Christmas in Portugal

It has been a busy run-up to Christmas this year. Kathy and I decided that we would take the Christmas break and visit our friends and fellow finishers, Doug and Myra Gentry, in Lisbon where they are serving as missionaries. 17 hours after departing Nairobi we arrived in Lisbon and were conveyed by Doug and Myra to their home in Loures (pronounced Loo-resh), a community just outside Lisbon.

Yesterday we went for a drive to an old mountain community named Sintra. We walked up and down cobbled streets, explored curio shops and had a meal together in a local restaurant. We wanted to visit the local palace in town, but it is closed on Wednesdays. We had to settle for a picture of the four of us in front of the steps leading up to the entry. High on the hill above the city we could see the remains of a fort dating from Moorish days, and on other hills were the palaces of various Portuguese royalty from days past.

After we left Sintra we drove through the countryside, enjoying the trees and vegetation that reminded us so much of the central coast of California. Eventually we made our way to the coast and were treated to the sight of magnificent waves rolling in off the Atlantic and crashing against the rocky shoreline. As we drove south along the coast towards Lisbon, we visited the "Boca do Inferno", a bowl shaped crevice that had a water level access to the ocean. Waves would rushthrough the opening and explode on the interior rocks. The gate to the pathway to the lower levels was closed to the public due to the rough seas, but the action from the top was impressive.

We returned to the Gentry's apartment for a short rest and then enjoyed a dinner with their teammates, the Ekks, and another missionary couple at a local grill. After dinner we visited a local nativity scene which featured larger-than-life images. It was a mixture of humor and holiness as some of the figures were quite funny, while the center characters of Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus were striking.

After reflecting on the scene for a while we joined together to sing a carol before departing for a late evening desert and more good conversation at the Ekk's apartment. When we finally dropped into our bed after eleven we were exhausted, but fulfilled by our first day in Portugal.