We don’t like to travel much during the summer. Most places in Europe get too crowded and expensive in July and August. However, we still managed to squeeze in a few short, fun weekend getaways.

 

Figueira da Foz Summer Concert Series

We went to back-to-back nights of concerts in Figueira da Foz, a small coastal town just west of Coimbra. Each summer, the town hosts a concert series right on the beach—literally on the sand. I hadn’t expected that, so walking around the venue in the sand presented a bit of a challenge. I had to choose between going barefoot and risking a cut, or wearing shoes and ending up with dirty, sand-filled footwear. Despite the sandy struggle, the shows were great.

 

We saw Sting the first night. Before entering the venue, we enjoyed some fantastic tacos and margaritas. The taco shop sold out just a few orders after ours—a popular spot, and deservedly so. We took the train from Coimbra. While we enjoyed a pleasant ride there, the return train didn’t run until midnight, so we didn’t reach our hotel room until after 2 a.m.—way past my bedtime! Even at that hour, though, I managed to grab a late-night snack from a kebab shop a few doors down. They were closing up, but when I spoke to them in Portuguese, they realized I wasn’t just another tourist and hooked me up. Maybe these Portuguese lessons are paying off 🙂

The second night featured Lewis Capaldi. I became a fan a few years ago when he made news for having a mental breakdown on tour. That might sound like an unusual introduction to a musician, but reading that article prompted me to dive into his music. I listened to his newest album at the time in its entirety. Maybe it hit me because of where I was in life then, but his music really resonated with me. While most of his songs lean pretty sad (a fact he frequently admits during his performances), they carry a powerful message. I don’t consider myself a depressed or sad person in general, but we all go through tough times and periods of melancholy. His music feels therapeutic.

We definitely learned from our first-night experience. Instead of taking the train, I drove us. We also started heading toward the exit during the encore, walking through the gates right as Lewis finished his final song. Doing this allowed us to beat both the crowd and the traffic leaving town, so we climbed into bed around 11 p.m.—much better for my regimented sleep schedule! 🙂

 

We stayed in Coimbra because the concert weekend sent hotel prices in Figueira da Foz through the roof. We chose a pensão, which functions like a hotel without a lobby or on-site staff. You still get daily housekeeping, but the lack of extra services keeps the price well below standard hotel rates. This particular spot was lovely, and I think it will become our go-to accommodation in Coimbra. In the mornings, we discovered some excellent brunch spots. Any stay in Coimbra demands a visit to the Botanical Garden and our absolute favorite spot: the Bamboo Forest. During this visit, we even stumbled upon a charming little Madeira festival, which coincidentally made its way to Braga a few weeks later. A nice treat!

 

Seeking Totality

A total solar eclipse swept across Europe on August 12, with the path of totality cutting through much of Spain. My friend Carl offered to drive us up to Ferrol in Galicia. That meant six hours of driving—three hours each way—and likely closer to seven with return traffic, all for just 40 seconds of totality. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

I had witnessed partial eclipses before, but never totality. It delivers a completely different experience. An eerie sensation washed over me, triggering a primitive thought that something terrible was happening and the sun might never return. The sheer awe of the celestial event silenced our group, but it felt as though someone turned off the entire world’s volume, too. I’m so glad I got to experience it alongside some of our Braga friends.

 

Guarda Pickleball Weekend

Guarda’s Team Beirões invited Team Braga for a pickleball weekend in the highest-altitude city in Portugal. Of course, we accepted. Having only played against them at PEAK tournaments around the country, we really appreciated the chance to play together in a casual setting. They probably boast the largest pickleball team in all of Portugal, and it feels great to see the sport growing so rapidly here.

 

We rented a recently remodeled, beautiful apartment in the historic city center. Since we needed to eat early before pickleball—and few local spots open before 7:00 p.m.—we dined at Pizza Hut in the shopping center’s food court. For some reason, it tasted incredible. Nostalgia definitely played a role; that signature flavor instantly brought back fond memories of childhood pizza parties and lunch buffets at The Hut.

 

We scheduled four pickleball sessions across three days, and I participated in three. My body can only handle so much play before my joints start to complain! While pickleball is easy to learn, high-level play punishes your joints and back while burning tons of calories. Luckily, our hosts served a massive churrascaria (BBQ) lunch after Saturday morning’s session. We all filled up on ribs, pork chops, rice, and French fries.

After Sunday morning’s final session, we said goodbye to our new friends. It wasn’t bittersweet because we know we will return at least once a year. We enjoyed a final group lunch with Team Braga at the town’s only Indian restaurant. Europeans love dining al fresco, and while eating outdoors usually feels wonderful, today turned into an adventure. A strong breeze kept us on high alert as we battled the sun umbrella and prevented the tablecloth and dishware from blowing away. Even the flatbread turned into dangerous flying discs! 🙂

 

We love Indian food partly for its spice. I personally prefer a mild level of heat. However, since spice isn’t a popular profile in Portugal, foreign restaurants like Indian and Asian eateries usually tone down their spice levels to almost nothing for local palates. When we dine at Indian or Asian places here, we typically order our food “extra spicy” just to land at a true mild or medium heat. This time, however, spicy actually meant spicy! Thank goodness for the mango lassi—the yogurt cooled my mouth down. Despite the chaotic weather and heat, gathering everyone together before heading back home to Braga made for a fantastic afternoon.

 

A Coruña Pickleball Tournament

Another weekend, another pickleball trip—our third in a row. Yes, we are becoming a bit obsessed! 🙂 Between the Guarda trip and this weekend in A Coruña, Wayne and I also competed in a Porto tournament at The Lob, hosted by our friend and near-pro player Filipe. The brand-new indoor facility hosting the A Coruña tournament opened just a few months ago, and it is spectacular: four full courts, a practice half-court, and a bar. Any venue where you can play pickleball and enjoy a beer afterwards is an immediate winner in my book.

 

Wayne and I won every match leading up to the final. We ultimately lost the final by just one point (what they call the “Golden Point” in rally scoring). We faced a 5.0 player paired with a 13-year-old kid—who happens to be the top junior player in Spain! Losing by a single point to them felt very respectable, and I’m deeply proud of our second-place finish. We surprised a lot of players, and I think we played the best pickleball of our lives since moving up to the Advanced (4.0+) level.

 

We adore A Coruña. Once we obtain permanent EU residency and escape the travel restrictions of our current visa, we will very likely spend our summer months here. We stayed a couple of extra days to revisit our favorite spots: a walk out to the historic Tower of Hercules lighthouse, birria tacos at our favorite Mexican restaurant, multiple stops at our go-to local coffee roaster, and small plates at our favorite tapas spot. We also tried a new restaurant that turned out to be a complete winner, and we visited the aquarium for the first time. I really enjoyed the massive tanks—especially the largest one hidden in the basement, complete with a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea theme.

 

In Conclusion

That wraps up our summer update! Next up, we head to Poland for a six-day cycling tour along the Green Velo, followed by a few extra days enjoying the sights and flavors of Warsaw.

Bye for now!