Traveling to…Vale do Rossim

I’m not coping very well with the fact that I’m not in Portugal anymore. I know, you’re probably thinking, get over it, we all have to come back from vacation and tackle our daily lives, but it’s proving to be much harder for me to readjust this year. Of course I miss my family, but that sense of not belonging is present more so this year, even having traveled to Portugal many times before. This feeling of not belonging has always been with me, even those who know me well, know that I’ve never felt like I belonged in the area where I was born and grew up. And this same feeling hit me like a wall, no like stab in the heart, when I got onto the airplane to leave Portugal.

I was so distraught, that upon seeing the New York City skyline, I just wanted to cry. Nearly three weeks that I’ve already been back, and I still can’t manage to pull myself together; out of this fog that’s filled my head and left me confused and anxious. I felt like myself in Portugal, and I don’t here. It helped that I was with family and surrounded by mountains and nature, but I was motivated every morning to go for a run through the forests, meditate in my favorite spot, get work done and feel inspired to create new ideas, while still enjoying the beautiful long days that ended with sunsets and al fresco dinners made from the farm. The days felt endless but never dragged, always like they had been lived and enjoyed.

“The years are short, but the days are long”, a saying so true for the Portuguese lifestyle. And when I’m lucky to live a short drive from mountains, endless lakes and rivers, and beautiful scenery, how can the days not be full of life.I had been to Vale do Rossim for the first time when I was in Portugal almost three years ago, coming back from visiting the “Torre” at the Serra de Estrela mountaintop, but because it was fall, I stopped briefly only to snap photos. I never had a chance to go swimming and enjoy this highly popular summer location; where not only do you enjoy beautiful mountain views and can swim in clear waters, but you can paddle board, take a relaxing boat ride, go on some famous scenic hikes, or simply enjoy an afternoon picnic beneath a shady tree. And that’s just what we did – after lunch we took the quick trip up the windy mountain roads to the lake, basked in the sunshine, cooled off in the water, and then enjoyed some refreshing bites and wine. It may have only been three or four hours of our day, but it was just perfect.The lucky thing about living in the lush mountain region of Serra de Estrela in Portugal, is that I have Vale do Rossim and many other beautiful places, just like it close by. Although, I love the beaches too, there is something so uniquely beautiful and special about each lake, and for those who love and appreciate nature, this region in Portugal is a definite must-see! After rereading my original post on Serra de Estrela, I couldn’t have described this setting and the feelings I’m dealing with now, any better…”Overlooking the lake at the Vale do Rossim, the endless rows of deep green trees, and mountains that transform into a perfect backdrop, I couldn’t help but think that this is where I want to live…in this natural setting. To be able to walk outside my home and no matter the weather, have my breath taken away each time.” And that’s what will happen when you visit the mountains in Portugal, your breath gets taken away…