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Magusto >> A fall festival in Portugal

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  During the time living in the city, I try to follow as much as possible the festivals of the Portuguese locals and what they celebrate. On November 11th we learnt that a big area will be set up around the church called "Igreja Matriz" near the Santo Amaro stop. But that was last year. I learned about the annual "Magusto" event from the community in my company where I work. "Magusto" is a traditional festival in the Iberian Peninsula. Popular in Portugal, Galicia and parts of Northern Spain, it is of Celtic origin and celebrates the end of summer and the beginning of winter. As I read in a web source, "During this holiday, numerous traditional rituals are celebrated related to purification, healing, remembering ancestors, attending mass or visiting the local healer." It was written like this in the related event page "The tradition continues. 10 tons of chestnuts prepared in a roaster along two big streets will be served with Carcavel...

Belmonte and River joy - PT 4

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  As this part, finally, we arrived at Belmonte . Dont forget to check the first 3 parts for the full experience :) I had already seen so many beautiful little villages during this trip, but Belmonte had a different feeling. It is one of those places where you can feel that there is a lot of history underneath the quiet streets. The village goes all the way up towards the old castle, and yes, obviously I had to go up there. 😂 Because apparently, if there is a castle somewhere, I cannot simply say “oh, that's nice” and walk away. And then I need to wonder how people actually lived there hundreds of years ago. 😄 Belmonte is especially interesting because it has a very strong connection with both Portuguese history and the Sephardic Jewish community. It is also the birthplace of Pedro Álvares Cabral , the Portuguese navigator who reached Brazil in 1500. The village still has its medieval atmosphere, with the castle, old stone houses and historic streets all sitting toge...

Historic Journey - PT 3

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  Hello !   Another new day arrived. After all the relaxing, beach time and tiny-house life, my Portugal adventure continued. And this time the vibe was a little different. Less ocean...More history. More “How did I not know this place existed before?” moments. 😂 I really love these kinds of days because you can leave the place   without expecting too much and suddenly find yourself somewhere that makes you stop and think. One of the places I visited was Casa da Memória da Medicina Sefardita António Ribeiro Sanches in Penamacor. And honestly, this was one of those places where I arrived without knowing exactly what to expect. The name itself is already quite a mouthful! 😂 But once you start discovering the story behind it, it becomes much more interesting. The house is dedicated to the memory of Sephardic medicine and, especially, António Ribeiro Sanches, a doctor and important intellectual from Penamacor. The museum also tells a wider story about Por...

Nature and Town Mixture Journey - PT 2

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  Hello ! If you already read my part 1 you can pleasely continue from here. After Vimeiro, since I was alone in this area, later on a friend and I went for camping inner side of Portugal. And it was near Spain border.. I’m sure you will enjoy the camping area, they have everything you need, big areas, electricity, a lot of tree shadow for your tent, bathrooms and shower. Even they have their chimney grills too !   Name is : Parque de Campismo do Freixial First stop – Barragem de Meimoa 🌿💧 Our first stop was Barragem de Meimoa, in the Penamacor area of Portugal. I always love places where nature makes you slow down a little, and this was definitely one of those places. The reservoir sits quietly surrounded by the landscape, and there is something very peaceful about standing there and simply looking at the water. No busy streets, no big crowds, no rushing from one place to another. Just water, hills, sky and that lovely feeling of being somewhere a little diff...

Light Summer with Ocean sound - Valongo PT 1

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  Hello Back after some light summer ! So I could not make any vacation this year since last November 2025. Finally I took a chance from company somehow and got an instant 2 weeks ! I know, I have been away for a long time but lets evaulate some points of Portugal together. I’m sure you will find some places to your tastes because I will tell you some different vibes and places this time. So, this time I decided to slow down a little. No crazy schedule. No “I have to see 15 places in 2 days!” Just me, my camera, some comfortable clothes, my little travel mood and a lot of curiosity. 📸 First stop was close to “ Praia de Santa Rita” beach, you somehow need a car to drive here from Lisbon for 1 hour, close to town Vimeiro - Valongo. It was a secret place my friend helped me find it when I was looking for last minute vacation. My desire was to relax and do my post surgery stretchings and chill and beach only. The place is on top of mountain, and my first time ever slep...

Big News! My Photos Are Now Available for You to Bring Home!

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  Hello friends! It feels like ages since I last popped up here! Guess what?! After a bit of a break from posting (life got in the way, as it often does!), had to say that I'm having amazing summer right now in my new place, but I’m not here for that. I'm back with some exciting news. I wanted to share directly with you all. For those of you who have been following my journey here, you know how passionate I am about exploring, wandering, taking photograps and capturing the beauty I find in the world, especially during my travels. Photography isn't just a hobby for me; it's a way of seeing, feeling, and remembering. And now, I'm thrilled to share that I'm taking things a step further! I've officially opened a shop on Picfair where you can purchase prints of my photographs!   It's a bit of a dream come true to be able to offer these images to you all. You can find it right here: https://vikiyabroad.picfair.com/ Whether you're looking to add a ...

Vadi camping - Digital detox

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  Hello everyone! 😊 Last time when I was in Türkiye, I escaped Sapanca for a weekend and found myself in a place surrounded by forest, streams and mountains. If lately you've been feeling tired from traffic, notifications, work stress or simply people, I think you'll enjoy reading this one. The company is called Vadi Camping, located in Çatalkaya Valley in Sapanca. I had been seeing their events on Instagram for a while and finally decided to join one called "Derenin Sesleri." The program included yoga, a nature walk, meditation, a fire show and if you are lucky a DJ performance. To be honest, I was mostly curious about spending a day in nature rather than the activities themselves 😅 After arriving in the valley, the first thing I noticed was the sound. Not music, not traffic, not construction. Just birds, water and trees moving in the wind. It sounds simple but after city life, you realize how rare silence actually is. Nature Love The group slowly gathered ...

Why Orange Queen?

Hi! I’m Viki — the creative heart behind Queen Rookie. I’m Turkish living in Portugal, designing my world one photo and one illustration at a time, very slowly! My logo—a crowned, colorful sardine—tells my story: How? 🐠 The sardine because “fish” means rookie as you know 😊 (and I’m proudly still learning everything) 🐦‍🔥 The fiery red-orange tones because I see myself as a goddess Phoenix rising from her ashes after couple of following bad moments happened in my life… 👸And finally the crown because I pour love, care, and my absolute best into everything I create like a true Queen! I’m a beginner in design, a passionate travel photographer, and someone who believes you can be a rookie and a queen at the same time. Welcome to my journey. I wish I can get as much as comments by your side to help me grow !

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