Well,  it is  the end of my first day in Portugal. Been here for 24 hours. Sitting on the 13th floor in our rental with Donna and Korina,  in San Jao de Estoril. They are crashed out. I am wide awake. Korina had been burning the candle for days prior to landing. She is the color designer for Patagonia, and a close friend. Donna too had been hitting work hard, remodeling her little retail shop in Ventura,  and doing her homework for this exploration and design quest here. Pretty stoked to be traveling with these two amazing women.

A little background on this trip. It is not about me. I am sort of just here for Donna and Korina. They are working. I am just shooting them and what transpires. Plus getting to see Mario. That part is something I have looked forward to for some time. You see, I actually have never been to Europe. Part of my family came from this place where I am writing, a couple hundred years ago. The family name was Miguel. My ancestor had made his way to Hawaii, and married into a Hawaiian family.

Much to ponder after getting a bit of an awakening from  discussions regarding the EU, Globalism, and while experiencing some remarkable generosity from Mario Pinto, who I met in K38 and has hosted us today. Mario introduced us to some of his friends and special places, all a part of the texture-melange that is his home here. If I had been videoing the day, it would have made for an incredibly rich little short film or TV show.

I could leave after this day, and the experiences this far, would be sufficient for anything which I might write.

Spoke with Garrett and Nicole McNamara this evening. They are staying in Nazare with their new son, Barrel. He said that the surf had risen to 20 feet tonight. I hope to wind up at Nazare tomorrow. We will see.

Below are some images from the flight here and the first day.