Today is one of those days. Those days when I'm sick of the rain, sick of the greyness of Manchester. And when it's one of those days, I can't help but feel very, very homesick.
This photo (which isn't mine) is of the beach, 10 minutes from my house, 5 minutes from my favourite café (of which I must take a photo during the Christmas holidays; it's beautiful, right on the cliff, facing the sea and the coastline). The Paredão (a raised wall, I guess), full of cafes and restaurants, snakes along the coastline from S. João to Cascais, through Estoril.
This will always be a special area for me. It was the refuge of the rich and royal during the 2nd world war, so it's filled with grand villas and hotels, many with secret passages to the beach and whispers of ghosts and hauntings. The Casino is still the biggest in Europe, and it's where Fleming got inspired to write Casino Royale, the first of the Bond books. 
Remember Casablanca, when she is flying to Lisbon in the end? Estoril would be where she would stay, full of spies, playboys and kings. (although under a fascist government at the time, Portugal remained neutral during the war - Salazar thought that both Hitler and Mussolini were idiots and of very little intelligence - and it was a lot sunnier and agreeable than Switzerland)
Living so close to it, the sea was always a part of my life. I never particularly liked the beach in Summer, not since I stopped being a child. But in the Winter, the Paredão is beautiful as well, and was all mine. The sea's beauty is not affected by the colour of the skies; I love it both when it's cloudy and when it's blue. I still love to go and get a cappuccino or a hot chocolate on a winter's day, staring at the waves.
I guess that's what I miss the most, here - having somewhere to go. There's always that café or this café, that part of Lisbon or this part of Cascais. I understand why teenagers in this country get into trouble - in so many places in Britain, the only place to hang out is the Bus stop or the Convenience store. That depresses me so much. I want to go places, and have the motivation to do so. But when it's night come 4h30 and it's been raining all day, I don't. And I get homesick, and miss friends, and family, and the sea. Like today. I'm a month away and I'm counting the days.
Hello Vanda,
Is there a Portugeuse shop somewhere in Manchester, we have one here (and it's only a small town) where the Portugeuse buy things they miss from home, hang out and drink coffee and watch Portugeuse TV. We buy the coffee and eat custard donuts there.
Try and find one to go to when you are feeling homesick.
Carolyn
Posted by: carolyn | November 15, 2006 at 06:53 PM
Why did you move? I know that my family and I have moved all over the US. Mostly because we wanted to do something new. We are quite nomadic... must be the Hungarian Gypsy in me. Anyway, my husband is a surfer and now we are living in the middle of the US and there isn't a beach for 100's of miles. I can tell at times that he has a terrible ache for it. He would say it is the positive ions that the ocean produces and he isn't getting enough... maybe you aren't either. Stay warm on your grey day.
Jacqueline
Posted by: jacqueline | November 15, 2006 at 07:16 PM
You know, your friends miss you too :) Only sightly more then a week to wait now, yeyyy
Posted by: Diogo | December 06, 2006 at 03:25 PM