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Continuing my Portugal adventure, just when I thought the best part of my trip was surely behind me, I arrived in Porto. Little did I know that this city would leave such a lasting impression on my heart.
My first jaw-dropping moment came when we arrived at our Airbnb. Conveniently situated along a busy Porto street, just across from the entrance to a beautiful park, it had everything my hustle-and-bustle-loving heart could want. Cars and buses whizzed by, and the energy of the city was everywhere. But when I opened the door, I was instantly transported back centuries. The interior walls were constructed of gorgeous exposed northern Portuguese granite, and exposed beams and other unique old-world architectural details were everywhere. It was the perfect blend of the old and the new.
This is where I was introduced to the Portuguese swallow phenomenon. On one wall was a small flock of ceramic swallows in varying sizes and colors. A little research revealed that these birds are among Portugal's most cherished symbols. Look closely and you will find them perched on walls and displayed in homes, restaurants, and shops. Swallows are often associated with enduring love and family because they mate for life, while their amazing ability to return home symbolizes loyalty, hope, and safe returns from travel.
I found this tradition quite endearing, and naturally, a pair of swallows followed me home in my luggage. Some souvenirs simply mean more than others.
Our Airbnb, along with the park across the street, was perched high above the city and the Douro River, offering breathtaking views. As we wandered through the park, we were surrounded by brightly colored flowers, bubbling fountains, and weathered statuary. Oh, and there were chickens, peacocks, and geese wandering about, too. You had to keep an eye on your snacks; the peacocks were not above snatching them right out of your hand!
We spent our first evening watching the sunset at Passeio das Virtudes, a popular gathering spot where locals and visitors alike come to watch the sun slip below the horizon. Hundreds of people had gathered, many with a glass of wine in hand, enjoying the spectacular view and one another's company. We sat in awed silence, taking it all in. For a little while, we felt less like tourists and more like locals. It was the perfect introduction to Porto.
Our next planned family activity took us a little off the beaten path of typical tourist attractions: a local tattoo shop. You know what they say, "The family that travels and tattoos together, stays together." Well, perhaps they don't, but they should! We each chose a Portugal-inspired design, mine being the swallow, and left with a permanent reminder of our adventures together. Some families bring home magnets. We brought home ink!
We explored, sampled an assortment of wonderful fresh seafood, enjoyed the obligatory glass of port, joined an impromptu dance party along the riverfront, and took lots and lots of pictures. One particularly photogenic stop was Livraria Lello, often called one of the most beautiful
bookstores in the world. It is so popular that visitors must purchase timed-entry tickets in advance.
The moment you enter, your eyes are drawn to the magnificent ruby red carpeted staircase at the center of the store. Its graceful curves seem to beckon you upstairs, where a stunning stained-glass skylight illuminates the richly carved woodwork and towering bookshelves. The entire space feels almost otherworldly, like stepping into a storybook. It is easy to understand why the bookstore has become associated with J.K. Rowling and the magical world of Harry Potter, although Rowling has said she never visited the bookstore and that it did not inspire her books. Still, standing there, surrounded by such extraordinary craftsmanship, you can certainly understand why people make the connection.
As beautiful as the historic buildings and city sights were, however, one day in particular left a lasting impression on my heart. Blain and I are lovers of nature and national parks, so when I discovered that Portugal is home to one national park, Peneda-Gerês National Park, I knew we had to visit. I booked an all-day excursion, never imagining that the experience would become one of the highlights of our entire trip.
Our small group consisted of two other couples and our Portuguese tour guide, Diogo. One couple was from Germany and the other from Denmark. Four different cultures were represented in one van, setting off on an adventure together. I wondered how well we would get along, especially with language differences potentially making communication a challenge. As it turned out, those concerns quickly faded, replaced by a beautiful cultural exchange.
Throughout the day, we hiked through magnificent mountains and oak and cork forests, crossed streams to reach stunning waterfalls, and visited a 350-year-old communal olive press, a remarkable example of history that continues to serve a purpose. Small villages still exist within the park, and we stopped for lunch in one of them.
There, gathered around a table, sampling traditional Portuguese food and wine, we began to share stories about our lives, families, and homes. We discovered that despite our different backgrounds and the miles separating us, we had far more in common than we might have imagined. The conversation flowed, the laughter came easily, and something special began to happen. We were no longer simply strangers sharing an excursion. We were becoming friends.
That connection continued on the ride home, and by the end of the day, we had exchanged more than stories. We had formed a genuine bond. At one of our rest stops, my new Danish friend, Cathrine, looked at me and said, quite matter-of-factly, "I like you." "I like you, too," I replied.
And just like that, a friendship was born. Phone numbers and email addresses were exchanged, and the following day Cathrine and her husband met Blain and me for a cruise on the Douro River.
We talked and laughed. We shared stories about our families, our homes, and our lives. We found ourselves reluctant to say goodbye when the time came. And when we finally parted, there were tears.
I found myself baffled by the intensity of my emotions. How could I feel so attached to someone I had known for such a short time, someone with whom communication had sometimes been a challenge? How could a friendship formed in a single day mean so much?
I have come to believe that sometimes you meet a kindred spirit, someone with whom you feel an immediate connection or an unspoken understanding. You may not share the same language, live in the same country, or have much in common on the surface, but something about that person feels familiar. You simply understand one another.
That is what I felt with Cathrine, and judging by her tears, I believe she felt it, too.
Travel has a wonderful way of reminding us that the world is both much bigger and much smaller than we think. It introduces us to places we have only imagined, exposes us to ways of life different from our own, and gives us the opportunity to discover how much we share with people we might otherwise never have met.
I returned from Portugal with beautiful photographs, memories of magnificent places, a pair of ceramic swallows, and a permanent tattoo to commemorate the adventure. But the most precious souvenirs I brought home were the ones I could never pack in a suitcase: the time spent with my beautiful family, a new friendship across an ocean, and a renewed belief in the goodness of the human spirit.
Perhaps that is the real gift of travel. We set out to see the world, but along the way, we discover one another. And sometimes, in the most unexpected places, we find a little more faith in humanity and a few more reasons to believe that, despite all our differences, we are not so different after all.
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Rhonda S. Kelley is the executive director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.