There is a Portuguese word, saudade, that they say has no translation. It’s bigger than homesickness or missing someone. It’s a yearning that can be expressed in no other language. It is, as one Açorean friend puts it, “a strictly Portuguese word.
~ Diana Marcum
On our way home from Madeira last week, my husband and I stopped in São Miguel, Açores. We were there for twenty-six hours only.
We spent five hours with an old friend, a trained architect and chef among other talents, who gave us a tour of the island.
I asked to see the home I was born in. It was tough to find.
I remembered the street name, but it was no longer on the map.
Across from my birth home, there had been a high rock wall. Because the street was narrow, its name was Canada Nova, meaning New Lane.
Our guide took us to the church I grew up attending in Ribeira Seca. We asked a local to help us find my former home.
Because the street had been widened, it was no longer considered a lane. It had been renamed Rua Nova, meaning New Street. We found it.
The language I seldom use flowed effortlessly. I was comfortable communicating in my native tongue. But, most Açoreans now speak English.
My mind was flooded with memories. I experienced a hint of sadness, a subtle sense of belonging - yet, somehow, a characteristic need to run away.
We were thrilled to learn that dairy producers in São Miguel have sought to add value to their products through a “Happy Cows” program, organic milk production, and cheeses with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP). The emphasis on quality and sustainability has earned Açorean milk and dairy products a reputation for excellence.
The flavours of the land were delicious as I recalled. Our guide, who had owned a restaurant, claimed that the only oil used in local cuisine was olive oil.
He added that neither swimming nor motorized vehicles, are permitted on the lakes that provide clean drinking water. To prevent run-off, farming is not allowed near these pristine lakes either.
We were impressed to learn that a major cruise line proposed adding Ponta Delgada, the largest municipality and executive capital of the Autonomous Region of Açores, Portugal, as a port of call. The proposal was conditional on buying the local souvenir shops. The government said no to protect the livelihood of local artists.
Three years later that same cruise line came back agreeing to add the city as a port of call.
No cruise ship is allowed to dock overnight. Sustainability and protection of the environment remain a priority.
Closing thought
The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.
~ Unknown
It is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Surrounded by family, I express gratitude for my trip down memory lane and the countless blessings of my new home.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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