Traveling to ….. a picturesque sunset drive through the glow of Serra da Estrela

I love being from the Serra da Estrela. It’s where I consider more home than home really is currently, or shall I say physically in New Jersey. It’s what I envision my ideal living situation to be. Our tiny village is my happy place, my haven. The place where I can be the best me, feel the most like me. To ground myself with nature & even more, within my own soul, often when I need it most in life. I love that our “aldeia” is almost untouched, a few houses updated to fit more modern tastes, while others withering slowly with the wear of time, yet still hanging onto their history as hard as possible – through drought, forest fires and everything in between.

Most villages in the countryside of the Serra da Estrela mountains are at their core, very similar. One particular afternoon, one where I was feeling pulled in a million directions by several people, needs, should’s; one I really wanted everything to just go away and not have to deal with. But of course it’s when I learned patience the most during my trip, because it’s when life throws a bunch of what you really don’t want to deal with, that it knows you can handle it. Life, somehow nudged me to enjoy the lovely sunset that was approaching, to get in the car take a drive around our beautiful surrounding Serra da Estrela Mountain towns. Amongst all the anhsk or what I had been feeling earlier in the day, life knew this simple act is what I needed in my own way to find the courage to attain the calm, peace and motivation within to overcome and find solutions to those frustrations.

All hope isn’t lost! I’m sure that at some point you all feel like this during your life or the year, what is important is to know what grounds and calms you during these situations. Both in the moment – whether it’s to step away to do a bit of deep breathing or remember that you’re helping someone else, someone who may be in need, is trusting and relying on you to be there. That thought is usually exactly what helps to snap me back into the moment; to find gratefulness through an annoying or insignificant situation or frustrating mood I may be having.

Since traveling is not realistic in the moment, my other method of tackling this on – going on drives! I love to go for a drive wherever! You need a chauffeur, I’m often always down wherever you’d like. The windows down, fresh air breezing in, energizing music or just the sounds of nature. And I love that living in the Serra da Estrela in Portugal, getting in the car for a simple drive isn’t just a simple drive, it’s a beautiful natural spectacle. Especially, if you happen to catch a soft golden midsummer sunset delicately kissing the rolling green mountains. A true homage to Mother Nature’s beauty!

I didn’t even put on music, I allowed the grand natural sights I was witnessing play the soft backdrop melodies. My eyes and mind, staying focused on the gliding roads along the winding mountains, so well known of the Serra. The fun is in taking drives around these parts for sure 😉

I instantly felt at ease. Whatever those feelings of annoyance, tweaks of frustration – at first sight of mountains in the distance, they drifted in the wind…

I didn’t have a plan, but I did have an intention. To just ride, enjoy the ride.

And then Lana began harmonizing in my mind…

I hear the birds on the summer breeze,

I drive fast
I am alone in the night
Been tryin’ hard not to get in trouble,

but I
I’ve got a war in my mind
I just ride
Just ride, I just ride, I just ride….

Don’t tell me you were thinking the same thing? No, just me that randomly bursts into song on lovely scenic drives around European country mountainsides.

But I did have an intention, not about the destination in particular, I did of the area, but what I did plan to do was stop at each roadside stop area with a view. I was lucky I got the best ones going up on the my side since the sun was going all its Golden Hour magic and softly lighting the breathtaking mountains.

Every time I stopped, yes I snapped a few photos, but each time I’d take in a deep breath, capturing that moment for what it was, to be present in that moment, in that location; to focus on the good, all I had to be grateful for – to allow my wandering {wilder} mind to daydream of goals, and plans, and naturally of more travels.

Each time I stopped it may have seemed that the Serra looked the same since it was the same local mountain range leading the way to the charming Loriga’s natural swimming rivers. The weekend bustle seemed to have been calming, as Serra locals were retreating back home to enjoy the end of their July summer night. But in reality the mountains, their patterns, textures, rows of trees; all looked different. Not one sight the same.

Some mountain crevices showcased a gathering of terra-cotta tile roof homes nestled off within a village, or vineyards of locals, glowing in the sun’s joyful light, making it appear as if you were amongst the picturesque corners of Douro’s famed vineyard hilltops.

To think that for most of the day, I allowed other silly things, others’ issues and bad attitudes to have an influence my own, and what I thought would be not-so bright day of my trip, turned into of the loveliest times I’ve had in awhile. I now also I have this beautiful collection of photographs that have become one of my favorites taken in Portugal.

They’re special beyond the scenic landscape beauty, it’s of a special location to me – it represents so many things that are very much part of my soul. Even on low or sad days, days I’m feeling even more nostalgic or have that “saudade” for Portugal than usual, when I need a burst of Mother Nature or just good ‘ole inspiration, these photographs make me feel instantly joyful, and calm, and happy, and hopeful, and content, and so many wonderful feelings….

And although I missed out on experiencing local warm weather fave spot of Loriga, or even manage to walk alongside the river to take in the fresh water and eucalyptus air to snap a few photographs, I had just as a wonderful time if I had. It is actually making the anticipation of really enjoying a afternoon in the Loriga area, swimming in the clean mountain waters, having a picnic beneath the breezy pine trees, exploring a bit more of my hometown region of Seia in Serra da Estrela, and finding joy in the simplistic comfort of the things that speak to our souls.

While working on this post, the first of many of my travels throughout Portugal and Ireland, I spotted this photo and it made me, pause. It’s one of my favorites, bringing back so many lovely feelings. But this time I was seeing some pretty colors in the scene that have now become the PERFECT modern inspiration for a unique take on a pretty Children’s birthday party theme. See travel stays with you in so many different ways, and will come back to you from time to time, in the least likely of ways.

I was hit with a bolt of new unique creative energy at the sight of these photos, that in a very long time was able to envision an event entirely from the look to the feeling, using the spark or burst of motivation to plan the entire birthday, allowing my special and unique skills and ideas to shine through….Oh, I CANNOT wait for you to see the inspiration for this little girl’s 4th birthday celebration, which takes color inspiration from these pretty mountains and another lovely and colorful critter found in nature 😉

Traveling will always
leave imprints onto you.
Some travels aren’t ones
with destinations in sight, instead
they’re really about
the journey,
the present moment.
Some of these travels
will linger with you much after
the moment has passed,
but that’s the great wonderful thing,
you can always go back to a photograph,
find new joy & inspiration in that memory🌿