Tag No. 49 - wonder forever? - Ericeira

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau 

Early in the morning, we are woken by the rising sun. What we don't know yet, uur day today is all about surfing. - Yesterday evening, after sunset, there was only one van next to us on the cliff. Now, as I look out of the window, there are already a number of Portuguese vehicles next to us. They are mainly surfers, some of whom are just looking at the water to check out the waves. Some of them are already in the water to watch the sunrise. First of all, I use our self-made outdoor shower. With an outside temperature of just under 10°, this is more than invigorating. But instead of heading for the water, I head for the van. I prefer a hot cup of coffee.

Then we pack up our planks to park the van a few meters further on, above the beach, in the morning sun. Unfortunately, a surfer has parked a little too close to us. Should we wait until he's back from the sea? - We decide to weave our way through. Hector makes himself narrow. - More and more, we learn to get through even the smallest gap with the van. The next task is to get through below the height limit, as we did the day before. In this part of Portugal, height restrictions seem to be on the increase again, just like in France. That's why we've already mounted the bikes on the pannier rack so that the handlebars point in one direction. This gives us the chance to get through between the barges from time to time. In this position, however, there is only the chance that the height marker will be lifted a little. Of course, that doesn't always help. That's why we're still thinking about how our luggage carrier can be converted. Because dismantling the bikes every time is not really an option.

Once we arrive at our new position, I strike up a conversation with a couple of surfers and their daughter. He tells me that they come from the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. That's why I'm surprised about the Paderborn license plate. He tells me that he registered the vehicle in Paderborn in his father's name to save costs. He had to do this because he couldn't afford a permanent job, otherwise he wouldn't have time to surf. I'm a little surprised at the matter-of-factness of his words. I ask him if they would describe themselves as happy. - "Happiness means being on the sea"  - The next question was whether I was even aware that we had parked our van at one of the most beautiful surf spots in Portugal? Of course we weren't. That's why I'll mention the spot again here, Mafra - Santa Isodoro. - We have a second coffee and make our way to Ericeira.

There is no mistaking that this is also a surfing hotspot. Hordes of surfers cross the road at the first pedestrian crossing. We first have to stock up on food. When we have finished, we arrange to meet a good friend from Cologne on the beach. She is on vacation for a week with a friend, her son and her son. Relaxation and exploration are the order of the day, but surfing is also on the agenda. Until the group joins us, we use the time for breakfast. Today we have bread rolls with cheese and salad, plus hearty sweet tomatoes. 

When the Cologne team arrives, they want to go straight out to sea. I take the opportunity and also borrow a board to get a first introduction. I love the sea, but do I also love surfing? I don't know, the water is choppy. But a surf instructor is training a small group on the reef. So I put on my wetsuit and get into the water. - My first impression? Similar to the day I stood on a SUP for the first time. The board was definitely not in my weight class. It was more like a submarine. But back then I at least managed to stand up, which I can't do today. I swallow a lot of water, but it was still great fun. I'll have to see where I can borrow a board that's more buoyant. Surely there will be professionals who can do it with a small board. But I need a bit more security. I can't say whether surfing is my sport or not. But I enjoyed it and had fun, despite the miserable conditions. That makes me optimistic. I also first learned to dive in a quarry pond and not in the Caribbean. I don't know if I would ever have explored a quarry pond if it had been the other way around.

When I get out of the water, I'm happy. - Afterwards, we explore a cool surfer store for a while. But I'm starting to get hungry. It's great that the ladies decide to go to a restaurant. The winding alleyways of Ericeira's old town, with their almost white cobblestones, offer ideal conditions for getting stuck in the van. That's why we give up on a direct drive to the restaurant after one or two attempts and prefer to leave Hector underneath an old chapel. With God's blessing, nothing will happen to him. From here, we walk through the old town and take a look at the harbor with a few old fishing boats. The restaurant turns out to be a nice burger joint. Nice and simple, the guys make a satisfied impression. - Now it's time to make our way to Sintra. Hector parks in the garden of an old house today, directly below and therefore in view of the Palácio Nacional da Pena. But this is not on our list of places to visit until later. We light the fireplace and drink a few glasses of wine together by the crackling fire.

When the fire is crackling, it's easy to become melancholy or optimistic. With a glass of wine in hand, it's easy to spin positive thoughts. Without us consciously addressing it, the topic of contentment and happiness also becomes an issue here.

Everyone involved in this conversation is aware of the luxury life we lead. We have the chance to travel, to live in a beautiful city, not only to have enough to eat. But also the freedom to choose: do we want organic, vegan or steak? Enjoying freedom is particularly easy after a day at the beach. If we're not happy now, when will we be?

As the evening draws to a close, we are glad to be able to move from the house back into the garden. Sleeping in your own bed is something else.