What Happened to Summer?
Goodness. I blinked and it was gone. Now here I am in mid-fall, on a perfect sun-filled autumn day. It’s cool in the shade and warm in the sun. I’m sitting outdoors at the new Esquires in the Cedofeita neighborhood, enjoying my usual latte and croissant simples (simple croissant, nothing added).
The last blog seems a faded world away, as do my best intentions to follow up within a month. I have reasons and excuses; in June, I contracted a not-covid-covid virus. Meaning, I tested negative despite having symptoms like an on-off fever, fatigue, mental confusion (I will resist the smart-aleck comment, you can fill in your own), headaches, and losing my sense of taste. I recovered except for the taste thing, which is slowly improving. For a while wine and most foods tasted unpleasant when they had any taste at all. It was a boon to my dining budget.
New Family!
Yes, I am a proud Childless Cat Lady! Those of you who know me well will not be surprised. A friend texted me about a litter of five rescued kittens being fostered by some expats. I elected to adopt two of them. Uma Gatinha (Uma) and her brother Tigre Tiago (Tigo) are best friends who do everything together, and they are full of typical kitten mischief. Tigo demonstrated a particular talent for exploding a cup of coffee into a spray that covered my office and took me 3 1/2 hours to clean up. They both teamed up to steal a bag of pistachios and scatter them over the entire apartment while I was out for lunch.
Having a small apartment means being strategic about litter box placement. I designed a combination office credenza/kitty bathroom and had it built to order. It’s beautiful, the kitties like it, and the litter crumbs are minimalized. Still, I laugh at myself. I never imagined I would be ordering a bespoke bathroom for cats. We have good craftsmen in Portugal who can make about anything, at a reasonable cost. When Pedro came to consult with me on the project, I was embarrassed because I figured he would scoff at this crazy American who spends such money on her cats. But then he pulled out his phone and proudly showed me pictures of his cats.
Dali and Me
In August I visited the extensive Dali exhibit in the WOW (World of Wine) cultural district, and it was appropriately stunning. Dali was an exquisite draftsman, with a unique sense of humor. He used to carry spare moustaches in a little tin. He would pull it out as if it were a container of mints and offer a moustache to whomever he was conversing with.
Bridget Cooks.
A local hotel asked my neighbor and personal chef, Bridget Jones of Southern Gal in Portugal fame, to do a cooking demonstration. She recruited me to be available in case she needed help, and I had a fun time following her and the videographer as she shopped for fresh ingredients at Bolhao. Typically, she quickly befriended a long-time vendor.
A Busy September
It was great to have my dear friends Ryan and Eric back home in Porto, after their extensive stay in the US. Here, we are at the Rivoli Theatre to view a dance performance.
Voting Abroad
A friend in my language study group recruited me to help with the vote effort. We were calling registered voters living abroad, to make sure they had ordered their ballot and see if they needed any help with it. Every state has different rules, and it can get confusing, so we would refer them to the nonpartisan Vote From Abroad website. It didn’t take much convincing for me to join the effort, and it was an interesting experience. I talked to people all over Europe and the Middle East, and most of them were engaged and appreciative of the outreach.
Kudos to North Carolina for making it easy (and secure) to vote from abroad! The Guilford County Board of Elections mailed my ballot promptly, and I was able to return it electronically in a secure manner. The Board acknowledged receipt of the ballot, and also informed me once it was confirmed. Not every state makes it so easy, and the powers in some states are making it especially difficult for Americans abroad to access their right to vote.
Nocturnal Enchantment at Serralves
Serralves em Luz (Serralves in Light) has been cited as one of the ten best exhibitions in Europe. The entire park transforms into mystical nighttime landscapes, with 25 different light art installations by various artists. It’s magical, and it brings out a sense of wonder in even the most cynical adults. Well worth a visit.
The Pálacio de Justiça, Where Art and Law Coexist.
Another project that kept me busy was organizing our Porto Kind! September fund-raising event, a tour of the Palácio da Justiça, the Palace of Justice. Like many people, I often walked past this impressive building and wondered what was inside. Bárbara Reis, a local civil lawyer who has spent much time in the building, led us on a tour that included access to courtrooms not normally available to the public. The Palace was built to serve as a court of appeal, and various Portuguese artists were commissioned to sculpt the exterior and provide colorful murals inside, all reflecting the Portuguese judicial system and history. It was quite interesting, and we raised a healthy sum for the Associação Para O Planeamento Da Família, which helps victims of domestic and gender violence, human trafficking, and much more.
Deadly Fires in the Dry Season
Porto was immersed in smoke and ash for days, as fires exploded all over the region. This is not normal, but climate change may cause it to become so, as the summers are progressively dryer and hotter. The massive plantings of eucalyptus trees across Portugal have contributed to the problem. I’m told that the paper companies like the trees because they grow quickly, but they are not managing the forests with fire breaks or other prevention measures. Those who had to venture out wore masks to guard against flurries of ash. My apartment smelled like a combination of wood smoke and eucalyptus for a week.
A firefighter has described this touching image as “a symbol of hope amid the chaos.” This photo, by Catarina Cruz, was taken at a fire site in Gondomar, about twenty minutes from my door. Source: Jorge Branco.
Together with my neighbors, we delivered contributions of water and energy snacks to the fire station across the street. These were distributed to the firefighters out in the field. Three firefighters died while combating the forest fires.
Exploring Porto
The beautiful Kadoorie synagogue and the Porto Holocaust Museum were opened to the public in September, so I went exploring. Jewish history in Porto dates to the Middle Ages, ebbing and flowing with the politics of the times. Today, the population is once again growing, and the community is said to number around one thousand.
Porto was Not Kind to My Brother.
This city of so much kindness hid her face while Bob was here. She kept herself shrouded in fog and rain, so that even the top half of Clérigos Tower was hidden. Nevertheless, we had a great visit, and I hope to see him back here when the sun is shining.
A Fall Treat: José James!
OK, I admit it, I didn’t know who José James was. Thanks to Della generously treating three of us with third row tickets to his concert at Casa da Musica, I’m enlightened. He’s brilliant. And beautiful to watch. As he says, “I’m Minnesota friendly.” His creative combination of jazz, soul, and hip hop is engaging and easy on the ears. Look him up on Spotify or Pandora and enjoy music that comes from a Minnesotan of Irish and Panamanian descent. And if you get a chance to see him live, do it. Thank you again, Della!
The featured image is from the Yayoi Kusama exhibit at Serralves. The totally immersive mirrored installation provided an experience of infinity in the endless reflections.
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Mamie Moves to Portugal 
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