Neighbors Stories and photos submitted “This is the new work that I’m creating for the Union of Parishes of Póvoa, Rio Moinhos, and Caféde,” shares João Robalo of Alcains, Castelo Branco. “For any artist, it is very important that we be allowed to show publicly what we are creating, as that is the only way we can show the dimension of our work,” João says. “Most of the work done privately will never reach the general public in the same way!” Which is why the artist thanks João Paulo Martinho, president of the União de Freguesias (Póvoa Rio de Moinhos and Caféde) for the invitation and confidence, as well as the Castelo Branco City Council, for allowing him to realize yet another work. “Each work is a challenge, both in terms of local and traditional research. Conversations with locals about their history are also very interesting.” “Yet another reason why Portugal is the best: My wallet fell out of my pocket this afternoon. Got home from store, noticed wallet was gone. Tracking device (Tile) showed it was last near a hotel a few blocks away. Go to hotel, nada. Go home, make list of accounts that will need to be cancelled, insurance company that needs to be alerted, etc.,” recalls Frodo Breen-Anderson. “Start to call credit card issuer to cancel, but phone rings. ‘Hello, Mr. Neff? This is Allianz’—my health insurance carrier. ‘Someone found your wallet in Lisbon. Here’s his phone number.’ I call the number, ask if I can come pick up wallet. Finder says no—he insists on coming to me, for my convenience. OK, so I meet him downstairs. He agrees to let me treat him to coffee as a thank you. Turns out he: (1) looked me up online and saw where I used to work; (2) called my former employer, who said they 62 Portugal Living Magazine
could not help him, and suggested he mail the wallet back to the USA; (3) looked me up on Facebook, but since this account was inherited from my dog, he couldn’t find me; (4) looked in my wallet, found Allianz card, and called the insurer. Where else would someone do all that? And wow, Allianz—what American insurance company would call a person whose wallet had been found? And on top of it— we spent two hours having coffee. A wonderful and very interesting man. Many thanks to my new friend, Jorge!” The train line from Cascais to Lisbon has its first stop here at Monte Estoril. Next is Estoril. Cascais to Estoril is a lovely walk on the Paredão, a seawalk along the Cascais and Estoril beaches. “When my daughter is a little behind in the morning, I drive her here … instead of Cascais,” shares Luis Schnitzer Da Silva. “The sun was shining right on the ocean in front of the station, that cute little building which has been here forever (when I was a kid, this was my station), right by the ocean with the little palm trees and all its peaceful gorgeousness. I wanted her to absorb it before embarking on the stress of her daily life at the University in Lisbon. I only succeeded in stressing her out more—she was afraid she’d miss the train. “I must say I like driving her here, because we have a few more minutes to talk and listen to her music. When she leaves the car each morning, the music falters for a few seconds, as Bluetooth strives to maintain the connection. Then it stops altogether and it’s always a sad silence. “I am dreading the day, soon, when her music dies altogether.” “Strolling through the streets of Guimarães, I turned up a street with its name Rua Nova (New Street) chiseled into the granite paving stones over which I walked,” recalls Pat Hardage. “When I came to the Casa da Rua Nova and took my photo, I realized I wanted to share this experience with the folks I left behind during our rapturous flight to Portugal.
