Meanwhile, Now That We're Back In Braga . . ..

 It's wonderful to be here. The Christmas season is upon us, and it's being celebrated brilliantly (i.e., with lot's of lights and window displays.)

Roasted chestnuts on
a cold night. 

The tree at Praça República 

Closer to the tree. Isn't it 
beautiful? 

These two pics were part of the same window display

I have always liked window displays, miniatures, and animated scenes. All these little scenes were animated. I was entranced. 

Then last evening we were doing one of our walk-abouts — in the rain, no less — and the rain didn't seem to daunt anyone else, either. Rain or shine, tourist come and locals turn out to shop and then have a drink or a bite in one of the many cafés, bars, and restaurants. 

 

And on a previous afternoon, when it wasn't raining, so many were sitting at outside tables and some were eating ice cream cones. But it is amazing: What once would have struck me as weather too cold to get out and about in now seems just . . . invigorating. 

But never too cold for a parade! In Braga, any time is a time to celebrate, and there is a fabulous drumming group that comes out for all these celebration. We followed them around for a while, and what struck me was how musical drums can be. They even seemed to change key at times. I got only a photo or two and one short video, but you can see the little girl skip-dancing to the beat as the crowd follows the drummers around the corner. 

The drummers and 
crowd. 

I have to confess, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and the Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. (Well, I love fall - which is also very beautiful here): 

How about you? Do you like animated miniatures? What is your favorite holiday and season?

Back In Braga, for Good This Time. And Some Book-Related Shares . . .

 

     It's great to be back. It's raining here, which Portugal needs, although the drought areas are mainly in the south and Braga is in the North. But the first few days of rain, it was a warmish springlike rain, and it's always so pretty to see what rain does to the colors everywhere. In the top left picture, the beautiful gardened area of Avenida da Liberdad near the Praça República is sporting begonias. (They plant different plants each season, and each year, so it never seems redundant.) The picture on the right is on Avenida Central, near the hotel where we stayed.

Then the Saturday after arrival, we went to Monforte in Galicia, Spain, where we rent a small apartment, to get some dishes, pots and pans, and some grains and spices we had stored there, as well as the car we had in a garage. We traveled up to Monforte — about 2 & 1/2 hours north of us by car, but we traveled by bus and train and then drove back after a few days, resting up and visiting only a couple of friends, saving our social visits for the future. 

While we were there, the teacher at the Escola da Idiomas EOI Monforte invited me to talk about my books, especially the mysteries set in Braga, and about the writing process. She did a beautiful job of displaying all my published books and especially the Braga mysteries.  

 

I enjoyed the experience so much. All the students were adult, learning English (and many were quite fluent). I always loved teaching the elementary grades when I was a full time teacher, but this experience made me realize I might well have enjoyed teaching adults. It's a very different experience.

For one thing, one of the students took notes! (That doesn't tend to happen in 6th grade, lol.)

But I also had a nice writerly experience before we left Sacramento. A woman we met at one of our open mic nights at Fox and Goose - no, not Karioke, but musicians showing up with their guitars to play and sing blues and folk and rock and country every Monday night. We were listeners only.

Anyway, a week before we left Sacramento I was interviewed by Donnella Fraser Fradkin (a terrific singer of country and blues) for her Vlog, BookMeUp. You can see it at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-2XcvMJg9I 

YOUTUBE.COM

Elizabeth Varadan - What Makes A Writer Write?

I enjoyed this interview so much because it was so relaxed and in such a conversational style. Donnella is an excellent interviewer. I hope you will go take a peek and leave a comment. Meanwhile, it makes for a very happy memory before departure. 

But - we are here to stay. Whew! What a year. What a two years, in fact! 

So Here Is What Has Been Happening . . ..

So here is what has been happening that has kept me too busy to post, but not too busy to read and relax from all the hustle and bustle: One big thrill is my book signing coming up. But here is bigger thrill (for us):

Rajan and I are moving back to Portugal. I know this is a surprise, but we find we miss the European lifestyle and the slower pace of life, and we would like to finish our days in Braga. Life here in the states is too intense, too stressful, way too expensive (for us). And, since we aren't downtown anymore, to go anywhere for any reason (grocery shopping, bank, doctor appointments, coffee with friends, eating out, whatever) requires lots of driving. When we were in Braga, we could walk to all of these things. (Luckily, we still have our flat there, as we canceled the sale.) 

True, we worried earlier that in the future one of us may have to have medical procedures that take one to a different city and there might be transportation problems. Well, since we now are in a suburb and not in Midtown or downtown, we are in the same plight here: It's a sweet neighborhood with nice neighbors, AND . . . it's a suburb. Once we can no longer drive, we'll be stranded. Our other worry had been whether we can become fluent in Portuguese: Well, that's on us. We have the time if we take the time, and we had (and will have again) a very good tutor.

One good thing is that we've been able to visit some family and several friends - something we couldn't do when we left California before, because everything was still in lockdown. Now that we have gotten some very important visits in, I think we'll be able to "let go".  I was able to attend some poetry group meetings and I have the book signing coming up on October 8th, but . . . our hearts really are in Portugal. 

We are leaving on November 3rd. I'll be posting before then because a lot of things have been taken care of. Meanwhile, wish me luck for a good book reading/signing on October 8th (2 pm, The Avid Reader on Broaday, 1945 Broadays,  if you are in Sacramento. And if you are not, you can learn more aout the book HERE.)

Question: Have you ever decided to reverse a poor decision? Or did you just stick with it and hope you would soon adjust to it? 

My Own Cozy News

 My other news is that my new cozy, Deadly Verse, will be released in June. The build up begins this month, but my publisher told me to feel free about splashing the cover around, so here you are:

Who is this man dressed up in Renaissance garb who looks like he is winking? Luís Vaz de Camões, a Portuguese renaissance poet and some say Portugal's greatest poet, who is famous for  Os Lusíadas, his  epic poem about Vasco da Gama's voyage to India. 

Why does he look like he's winking? He lost an eye when, as a soldier, he fought the Moors. As was not uncommon, back in the day, he was a soldier and wrote poetry. His sonnets are considered on a par with Shakespeare's, Dante's, etc.

What does Camões have to do with a cozy mystery? Well, someone in Braga, Portugal, claims to have an original manuscript of one of his sonnets, possession of which leaves a trail of death. And, you guessed it: Carla is a suspect. 

How the heck do you pronounce Camões? Hah! When the book comes out, you'll have to read it to find out. 😊

Gave you read any cozies lately? If you do enjoy cozies, do you prefer mysteries with a travel angle? Historic? Contemporary?

AN INCREDIBLE CONCERT

 

Last night we heard one of the most wonderful concerts in our lives at Theatro Circo. It's hard to explain the music - it was so original and so hypnotic; simply mesmerizing. We were spellbound for an hour and a half. The group is called Nopo Orchestra - 7 musicians in a collaboration between Norway and Portugal. Absolutely haunting. What was amazing: the performers just walked in and took their places; then the music began and swept us away.

The stage before the musicians
came in. You can see that, for 7 
musicians, the instruments were 
complex. 

Rajan being shown our
seats before the main
audience arrived. 

            The seven musicians were: 2 guitarists - one, Francisco Sales has an international reputation, but the other was great, too; two drummers, but the drum sets were far more than drums, and the drummers were true artists ; a violinist, who wrung so much emotion out of the violin (and who also sang at times); and then two world famous horn/flute and horn/saxaphone artists who achieved a breathtaking range of sound and rhythm with their instruments. the first I mentioned was Rão Kyao who played mainly a range of long, bamboo pipes that reminded me of Ecuadorian music, and then at the very last, a traditional flute; the other was Karl Seglem who played the saxaphone at times and equally played a goat horn, which achieves amazing music and sound effects. You would not believe the spell these two particular musicians could cast. Again, so much emotion was poured into the music. 

            The melodies seemed almost Celtic at times, but the rhythm often sounded Brazilian, and the combination just swept a listener into a magical world.

I only took three pictures of them and their instruments, and then four more of the Theatro Circo itself, and elegant theater that is 150+ years old. Enjoy.

And, BTW, all three of the main musicians mentioned above are on FB and have websites if you want to learn more about them and where you can get their music.

A staircase to the next
leverl (there are three
more altogether.)

    

One of the entrances - for now
the only one they would let us
enter.

This is an elegant theater
as you can see. Red and 
ivory and gold, with 
paintings and sculptures.

And the magificent ceiling. This 
theater is over 150 years old

Have you ever attended a concert, expecting to like it and be interested, and then found yourself simply astonished by how beautiful it was?

Exciting Events While Waiting for Feedback from Beta Readers

I finished this draft of my mystery and sent it off to my beta readers (all excellent critiquers - they catch all my errors; the ones I can't spot anymore because I've read the manuscript too many times.) So we shall see what work remains to be done.

Meanwhile, I'm kicking back and doing some reading - two new Sherlock Holmes pastiches by two of my favorite writers. And I'm enjoying Braga life once more (as opposed to "huddled over my keyboard" life.) Last Sunday was a special day for two reasons: Rajan and I attended a terrific Fado concert, and later that evening I had a Zoom poetry reading with poets back in Sacramento! I posted about it on my Facebook Timeline, and am pasting a copy of the post below: 

"Yesterday I had two wonderful experiences: In the afternoon, Rajan and I went to a Fado concert, 'Fado Solidário,' at Altice Forum, half a mile from our flat. It was fabulous! 7 fadistas, 3 men, 4 women, all with marvelous voices. It was a fundraiser for a school for challenged young people and adults. The students were worked into the program both in the beginning song and during the finale, when they presented roses to the performers. They did a terrific job. Our friend and teacher, Fadista Marisa da Luz had told us about it. Thanks, Marisa! I only took one picture (above) of the two guitarists. I wish I had though to take more, but I was too busy being spell bound.

"The second wonderful experience was that I had a poetry reading via Zoom with poets in Sacramento! How great it was to see familiar faces from the poetry groups I used to attend! The president of the Chaparral group, Rick Costa, organizes readings regularly, but usually they are too late for me to listen in. He posts videos of the readings later (that I can listen to here, since they are usually evening performances in Sacramento). For this reading, he set a special time - 12 noon in CA, 8 pm here - and I read from my book, "Saudade," as well as some additional poems from my WIP, "Dreaming of Galicia." This was my very first poetry reading, and truth to tell, I was nervous about it ahead of time, but then all those friendly faces put me at ease. So this was an experience to savor. Thank you, Rick!"

Meanwhile, for those of you in the Sacramento Area, here is a link you can go to if you are interested in the society. Membership is $20/year and you get invited to their zoom events - with no problems regarding time zones :-) Here is the LINK

Before I leave, here is a picture from the small bridge overlooking the Rio Este (East River), a short walk from our house, where a scene takes place in my new mystery, Deadly Verse.

I hope this finds all visitors to the site safe and well from the virus and doing well with all the precautions that have to be taken. Portugal has a vaccination rate in the high 90%s, and so restrictions have been lifted, although indoors social distancing is still advised, and at events like the concert above, masks are required. But we still wear our masks on the street and I would say about 50% of the population still does, too; at least here in Braga.

Meanwhile, how about your favortite pastimes. Do you enjoy concerts? Do you like poetry? Do you write poetry? And what is your favorite reading genre?

Today I have a "School Visit" via Zoom with a class iin Monforte de Lemos

   This afternoon, even though I'm in Braga, Portugal, I have a "School Visit" via Zoom with a class in Monforte de Lemos, Galicia, Spain. How cool is that! (The "visit" is to the Escola de Idiomas Eoi Monforte). The class's teacher is a friend of ours, and she teaches English to adult learners. She actually ordered copies of my mystery for students earlier in the year in high hopes that by now Covid 19 would be under control and everything would open up and I would visit in person. (Monforte is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Braga.) Well, things are opening up, but only gradually, and in Galicia classes aren't meeting face to face yet. 

Still, I'm happy to meet her students via Zoom. It's for an hour. I'll be curious about what questions they ask. She has formed a "reading club" with some of her students, and here is the flyer:

    About Monforte de Lemos: Many of you who have followed this blog know my husband and I in pre-Covid days used to go to Galicia twice a year. We started going there in spring of 2014 and even had a house in a small village about twenty minutes away from the town of Monforte (as the locals refer to it).  The "de Lemos" comes from the fact that the town grew up around a castle owned by Conde de Lemos. It's on a hill and overlooks the rather large town that developed since then through the centuries. At times part of it has been a monastery. And there's a cathdral at one side. But now the whole edifice is part of the Parador system and it houses a hotel, a restaurant, and a café/bar. Everyone in town refers to it as "The Parador."

The Parador

The Old Roman Bridge in town

     A walkway in the park in town.

    It gives my heart a twinge to see these old pictures of Monforte. We haven't been there since fall of 2019. Once the borders open up again, we'll look forward to driving up to visit Galicia friends. Until then, we feel very lucky to be in Braga and able to see our Braga friends, whom we've started meeting in the allowable open air spaces outside cafés. 

    Just mentioning the virus at all reminds me that the pandemic is still here for a while. So many countries are suffering from too many cases and not enough vaccines. 

May all of you stay safe and well, and may next year bring happy news for us all. 

Another Long Silence Because I'm Writing

                                           

            Well, actually not writing, but re-writing a collection of poems I wrote about Galicia. (Although, "rewriting" can sometimes feel like writing. Some poems have been entirely revamped. Picture me at this desk, huddled over my computer, deciding on words, then redeciding.) 

I want to finish it sometime next week. There are forty poems altogether, and I have five left. My Storytellers Writing Group has valiantly critiqued many of the rewrites, after they and two poetry groups I attended before Covid-19 had critiqued them the first time around. At times like this shut-in period, one truly appreciates the Internet. 

So, I really don't have a lot to say right now until I finish this project. I've tons of pictures taken in my walks around town that are out of season, now, since the last ones were taken in October and early November. Still, when I finish the collection, I'll post them anyway—beautiful murals on public buildings (another of Sacramento's beautification projects, this one called "Wide Open Walls.")

That will have to be in my next post. And that will be in a couple of weeks.  Till then, wish me luck on finding the right place to send this collection. My husband and I both love and miss Galicia, Spain, as well as Braga, Portugal, and these poems are from the heart.

If you are a writer or artist or love to garden or scrapbook, I hope your own endeavors are going well. And if you are a reader, I hope you have been enjoying some wonderful reads. (I have.) Whatever you love to do, I hope you are able to do it during these Covid times. 

Take care, and stay safe and well. There will be light at the end of this tunnel. 

Before Spain, Let's Go to Portugal; Here's Why

My new book, a cozy mystery,

set in Braga, Portugal. 

My new book, a cozy mystery, set in Braga, Portugal, was released Thanksgiving Day (while I was busy cooking). If you click on the link, you can go check it out HERE.

This book is near and dear to my heart. I got the idea for it before I ever went to Braga. I just liked the idea of setting a mystery in Portugal, and that was the closest city to our area in Spain (Galicia). I felt I could go to Braga and do first-hand research.


When we actually went to Braga, we met wonderful people who became our friends, and now every time we go to Galicia, we take a few days in Braga for further research — and to see our friends.

What is Deadly Vintage about?

Carla Bass, an interior designer has accompanied her husband, Owen, while he oversees a hotel remodel for his employer's new chain. They rent an apartment in the historical part of Braga, where most of the story takes place. (As you can see from pictures below, it's a picturesque and charming area.) When a wine seller gives Carla a mysterious bottle of Port by mistake (she thinks) she returns to his shop to give it back to him and finds him dead. The last to see him alive, she's now a suspect.

Here are a few scenes from Carla's Braga:

This is Carla's favorite bookstore:
Centésima Página ("Hundredth Page"
in English. See the "100" on the glass?)
Carla and Owen often eat lunch there,
as there is a food bar and small tables
 inside toward the back.

The lobby of the same building.
That's a cardboard cut-out of the
poet Pessoa lurking by the lamp.

And Carla often sees this woman
playing her violin on the streets
near the music college.

This  fountain, a defining landmark
of the historic Praça da República, has
colored lights playing on the jets each
 evening. The arcade is to the left, and
a MacDonald's that you can't see is
to the right. The corner building is the
National Bank. The red building is the
hotel Owen's employer is remodeling. 

Detective Fernandes is
investigating the finances
of someone (can't say who)
at the National Bank, and . . ..

   

Cafe Vianna has a long literary and
political history in Braga, although
now it is simply a favorite cafe/eatery
and is always busy. Carla and Owen
hang out here a lot, after hours. 

The last scene in the book
takes place here, as a matter
of fact. But first, there's a
mystery to solve . . ..

Carla has to talk to Maria about . . ., well, you'll find out. But Maria chooses the Jardim de Santa Barbara (Garden of Santa Barbara) for their discussion. 

A nice place to relax and talk
honestly, don't you think?

Well . . . it should be

And then there's the matter of Maria's boyfriend. This time Carla chooses the place to talk — the Museu Imagem (the Image Museum). You go right through the Arco da Porta Nova, then the museum is on your right, after a souvenir store. 

The Arco da Porta Nova (Arch
of the New Gate), designed by
André Soares, an architect of
Northern Portugal, famous for
his Baroque design.

The Museu Imagem: the modest-looking red building. It's a 

free museum, specializing in wonderful photography exhibits. 

If you go through the arch and turn left, on a corner a street away (not in the picture) is the house where Carla attends an estate auction and ruffles someone's feathers.

Before the auction, She and Owen dine at their favorite restaurant: Taberna do Félix (sometimes called Félix Taberna), and catch up on their news of the day. 

A romantic place, if your conversation isn't about dead bodies.

The next day, unexpectedly she has coffee with someone at A Brasileira (The Brazilian Woman) and the mystery deepens.

A Brasileira originally started in Lisbon (or
Lisboa), but it has a rich political history in
Braga. Its logo boasts that the best coffee is
that of the Brazilian Woman.

And the logo is printed on cups, napkins, even sugar packets!

I hope you've enjoyed this little taste of Portugal and the teasers that went with it as much as I enjoyed sharing them.  Your comments are always welcome.  Meanwhile, check out the book if you like cozies, HERE and have a great day. 

Braga, Beautiful Braga

My apologies for having vanished from my blog for so long. When I said good things were happening, they really were, and I had to scramble to keep up. Every time I thought I would post, there was new work to do.

On return last June from our trip to Spain and Portugal, I learned my poetry collection, Saudade, Thirty Poems of Longing, was accepted by Finishing Line Press. (Saudade is a very Portuguese -and Galician- state of mind, mixing nostalgia, longing, fate, in a complex combination.) Then I learned my cozy mystery, Deadly Vintage, was accepted by Belanger Books, LLC . Deadly Vintage  should be out by the end of November. Then I had the opportunity to write a short story, "What the Raven Knew," for a forthcoming anthology by Belanger Books, Sherlock Holmes: In the Realms of Edgar Allan Poe. (When I know the release date, I'll  post the info.) 

So, WHEW! Here we are back in Galicia, and I'm actually vacationing and not working for the first time in YEARS. This could grow on me . . . except that I have to finish Book 2 of my Portugal mystery series.

The beautiful scenery of Galicia
always takes my breath away. It
is so serene.

This is a charming restaurant up the
hill of the Parador which I will talk
about in a later post.

But it's wonderful to get back to blogging. I've really missed it. And, since Portugal is on my mind, I'll post about Braga for now, and return to blogging about Galicia in a later post.  

Okay, Braga is a two-hour drive from where we are in Galicia, which is why I chose it for my setting. Galicia is an autonomous region in Spain, and its culture is similar to  Portugal's. Even the languages are similar, going back in time, although Spanish has influenced Galegan quite a bit. The countries are divided in the north by the River Minho, but close to the border, people on both sides can speak with and understand each other. I read somewhere that they share 85% vocabulary.  

Portugal is also the birthplace of Fado, a haunting form of song that we love: It's entertwined with the concept of Fate — although there are happy songs as well. The happy ones are humorous; the sad are full of "saudade," that bittersweet sense of loss combined with hope. Two famous fadistas (fado singers) are Amalia Rodrigues and Mariza, our favorites, although we also like Ana Moura. Men can be fadistas, too: one is Camané. You can listen to any of them on You Tube. By tradition, the only accompaniment is an acoustic guitar and a Portuguese guitar. We've been fortunate to make friends with a wonderful fadista in Braga, Marisa da Luz. Rajan and I have heard her sing many times. It's always memorable. She's a fabulous person, and we feel lucky to know her.

Portugal also is a land of poets. Two of the most famous are Fernando Pessoa, considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and the 16th century poet, Luis Vaz de Camões, considered one of the greatest poets of all time. Pessoa was quite unique, in that he wrote from four different literary personas he created. He also wrote in English as well as Portuguese. Camões was a sonneteer and wrote the great epic of Vasco da Gaza's journey to India, The Lusíads. I like to joke that I got my picture taken with Pessoa below. (Unfortunately, Camões was not available for a similar photo op. 😊) 

Meeting one of my favorite poets

Inside, at one of the cute tables.

Exterior for  Centésima Página which means 100th Page. you
can see the big "100" in the windows.

The Pessoa cut-out was in the lobby of the building that houses Centésima Página, our favorite book store, and one of our favorite eateries. Housed in an 18th-century mansion called Casa Rolão, they offer a great selection of books in Portuguese and English, a wonderful children's section, and a food bar that serves terrific quiche, sandwiches, and salads, among other things, and the most wonderful oatmeal cookies! (I'm a cookie freak. Forget chocolate.) They have tables in back, too, in an attractive garden. And they offer cultural events, evening programs, lectures, guest authors, etc. is also my MC's favorite eatery and bookstore  in Deadly Vintage.

Centésima Página ispart of the historic center that is on Avenida Central and leads up to Praça República. 

  

Praça República is a landmark that ends in an arcade (at left) with restaurants, including the Café Vianna, which has been another landmark since the 1800s and used to be frequented by writers like  Eça de Queirós and Camilo Castelo Branco. Outside tables are near the enormous fountain that has water jets, lit at night. And Café Vianna, for us, has become a meeting place of sorts for connecting with many of the nice friends we've made in Braga.

This is walking along the avenida, which is
perpendicular to Avenida Central

This looks back at the Praça República 

There are garden spots everywhere  This is Avenida de Liberdade, a main avenue with the Teatro Circo & upscale clothing stores. It leads to the East River and a view of mountains beyond the city. I don't have pics of the theater or the mountains, but you can see how beautifully plants are gardened. 

The Jardim de Santa Barbara is another beautifully gardened spot near the old Archbishops's Palace (which has become a library for the University of Minho's Archives). The flowers change from season to season, except for the hedges and roses, which  are year round.

This garden is in some important scenes in my book.

Two other locales that are in important scenes are the Arco da Porta Nova (the arch that marks one entrance to the historic center) and the Museu da Imagem (a photography museum that offers changing exhibits and also is involved in an annual Photography Show with dozens of participants from all over the world.) Their exhibits are placed around in other galleries as well. When Rajan  and I first went to Braga in spring five years ago, we met then director, Rui Prata, who showed us around both the museum and the town after hours and then invited us to the coming exhibit in the fall, which was fabulous. Since then, both he and his daughter have become valued friends.

The museum is on the other side of the
arch to the right, where you can't see it
at this angle. 

The red building is the Image Museum, fascinating inside
with stone walls and arches at one level, and changing
exhibits. Rajan's hobby is black and white photography,
so this was quite a discovery.

For my coming Book Two, I needed to talk to someone who could tell me more about the annual Book Fair, so we went to Camara Municipal de Braga (which is basically City Hall with its various departments.) Lovely building, as you can see — and example of the Baroque architecture made famous in Braga by Soares. Inside, as you can see, the stairs had wainscoting of the beautiful azulejo tiles that you find in all these old buildings.

The doorway really impressed me.

I wish the picture were better.

I want to close with the little story of how Rajan and I met our "Portuguese family." These are wonderful friends we feel privileged to know. On our first trip, we lost our way, looking for the police department for that area. Commander Jose Barbosa had said we could stop by and he would be happy to answer questions. We stopped by this little shop called Casa Stop, and the woman there (Carla) gave us directions. Even though there is little crime in Braga, she was worried that we'd had some kind of mishap. When she found out I was writing a mystery, it turned out that she loves to read mysteries, and we became instant friends. Since then, we have enjoyed many get togethers with her and her husband (Armando) and daughter (Beatriz)—lovely additions to our lives.

Rajan, Carla, me

Rajan, Carla, Armando, Beatriz

Me, Carla, Armando, Beatriz

I hope you enjoyed this little taste of Braga. There are so many more things to share. The churches deserve a post of their own, there are so many, and Braga has a religious history that reaches into Galicia! (More about the in the future.) But also other historic buildings.

When it comes to travel to other cities, what grabs you the most? The buildings? Their history? Events that take place? The people?