Falling in Love with Portugal

The other day I was asked where I saw myself in 10 years.

I immediately thought back to the four days I spent in Albufeira, Portugal- walking the cobblestone pathways to the beach, making sandcastles in sand that looked like gold, eating paella after a long day of exploration.

I knew then that I had fallen in love.

I often found myself in the minority amongst friends who questioned why I did not just visit Spain, Portugal’s slightly more popular next door neighbor. After all, my minute knowledge of Spanish far surpassed my proficiency in Portuguese (“obrigrado” still remains my saving grace). Not surprisingly, I think that’s why I was so attracted to the Portuguese culture. It possessed a mystical quality for me, like those far-away places I read about in Pippi Longstocking as a child. I wanted to become a voyager, one who lived life and explored the crevices of happiness that hid in small towns that my family and friends had never heard of.

So, I went to Albufeira, Portugal. Entranced by the striking juxtaposition of textures against the Portuguese sky’s azure background, I found myself experiencing the art of life in the way I always dreamt of. I aimed to capture this feeling in my Albufeira collection- that feeling of wanderlust and that ethos of being open to the universe’s many gifts.

Life is truly just a divine combination of color schemes and contrasting textures. When we step back and look at the picture, our hearts help us make sense of it all. That is what the people, the buildings, and the beaches of Albufeira taught me.

The spatial range of love is immense, and Albufeira invited me to take it all in.

I invite you to do so as well.