Portugal, the 9th October, 2010

Will not let them escape...

While in Portugal, I will not let any of these escape:

1. Dear close REAL friends and family (not the ones defined by blood ties but the ones who really love me for who I am and always wish me the best from their hearts with no second intentions or interests).

Purity is one of the things I most value in life.

My loved ones are my biggest pleasure in LIFE and that´s why I cherish friends spread all over the world!

2. Actual portuguese writers (José Peixoto on my mind and others who remind me of the beauty of my first mother language: PORTUGUESE).

3. Our sweets and amazing food in general. No one cooks like portuguese!

4. Sea, sea, OUR SEA.....full, wild, transparent, freeeeee.......

5. Going to a traditional "casa de fados" ("house of fados") where we can still feel the typical environment of our national music: FADO. Being a "fado" lover myself, this is like digging into my own treasure island.

6. Reading some national newspapers until I get sick of our disgraced political system and the so called economical crisis that is driving everyone insane.

7. Dancing in one of our african discos.

This has always been my thing: As I don´t smoke or drink alcohol(exception for authentic "Romeu and Juliet" cuban cigars during a hot night of Salsa), I compensate my nights out by dancing.

My favourites are african and salsa dancing and Portugal has a few cute african spots where I remember my "african" influenced childhood.

8. Running with the dogs. This is one of my CLASSICS.

9. Going to the cinema as much as possible to compensate for the cultural desert I live in (Cairo is not the best place on earth to watch great cinema!).

10. Fresh air.

Another luxurious treat when you live in Cairo, a super polluted city with more cars than people.

Always going back to the basics, it seems...cause they are the ones which really matter.