Since April 20th till May 4th... lots happened

It's about time I start to update my travels, which I will split up in three parts; this episode is going to be the beautiful and intensive "get to know eacht other better" period with my daughter Zoë, as we finally had the time to be with each other on a long period of time. Of course she has to return home shortly, she got her life, her pets, her family in Milano, but we to learned know and respect each other bounderies... but believe me readers, it was one of the richest moments in my life, which I will cherish for the rest of my life; so proud of this young woman, which values every living thing on this Earth... from snails till tree's, till human beeings in general without prejudice.  
For any parent I think it is a "must do" with your kid... there are so many unspoken issues, which we keep carrying along and could be solved precisely in that period you're both together. Think about it.

Anyway, I returned to Holland to do a few concerts for the portuguese fado singer Mariza, one at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, which went smouth and well, but the after in Brussels at the Palais Beaux Arts, was a pain... productionwise talking.
In Amsterdam I was truly welcomed by a friend of a friend, where I could stay for 2 nights, as the initial plan, to stay at my youngest brother in Amsterdam failed, he was already at my Mum, with the key's of his apartment with him.  I put out an emergency text on Facebook, requesting for a stay. So I was sunddenly welcomed by true Brazilian hospitality of Leila at a cosy home nearby the concert venue.

 

last picture by M.Tijdgat

I returned to Lisbon on April 22nd and I couldn't wait how Zoë survived the stormy weather at the western coast near the seaside of Sintra.
I told her to meet up in Sintra's family restaurant "O Apeadeiro" just around the corner at Sintra Station (closed on Thursdays), where I and many of my friends, used to have dinner with their families or friends. Over the years it changed from a small maybe 7 tables (28 peeps) restaurant to a wide place over 100 seats nowadays, but the hospitality and kindness is the same as when I was a kid myself. So the know grandparents, parents, kids, grandchildren, nieces and cousins a place where you feel at home. In the meantime I had made a reservation for 4, including one of the loveliest gay couples Tixa and Isa, it was about time we would see each other. Tixa was a former goalie of a pro ladies indoor football team and Isa her biggest fan and excellent cook!

We would leave after dinner for the South of Portugal, as my Mum's Birthday was going to be Saturday 23rd. 

Zoë told me the motorhome was shaken heavely during the storm, but it felt as a rocking chair and she slept well and did her little tours on daytime. Of course I had informed my closest living fiends to keep an eye on the situation.

the guy left was a teenager himself at that time and became quite emotional, to hear I was on my way to my mother "I loved your Mum so much" he said.
The girls brought us back to the beach and we a had a nice drink at a nice bar Barmacia with them, which seemed to be one of their auntie's and we prepared the van for a night drive to the South.

While riding over the Sintra Mountain, a red light start flickering and I hate red lights on any dashboard... it looked like something was wrong with the battery charging, which was still okay... and we continued.... but all of a sudden also the the engine water was heating up, which is not good sign of all... the water was boilling and I decided to let it cool off and ride to to the fuel station a few kms from there. Ther we stood stil in the middle of the night. I called SOS Services Holland if they could help us out. I explained I had to be in the South of Portugal in the course of the Saturday and she would send out a tow truck, after I gaven her the sizes of mine (8,20m), to get us to a garage.... didn't sound well enough.... Saturday, Sunday and Monday April 25th,  Independence Day, National Holiday... who would work than? I waited paciently and send Zoë to bed, as there was not much she could do for now; I heard a truck stop next and a guy came out and says "well this must be a joke, if they think I could tow you on mine... you're are even bigger"  he continued.... after a inspection to the engine block, we came to the same conclusion, the drive belt was broken, which is responsible for charging the battery and fan, cooling of the engine. Okay no option. He would instruct the central, another tow truck had to accomplish this job. About 8 a.m. another truck stopped, almost the same size as the first one... he understood too the situation and called his central too; in the meantime I called SOS Service again and explained it ain't gonna work this way and as I will only be helped on Tuesday probably, we needed a plan B now. A car tot move around and a hotel if we returned next week. After half an hour I was called back and had their permission to get myself a car, hotel and move southwards.
I felt I was leading a production again, with lots to improvise. Okay pack the main things to go for a few day's and lets move. Called an über, called a car rental at the Lisbon airport, über arrived>> Lisbon >> rental car >> and GO!.... I knew where they would have their Birthday Lunch and 2,5 hours later, we arrived at the spot, 10 minutes before they arrived!
Mission accomplished "Happy Birthday Mum, Happy Birthday Grandma!" together with my sister Doesjka, my brother Eric and her husband Peter, we had a lovely lunch all together and a happy Mum 91st!

In the meantime, I had an invitation pending for a concert of Ludovico Einaudi athe the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon on Independence Day April 25th and it would be nice to see a complete show without working yourself and as Zoë also knew Einaudi's Crew, it would be a change to see all the guy's again. Next day we could move to the petrol station and get FiFi to a garage. Mum, we will be back!

We checked in at the beautiful situated Hotel Sintra Jardim, my favorite   https://www.hotelsintrajardim.pt/ owned by Suzana widow of my closest friend Jorge F.
It's not a luxury 5-stars hotel, but for sure one of the most beautiful ones in Sintra, with an amazing garden and (chill) swimming-pool, at the Sintra Mountain, for a reasonable price.

with a view at the Moors Castle from your breakfast table... how cool is that!

on our way to Einaudi's concert in Lisbon... last picture: his Steinway piano travels with him.

There came truck number 3... an appropriate this time and luckely enough there was a motorhome garage not that far from our spot. He towed us down there and Zoë was sitting high in a truck, for the first time in her life. The motorhome company could plan the repair on Friday, whcih was okay with us, we had transport and we had where te sleep at no costs.
Celebrated with a nice traditional portuguese "Bitoque" to choose from porc or cow... simply baked with a fried egg on top, rice, chips and some salad, the cheapest tasteful dish (€6)

Fifi had her well deserved rest, it was time to move forward, in between we had time to visit our mutual friends, like Pedro and Têcas and the king of queijadas de Sintra, Mario-Jorge
 

Suzana, Tecas and Pedro, Mario-Jorge vanished somehow... his little city pride Fiat

Back on the track with Fifi, tot the South again... Zoë had still a few day's to spend quality time with grandma, before returning to Milano...

The first picture, Zoë found a half alife little geck, which thought having a easy meal, from a sticky fly trap, which trapped her as well... all sticky she was, glued with her toes, arms and legs to her body; with lots of patcience, a paintbrush and olive oil, she managed to clean the poor little thing up... 

we were having little trips in the area and I went to visit some friends from Holland nearby, at a little place at the west coast (Costa Byzantina) called Arrifana... it was truly beautiful and with me, many surfers thought teh same way. Jacky, Letitia and their little Lua are also bon vivant's... and I'm really glad I took the time to visit them.Arrifana Beach bit by bit it was time to say "see you soon Princess, you gotta go home, but you know how to catch me up... prepare a little road map for Italy for me, including Roma, Florence and Sicilia" 
After I brought her to Faro Airport, I went to look at a motorhome camping Mikki's Place at Areias de Pera, she was there with her aunt Doesjka a few days before and she loved this place a lot. So while she was high upon the sky, I was cheering myself up, by what she had viewed and her eyes where right!

Mikki's Place maybe... it was a very peacefull place, to finish my departure day, of the one I Love the most in my life...