Beautiful Portugal…
I can’t remember what sparked my initial interest with this country. Maybe it was the idea of this small country, tugged in the corner of another one, sitting on the edge of an ocean, rugged and proud. Maybe it was the simple fact that it didn’t seem to attract as many tourists as other southern European destinations.
So in the February of 2012 I wanted to go on a trip to Portugal, hiking and camping. While I studied the lonely planet I had gotten, I realized that the weather might be a bit harsh for an outside adventure like this. Therefore I changed plans and went on a road and rail trip through Germany instead. Portugal was postponed to the fall. The Germany trip was wonderful but that shall be subject of a different time.
In May of the same year I met an American boy. And the Portugal plans got postponed once more. I went to the USA instead.
My love to the unmet country never died (only got more, check out their great drug policy) and after many trips to the USA (and welcoming that American boy in Germany), I finally decided it was time to go to Portugal in the summer of 2016 — 4 years later than the original idea.
I had time (and money) for three weeks and made a plan to enjoy the capital – Lisboa – for a few days before getting a rental and driving up the coast. I wanted to enjoy the outdoors and I didn’t want to carry a whole lot of bulky camping equipment so I packed a hammock, tarp and mosquito net. After ten days by myself I made my way back to Lisboa where I picked up Tommy (that American boy). We spent some more time in the capital and went south for another 10 days — visiting the Algarve, South and West.
Portugal gave me everything: nature to city, wonderful locals to beautiful travellers, sun to rain, peace to furious rage….
Driving North – Lisbon to Porto
This place … magical … from getting there to leaving in a thousand different ways
cindyswanderlust.net 