Oh, let the RIVER in...

That was the tile of the song I chose for my last social media post about living with nature in my new home. Just over a week ago. At the time, I was thinking about personal growth and current flow. Looking at my life changes, the lyrics felt right. Looking at the sky now, I realize Mother Nature took that request literally.**

These are some pictures I took (a week ago, after storm KRISTIN), when I walked out of my little village in Central Portugal.

You can’t stop the forces of nature, and Portugal is currently putting on a masterclass. We’re stuck on the "Stormtrain" — an endless loop of Atlantic storms that’s quite unusual for this part of the world. In just three weeks, we’ve hosted Goretti, Harry, Ingrid, Chandra, Kristin, and Leonardo. Now, Marta is on her way to show her moves. As a kid I enjoyed playing with trains, but this train is next level.

These are some pictures I took on top of the Serra da Estrela a few weeks ago, after storm GORETTI. At that time still accessible, now there is about 3 meters of snow on the top.

I have to admit, I like it a bit rough. I love the big waves in Nazaré, I love extremes, and I’ve always said the nature here was the main attraction. Well, be careful what you manifest, it can result in a very different outcome. I wanted an adventurous lifestyle, and now I’m getting it — straight to the face. It makes you think about the choices you’ve made. And I can still say: we chose what we believe in. Believing in something also means you have to live the life. Take risks, fight, challenge… but at least, you feel that you are alive.

The silent ones, can be the wildest ones from time to time...

It’s been so wet and wild lately that even my old Tinder days didn't see this many names visiting in such a short period. Every single one brings a different energy, but they all have one thing in common: they leave you soaked (or sucked… whatever your mind tells you). That brings me to the topic of playfulness. Some of us have a fighter mentality, and it’s a good skill to have over here. Although, besides that, you also need patience, survival mode, and a lot of creativity.

Living here lately is like a long boxing match. You have to find your rhythm between the rounds. The gusts of wind have been insane — testing every defense. And the water? At some point, it’s unstoppable. It has no other way to flow. When the river wants in, you have to open the door. It flushes out the weak parts, clears the debris, and forces you to rebuild. If your land floods, you might as well start digging and find a way to play. It’s a dance with nature. A very, very muddy dance.
And nature wants to lead this one.

This picture I took after storm HARRY left. A moment of rest. It is a calm and mystic. But you should know that it was punched hard in the face months ago, this mountain is completely burned and the remainings are some burned trees.

It sounds easy to say, and I know many have lost a lot. But instead of fighting a force that’s clearly stronger, we have to be smarter. You have to take the hits on the chin and survive this long boxing match. Recover and enjoy the rest in between rounds, because before you know it, the next challenge in life is ahead. Stay positive and see opportunities in changes. Be aware of your environment.

Vin Diesel is on higher level in Central Portugal. From where I need to walk about 20 minutes, because the dirtroads are not accessible anymore. This was when storm LEONARDO just left the gates.

As for the moment: Vin Diesel is high right now, I am not. I am still just living the live. Storm Kristin reminded me it was time to call my old friend Kirsten, so I did. And tomorrow? Marta comes knocking on the door. Given my history with women whose names start with "MAR," this should be interesting... let’s see where this storm takes me.

Let's hope for better days, where we don't have to talk about the weather. And when we can say, we love the life we live.

Stay safe, stay positive, and keep following your dreams — even if you have to get wet to reach them.

I like to give every situation a funny twist or a different perspective, it makes life easier to deal with.

All pictures were taken by me, using a Samsung S23 Ultra and a Fuji XT-4