Grow Your Blog 2015

Hello and welcome to my blog "às Voltas no Mundo" or Around the World!

I started my first blog in 2006, when I moved away from my home country, so I could easily tell all about my adventures to my friends. Since then I have never stopped blogging and sharing this little bit of myself is something I really enjoy doing. I am Portuguese but right now I live in the beautiful historical city of Prague, the capital of Czech republic. I started posting only in portuguese, since it helps me practice my mother language (believe me, after almost 10 years living abroad I need it), but since last year's Grow Your Blog party I also started posting in english. I usually post on both languages.

I mostly post about:


1- Places I have visited

I have lived in 4 different countries and I love traveling. In the beginning I did it alone but then I met the most fantastic partner (for everything not just traveling) and it became even more fun to move around. He loves photography and everywhere we go he takes a lot of pictures, which means my blog is full of gorgeous images.

Some of the places I visited last year

2- Running

I absolutely love running. Running makes me relax, releases the tension in my muscles and allows me to think. I started running half marathons last year and it was fun, but tough. My goal is to run marathons in the future, but I refuse to move on until I feel comfortable with the half distance. This year I'm planning to run 3 half-marathons and I have been training hard to improve my condition.

Me after my first half marathon

3- Cooking

I actually started running because I love cooking and eating. I do like to cook healthy food, but I don't say no to a good dessert. I have another blog (here) where I post all the recipes worth sharing, but occasionally I post some links to those recipes here as well.

My not so healthy but super delicious Nachos!

I hope you enjoy my blog and I wish you a happy Glow Your Blog party!!!

Let's get cooking!

Lately I have been in the mood to try new recipes and most of them worked quite well, so I decided to share them on my other page. The links to the recipes are below each picture.

Mushrooms "Bulhão Pato"

Recipe here

Banana and Walnut healthy muffins

Recipe here

Curry Soup

Recipe here

Ultimamente tenho experimentado novas receitas e partilhei-as na minha outra página. Os links para as receitas estão de baixo de cada foto. As receitas também estão em português.

Gerês - Portugal

O Gerês é uma região a norte de Portugal, conhecida pela natureza e paisagens lindíssimas do Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês. O parque é enorme e há imensas belezas da natureza para ver. No Verão passado ficamos no Gerês 4 dias, os quais foram ocupados em caminhadas, banhos de rio, passeios de carro, a comer grelhado e a beber vinho verde, tinto ou branco, típico desta região. Além de tudo isso o J. tirou fotos fantásticas!

Gêres is a region in the north of Portugal, known by the natural landscapes of the National Park of Peneda-Gerês. The park is huge and there are a lot of things to see. Last summer we spent there 4 days in which we hiked some mountains, we bathed in the river, we drove around, we made barbecues and drank the so called "green" wine, which is not completely mature wine, red or white, typical in this region. On top of that J. took some amazing photos!

 Portela do Homem

Além das paisagens naturais também se encontram muitas aldeias espalhadas pelas montanhas. Nesses vilarejos é comum verem-se espigueiros, construções como a que está na foto em baixo. Os espigueiros eram usados para guardar milho e outros grãos, e eram construídos em pés de pedra para evitar colónias de ratos que poderiam comer a colheita. Hoje em dia há modos mais modernos de guardar estes produtos da terra, mas as pessoas ainda cuidam dos seus espigueiros uma vez que fazem parte do património e história do Gerês.

When we drove around we encountered many cute little villages and many of these constructions as shown on the picture below. They are called "espigueiros" in portuguese and they are used to store corn and other grains. Espigueiros are built high up, on sort of stone stilts, in order to avoid mice colonies. Nowadays there are more modern ways to store these products, but the espigueiros remain and people do take care of them, as they are part of the Gerês heritage. 

 Barragem de Vilarinho das Furnas / Vilarinho das Furnas dam

 Vila do Soajo

 Rio Lima / Lima river

 São Bento da Porta Aberta

Caminhamos até ao cimo da montanha e agora estavamos a olhar para o Santuário de São Bento da Porta Aberta 

We hiked up to the mountain and we were looking over São Bento da Porta Aberta sanctuary

 A minha irmã (em cima) e nós (em baixo) a apreciar a vista espectacular

My sister (above) and us (below) enjoying the great view

 Barragem da Caniçada o local certo para ir a banhos / Caniçada Dam, the right place for a swim

Foram belos dias passados em família.

It was some great family time!

Verdelhos - Guarda

Nem todos os lugares especiais estão à vista ou são bem conhecidos. Verdelhos é um deles, uma praia fluvial de águas transparente e cristalinas no meio da floresta, longe de toda a tecnologia moderna, onde se pode passar um dia divertido e relaxado. Apesar de localizado a algumas dezenas de quilómetros da minha cidade natal, foi-me apenas indicado por uma amigo de um amigo de um amigo recentemente. Um bom livro, uma toalha, um piquenique e boa companhia é tudo o que se precisa para passar um belo dia.

Not all interesting places are well known or pointed out. Verdelhos is one of them, a river beach of crystalline and transparent waters, in the middle of the forest, far from all modern technology and the perfect place to spend a fun and relaxing day. Even though this place is located only a few tens of kilometers from my hometown, it was only recently that a friend of a friend of a friend told me about it. A good book, a beach towel, a picnic and good company is all you need to bring to spend a wonderful day. 

 

Berlengas

As ilhas Berlengas ficam a cerca de 15 Km da costa portuguesa, a Oeste da cidade de Peniche. As Berlengas podem ser visitadas num dia só e oferecem paisagens selvagens muito bonitas.

Berlengas is an archipelago about 15 Km off the portuguese coast, west of the town of Peniche. The islands can be visited in one day and they offer gorgeous and wild landscapes. 

Forte de São João Batista

Um penhasco chamado de Tromba de Elefante / The Elephant Trunk rock

 Forte de São João Batista

 Farol Duque de Bragança / Duque de Bragança's Lighthouse

 Aldeia dos Pescadores / The fisherman's village

Pôr do sol na viagem de barco de volta a Peniche.

Sunset on our back to Peniche, on the boat.