Flight Home

I know this has been long over due.
I got a 5am bus so i was up at 4:30am.
On the bus Ride to Lisbon I got to see them cutting cork off cork trees.
Once I got off the bus I realized I had no money to get the shuttle to the air port. Non of my bank cards would work. It was a scarey and stress full momment. I have never felt so awafulle in my life. I ended up asking these two women for money they were so nice and help full. they gave me the 3 euroes that i needed to get home. I was so scared that I would miss my flight.
Once in the airport every thing went well. I was starving but I took an orange so I was able to eat be for checking in.
I had a lay over in ponta delgada witch is an island off the cost of Portugal. the flight we were on was also going to Boston. Every one had to get off the plain. when I get off the plain there is people there that you show your ticket to the would tell you to go behind to your boarding gate, or you would be sent out. So I hear the woman send a girl to the out door that was going to Toronto. So I bring my ticket up and she sends me to the out door. As I get closer you have to go through boarder controle and the man was saying to the girl you should go to your gate so i pipe up saying that i am also going to Toronto and was sent to here. so the mans says no no come. So we fallow and confirm that we are on the same flight. The boarder man starts arguing with the grounds woman. We have no idea what they are saying. the man turns to us and says go in there. so we walked in there.
Me and the girl sat and talked we had 3 hrs to kill so it was good to get to talk with someone. We got to watch them check the boston flight. Every one had there hand baggage surcehed they had to remove there shoes. we just sat there and when the time came we just walked on the flight.
once on the flight i was in the middle isle and i had all four seats to my self. A man did end up moving to the other seat. I was so happy when the meal came It had been a long time since breakfast.
I had still not slept at this point. I wanted to watch the movie it was the new sherlock but my head phones. would not work and the flight attendant could not get it to work. So I watched the movie with no sound.
once landed I had no problem with customs, they have eletronic mechines that you scan your passport then ur claims sheet and prints a number on it. Then you walk to two gaurds they look at the number and point to go to the counters or go along behind.
I got my bags and walked out. Did not get questioned at all.
I was officially back in Canada and I had some Canadian coin to spend at Tims!

I extended my trip to spend time in Ontario with my grand mother.

Dog stress

One more day. I can not believe that the time to return home has come.am I excited? A little. I have fallen in love over here the way people do business how they treat each other. There is still so much to see and do and experience. I know canada has alot to offer and I should see more. There just something about. Not knowing the lauange and the different culture that I enjoyed so much.
Saying good bye to the dogs was very hard. I became very attached to them.
Heart attack from the dogs.
The cottage has 2hectars of land so we are able to just walk. Normal we would take the loop it takes around 45 min. Every time shebia always trust to go down the same path. I said hay why not can always turn back. Away we go it was lovely because it went up a hill were the other path went in the valley. There was an amazing view we could see lagos from up there. Even theocean. On the other side just rolling hills and forest. It was beautiful. We came to one feild soothing in it had johnny attention. There were beehive in it. So we continued on. We got close to the wind mills. It was a nice walk. We decided to head back.
On our way back johnny was very far ahead of us and when we came back to the field he was in the bushes at the other side. So we called but to no end. Finally shebia got interested and also headed in. We went after them. I eventually got shebia but we could not even hear johnny. Shebia was pulling to go in so I thought maybe she would lead me to johnny they were very close and we're never far apart. I know here hearing and smelling was better so off I go down this "game trail" she all of a sudden stopped u could tell by her face and body that she was listening to something next thing I know she is twisting and pulling to get out of my hold. Thanks to my job I can hold on we go farther down the path and she stopped to lession again.  And started to cry and freek out. I was contemplating letting her go when she sliped through here colar. I was not im pressed. She took off running. I was yelling back to shauna to tell her. She came down the path.  It was not any easy task since there were tons of plants waiting to stab you. We stood there calling. Then came the sound you do not want to hear. Yleping... Then some barking from johnny one more yelp then nothing. We start going back up the path we can tell from the sounds that they are down the hill in the gully there is no way we could get down there. Also wild boars are coman here. And if the were in a nest of them there is nothing we could do. As we were going back up slightly we could see on the next hill johnny then shebia racing over it. Now there is no way we could ketch up with them. So we head back and pray they will come back. We planed that in a few hrs we would go back with food bowls and cat can food and bang them since that is how u called them for dinner.
We were very upset back at home. What if they did not come back or got hurt how would we tell the owner the next day. We turned on he tv. It is great to distract once brain. We were more then half way through the show and shauna let's out a big shocked gap and is staring at the door.
It was johnny starring in with his goffy expression. I run out so excited,  but worried about shebia we go out call her name and she sauntered around the corner. Johnny was covered in mud bures but other then looking hot he was fine.  Shebia was a little worst off I noticed her lip was bleeding when I went to look at it I got a firm grawl so I let it be she also would shy her head away from being pet, u could see little cuts on it. Johnny went to his food dish it was dinner time so I fixed them dinner. Shebia tryed to eat the hard but u could see her mouth hurt, so I got the hoses and filled her bowl with water she ate fine after that. Latter that night when she was resting I went over and sat with her and she let me pet her all over I got a good look at her head and there were little cuts all over even one on her bottom eye lid but they all look to be scabing over well. I let her be. What they got up to it have no idea.  But I do know shebia was putting her head into somewhere it should not have been.
The next day we went for a walk alone because the kids were sleeping. They were tired u could tell shebia was soor from all the running.  She moved very little both dogs were extra cuddly all day. Witch we were both ok with since we knew it was our last time being with them.
Saturday we went into town on the weekend the bus only runs twice once at 9am and again at 5PM that is it. So we got up caught the bus. A lovely couple informed us that we were standing on the wrong side of the road. Once in town we checked out the market wondered around. Found a cute cafe that had some great cakes. We went to an India restuant. Weighting staff just love me and shauna I think it is because we smile. Apparently Germans never smile and look sourer.
We walk all around the harbor because there was this box thing that we wanted to know what was in it/ what it was for. It took around 20 min and it turned out to be a wild cat home. There was food and water and toons of little rooms for the cats to get out of the elements.
What a good day.
Tomorrow I work then tue I am going to be catching the 5:45 bus. Going to be a long day. To help me pass the time I am going to answer questions so if you have any questions about my trip before during or even about my after plans I will answer all as best as I can. Email or comment with your questions!

Shauna and her big mouth

On Sunday it was beautiful. A little chilly in the wind but great when in the sun. I have such a great farmers tan going on. I think I have gotten as dark as I will because I just get red pink in the sun now. Do not burn. This is great so should not need sunscreen this summer.
Shauna was facetiming her parents that afternoon and was going on about how there is never a cloud in the sky.
Well Monday morning we wake up to dark clouds rolling through. OK we can still work and it was nice to have shade. We had to request carotts, zucinies, brockly, and some others from the evil weeds. They have this vine like weed here. It is so hard to get out because it wraps aroud every plant it can. So it was all through the carrots. It was very hard to get out. We need to be taking before and after shots the garden looks so different once we are done. There is atualy ground underneath.
We did a second bed and then it was lunch time. As we were weeding the second one a man came he has a small garden. He is from France he wind surfs. And he brought us a traditional north France cake for desert.
So for lunch. There was fryed potatoes, fryed zucchini, salid. It was very good and an egg to go on top of your salid. This cack was so good and it had plums in it. Just like big dryed raisins. We made beet dip using a beet from the garden. Took that down for dinner, witch was pizza but with lunch on top so zucchini salid and eggs. She likes to make left over pizza alot. Then there was an apricot cake for desert.
This morning I did not even here the alarm. I slept so good I have not been sleeping well on my weird pull out coach.
So this morning it was dark out the clouds were promising rain. I blame shauna. She provoked the clouds to come. We got chased inside once due to rain. I has been a very slow day but we are almost finished another garden were we rescued beets. And apparently some of them are as big as shaunas head.

Market protest fun!

On the car ride to the market we got the down load. Now I was sitting in the back so I missed somethings.
The market is in a very small town and it is the only one close to a cluster of small villages that is free. It has been going on for more then ten years. There are alot of hippies that live there. Apparently last week at the market the police showed up full gear guns out. And the fined every one, children, elderly every one. They even confancated people's stuff. So not only were these people just trying to make a little extra they got fined and had there stuff taken. How is that good for the economy is don't know.
So we drive past and I guess there were very few people there, normal it is much fuller. So we go park and the parking lot had six cars and apparently it normal is full. So we walk to the market place. And there are gypsys there. Horse and donkeys and carts in all. I was very shocked and surprised to atuly get to see some with the horse drawn cart.
Any who we walk over to were there are like camper vans pulled in a circle. And people are sitting on the ground looks like one big picnic going on. We pull up some grass. Our host woman brought some beer plus the colslaw with no untincles woops.
There was a group of people play interments and singing songs. Oddly enough English was the lauange spoken most there. More people would join in as the arived. There was a woman with a ucilaily, man with guitar and he was the main singer older gentleman with a floral shirt on also played dishes and ac ordain this man he had three picks on his fingers I have never seen some one picking like that before very intersting, a younger gentleman about 30 playing a guitar he also played spoons, another older man playing a small drum, a woman with a tamporin an egg shaker and a wooden recorder, a woman played the flute, a kazzu was floting around, there was also a man with a hermonaca, as we were leaving another man with gitar showed up. There was a woman in a yellow dress that would also sing or hum along.
On a side note I don't care what the studies say your boobs will sag with out a bra on. Just I side not!
It was nice all the kids were playing together the dogs were running around, people were singing, lots of beer drinking, lots of conversation. It was very lovely.
Around one. This guy did this show and it was a fire show. This man was so funny. He did juggling fire and some hat tricks, he tryed to balance a bike on his chin and juggle fire but it was two windy. He rode a unicical and juggled. It was funny it was him that made the show very good stage presence. Very funny the kids loved him the adults loved him. It was wonderful
Like any performer he asked for money at the end. Here are this people that have very little them selves, have just gotten a fine and they were giving what they could.  Sadly I did not bring any money because I knew the market would not be set up.
After that the music picked up again and we head back home.
So duing all this I was taking some photos and this woman came up to me she was from Germany visiting and she forgot her camara and asked me to email her photos of it. So I have her email and will do it once I get home. She was very nice we had a lovely chat.
It was a very good day.

Lagos

It is lagos not logos. Don't know we're my head was at. 

I was going to back up and explain the cottage a little better but there is just so much to tell u. Next week I will elaborate on the cottage. 

On Friday afternoon we arrived at the house. Apparently she was not ready because she thought we would rather go into logos and spend the night there. Like I have the money to stay any wear that is free. 

We are staying in the up stairs apartment we have our own door. There isone room, bathroom, kitchen, living room, big butt tarios. The bed room only has one bed so I am stuck on the pull outcoach.

It is like no other pull out I have seen. I will explain how to set it up. 1 pull out from bottom would wooden panales. 2 pull cushion off, un zip cushion. Un fold cushion, lay down on wooden slats. 3 make bed. 

It is very low to group very hard and u can feel the three parts. 

Just for the weekends. 

Saturday there is a market in logos so the family was heading into town, we went with them. Once we got there we went around the market we got there around lunch so most of the stuff was picked over. They had this cute jars of honey. It has the town right on the jar. Shauna got one. 

We wondered around town. Got talked into taking a boat tour of the caves.

It was 10€ .it was so worth it. U get in this little tin boat. Well first u get a " life jacket " I am with Shauna I think it would sink u. Tons of holes, and it was heavy.  Just one tub that went around ur neck. We could not figure out how to do it up. There was a young couple beside us and he did his up and was showing us by doing up his partners. I could still not get it. So get did mine and shauna up. And the women goes see that is why I bring u. They were very nice. Then they tryed to put shauna between the couple. 

The boat ride was very nice they have some intersting rocks. Camal, camale head, elephant, titanic and ice burg. They take u right into the caves. It was very interesting there were parts that hid sky lights and the water would be different colors depending on how much sun was hitting it. There is alot of beaches. 

There is potato beach because a ship coming back from the new world sank right off the coast and all the patattos on the ship washed ashore. There is the collage beach just for students, we pull up to one and shauna goes that man is naked kristy how did u not spot that first.  And then we find out that was the nude beach. There were a few more non with cool names or story's. Except this one and the "path" to get down was very a crack between the cliffs. I think it would be even harder then the cottage. There was another one with over 200 steeps to get down. 

It was a very cool trip.

At the house we found a map with shops advertised on it. We decided to find this bakery. You would think after all this time shauna would learn that some other the best things are in the residential part of town. 

Unfortunately the pizza shop and phamicy that was on the map were there but no bakery. So we head back into town. 

We tryed to find a chocolate shop could not find it. We past a place with cakes so we got a slice of cake and a milkshakes.  Then off to find the icecream place. I got orange carrot. It was horrible I had to toss it out :( shauna gt chocolate and it was very gross how u mess up chocolate I have no idea. 

Then it was off to the bus stop. There is only two busses on the weekend so unless we want to pay for a taxi we had to wait for the bus. And since neither of us had a watch we were early witch is fine because I truly did not wish to pay for a taxi. 

It was a good day. 

We were just chilling at home and the host woman came up. She was going to a protest tomorrow because the police shut down a market and wanted to know if we wished to go with her. It was picnic style. We said yes.

The next morning we got up and we're getting ready. I was just starting the colslaw I was going to make to bring. And she came a calling thankfully she was ok with waiting and even got us A contain to put it in.

As we were driving there she was explaining about the market. 

Stay tuned next time for market protest fun. 

We finished up surfing with a bang / lagos new work away

Our last surfing lesson was on Saturday because we took wed off.  The morning went great we were ketching green waves left right and center. The photographer was there again. Got some great waves. My best wave was when I tryed for one stood up and started to loose the wave. But with a push down on the nose I came down nicely. It was a beautiful wave. The only sad part was due to the fact that I turn to my back side so well I needed waves that break left. So I was surfing away from the photographer so not that many shots of me. What a great day for it, being the weekend not many people there.
The afternoon went just as well except there were some real dicks out there. There were blocking us. And if we moved over to the less favorite waves they followed. It was very annoying.

On Sunday night two more girls came. They brought there own surf boards. They flew with EasyJet and they damaged one of the boards. They managed to take a big chunk and dent out of the board. We have no idea how they managed to do that.
I hope they will comansate her.
Monday we caught the bus at lunch time. It was a very long bus ride. It was 8 hr long. When we got to there the bus was 45 min late. G was there to meet us. G is one of the owners. He was in a little car and had just picked up groceries so we had to cram the bags in the back seat.
We went to the house were his wife was and she had dinner ready witch was great. It was very good. There daughter has it the best for launages, her mother and father are doth french from France, step father is English and goes to a public school so also know Portuguese.
After dinner we went to the " cottage" as they call it. It is a home that they have converted into three summer vacation homes. Each is its own yuint with full kitchen and bathroom.  The view is stunning just rolling hills. There are very few houses or people this way. The house sits on over 40 acers of land and they have cork trees
Did you know
Corks like the ones in wine dottles come from a tree. It is atuly the bark of the tree. It takes ten years for the bark to grow thick enough to be collected and used. The trees are funny looking because u can see were they harvested up to. The usaly just take from the trunk.
The trucks have been going through and I am hoping the colect before we go I would live to see it. The do it all by hand.
The cottage is lovely there is no Internet we are two far out. On Wednesday night the man went back in town so me and shauna were alone. We were in bed shauna was snoring, and I remember that I left the hose running. So I got up got my flashlight and out I went. I don't know if it was because the house was just painted white the other day. It was so bright out. I did not need the flashlight. The birds were even signing. It was so odd. It was not even a full moon. Friday night will be spent in town.
As will the weekend.
So the have two dogs that live at the cottage johnny and shebia. They are lovely friendly dogs. So much fun and we take them for a walk ever day that takes around 45 min. They are so much fun to have around.

Having a great time. So great to be out in the middle of no were.  

Wetsuit repair shop... Very mad Mario

When Joe brought our breakfast wed morning he mentioned to me about going into lourinha. He would be back later that day. So we spent the day recoparating. It was a nice relaxing day hiding inside from the wind.
So Joe shows up and we are now going to peniche. Is the town that we surf around so it was exciting to see. They have the old stone walls still up. There is a water house that use to be were women went to do laundry now u just fill ur jugs there. The islands are clearly seen from there. We drove up one side and it is a penicila so it was very windy the waves were very large and they were crashing into the rocks and spraying so high. The ocean look very up set so wavy and rooly. As we continue to drive I noticed what I thought were grave markers, I asked but because I was in the back no one hurd me. They were spraticly placed most had a cross or the praying hands with the beeds in them. It made me wonder if they were prayer spots for save journey on the ocean.  It is a fishing village that is how most men make a living there.
We went to the point and u can just make out our town and beach. Very exciting. As we drive down the other side it is a whole different story. It was much calmer. The wind and much less and this is the side we have been surfing on now we know why they were taking us to that side. We went to this place he had some business to do so we sat in the van when he went in to do his thing. The people here never cease to amaze me with there driving. Can't get a parking spot up close no problem just stop in the lain way and put ur four ways on and go about ur day. If the owner of said cars come and see they are blocked in no big they will just honk and the person comes out.
Now if you are a scooter do not worry about were to drive or were to park because the city was kind and put in sidewalks just for you. So don't forget to honk at any people who dare walk on the sidewalk they should know better sidewalks are for scoters.
U can never park to close to a stop sign, sidewalk, or cross walk. Park on all three at the same time no big we know u did not want go drive around to find a legal spot. Oh yes the parking is great fun to watch.
From there we wentvon a goose chase to find the repair shop we went to one place but it was not there. They moved. So we drove some more. And there u have it we found it. Now how do we get in... Doors are locked but we were just talking to them on the phone. Finally we are let in. The pace smelled like wetsuits fancey that. We found out that is were they make there rashgaurnds. The instructors are getting new ones global surf orange the material looks cook. They do not just repair wetsuits they also make them. They had this awasum pink color.  Shauna fell in love with it. So how might one rip a wet suit they are very tough material. Well I asked this and apparently when u fall the fins on the surf board have enough force to cut them.... Happy it is the suit and not my skin. I try to mega push the board away when I fall now, I like my skin on my body, crazy I know.
It was a fun day seeing the town.
So Thursday all rested ready to go. We fail miserable. I did get one wave at the start and it was beautiful.
Mario sent me on another he gave me a push I was right in the perfect zoon. Oh crap there is a girl beside meandering right beside her is a guy. The guy is yelling at her I am trying to think of how to get out but every thing I think of would end up with my board hitting her. Well the enable happen my board took out her legs we got tumbled around in the wave together not good. So once the wave let's us go I get up seeing she is up I say u ok she says something in a different language then as a look at her funny she says are u ok. We both say yes. Then the oh so fun task of un tangling our boards as waves are still crashing. Now I felt bad until Mario told me it was the same girl shauna almost took out because she cut her off if Mario had not grapped shauna then she would have surfed right over the girl. Then due to wave edict she should not have gotten the wave with me because the guy beside her had right away.  She should have stoped paddling when he dropped in there was enough room for me to finsh my drop and turn out of his way. So I felt a little less bad still feel bad but a little less. So when I go to get out Mario is all ready out and he looked so mad
Never have we had mad Mario. I get out and he is so mad his English is stuttering. He told me he does not care we are doing white water in the afternoon, we are going backwards. He was mad.
So we go home heads hung. Apparently he was bringing the whip and rope to tie shauna so her hip is in the right place. So we made a plan u see in Roma we got Mario a gift. It was so him we had to get it. So we get there Joe just gave us a look and we got in the van and we gave Mario his gift and said we were sorry for crashing and burning. He could not stay mad at us then.
What is this perfect gift u might get ur surf instructor.  I might add we spend at least 15 min driving there and back twice a day. So we do get to know him. Because we grill him no lol. The poor boy for having to be in a car with us for so long.
OK with out an more delay we got him a very mini jar of nutella. Because he loves nutella, like thinks Weare crazy for putting peanutbutter on our toast not nutella. And with all our driving he loves to make fun of the old man penchian cars. They are so tiny I think a motorcycle could be bigger.
He loved it this jar is so tiny u might get a peice of toast covered with it. he said he was going to put it inhis room to remember his Canadian girls.
The afternoon went ok.
That night a big storm rolled in and stupid us did not get our stuff when the first dark cloude rolled in. So our stuff was socked. Shauna rented a movie so we cuddled up to watch it. They get alot of wind with there storms. So the shutters banging all night kept me up then in the morning it blew ours open so the sun came right into my eyes.
This morning they did not know what it would be like with all the rain and wind there was only one place to go that would be sheltered enough. We get there and compared to the other days it was dead. So we did some white waters I got a beautiful green. Got slamed by another green witch Mario got upset about because I could have had it I just looked down. I can see why he gets up set, I get up set I should be catching these little waves.
So we were out of his bad books after that.
In the afternoon we got there and it was a little more crowded but shotly after we got there the other schools left. Ya.
So shauna and Mario are doing ground work and I go for a wave.
Oh yes big side not I slamed my shin hard into the board on Thursday I have a nice dent.
So my shin hurts like walking funny hurt. So I fall and my shin is going towards the board so I manage to move last min and save the shin a hard hit. It still hit but just not hard. The price paid was my chin. I am ok still got all my teeth. So I am laying on my board in pain and just let the board float in, thank fully it was low tied so I could do that. the look I get from Mario was price less he was so worried but prying not to laugh because I just go ug I died. Once shauna starts to laugh he calms down I rolled off the board and sit in the sand and shauna is like u sure u are ok, I was like yep be back to life in a few. And back out we went.
Good times.
Ohhhh I forgot one of the funniest things
It started to pour when we got to the beach and we are putting our wet suits on. So we all get in the van to get changed it was so funny Mario in the back us in the middle seats. Very hard to put on a wet suit when in a vanall hunched over. The best part is Mario was traped in. We had to let him. Out.
Good day in the hood.
Oh I said that  when we were getting charged in the van, and shauna is like what and so I say. Well we are right by the hood of the car.