11th of May 2018
Another day and another adventure ahead, or is it?
This is my 11th day on holiday and it has been great so far. Now I have experienced how it is to live in the north and just as expected I like it a lot. Maybe it is colder but that is ok. My new house will be a woodhouse and with proper insulation, not the polypropylene they are covering the houses everywhere these days. I can´t imagine that is a good idea. What about houses breathing? How do they breath through all this white plastic?
No, I prefer the old fashioned wonderful rock wool that was in my house in Iceland.
Yesterday was a warm day and sunshine all day long. 25 degrees is not bad and I even took off my cardigan!
I went to Viseu in the afternoon to have lunch. Driving 25 minutes just to get lunch is of course madness but there is always exciting to see and experience.
Viseu as many other places in Portugal have an interesting history.
The origins of the city extends to proto-history, when migrating groups settled the territory, including the Celts and Lusitanians. Roman colonists settled in this territories during eras of prosperity and peace, leading eventually to Suebics, Goths and Muslim cultures. The Suebic peoples, by the middle of the 6th century, had already an established community, with a bishop that existed as the suffrage of Braga. With the arrival of north African Muslims, the Visigoths escaped the territory and refuged in the distant mountains of Asturias.
There are so many things I find interesting about the city. Not many traffic lights and everything goes smoothly with roundabouts. On a sunny day like yesterday afternoon the traffic is fast but they do respect the zebra crossing, or at least most of the drivers.
As normal for me I park my car far away from my destiny and walk. The Portuguese trend is to park as close to your destination as possible. I consider this habit of mine to help me keeping fit and not gaining too much weight, although I am a bit worried about the extra kilos I accumulated during the months I had the flu. It will be a task to get rid of them when I move back to my apartment in Penela but that is for another day.
Many people who move abroad to live continue to call home the country or the place where they were born.
I don´t, I adjust, now home is Portugal and before that it was China. I never say home if I talk about Iceland.
This month I live in Casa da Fragas in the north and that is my home and I say “I’m going home” when I am for example in Viseu, as yesterday and going back to Beijós. Home is always the place where I live at the moment and this to me means to live in the moment!
Back to the trip to Viseu yesterday. I needed something to eat. I was hungry, really hungry and afraid I would collapse, which would not be good, being faraway from people I know.
The moll I went to is the first big one when I arrive to Viseu. I have been there many times and there are 2 of my favourite shops in the country. Not clothes shops. No, they sell art, porcelain, all kind of glass art and it feels like I am in my beloved China when in those 2 shops. Every time I go there and breathe in the beauty I go out happier and with this wonderful feeling in my heart that true art gives me.
The lunch I got was a surprise. So many restaurants on the top floor. This time I saw a new one and discovered something I had no idea existed, a smoked salted codfish. Can you believe it? I found it unbelievable and decided to try. The cook told me it would be nice. I believed him and ordered the Bacalau fumado with salad and water to drink. The cook told me it would take about 5 minute to make my dish. No problem.
I sat down and took the salad and water with me, I was starving I there was no way I was going to faint in front of those wonderful people. Eating my salad and waiting for the surprise I thought “I have to invite my friend here, I am sure she has not tried this”
Since I was hungry, starving, I did not take any pictures, not this time.
The smoked salted codfish arrived. It looked yammy!
I took the first bite, The cook and the girl looked at me.
OH, this was soooooo yammy.
The cook came over to me and asked if I liked it.
Oh yes I do, I told him, this is amazing.
We had a conversation about the fish and he told me he had just started in the restaurant, I mean the cook told me, not the fish. I don´t have conversation with my food, or at least not all the time!
I tried to explain to the cook where I am staying and he did not have a clue where the place is. People have problems understanding my pronunciation of Beijós. It is the J that is the problem. I can´t make it correct.
Yesterday I also tried to pay my gas bill. Not possible. The machine did not work. Now the bill is 150 EUR but next month in will be almost nothing. Surprise surprise for the gasmen who I really don´t like. I liked the old company but this new one is not my favourite but who cares, I will move soon.
Today is day 11 of my holiday. It is cloudy in the morning and rather cold. The sun will shine later today but guess what, tomorrow will be 14 degrees, and yes I said 14 degrees during the day. Just as well that I brought winter clothes with me. The warmth will come again and summer clothes on my body again.
The weather cannot decide how to behave, it´s almost as confused as I am.
See you later and this is it for today.
Hulda Björnsdóttir
My thoughts shared with you 