Chapter 6 "Viva Quando você viver"

Well I am sure by the context of my last chapter that by now you know I visited Southern Portugal. It was absolutely beautiful. One of the most appealing places I have ever been. Axel Rose must have recently visited Portugal when he wrote the lyrics "Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty." It couldn't have been more true (though I hear the grass really browns up in the hot summer heat) Apparently it never rains (which was a huge change from being in Britain for a while) and the temperature is annually anywhere between 10-40 degrees celcius.

I found life is a lot simpler there. Things don't have to always to be done right away. The mentality is something along the lines of "Meh, it's too hot, we'll do it tomorow." Maybe it's cause I'm so laid back, but I have really always wondered what the heck is everyone's rush? It's like everyone needs to pee and there is only one stall, so you have to be the first one to use it next. People are sometimes so caught up in their own lives, they can't even stop for 10 seconds to hold a door for a lady. Just today, I saw a British war veteran asking for change on the street. I stood and observed him for 5 minutes as most people didn't care to even respond to his questioning. It was appaling, look around people, he fought so we could have all this! Well I walked up to him, gave him what money I had and talked to him about the war. Amazing the stuff they must have went through just to fight for a cause, whether wrong or right. I thanked him for what he had done, and told him though people may not always show it, I hope everyone appreciates what people like him had done. The conversation made us both happier and more enlightened at the end of it.
Anyways back to Portugal. These little things in life, are very profound at the places I visited. Why rush around so much and worry, when sometimes it's better to just sit back, take 5 minutes and appreciate the things around you. I loved it, the lifestyle there is very addictive, not to mention the wine is VERY cheap so it makes for a nice combo. Makes me think of the great combo's of our time such as Sonny and Cher, Ben and Jen, and of course a Mcdonalds fries and burger (actually all those things when put together all make me sick). It's a lack of commercialization, but certainly not a lack of civilization.

Secondly the people. Awesome, simply awesome. Very friendly and though I never spoke a word of Portuguese, still greeted me with the same respect as a local. It was odd catching glances of someone and you could see it in their eyes thinking the same thing you are "where the heck did he come from?" It was very humbling to still see old villages where people washed their clothes by hand, sat on the porch with an old dog at the end of the drive, and gathered their water from a well in the middle of town. After living in big cities and small towns, there's one thing big cities will never have, and that is a sense of community. But hey, the world needs clowns, just as much as it needs CEO's, both are vital to the overall well being of society (though I'd put my money on clowns having a much higher I.Q then most CEO's.)

Finally, the beaches. Not something that was unique to Portugal. Very similar to the beaches I have been on in Mexico. Definately something worth mentioning though. Almost all the beaches I visited had the option of being nude, just left up to the person's discretion. It all ties in nicely for a lovely relaxing day or a very vigorous one if your sneaky. I'm sure the beaches all along the southern coast are amazing.

Overall, I would recommend Portugal to anyone who needs a little break from the rat race. Very laid back, lovely people with a welcoming attitude, awesome sandy beaches, great food and very rich in culture. Portugal is simply wicked.

Take 5 minutes of your day, and just think of all the positive things in your life, if you can't think of any, just think of life itself, cause some aren't even gifted with that.

Cheers

Marsh