My uncle, Jim Buie, just wrote an article about Frances Mayes, the author of Under the Tuscan Sun. I read this book over a decade ago and it was one of my favorites. The subsequent movie was fun, but I found the book to be richly satisfying – you really felt like you were experiencing Tuscany with her.
Mayes’ sense of being at home in the world is the same thing that keeps bringing me back to Portugal. I like the “me” that I am there, and I bring that “me” back to my life in the US. I never thought I’d be living in two different places at once, but for now this is working, and it’s helping me to thrive.
My uncle’s article points out that the best kind of travel is not just about sightseeing. He quotes Mayes: “It’s because you want to grow. You want something to happen to you, you want to be changed. You want to be changed into something you are.” I found another illuminating quote from one of Mayes’ later works, A Year in the World:
Travel pushes my boundaries….The own-little-self is unlocked from the present and released to move through layers of time.
After fifteen trips to the southern coast of Portugal over the past six years, I’m still in love with the idea of sharing this beautiful place with the world. Of course, I will always be somewhat on the outside looking in – much like Wes Anderson says he is a tourist in Paris, even though he has lived there for almost twenty years.
An outsider perspective has its perks. At the very least, it’s breaking up my patterns, my routines. At best, it’s forging a sense of community with people of a different culture – connecting on a very personal level, instead of through social media or the constant news cycle. I bring this inspiration back to New York and hold onto the feeling as long as I can. 💙
My goal is to give a glimpse of this through my retreats. The best possible experience of relaxed travel in a limited amount of time. Maybe I’ll write a book on my Portugal adventures someday. For now, I have written a mini book on the day-to-day activities of the retreat.
Email me and I will send it to you! 😊
Our fall retreat is October 12 – 19, 2024.
Remember, this is not a yoga retreat. Morning sessions are optional; you could choose to sleep in. We do have a color theme for each day – these meditations are simply bringing our focus to the beauty all around us. And it adds to the fun! 💛
