Blog - Emma Heirendt

Having the ability to travel is such a blessing. Everything fell into place to make this trip a reality, a trip I didn’t believe would actually happen. Too good to be true, I thought.

Thankfully, as I reach the 20 week mark of my pregnancy, I’m feeling energized and healthy. My doctor gave us the all-clear to travel, our supervisor’s approved our two-week time-off requests, and we had money set aside for a final vacation before our baby arrives March, 2020!

Below are the 14 neatest things we did during our time in Barcelona, southern Portugal, and Lisbon over our two-week vacation.

1. Quinta da Regaleira

Country Estate established in 1904 in Sintra, Portugal

One word: Magical. During our visit, Michael and I agreed that Quinta da Regaleira was the most beautiful place either of us had ever been, and it ended up being our favorite activity of the entire trip. Quinta da Regaleira includes gardens, a castle, a chapel, underground tunnels, waterfalls, and grottos.

We had no idea what to expect, which is the best way to walk into any attraction. After visiting the picturesque Initiation Well, which looked like something out of a movie, we found ourselves walking down a moss-covered spiral staircase into a maze of underground tunnels that led to a waterfall. Behind the waterfall was stepping stones across a grotto. Seriously, around every corner was another magical surprise. We laughed and smiled the entire time.

More photos from our visit to Quinta da Regaleira >>

2. Fútbol game at Camp Nou in Barcelona

Camp Nou has been the home fútbol stadium for FC Barcelona since 1957

Barcelona loves their fútbol! This was my first out-of-country sporting event and I’d say it’s a must for anyone traveling to Spain. In the United States, sporting events are as much about the food and drink as they are about the game, which means peanut shells on the ground, drunk people in the stands, and 20-minute lines for hotdogs. But at Camp Nou, the lines at the concession stand remained empty, except for halftime. In fact, no alcohol was served at the stadium at all. Instead, it felt like attendees were strictly attending to go freakin’ nuts for FC Barcelona. Pure, joyous fun.

3. La Sagrada Familia

Basilica in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí, projected to be completed in 2026

I imagine La Sagrada Familia will remain the single most incredible architectural masterpiece I will have the privilege of visiting in my lifetime. Every inch of the basilica has been planned for, from the juxtaposition of the façades on the exterior to the color of stained class and where it’ll shine as the sun streams in.

One of my favorite tidbits from the audio tour: When the basilica is complete in 2026, the tallest spire will be 560 feet, one metre less than the tallest mountain in Barcelona because Gaudí believed that his creation should not surpass God’s.

More photos from our visit to La Sagrada Familia >>

4. Park and Palace of Pena

Castle first built in the middle ages, reaching completion in 1894 in Sintra, Portugal

I’m a sucker for colorful buildings. Colorful castles? Even better. The Palace of Pena is an Instagram model’s dream, so yeah, this place is full of obnoxious selfie-takers. We were just as guilty. It’s impossible to not take a million photos here.

Shoutout to my Uncle Jeff for suggesting a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra. Though I doubt he took any selfies during his time in Sintra. We could have definitely spent another full day exploring Sintra, because we didn’t even get to Castelo dos Mouros or Sintra National Palace. Sintra was an easy 40 minute train ride from Lisbon, but I recommend studying the website above before making the trip. The advice about the 434 bus was invaluable.

More photos from our visit to the Palace of Pena >>

5. Carmo Archaeological Museum

Remains of a church built in 1389, Lisbon, Portugal

The earthquake of 1755, and the fire that soon followed the earthquake, all but destroyed the church of Carmo in Lisbon. Rather than rebuild, the city decided to leave the ruins as-is, and created Carmo Archaeological Museum, a memorial to the 1755 earthquake.

While the vast collection of artifacts, weapons, and mummies feels a bit random, the underlying theme of, “If it’s broke, don’t fix it, put it in a museum,” is hilariously beautiful.

More photos from our visit to the Carmo Archaeological Museum >>

6. Park Guell

Park system designed by Antoni Gaudí, continually being added to and enhanced

Michael and I learned a valuable lesson during our last trip to Europe. At some point in your travels, you will hit a wall of exhaustion. When this happens, go somewhere beautiful and just be still. Park Guell in Barcelona was exactly the place to do this.

Getting to the top of the park is a good workout. So naturally we grabbed churros con chocolate afterwards to cancel out any calories burned.

7. Praia dos Estudiantes

Beach in Lagos, Portugal

Our voyage to Praia Estudiantes started as a mandatory laundry errand because our hotel laundry was overpriced (literally 4 euro per pair of underwear). But the beach did not disappoint. Praia Estudiantes was a never ending series of surprise beaches. Each beach was bookended with caves leading to yet another beautiful beach. And through the final cave, a beautiful archway that brought my Portugal Pinterest board to life.

If you’re visiting Praia dos Estudiantes, stop at MAR restaurant for lunch afterwards. It seems too good to be true, since it’s located at the top of the beach steps, but the prices were great and the food was even better!

More photos from our visit to the Praia dos Estudiantes >>

8. Fortaleza de Sagres

Southwesternmost point of Europe and a 15th century fortress in Sagres, Portugal

Funny story…I was about to pee my pants because my pregnant bladder couldn’t handle another minute on the road. So we paid 3 euro each for entrance to Fortaleza de Sagres and learned way more than we expected to about the history of Sagres, what was once considered the end of the world – before European’s realized there was more to the world, of course.

This actually ended up being a really fun activity, because once again, we walked into it with zero expectations other than the hopes of a working toilet.

9. Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort

Resort in Carvoeiro, southern Portugal

Tivoli Carvoiero was the final push we needed to book our trip to Europe. Their website is sexy. In other words: their marketing absolutely worked on us and convinced us we had to go to southern Portugal. We stayed at this hotel for four nights and really enjoyed our time here. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for ocean-side pool time and a breakfast buffet fit for a queen.

10. Praia da Marinha

A word of caution for anyone trying to find a specific photo-op from Pinterest, you may end up wandering around said location hoping you’ll stumble across the exact vantage point. But hey, it worked for us this time!

Michael had found a photo of a heart-shaped cutout at Praia da Marinha and wanted to stop by before we left southern Portugal. He knows I’m a sucker for this kind of thing. The second we stepped out of the car I was in love, but not because of the beach. At the start of the trail were three beautiful stray cats, all totally willing to be pet by strangers. Freakin’ heaven. After about 30 minutes of, oh my gosh they’re so cute-ing, we went on a short hike trying to find the elusive heart cutout in the landscape. Nailed it. Rewarding and beautiful.

11. Livraria Bertrand

The oldest bookstore in the world, Lisbon, Portugal

Libraria Bertrand was cool in theory, but it looked just like any other bookstore in the world. Regardless, I was still excited to get a stamp that said my book was purchased at the oldest bookstore in the world!

12. Igreja hopping

The act of hopping from one Portuguese church to another, a term coined by me

Is church hopping inappropriate? According to travel expert Rick Steves, as long as you’re respectful, it’s all good. We stopped in to visit more igrejas than I can count, each time saying a prayer for baby-no-name in my belly and marveling at the beautiful architectural details.

13. Belem Tower

Fortification built in 1515, Lisbon, Portugal

If visited correctly, the Belem Tower and Jerónimos Monastery are said to be stunning attractions in Lisbon.

In our case, Belem Tower was a total fail and we didn’t even make it to the monastery. We decided against buying tickets and instead opted to take a few photos outside. It started pouring rain and homeboy (in this case, Michael is homeboy) was wearing flip-flops. We got our photo and ran back to the car. We’ll catch it next time.

14. Flamenco Show

A flamenco show is a must-see in Spain, according to every travel guide. I had high hopes for the Flamenco show we attended, but was ultimately disappointed. If you’re visiting Spain, aim to find a balance between authenticity and quality in the show you attend. We were hoping for an authentic experience, but what we found were talented flamenco dancers in an awkwardly small bar. We were one of four couples at the show, and felt very aware of our chewing between songs.

Overall, our trip was better than I expected it would be. Two-weeks was the perfect amount of time, giving us about four nights in Barcelona, Carvoiero, and Lisbon. Michael and I make traveling a priority because it’s what feeds our souls. We made memories that’ll last a lifetime, and we can’t wait to tell our baby about all of the cool stuff we did while they were in my belly!

Thanks for reading,

Emma

It’s been a little over a year since my mom passed away unexpectedly.

Recently, a young woman reached out to me and asked, ‘Does it get easier?’ I told her, Yes, it does get easier. Or maybe you just get stronger.

She had come across one of my blog posts as she grieved the unexpected loss of her mom. She was at her lowest point in grief, desperate for someone to say that the hardest days would soon be behind her. I know that point all too well.

Below are 12 things that actually helped as I coped with the loss of my mom.

Find a connection in nature

Ideally, it will be something that you come across only ever so often. I see my mother in the changing colors of the leaves in fall.

Keep a palm sized item of theirs

I have my mom’s Estée Lauder Youth Dew Bath Oil that she used once in a blue moon. Scent is a strong trigger of memory. I still hold the little bath oil bottle during my toughest breakdowns and it brings me so much comfort.

Watch for traits of your loved one in others

It could be personality traits or physical traits. Weird example — my mom had a smallpox vaccine scar on her upper left arm (not uncommon for her age). I saw another woman with that scar and just about lost it. It was such a small detail on my mom’s arm. I’m shocked I remember it so vividly!

Separate yourself from tangible memories

I know, I said to keep a palm sized item…but I challenge you to keep it to just one item. I found it cathartic to go through my mother’s closet and donate her old clothes. Inanimate objects don’t keep the person’s memory alive. Those items provide a false sense of security, in my opinion.

Scan all your photos

So you can access them online at any time. It’s been over a year and I still can’t click through my mom’s Flickr album without crying.

Share the funny stories

Grief doesn’t have to be so serious. Just the other day, I told a complete stranger that my mom kept her nearly-broken toaster for over 30 years because it was a wedding present, and she was afraid that throwing away the toaster would jinx her marriage. The funny thing is that my mother wasn’t superstitious, just frugal.

Talk to your loved one

Out loud. I talk to my mom while I’m in the car, almost as if I’m praying to her. Then I guess what she would say back if she were in the car with me. Somehow she still always gives the best advice.

See the signs

Of course I would see a hummingbird for the first time in years as I write this blog post. I promise, when you look out for signs of your loved one, you start seeing them everywhere.

Do something in honor of them

It could be as simple as having a glass of Merlot in their memory. As you sip the glass, imagine them right there next to you.

Find formal and informal grief groups

Joining a church-led grief group was one of the first things that actually helped me move forward in grief. I wasn’t attending church regularly at the time, and being amongst Christians that reminded me of my mom was incomparable. Talking to others who lost a loved one helped tremendously, too. We’re the club that no one wants to be in, but everyone will eventually join — the club of people who have lost someone very close to them.

Listen to their favorite songs

My mom went through a Macy Gray and Norah Jones phase. She loved to blast their albums on Saturday mornings while cleaning the house. She also got a kick out of watching me roll my eyes as she danced and sang into the broom handle. Music is almost as powerful as scents when it comes to memory triggers.

Live life the way they would have wanted you to live

On the one year anniversary of my mom’s passing, my husband and I went to church for the first time in a long time. We now attend every Sunday and are exploring our faith together, just as my mom always encouraged us to do.

The ultimate goal for anyone grieving is to turn their misfortune into something that helps others. That’s a major stage of grief as you adjust to your loss.

After losing my mom, I didn’t plan on writing about my grief. I wrote a couple of blog posts about her because I had this otherworldly writers block that prevented me from writing anything else until I wrote about my mom.

But those posts seemed to help others, so much so that they continue to be my most searched blog posts to date. Something’s telling me I need to continue to share my story.

About once a week, I receive a heartbreaking private message from someone grieving. If you are one of those people, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’m no expert, but we can be informal grief group buddies.