Proud to announce that I turned 70 years young on May 27. I’m amazed.

It’s been quite a journey, and I’m grateful for most it. Especially, I’m grateful for my current good health. In my twenties I had a chronic illness that left me exhausted every minute of every day. The effort to do simple things felt like trying to sprint through 3 feet of water. With ankle weights. I remember thinking that I felt like one of those old people you see in nursing homes, sitting in a chair with no energy to move. The illness would improve, and then come back months or years later. I would manage to work, but I’d have to pull off the road on my 30-minute drive home to rest before continuing. It was hell, and I prefer to file it away in the farthest archives of my mind. I only bring it out here to explain why, at 70, I’ve never felt better.

Sure, the forces of entropy dictate that my physical attributes are slowly dissolving.

My muscles are smaller, and my skin is engaged with a strange attraction to gravity. These days, I have to work to maintain balance and flexibility. My memory is not as good, and I have to work harder at learning a new language. But I feel good. That is a prize no money can purchase. I intend to make the best of every moment, because I know what it’s like to be among the living dead, so weak my hands shook with the effort to cut the steak on my dinner plate.

People are surprised when they learn my age, and I outwalk many who are much younger than me. I come from a family with good genetics for aging – as proven by my older brother, Bob, who solo drove the TAT trail last year, and continues to be one of the smartest and most interesting people I know. {#Sarah, Elaine, Andrew, I can hear your wisecracks!}

My Birthday Weekend

Much as I love living in the center of Porto, I miss birdsong and woodland critters. The smell of freshly cut grass. Wind blowing through the trees. Bees buzzing. A retreat to somewhere in the woods was in order. The cozy looking Gallas Pod House in Vouzela caught my eye, and I booked a long weekend there. It was just what I needed.

Vouzela has under 10,000 residents, and like most small inland municipalities, it skews to an elderly percentage. The 2021 census showed a negative population growth rate of -1%. But it does not look like a dying town. There is a push to bring in new national and international companies, which would give young people a way to stay and make a living.

The land is gently mountainous, with beautiful valleys, rivers, and woods that still have native oak and other hardwoods. There is much interesting history, dating back to pre-Roman eras. The landscape attracts hikers and bikers to support the local economy.

Few of the hordes of Lisbon or Porto tourists come here. I had great opportunities to practice my developing language skills, and as far as I know, I was the only American in town. A young man heard me talking at the local grocery store and exclaimed in surprise, “You are American!?” He spoke such good American that I thought he was probably a Californian. Actually, he was from Lisbon, but he grew up in Vouzela and came back for the weekend festivities. “How did you learn such perfect American English?”, I asked. He laughed and said, “I watched too much American television when I was growing up.”

One Year Ago

Speaking of people who age well, my yoga instructor and good friend Ann came to visit me last year at this time, but I never got around to telling you about it. Ann has more stamina and fitness than many people half her age, and she jumped off the overnight flight ready to go. The steep streets of Porto did not faze her one bit, especially if she knew a delicious Bolinhos de Bacalhau, or cod cake fitter, was waiting at the end. We had such a wonderful time together, walking, laughing, taste-testing food and yes, just a bit of Portuguese wine.

More To Come

There’s an endless list of adventures to be had, and I intend to keep pursuing them. Next time I’ll share a fantastic excursion to Serralves to view the Yayoi Kusama exhibit, a delicious private introduction to a new chocolate production business, and a fun night out with friends.

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The featured image is a bridge in the center of Vouzela, Portugal. Though rebuilt over the years, it was originally built by Romans and some of the original foundation is still in use.

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