If It Was Today...

Slow Tourism

Posted on October 15, 2025 by If It Was Today

We aren’t obsessed with the “slow food” movement, but I think many of our eating habits align with the slow food idea. I’ve never heard of a “slow tourism” movement, but if one starts, we will be the first to join.

This is our second week-long trip to Lisbon, and we have yet to visit Sintra. Everyone says it’s a must-see, and every guide book has it in Lisbon’s top ten list. And yet … we’ve been busy, taking it slow. Today we finally decided it was time.

Unfortunately Sintra isn’t just one thing that you can “visit” and check off your list. There are nearly a dozen interesting buildings and gardens all set in a stunning mountain landscape connected by very narrow winding roads. But when we set out this morning, we didn’t know any of that. We just wanted to spend the day getting a feel for Sintra. I joked that our goal was to figure out what we really should see … in other words, determine what we should do the next time we visit.

We started with Peña Palace, but only after an “exciting” half-hour bus ride from the Sintra train station. If we had wanted to tour the inside of the palace, it would have meant a two-hour wait, massive crowds and waiting in the hot sun. Fortunately we weren’t interested. The outside of the palace was impressive in its own right, and more than enough to satisfy our curiosity. We wanted to see the gardens instead, which were lush, cool, and mostly empty.

This also provided lots of side quests for Jim to explore and then “explain” to Jan. Such fun.

Interesting trees along the path. Not exactly straight…

And of course, flowers. These are morning glory flowers, beautiful but frequently also invasive.

Jan spotted a derelict spider web. The only things it was catching these days were dead leaves and the afternoon sun.

We were feeling refreshed after enjoying the cool and quiet paths, so we decided it was time for more of a challenge. A hike to the high cross, at the highest point in the Sintra Hills (529m) seemed like a good idea (at the time). The path was well marked, but steep, and more than once we asked “are we almost there”?

And then, we were there. The cross was … a cross … but the views of the Atlantic to the west and Lisbon to the east were well worth the trek.

The thing that interested me more than the cross, was the butterflies.

This next one is an excellent example of camouflage. Look closely, or you might miss it.

Then Jan spotted a sweet chestnut shell.

The gardens also had a number of fountains and water reservoirs to collect water for the gardens. This picture gives you a sense of what you can see.

We definitely enjoyed our quota of forest bathing for the day. But when we went to see the high cross we had more sun, and more exertion. When Jan spotted a cool rock face she couldn’t resist using it to cool down.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Lisbon, Photography, Portugal, Sintra, Travel | Leave a comment

Time Out

Posted on October 14, 2025 by If It Was Today

It was a simple plan. Start the day at the coffee shop with the best view in Lisbon, have lunch at Time Out, and finish with a sunset cruise.

We had an early start (for us) and walked down (and up) the narrow streets to the coffee shop Fernando had recommended, not because it had the best coffee … he said they were all the same, but because it had the best view. The walk there was also pretty interesting.

This was the view from our outdoor table – it fully met our expectations. The coffee was pretty good too.

The nearby square had a very unusual sculpture. There has to be a story here, but I have no idea what it is. If anyone knows, please do tell.

Because we had such an early start (again, for us) we had time to kill before lunch. We investigated options for taking the train to the evening boat tour (we’re starting to figure things out) and then walked along the river. The cool breeze was lovely, and there was some interesting, if transient, art here as well.

Then we were ready for lunch at Time Out, the Lisbon foodie market. Even at two o’clock, it was very busy and we were concerned we wouldn’t find a seat. We’d already ordered our food, so yeah, we were more than a little worried. But with a little luck, patience, and inspired seat swaps, we ended up in the perfect spot.

We limited ourselves to one item, plus wine and gelato of course, but if we ever come back to Lisbon with friends (I’m looking at you J and big G) it would be a hoot to snag seating for four, grab glasses of wine, and then take turns selecting plates to share while sipping Portuguese wine. It would make for a fun and very tasty afternoon. Mark it in your calendar.

After a short rest, it was time for the sunset cruise. Jan noted that the last time she was on a sail boat was before we were married, a very long time ago. So I include this picture to prove that not only did she willingly go sailing, she enjoyed it.

We’ve been told that many monuments along Lisbon’s waterfront are best viewed from the water, and this cruise proved the point. This next picture is the Monument to the Discoveries which is impressive when seen from land, but is clearly designed to be viewed from the water.

There were only six passengers on the cruise, but it included another Canadian couple. Small world. We enjoyed a lovely rose wine and charcuterie board while sailing on the river and learning about local history. Before we knew it, the sun was setting.

And just to prove we were really here…

After sunset we returned to the harbour and then took the train back into town for a quiet evening writing this blog and enjoying more Portuguese wine.

Yes, life is good.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Food, Lisbon, Photography, Portugal, Travel, Wine | 2 Comments

Wandering and Wondering

Posted on October 13, 2025 by If It Was Today

We didn’t have any particular agenda for today. We included six days in Lisbon in our itinerary because 1) we really like Lisbon, 2) we’re starting to know our way around this part of the city, and 3) it seemed like the perfect place to get over jet lag. So today, our objective was to wander around enjoying the Lisbon ambiance and wonder what to do until it was time for beer club.

We did have one important housekeeping item (getting my European SIM card) but once that was done, we stopped for coffee in a pleasant outdoor square. I was thinking “latte” until I saw “espresso with gelato” on the menu, and decided I needed to check it out. It’s quite good – a little on the sweet side for me, but definitely worth trying.

Espresso with gelato (I’m not making that up)

One thing we often wonder about when traveling is where to have lunch. We spotted a pleasant outdoor cafe with an open table and I went for something with local character – sardines with potatoes. Again, really quite good.

After lunch it was time to wander again, and of course, to wonder … what to have for lunch tomorrow. Last year we walked through Time Out, a giant food hall featuring local chefs. It was interesting, but overwhelming. We had another look today. The central court has seating for hundreds, with booths around the periphery showcasing local food and wine.

Many booths highlight the chef and feature a different signature dish every day of the week.

We’ve penciled it in for a late lunch tomorrow. With tomorrow’s lunch taken care of, it was back to wandering. It was a warm day and the cool breeze coming off the water was wonderful. We headed along the river toward the city center and came across a small village of stones stacked and painted to look like people. One incorporated a basin for tips and the artist was collecting them as we walked past.

Our wandering wasn’t completely random. While I was getting my local SIM card, Jan spotted a fabric store and (I know that some of you who know Jan will be shocked … shocked to hear this, but…) she checked it out. A couple of fabrics with local themes caught her eye and we were heading back for another look.

The plan is to make place mats and a tote bag. I think they’ll look fantastic.

When we got back to our hotel it was beer o’clock, and I was anxious to check out the beer tasting menu I mentioned yesterday. The plan was to sit outside, but I was informed the beer tasting menu was only available when sitting at the bar. Serendipity strikes again. While enjoying our drinks, we were treated to a show watching the bartender prepare large seafood platters – not something that most bartenders do, but fascinating to watch. And the room was richly decorated with eighteenth century painted tiles by local artists. The building has been declared a Lisbon heritage site, and it clearly deserves the designation.

The beer was excellent and the fish croquettes were fabulous. We ended up ordering two more (croquettes) as we enjoyed our drinks.

I included this picture for those who might be interested in trying the beers. I’ve already recommended the Vienna lager to Stu, but all three were very well done. I interrupt this travel blog to bring you an interesting beer-geek digression: our local brewer is very negative about IBU (International Bitterness Units) as a meaningful measure of anything. All three of these beers were rated at 25 IBUs but an independent tasting expert (aka Jan) thought they had radically different bitterness levels. So there you have it. Proof that you should ignore IBU ratings.

I’m closing with a picture of me pondering my beer with Jan’s vino verde in the picture, and behind me a tiny hint of the tile work that adorned the walls.

I think that wandering and wondering is an excellent strategy. We highly recommend it.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Craft beer, Food, Lisbon, Photography, Portugal, Travel, Wine | Leave a comment

Lisbon At Last

Posted on October 12, 2025 by If It Was Today

Sitting in Toronto airport last night, watching our departure time slowly creep later, we began to worry the flight would be cancelled because they couldn’t fix the problem. Turns out this was a legitimate concern – they couldn’t fix the problem, but fortunately they found a replacement aircraft. We pushed away from the gate about two hours late, but the pilots pushed the throttle forward a notch and we were only an hour and a half late when we landed. The good news was we gained lost time. The bad news … we lost half an hour of potential sleep. Every silver lining has a cloud.

Our room was ready when we arrived at the hotel. We checked in, unpacked, and visited the grocery store to get tomorrow’s breakfast and tonight’s wine. Priorities! Then we headed out for a walk to enjoy the lovely weather.

It had been a while since breakfast on the plane, and we were getting a bit peckish … in the danger zone for “hangry”. We spotted a shop with the local pastry, pastel de nata, so we bought a couple and headed across the street to the park to eat them and enjoy the view.

We didn’t have any particular agenda for today other than enjoying the Lisbon weather and vibe, and staying awake until bedtime. We strolled through an outdoor market at a local park and I spotted this tree. It almost reminded me of New Zealand.

One thing I love about Lisbon is the way that old and new naturally blend together. This is a vintage streetcar … with Wi-Fi.

I was also looking for things to do later in the week, and this immediately caught my attention.

Tomorrow is Monday. On Monday we have Monday Beer Club and taste a variety of different beers. This was like a sign from God. I know what I’m doing tomorrow afternoon.

Our room is on the top floor of the building – only the 5th floor, but it still offers some views. Just after sunset, I saw this view from our window.

My bed is calling, so I’m signing off for tonight.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Canada, Lisbon, Photography, Portugal, Travel | 1 Comment

And We’re Off

Posted on October 11, 2025 by If It Was Today

We’re on our way.

The plan was a four hour layover in Toronto before our flight departed for Lisbon at 11:00 PM. It was ideal. Enough time for a relaxing dinner at the airport and then takeoff right around bedtime. It was a perfect plan. But as the saying goes, no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

It’s now 11:00 PM and we are definitely not on the plane getting ready to push back from the gate. After a series of messages pushing the departure time back in stages, we are currently scheduled for 2:00 AM. I suppose the good news is that it will be easier to sleep on the plane. The bad news is that I’m assuming there won’t be further delays or cancellations. Fingers crossed.

We checked our luggage, but not our patience or sense of humour, so we should be okay.

And just as I was about to post this, I received a message that our flight is now departing at 1:00 AM. On that note, I’m signing off before anything else changes and hoping for the best.

After we land tomorrow, I’ll let you know what actually happened.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Canada, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel | Leave a comment

The Magic Rolling Pin

Posted on October 8, 2025 by If It Was Today

I know, I know. I said this was a travel blog. It is, and it’s going to stay that way. But this is a cool story, and it’s also sort of a travel story, so here goes.

Back to the beginning. A few years ago we had a pizza party with friends, and I was rolling out the pizza crust with their rolling pin. It didn’t look special, but when I started rolling the dough, I immediately fell in love with it. The size, the weight, the feel in my hands, the taper … it was a joy to work with. Unfortunately it was unlike any rolling pin I’d ever seen before. It’s very close to straight, but it has a tiny taper toward the ends. So it mostly works like a standard rolling pin, but the taper allows you to put a little extra pressure on a precise point when you need it. I wanted one just like it.

I learned that Heather had inherited it from her grandmother, so it was probably close to a hundred years old. Searching local stores, and even the internet drew a blank. And then I discovered a local woodworking shop that could do custom jobs. So I reached out via their website, and heard … absolutely nothing … for six months. I’d given up when I received an email saying they’d been very busy, but now had time for smaller jobs. When could I bring the original in for them to measure? I immediately replied offering several times, and then … radio silence. So I decided it was time for a road trip to have lunch in Perth (Ontario) and to knock on their door and ask if they could help me. And that is how I got my very own magic rolling pin.

On Saturday we fly to Lisbon, starting a much longer trip. But I’m still thrilled that my year-long quest for the perfect rolling pin was a success.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Canada, Cooking, Rolling pin, Travel | 2 Comments

Travel Season Is Almost Here

Posted on September 30, 2025 by If It Was Today

This is basically a travel blog. When we travel, I pretty much post every day. When we are at home, I rarely post. We prefer to stay home for the summer and enjoy the warm weather, which is why you haven’t heard from me in a while. But it’s less than two weeks until we head for Europe, so I thought I’d provide a short update … and use it as an excuse to dust off my posting skills.

We spent a lot of time at the beginning of the summer adding a new feature to our back garden. It proved to be a wonderful refuge during the hot days of summer.

The past few weeks haven’t been quite as hot, so we’ve been able to walk in the afternoon. We’re in the suburbs, but there are still a few opportunities to see birds, like these herons.

Summer is also a perfect opportunity for one of my favourite activities at our local brew pub – Monday Beer Club.

No post from me would be complete without at least one flower picture. This one is in our garden, providing a feast for the bees.

We visited relatives last week, and enjoyed the fall colours on the 3-hour drive each way.

This is from our garden again, showing the bugbane. The wasps love it.

In ten days we’re on the road again, and I should be posting regularly.

Posted in Travel | Tagged Craft beer, Flowers, Home, Photography, Travel | 1 Comment

New Zealand Top Ten Moments

Posted on March 8, 2025 by If It Was Today

We had such an amazing time in New Zealand that I want to highlight some of our favourite memories. The country has so much to offer that I feel it would be irresponsible to try and pick just one favourite thing (sorry Big G) but I’ll narrow it down to our top ten.

1. Visiting with Duncan and Sarah in Wellington. They’ve been living and working in Wellington for almost a year now, and the opportunity to visit in person and let them act as our personal tour guides around Wellington was special.

2. The Beaches. So many beaches! We aren’t big fans of lying on the beach in the sun, but we absolutely love walking barefoot through the surf. The best beaches for that have a gentle slope, fine sand, and are very long. The north island of New Zealand has this type of beach in spades. And if the beach has a shaded spot where you can sit and read while listening to the surf, it’s perfect. Just like this one.

3. Zealandia: This is one of many nature preserves working to save the native New Zealand species from invasive pests. It is well worth a visit, even if you don’t have a personal tour guide like we did.

4. Paragliding: You can find far more “exotic” adventure activities in New Zealand if you want, but tandem paragliding is one that I’d highly recommend. It was thrilling, but not frightening. It’s a bit like being on a swing … a very high swing with amazing views.

5. Milford Sound: I wasn’t completely convinced I’d like Milford Sound, but I’m very glad we went. It’s absolutely worth a visit. It was a sunny day (apparently an extremely rare event) and the view was stunning. I’m told that in some ways it’s even more impressive in the rain because that feeds thousands of waterfalls on the cliffs. Maybe next time.

6. Seashells: Is it even possible to walk along the beach and not look at the seashells? I know we can’t resist. We found such variety of seashells, and every beach was different.

7. Vineyards: There are few things more satisfying than tasting wines with the wine makers or the vineyard owners. Other than, perhaps, buying wines at the vineyard and then having them for dinner on the rest of the trip. We did both, and plan to return to repeat the experience. This picture is from a very small group tasting with one of the owners.

8. Thermal pools: Soaking in a thermal hot pool for your birthday is a special treat. You can’t guarantee you’ll be in New Zealand on your birthday, but it’s definitely worth soaking in the healing waters anytime.

9. Views from the deck: Jan did a wonderful job finding hotels, but in a few cases she outdid herself with the rooms and the views. Enjoying morning coffee or an afternoon glass of wine with a stunning view is hard to beat.

10. Art: New Zealand has done a fabulous job of highlighting its arts scene. You see giant murals covering walls in most cities and public sculptures in parks. Searching these out was one or our favourite activities. We picked this one because it almost looks like I’m part of the picture with paint spraying my back.

We enjoyed our trip, and enjoyed updating you as we travel. I hope you have enjoyed following us. Unfortunately this is what we came home to.

We’re trying to figure out why we didn’t stay longer.

Posted in Travel | Tagged New Zealand, Photography, Travel | 2 Comments

A Few Thoughts About Visiting New Zealand

Posted on March 7, 2025 by If It Was Today

We just finished a five-week trip to New Zealand and I’ve been docmenting our experiences each day as we travel. But now that we’re back home, I want to provide some broad observations that you might find useful if you are considering a visit to New Zealand.

1. Prepare to fall in love (with New Zealand). Two years ago we booked a three-week trip to New Zealand. It’s a very long flight, so we assumed it would be our only visit. But within a few days we were talking about “our next trip” to New Zealand, and this year we returned for five weeks. By the end of this trip, we were already planning another, even longer, trip. As we travelled around New Zealand, we met many people, often facing even longer flights, who had exactly the same reaction. I’ve yet to meet someone who hasn’t loved everything that New Zealand has to offer. If you visit, you will want to return.

2. Pick a theme. New Zealand offers everything: beaches (to die for), oceans, lakes, thermal springs, mountains, hiking trails, unique birds and plants, vineyards, gourmet food, culture, adventure tours, bird sanctuaries, nature preserves, and more. True, the country is small enough that you could realistically drive the length and breadth, but if you try to see everything of interest along the way, you will be hopelessly overwhelmed. So pick a theme to provide some focus. In our case, it was walking along the beach, though we were able to add in a generous helping of other things as well.

Just a few of the things to see on the South Island

3. Tourists are still welcome in New Zealand. This isn’t always the case in some destinations around the world where tourist fatigue is growing. Not here. In New Zealand we felt nothing but warmth and welcoming friendship.

4. Roads may not be what you are used to at home. All the New Zealand roads we’ve seen were very good, but they are also narrow and very winding. Hint for North American visitors: when a New Zealand road sign says the recommended limit for a curve is 25 km/h they mean it. And of course, for many of us there is the added “excitement” of having to remember to “stay left”. That having been said, I still recommend it.

The speed limit was 100 km/hr … in theory

5. Conservation of native species. New Zealand has been isolated from the other continents for about 85 million years. This allowed New Zealand to develop unique flora and fauna – in particular, many birds became flightless. When humans arrived, they brought mammals (e.g., rats, possums, stoats, and cats) that are major bird predators, especially for flightless birds. They also brought plants that have become invasive pests. Thankfully New Zealand recognized what was being lost and has started to fight back with a major focus on conservation of native bird and plant species. This includes replanting native forests and creating reserves where native birds can safely reproduce. It was encouraging to see this plan in action throughout New Zealand.

Nature preserves – also excellent hiking trails

6. Recognizing Māori culture. It feels like there is an honest attempt to recognize and even embrace Māori culture and language in New Zealand, within the constraints of colonial reality. Coming from Canada, we find this refreshing. You see it in names (plants, birds, and places), road signs, greetings and exhibits that explain and in some cases, try to actively preserve Māori culture. This next picture is from the Auckland Botanic Gardens with an explanation of how harakeke was used for weaving. The botanic gardens also grows a number of important harakeke species and makes them available for Māori use.

7. Food and wine: New Zealand is known for its Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir wines, but when you visit New Zealand you’ll find almost any variety you fancy. And while everyone thinks of lamb, you’ll find a range of meats, fish, seafood, and delicious savory pies. Something for every taste. It also has a wide range of local, and imported, cheese. Our personal favourite was the blue cheese. Every single example we tried was outstanding. So when you visit New Zealand be prepared to pamper your taste buds.

If I was to capture New Zealand with a single thought it would be this: New Zealand represents the perfect mix of exotic (plants, birds, climate, geography) and familiar (language, culture, safety). What more could you ask for?

Posted in Travel | Tagged Beaches, Food, New Zealand, Photography, Travel, Wine | 1 Comment

Serendipity

Posted on March 4, 2025 by If It Was Today

Our hotel in Coromandel town had stunning views with a wonderful balcony, but one thing it didn’t have was air conditioning. It has been hot, so we had to sleep with the patio door wide open to cool down. As dawn approached, Jan got up to close the drapes and was treated to a perfect view of sunrise. She snapped this picture … and then went back to bed (like any sensible person would).

We fly home tomorrow so we’re staying the night at a hotel at Auckland airport. The drive from Coromandel was only 2 1/2 hours, so once again we had time to kill. The plan was to look for interesting places to stop along the way, but the weather didn’t cooperate (it was one of the very few cloudy days we’ve seen) and we didn’t find anything that appealed all that much anyway. And then Jan spotted the Auckland Botanic Garden near the airport. We decided to check it out, at the very least for lunch. In our second example of serendipity for the day, the Auckland Botanic Garden has a temporary sculpture exhibit every second year. The exhibit was technically over, but only a few of the sculptures had been removed, so we were treated to another treasure hunt.

This acorn sculpture will appeal to one of our friends in particular.

Auckland Botanic Garden – Sculpture Trail

The next sculpture honors the huia, which was hunted to extinction because its beak was used in jewelry.

This next piece is called Patchwork of Possibilities and embraces related themes of repurposing materials, quilting, and the rejuvenating abilities of Mother Nature.

Jan particularly liked the next sculpture. According to the description, it “encapsulates the concept of handing to our young those fundamental values that become the building blocks of the world around us”. In its raw form, the stone in this sculpture is covered in a brown rusty rind, which you can see on the wrist of the young hand, perhaps symbolizing the raw potential of youth. It turns out that Jan wasn’t the only one who liked it – the Friends of the Auckland Botanic Garden purchased it to become part of the Gardens’ permanent sculpture collection.

The Gardens also have many permanent sculptures, such as this one. Jan decided to have a chat.

Of course, being a Botanic Garden, you are now going to be treated to pictures of plants. I’ll start with this bush. For perspective, this was nearly two meters high and 3-4 meters wide, but it created a perfect expanse of leaves that I think would make an excellent inspiration for a fabric design. It appealed to me…

The butterflies were enjoying the flowers, and we were enjoying watching the butterflies.

I also spotted a bee on one of the flowers, and just as I took the picture the bee took flight. You can see the bee is covered in pollen.

I’ve been trying for a month to get good pictures of the New Zealand fern as it opens, and I finally got one I like.

We also spotted birds, This is a pukeko, which sometimes mistaken for the takahe.

Then it was time for lunch and the drive to our hotel. I’d honestly forgotten how much I hate driving in heavy city traffic. Most of New Zealand has narrow winding roads, but they usually don’t have all that much traffic. I like that. A lot.

We’re in our airport hotel as I write this. I’ve checked in for our flight tomorrow. Part of me will be glad to be home, but a bigger part will miss our time in New Zealand. We’re already looking forward to a return visit – next year?