Portugal, has increasingly become one of the hottest destinations in Europe, and for good reason.  Wonderful weather, picturesque scenery, beautiful beaches and a lot of culture and history.

Portugal's culinary scene is no longer playing second fiddle to the other Mediterranean countries.  Portugal's cuisine is a balance between centuries-old traditions and modern, international influence.   Traditional Portuguese food is often rustic and hearty dishes that makes use of a wide variety of spices, many of which came from Portugal’s former colonies.  Some of the more prominent spices used in Portuguese cuisine include piri piri, paprika, clove, allspice, and cumin. Garlic and onions are also widely used as are herbs like bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, and coriander.

For anyone who enjoys food there is no better way to get to the heart of a city and its people than by taking a walking food tour.  You will experience the lesser known areas of the city while exploring new food markets, visit restaurant specializing in local delicacies, and sample food that the locals eat daily.  

Portuguese cuisine takes advantage of its privileged location. With access to the Atlantic and Mediterranean, Portuguese foods incorporate the sea as well as its interiors in the many traditional dishes. A country with a vast diversity of recipes accumulated over centuries of influences and inspiration from around the world.  

Caldo Verde, one of the most popular soups in Portugal . It originated from the Minho province in northern Portugal but is now consumed throughout the country, often served at special events such as weddings and birthdays.

You will find a recipe by going to the following link:  https://www.perfectlyplannedjourneys.com/food--drinks-from-around-the-world.html

As my boys drove off in separate cars this morning to return to school to finish their last semester at their universities I sit here with a mixture of pride and excitement for them, but also a bit of sorrow that it all flew by so quickly.

I realize that things are once again about to change - they are about to turn the page and enter the next phase of life.

There were so many things I had planned on doing with them, so many places I wanted to show them, but the time just wasn't long enough!  Yes, we can still try to get to rent a villa in Tuscany and enjoy the amazing food and wine, the cabin in the mountains in Norway where I wanted to show them how beautiful it is with snow that looks like a million diamonds in the sun, and even taking them on a safari adventure in Kruger park seeing the big 5.

But they will now embark on their own lives where parents are no longer in charge, or even priority #1 - which, don't get me wrong - is exactly how it should be.

Just know that you only have about 18 years (22 if you count college) with your kids to make those important memories - and believe me, those years fly by in a flash!