your body is.
We’ve still got a couple of more weeks in Portugal ahead, which is exciting. Then off to London, then to Croatia. Then we have to make our way out of the Schengen countries for a bit because of visa restrictions. That in itself is a whole team hyper production… we shall see where we end up.
xoxo
