Day 2: Live.Laugh.Lagos Retreat Journal

Coffee tastes even better in Portugal. Kind of like the salted eggs with garlic mushrooms, greek yogurt with cinnamon granola, or passion fruit and guava. And as we learned, Portugal owes its coffee culture to Brazil. The pasteis de nata, though? That’s all Portugal.

The sculptures in the city are only “slightly” overshadowed by the storefront Ronaldo jerseys. Sorry, Dom Sebastio.

This city of the Carnation Revolution flexes its history and resilience by wearing the scars of natural disasters and battles. And yet, juxtaposed among it all are cascading flowers and jacaranda trees.

Most of all, it’s the people like Maria and Otila offering their gifts, talents and friendly smiles in the markets and boutiques that bring a vibrant Old Town to life.

The ocean that stretches from city to cliffs is at times a deep turquoise and at others a lapis-like blue. And while the rock arches and caves break through the water along the coastline…the smaller breakthroughs are happening along the paths and vantage points…

…by the women of the Live Laugh Lagos Retreat. As they ponder from the Piedade, step into their strengths and return to themselves and their source. Child-like curiosity, peace, freedom, fulfillment and all.