Throughout the 17 days I was in Portugal, half the time I was down with a bad cold. I never really understood why people use the word “down” until then. It was the worst I’ve caught in a decade; one that ridiculously worsened with every stage, which I’m still curing today. As I was literally beaten “down” to bed by the cold pain most of the time, I have little to write about the supposedly, I’d love to believe, beautiful country (except for this Christmas entry). Though I have no outdoor scenes to share regarding this travel, I do have 5 little things that I brought home for reminiscence sake when I recover. Here they are:
1. This bracelet with a traditional Portuguese symbol
{because woven with fine yarns of gold, the ‘heart’ you see represents the history of the city of Viana do Castelo, symbolizing devotion, ardent love, and dedication}
2. This bookmark
{because to enter Livraria Lello bookshop today, one has to pay, but I managed to enter for free as it was Christmas season, hence I bought this bookmark as my lucky souvenir}
3. This festive street deco
{because it was the only vibrant thing that stood out and cheered me a little during a hilly walk at Lisbon on a gloomy winter day; when my nose was more stuffed than a fat Christmas turkey}
