imagination – Travel stories

2018 3

(Our spot beside the lake at Macedo de Cavaleiros)

On Sunday we parked beside a lake. People arrived and left all day to go for walks or just to have a look. They brought children, dogs or cameras. Some just got out long enough to smoke a cigarette. Then there was one guy on a bicycle with panniers full of camping gear. He rode around the car park first while taking a video with his phone. Quite impressive, to be able to manage riding the bike and videoing his surroundings. He headed off in the direction of the forest path past the cork trees. I wondered why he was taking a video.

2018 5

(Cork tree near the lake. The number 7 indicates the cork was last harvested in 2007)

The constant flow of people visiting stopped as the sun set and it was just us. So peaceful and quiet… I began to worry. A thought struck me… maybe the guy on the bike was videoing his route in case he disappeared under suspicious circumstances. This was a deserted lake. This is the kind of place scary movies are made. Maybe we should be videoing too? No one knows exactly where we are…

2018 6

(Path is flooded. There was a lot of rain in Portugal this year)

Imagination is a great thing but not that useful to me at a deserted lake. Unless I want to write a scary story… Do I want to write a scary story? Well I do seem to have plenty of material, there’s a deserted lake, a forest, a cyclist, the dark. Just one problem. Unfortunately I take scary stories very personally. I get into the story and the story gets into me and before I know it I think it’s real.

2018 2

(In summer the lake is used for swimming and water sports)

It would be so much fun to imagine a lovely story and think it was real. One where the cyclist is a future famous filmmaker who travels all over the world filming his journey. One night in the future we are watching a documentary called, The camping experience that changed everything and we are astonished to see ourselves peeping out the window of Ruby in the car park at Macedo de Cavaleiros! We contact the cyclist/filmmaker and he tells us the amazing thing that happened that night in the forest by the lake in the dark.

Amazing. Mairead.

2018 1

(There’s a line of orange trees on our street!)

Imagine fruit growing out on the street. Oranges. It’s possible they taste terrible but they look amazing. No one is picking them so maybe there are varieties that are just for decoration? We’ve seen lemons too but only in gardens. Imagine having a lemon tree in your front garden. Imagine picking a lemon to make a lemon drizzle cake.

2018 2

(A stone swirl on a building)

Imagine carving stone. Like it was hard butter. Imagine swirls and little stitches and buttons. And lace like the statue in Mafra.

2018 3

(Carved letters on the Bank of Portugal)

Imagine writing a letter in marble. Or a birthday card or a thank you card. Imagine the postman. Imagine the wedding invitations. Imagine marble as light as paper in your hand.

2018 4

(New growth on a tree)

Imagine growing old was a good thing. Imagine everyone cheers as you walk in the room. Imagine the President is always texting you, asking your opinion. Imagine the lines on your face are your fortune and you wear them like jewels.

2018 5

(Cute post box outside the campsite)

Imagine everything that happens today is for your good, your benefit, your pleasure. Imagine every bill is an award for a life well spent. Imagine each day is a new beginning.

Because maybe it is, Mairead.