FROM SERENA: Our UK Adventure

I recently spent three weeks in the UK visiting my family and friends. I don’t get back very often (the last time was seven years ago), so it was lovely to reconnect with my brother and niece and her family.

We also got to spend time with several friends, including a lovely couple, Penny and Jon, who lived and worked in Mexico for 10 years and are part of the dog rescue organization we are involved in.

They brought all three of their Mexican dogs back with them; it must have been quite a shock for them to experience an English winter, especially as it was the coldest and wettest in 20 years. Their humans were not too thrilled either!

I had a great reunion with some of my college buddies who I lived with for eight years, during my three years at university and then five years after, when we all started working.

Colin, the white-haired guy with the beard, I had not seen in 40 years and he had just moved back from Geneva, having worked for the Peace Institute for 27 years; such an inspirational and dedicated man. He was always super political, and I remember we had a big pay phone in our house and whenever it rang it was usually for Colin! No cell phones in those days.

It was a very special evening that my dear friend Tina had arranged.

The English countryside is so beautiful, and we had some great walks with Tina and Bob, her husband, and their lovely dogs. They live in an old stone cottage in the Penines in Northern England, once the heart of the cotton industry. You can just walk out their front door and take bridle trails to different beautiful old mill towns.

After so much socializing, Jacki and I were ready for some R & R, so we took a short trip to Portugal as it is a hop, skip and jump from the UK. We had a fabulous time and even surprised a good friend who was celebrating her 60th Birthday in Lisbon. We loved that city; it was so interesting to walk in the different neighborhoods on winding, cobbled streets and see all the gorgeous tile work on the building facades.

We also went to the Fado museum, which was extensive and fascinating. Fado dates to the early 1900’s and was the music of the poor and working class, and it is characterized by plaintive and beautiful songs. We were lucky enough to experience an amazing evening of Fado singing in one of Lisbon’s oldest Fado restaurants.

Jacki and I then rented a car and headed to the Algarve and the beach, visiting some lovely medieval walled cities on the way and ending up in Tavira, a beautiful old town on a river that goes out to the sea. There just happened to be a Mediterranean Festival happening, so we got to hear more great music and taste some fab food, including grilled sardines that were local and delicious.

We would go back to Portugal in a heartbeat, the Portuguese people were so friendly and kind. If you have not been, I highly recommend it.

All in all, it was a fun and adventurous trip!