The Petite Philosopher

Thoughtful Style.

Fashion, Travel

A Day in Obidos

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rick Steves was definitely correct asserting that Obidos is the prettiest town in Portugal, but possibly the least authentic. Even though this was true, it didn’t stop me and Brandon from enjoying its beautiful scenery. Obidos is a medieval town encircled by castle walls and is filled with beautiful flowers at every turn. As we walked through the town, which is rather small,  there were so many stunning blooms and photo ops that needed to be taken advantage of. The best views of the town were seen walking the castle walls, which came at no cost. Obidos is a perfect little town to spend the day wandering its streets and admiring its beauty. Just don’t forget a shot of ginja!

Dress: Forever 21. Shoes: DLG. Sunglasses: Le Specs. Bag: Clare V. Tassel: Clare V (sold out, similar here). Watch: Chanel. Earrings: My Beloved Crafts. Bracelet: Madewell. Lips: Marc Jacobs Infamous.

Fashion, Travel

Lovely Lisbon.

“But a city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time.” – Patrick Geddes

From our recent trip to Portugal, Lisbon was definitely one of my favourite cities we visited. Honestly, it was a lot grittier than I expected, especially with all the graffiti. But this did not deter me from enjoying the city’s atmosphere; it actually made me love it even more. I found Lisbon to be very authentic. It’s not catered to tourists, though it does have many sites worth seeing. The restaurants and food certainly did not disappoint, and neither did the nightlife. At the end of our stay, both Brandon and I felt that there’s so much more to Lisbon that we didn’t get to see, and I think that’s a great measure of how well we both like a city.

Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch. Hat: Treasure & Bond. Sunglasses: Le Specs. Bag: Clare V. Tassel: MISA. Shoes: Sam Edelman. Earrings: My Beloved Crafts. Bracelet: Madewell. Lips: MAC Chili.

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Travel

Perfectly Portugal: Part Two

“One’s destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

From my pervious post, it was clear to see how much my husband and I enjoyed Portugal. For the second half of our vacation we went on day trips as well as stayed in smaller locations, while ending off in Portugal’s second largest city, Porto.

Obidos (1 night)

What to do: Obidos is a beautiful town to just simply walk around and admire the views, flowers, and array of colours. The only major attraction is the town itself, which includes walking along the top of the castle walls. Another must-do is to take a shot of their local cherry liqueur called ginja out of a chocolate shot glass.

Where to stay: I really recommend trying to stay within the castle walls if possible, making the Obidos experience more worthwhile. I wouldn’t stay more than one night unless the town is used as a base for day trips. Our Air B&B was especially nice due to its pool and views of the castle (and yes, I ate the fruit off the tree).

Where to eat: Like Evora, Obidos shuts down pretty early. Luckily, we found a great restaurant that was open later – Jamon Jamon. Drinking one last glass of ginja for the night was essential at Bar Ibn Errik Rex.

Santa Cruz (1 night)

What to do: We stopped at Santa Cruz beach on the way to the nearby resort we were stay at. The best, and really only thing to do here, is go and enjoy the beach. The waves were some of the biggest I had ever seen!

Where to stay: We stayed at possibly the most magical place – Areias do Seixo. Located steps away from the ocean, this secluded resort was hospitable, gorgeous, and definitely memorable.

Where to eat: For lunch we ate near the beach at Noah, where I enjoyed one of the best seafood risottos I have ever eaten. For dinner, we opted to eat at the hotel’s restaurant, and it did not disappoint.

Coimbra (2 nights)

What to do: On the way to Coimbra we stopped at two monasteries, Alcobaca and Batalha. While both were beautiful, to be honest, visiting one was enough. I think I preferred Alcobaca because it was less crowded, and holds the tombs of two royal figures who had a tragic love story. In the city of Coimbra, it was enjoyable to wander the streets, catch a fado performance, and visit its famed university. The university grounds contain one of the most magnificent libraries I have ever seen, stunning views, a chapel, and a zoological museum.

Where to stay: Every morning I was fortunate to wake up to the sounds of fado, where medical students performed on the street of our Air B&B apartment. The location was ideal, being situated in the centre of the old town, and only a 10 minute walk to the university.

Porto (3 nights)

What to do: As said in my introduction, Porto is Portugal’s second largest city. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be busier than Lisbon, but it was! There are a lot more tourists in Porto, and I think that’s because all the sights are within a smaller area. A piece of advice – bring comfortable shoes and be aware there’s a lot of uphill walking (maybe even more than Lisbon). The city is an attraction in itself, but I do recommend visiting its beautiful train station, Bolsa Palace, and crossing Dom Luis Bridge to catch some spectacular views at sunset. The famed bookstore, Livraria Lello was ridiculously crowded, but nice to see. We did take a day trip to the Duoro Valley while in Porto, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. We booked a tour that picked us up in Porto, drove us to the Duoro Valley, which included two vineyard visits, all to see the incredible scenery and to of course learn about and taste Portuguese wine and port.

Where to stay: The location of our Air B&B apartment was perfect, being right around the corner of the train station. I say this because it was very central, almost like it was the middle ground between walking downhill to the riverfront, and uphill to other attractions, including the shopping district.

Where to eat: By the end of our time in Portugal, Brandon and I were both craving Asian flavours, so we opted for Japanese twice. Our meal at Shiko had amazing crispy chicken, while Domo had, in my opinion, better sushi. We also had a tasty lunch at Miss Pavlova and great pasta dishes at A despensa, while we ended our trip by eating the artery clogging francesinha sandwich at Cervejaria Brasão Aliados.

I hope you enjoyed my Portugal travel guide! Cheers!

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Travel

Perfectly Portugal: Part One

“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.” – Francis Bacon

To be completely honest, I never really knew much about Portugal. My knowledge of the country was limited to Ronaldo, seafood, and that it was geographically next to Spain. My ignorance is what made me choose to travel to Portugal. I wanted to learn more about the country, its culture, history, and people, and I’m pleased to report that I did. When planning our trip, my husband and I decided to rent a car so that we were free to explore the country. With the help of reddit, travel blogs, and Rick Steves, I selected the towns and cities we visited based on our interests in beautiful scenery, history, and food.

Lisbon (4 nights)

What to do: For me and Brandon, what we liked doing best in Lisbon was just wander the streets of the different districts. Our favourite viewpoint was at Castelo de S. Jorge, while we spent most of our time at night in Baxia/Chiado. LX Factory is a fun street of independent shops, bars, and resturants. Belem is a short uber drive away, and there you can see Belem Tower, get commanding views of Lisbon atop the Monument of Discoveries, and get lost in the cloisters of Jerónimos Monastery. Attending a Fado performance is also a must!

Where to stay: Lisbon is a bigger city with many districts that have their own unique vibe. If you want to stay in the centre of it all, I recommend Baxia/Chaido. For an old town romantic feel, Alfama is the way to go. Belem was great to visit, but for me it’s too far from the heart of Lisbon. We loved our stay at The Lisboans Apartments.

Where to eat: Portugal is all about these custard parties called pastel de nata, and for a reason – they are delicious. The two most popular spots are Pasteis de Belem and Manteigaria (the latter was our favourite). The best dinners we had were at Sea Me and the Time Out Market. To be honest, every meal we had in Lisbon was top notch.

 

Sintra (day trip from Lisbon)

What to do: Castles, castles, and more castles. There are many palaces situated in this small town, so unless you’re planning on staying overnight or more than one day, I would stick to visiting three. We chose Pena Palace, The Castle of the Moors, and Quinta de Regalia because they were very different from one another.

Lagos (2 nights)

What to do: It’s all about the beaches in Lagos. There were so many to choose from! We spent most of our time at Praia Dona Ana, which had stunning rock formations that created a gorgeous view. The town itself is very lively, especially at night, so it’s quite enjoyable to just wander, drink, eat, and people watch. Brandon and I really wished we planned to stay in Lagos longer, by at least one more day. It’s very relaxing, fun, and picturesque.

Where to stay: If possible, try actually staying in the town of Lagos itself. This makes it a lot easier to access restaurants and nightlife. The closest beach was a few minute walk from our Air B&B, while others were a 15-25 minute walk away. I personally like the idea of being in the middle of all the action.

Where to eat: The town loves its food trucks, so there are lots of options for quick bites. Every restaurant seems to be highly rated, but our favourite was Casa do Prego.

Monseraz/Evora (2 nights)

What to do: To be honest, there isn’t much in Evora. Though we enjoyed our stay, I would have definitely reduced our visit to one night rather than two. The top attractions for us were the Chapel of the Bones and the megalithic sites outside of the city. The city is very quiet and pretty much shuts down after 8:30pm. Monseraz is about 45 minutes east of Evora and is worth the travel. It’s a small town atop of a hill, complete with a castle. The views were incredible, and the town itself was very authentic.

Where to stay: Evora is a smaller city, so no matter where you stay all the attractions are within walking distance. In the summer it is usually very hot in Evora (hotter than all the cities in Portugal), so make sure you choose accommodations with air conditioning. We stayed in an Air B&B built into the aqueduct, which was a fun and unique experience.

Where to eat: Our first night in Evora was capped with very friendly service and a delicious dinner at Tabua & Barro do Naldo.

Next week I’ll be posting about the second half of our trip – stay tuned!

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Philosophy

Five years.

“For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.” – Carl Sagan

In the first few weeks of grade nine, I couldn’t help but notice the cute guy whose locker was directly across from mine. Eventually I would venture to the music room during lunch to see him play guitar with his friends. Soon enough we too became friends and were even in a band together. But there was something else between us, something special. My mother told me best friends make the best partners, and she was completely right. Fast forward to now, and that cute guitar player is my husband and today we are celebrating five years of marriage. We’ve been through a lot together, and every moment has made our relationship and love for each other stronger. Every year since we were married, we have made it a tradition to travel on our anniversary. From Amsterdam, to Berlin, Bologna, to Hvar, we mark this occasion by celebrating us and the love we have for each other. Marriage, like travelling, is full of adventures, and I look forward to all the ones we will share on this journey together.

Happy 5 years, Brandon! I love you SO MUCH!

1 year anniversary in Amsterdam

2 year anniversary in Berlin

3 year anniversary in Modena

4 year anniversary in Hvar

 

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Fashion

Heat wave.

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” – William S. Burroughs

Ah, summer vacation. It’s the best time to relax, unwind, travel, and plan ahead for the upcoming school year. After some incredibly hot days in my non-air conditioned classroom, it feels good to just enjoy the summer without the thought of melting to death. So what exactly are my plans for July and August? First and foremost, my husband and I will be celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary by travelling to Portugal for a little over two weeks. When we come back home, we will be spending sometime with family and friends. As I previously mentioned, I’ll also be doing some lesson planning as I have a new course I’ll be teaching in September. The summer months are really a time for me to self reflect and enjoy my life, and I’m so grateful that I’m able to do so.

Matching set: Showpo. Bag: Nannacay. Shoes: Sam Edelman. Sunglasses: Le Specs. Earrings: Souvenir from Croatia. Watch: Chanel. Bracelet: Madewell. Lips: Colorpop Trust Me.

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Philosophy

On identity.

“In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.” – Erik Erikson

As I sit and type this, I feel angry, upset, anxious, and incredibly disappointed. I just received the news that I will not be teaching Philosophy next year due to union staffing regulations. While some may see my reaction as overdramatic, I certainly do not. I started the Philosophy course five years ago, and have been the only teacher at our school to teach it. It started as something I was interested in, but now it has become a huge part of my life, and most of all, my identity. I never claimed to be the best Philosophy teacher ever, nor the most knowledgeable. I didn’t major in Philosophy in university, but Drama in Education and Community and History. I was 17 years old when I chose what path I wanted to take in life, and though I do not regret the incredible education I received in my undergraduate, the 32 year old me probably wouldn’t have made all the same choices. If I were to go back to school, I would definitely pursue a degree in Philosophy. But that isn’t feasible in my life right now. So I read, and I educate myself. Being a Philosophy teacher has taught me more about myself than almost any other milestone I have gone through.

So what’s the point of me spilling out all this information? It all goes back to identity. As individuals, we change over time. Our interests, passions, and hobbies can be vastly reshaped during different periods in our lives. The 17 year old me is both similar and different to the 32 year old me. I still consider myself to be an altruistic person, and still love acting, rock music, and cats, but now I have a greater interest in fashion, travelling, powerlifting, and yes, philosophy. My identity has evolved. I think more now than I used to about life, death, and beauty. Maybe it’s the byproduct of aging, or the new goals that I continue to set for myself, but whatever the reason, it’s who I am today. By not teaching Philosophy, I feel like part of me is being stripped away. I find meaning in my life by discussing metaphysical and ethical views with my students. The lessons I developed for the course are, at least I think, the most engaging and creative ones I’ve ever made.

I now have to ask myself, what’s next? Seeing another person teach a course that I started and sustained absolutely breaks my heart. But I can’t let this affect my self identity. We are who we want to be. We can’t let others dictate how we identify. Whether I teach philosophy or not, I still must find it to be part of who I am. I will still be The Petite Philosopher, regardless of my teaching schedule, and I must keep reminding myself of that. I have the power to shape my own identity, and I can’t let politics and bureaucratic stipulations get in the way. One’s own self identity is possibly the only reality indubitably known and I certainly know that philosophy is, and will forever be, a part of mine.

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