COVID in Portugal: Dark Days

New year, same s—, apparently. Still waiting to travel. In the meantime, here’s how things are going in another country.

Piglet in Portugal

If last week was one of those weeks I would like to file in a box, firmly shut the lid, lock then hide the key on the top shelf of my bookcase, this week I have wanted to throw the key away.

At the beginning of January I made the conscious decision (NYR): not to listen to the news, read newspapers or Facebook to follow COVID deaths and new infection rate etc. I was also fed up of people still promoting COVID as a hoax, refusing to wear masks or respect the social distancing rules.

But as with most New Year resolutions, by the third week of January I succumbed to curiosity after a chance conversation on WhatsApp with the family who reported COVID figures here were rocketing.

I had a quick peep at the FB Groups: SafeCommunitiesPortugal and CORONA VIRUS UPDATES – PORTUGAL and was horrified by the number…

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(Indirect) Re-blog: Currents and Picks.

“…So where am I going with all this?

Clobbered. That’s the way I feel about this year.“

Me too, Philosopher Mouse. Me too.

Click here for the post: Currents and Picks

Caught red-handed, uh, petaled (#expatriate #repatriate #travel)

If this doesn’t reflect expatriate, repatriate and/or travel life, I don’t know what does.

In the bubble

Travel, sport, fun, and exercise? Can’t beat it. Check out this new venue in Houston, Texas.

Another First. Battle of Kings

This is a coincidental post. Just yesterday, saw a neighbor carrying a huge “rosca de reyes” cake and wondered what it was all about. Seeing this post made me put 2+2 together with the Three Kings celebrations, and there you have it.

Nice piece of history to bite on. Enjoy.

This Sign Made Me Laugh!

Pure comedy.

Piglet in Portugal

We are plagued by wild campers who have no respect for the countryside. This sign near Praia da Amoreira made me laugh, and inspired me to write a poem which is also about crap!

Please Scoop Your Poop

Wild campers, (PLEASE) scoop your poop or dig a hole
we don’t want your faeces on our soles
nor your toilet paper strewn far and wide
PLEASE, I beg, respect our countryside.

Your pitch is priceless but we like to share
just leave no trace of your existence there.
And why take six parking lots when two would do?
Others also want to enjoy the view.

Check out Weekly Signs Meme at signs2.blogspot.com/ and/or why not join me and create your own fun A-Z of Pet Peeves.

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I’ve Been Around the World – Street Art Tour

More vicarious travelling for 2016 – worldwide street art with some female artists featured, which is nice to see in a world usually dominated by males. Enjoy.

Here There Everywhere

Last year I had big plans to finally blog regularly and they fell through as always.  Life as it does got in the way but mainly the second half of 2015 was marred by seasonal depression, visa issues and a real hatred for my new job.

Most of those things have now thankfully resolved thmeselves or are on the way.  I’ve also been taking vitamin D consistently for the past month – only after years of my doctor saying I should because I am deficient.

I am finally feeling myself again, motivated and wanting to share about my goings on in London.  However, I know how easy it is for me to ditch the blog.  A time will come again where my mood will dip and I will retreat from it and I’ve come to terms with that and allowed myself to feel okay if there are long breaks in…

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Walking London: Barbican to Southbank

In spite of my love/hate relationship with the place because of the experiences before my departure, this is, and will always be, my 2nd home. So in continuing with my theme of living vicariously through others’ travels this year, here’s a post about a small section of my 2nd home. Enjoy.

Here There Everywhere

Start: Barbican Tube Station

This past Sunday was the first time in ages where I went on one of my rambling exploring days out.  Yes it’s been winter, and cold and grey but I usually manage to get around during the season.  Not the case this winter where I mostly stayed inside.

It feels good to finally feel the sun on my face and not only get out and about but want to get out and about.  The prospect of using my new lens was also an incentive to  haul my very heavy D-SLR out with me.

With flowers budding all over the place, longer days and even a few days where I wore sunnies (!) none of us can deny that Spring is knocking on the door.  I’m finally getting into using my twitter account more and seeing the point of it all (@wanderlust _wtb) over the past…

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Yangon – A First Glimpse

Since I’ll be living vicariously through the travels of other people for a while, here’s another post reblogged, this time about Myanmar. Enjoy.

A Traveler's Tale

A Yangon sunrise

February 2016:  It was Valentine’s Day when I landed in Yangon.  There were no red roses or heart-shaped balloons to meet me at the terminal but, following instructions from the office, I made a brief queue to obtain my visa-on-arrival (It costs $50 for a 70-day stay), followed a long queue with a large group of tourists trying to clear immigration, claimed my luggage, then I was out into the humid brightness of Myanmar‘s capital.  A smiling taxi driver, who held a white paper with my name on it, helped me load my  bags to the cab, then whisked me through Sunday traffic to my hotel.  After many years of having it in my bucket list, I was finally in Yangon.  Happy hearts’ day to me.

The Yangon International Airport has direct flights to regional cities in Asia – mainly, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh…

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28 mind-blowing facts about Uganda!

I volunteered in Uganda a while ago for 6 weeks. It’s one of my favorite countries, and I’m well overdue for a trip back there. If you’ve never been there before, consider adding it to your travel (and/or bucket) list.

one.african.girl

Evening view of Kampala city (credits: Joel Nsadha Isababi)

Uganda is commonly referred to as the Pearl of Africa which is not far from the truth considering her natural resources combined with a very hospitable population. Here are some crazy facts about her;

1. Caesarian sections were being performed in Uganda way before 1879 when R.W. Felkin observed his first successful operation by indigenous healers in Kahura. (reference: Notes on Labour in Central Africa” published in the Edinburgh Medical Journal, volume 20, April 1884, pages 922-930.)

1. There are about 880 mountain gorrillas in the whole world and half of them are found in Uganda.

1. Ranked as the world’s most entrepreneurial country with a rate of 28.1%. This means that 28.1% of Uganda’s population own or co-own a business that has paid salaries for more than 3 months but less than 42.

1. Lakes and rivers cover 26% of Uganda which is 91,136…

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