Suddenly, a new opportunity arises and I am afraid of making the bad choice. Life is a lot easier when no decisions are required.

The worst long-lasting effect of having cancer is that you are always afraid that it will come back.

Changes are not always good. Let's see what lays ahead for me.

B-day

Happy birthday to you! Hopefully the cake is tasty :)

When I close my eyes, I am no longer able to see you and I no longer remember the sound of your voice. I remember moments that we had together, but not being able to see you image on my head makes me sad. I had a tape that we recorded when I was around P.'s age, which I always kept to play for my own kids, but even that is lost.

Moustaki

In 2008, I went to one of his concerts in Portugal, and even if no longer young, what an amazing singer! Some of his lyrics are among the most beautiful I ever heard/read and usually make me company on long car rides.

After all, Portugal taking steps to be a better country where to live.

Europa League Final (V)

Honestly, I don’t understand FCP supporters. I understand that they are happy with Benfica’s defeat (that way, they are still the 8^th best team on Champions League draw) but why do they spend their time writing and calling radio programs???? Get a life!

Europa League Final (IV)

temos de ir à bruxa!

Europa League Final (III)

à conta do Benfica e de hoje ser dia 15 de Maio, lembrei-me do meu pai, benfiquista como eu. Para ele, este era o "dia dos amigos", sempre pautado por um jantar entre velhos amigos de infância. Imagino como estaria feliz a ver o "seu" Benfica rodeado de velhos amigos, como as rivalidades  seriam colocadas de lado, e todos estariam a torçer por um só clube. E fico com uma saudade imensa...

Europa League final (II)

Even if all odds are against Benfica, and I don’t think they will win, I am not able to focus on work today…I don’t understand those as P. that do not suffer with football…

Europa League final (I)

I am not hopeful or tomorrow night's match, as Chelsea has a better team and better players. But the magic of football is that everything is possible (as last year's Champion's League final showed!)

Even if the result is what I am expecting, Benfica went all the way to the final, and that is already great. But winning would be amazing! I am just sorry that I won't be there, but there is a limit for how much money I pay to see a football match live.

O encerramento das Escravas

A notícia do encerramento do Externato das Escravas caí como uma bomba na nossa família. De repente, aquilo que tinhamos como assegurado, uma escola familiar para a nossa filha, deixou de existir. Embora compreenda a decisão das irmãs, deveria ter sido comunicado aos pais no início do ano lectivo que, se o número de alunos continuasse a diminuir, o colégio iria encerrar.

Desde sexta-feira que damos voltas à cabeça e pensamos em alternativas. Aquele ambiente e aquela  educação não é possível de encontrar noutro colégio ou escola pública. Tivemos de partir para outras opções, com uma perspectiva de longo prazo. Muita pesquisa, muitas contas, muita logística depois, chegamos à nossa “short-list”. Segunda de manhã, de telefone em punho, as respostas negativas sucederam-se.

Felizmente, na nossa segunda opção, uma daquelas em que não acreditávamos, obtivemos uma resposta positiva. Mais do que isso, uma simpatia e compreensão que não esperávamos, e a confiança de que a nossa filha ficará bem entregue.

Uma nova etapa a espera, esperemos que seja tão feliz como nas Escravas, que iremos sempre guardar no nosso coração. Um grande bem haja a todas as irmãs e funcionários do colégio, em especial à irmã Conceição, que tanto carinho deu à nossa filha numa altura muito difícil da sua(nossa) vida.

FCP vs SLB

My expectations for Saturday's match were not high, but after knowing who is the referee, they are even lower. After the disaster of his work on the last season's SLB-FCP, I can only expect the worst. I am sorry, but the guy always makes several mistakes just against one side...

SLB

There is only possible word today - SLB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a match! I was wrong, and Amsterdam is no more a dream!!!! Now I must find tickets at an affordable cost (EUR 500 is not an option!)

VP press conference

How to have a good laugh at someone else's expenses...VP is probably the only guy that does not think that this year Benfica is, by far, the best team in the national championship. Even if, at the end, Benfica does not win it, they had an amazing season. And I remember controversial referee decisions in several matches, including those of the FCP.

Regarding tonight's match, I am expecting an extremely difficult match. And no, even if I think Benfica has a better team than Fenerbahçe, I am not betting on it to go ahead to the finals. Not scoring in Turkey opened bad perspectives for tonight's match.

I am feeling sad. Football should not have this effect on me, but I cannot avoid it. Unfortunately I don't agree with Benfica's coach, and I am not hopeful for next Thursday match. Not with a long journey back to Lisbon and a difficult and crucial match next Monday with Marítimo...

When a kid, my parents made me listen to this song and later on, I learned what it meant to a lot of Portuguese people on an April day, when I was yet to be born. 

E depois do adeus

39 years ago, this song was a message that better days could be ahead of us.

25 April

For me, it was never and hopefully will never be just another public holiday, but a day of celebration.

SLB 2 - SCP 0

The best way to finish a great (but tiring day)...over 60,000 supporters singing "ser benfiquista". We are only eight matches away from a dream season (or a complete disaster). The minimum is to win two of the three possible competitions; a dream would be to win all of them :)

I think I saw the match with the only Sporting fan that agrees the referee has no influence on the final result...

Weekend

A birthday, a party, a family lunch and the derby. I have a busy weekend ahead of me. Hopefully I will be a happy person Sunday night, if not for seeing P. blowing her birthday cake candle!

Fenerbahçe vs SLB

Amsterdam is just around the corner, but a lot depends on today's raffle...Fenerbahçe is not the ideal option...a long travel to Turkey and crazy supporters...

A final with Chelsea, if they get there, is not my dream match...I still remember what happened last year.

Benfica

Let's just hope that what happened in 2010/2011 won't happen again. Depending on the opponent (and on playing well in Saint James Park), Amsterdam is just around the corner :)

In these days, after reading Portuguese newspapers, the  question why everyone seems to be so afraid of democracy pops in my head. Citizens are entitled to chose, even if their choices would not be the "good" ones.

Benfica vs Newcastle

And the next match is against....Newcastle. Not my dream opponent, but could have been worst. Let's see.

Bordeaux vs Benfica

Against my prediction Benfica won and is still on the Europa League. Now it is up to the draw, but it's the fourth time in a row that Benfica's is up to the last eight in UEFA competitions!

Bordeaux vs Benfica

Without both Luisão and Garay I no longer has expectations for tomorrow's match. Not with only one goal of advantage after a bad match in Lisbon. Let's hope that they will be able to play Sunday in Guimarães.

Holidays

Why is it so difficult to decide where to go this summer? Besides having to find a country/region where at least one of us has never been and that we can afford (with an unlimited budget it would be soo easy....), P. is a huge factor...so trekking the Alps or cycling in the Netherlands is not an option.

Brussels again

Five more days in Brussels! Why do I only miss things when I don't have them?

Benfica vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (III)

After yesterday's match, next stop: Bordeaux.

I would love to take P. & P. to Amsterdam for the finals, but I don't think we will go that far. But it is still possible to go through one more round.

Benfica vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (II)

In my way to the "catedral" soon. I "must behave" according to P's advise :)

Benfica vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Next Thursday, I will be there, with P's pink scarf! Prepared for a difficult match but believing that after winning in Germany, Benfica will also win in its stadium.
I would love to bring P to Amsterdam for the final, but I don't think they will go that far...

Unemployment

According to  official data, unemployment reached 16.9% of the active population. In other words, the number of employed persons is barely over 4.5 million. It is not possible to have a sustainable economy when more than half of the country's population (slightly over 10 millions) is either studying, unemployed/not working or retired.

Terracota army

The Terracota army exibithion is in Brussels and I did no know. So, either I miss it or don't come to work tomorrow...I will have to miss it, but I feel really sad.

Rognons de veau

To remember, never ask for a dishes you are not sure what it is. It's called a speciality here in Brussels...

Brussels

If not for the (bad) weather, Brussels is a great place where to live. Not that big, so it is possible to walk almost anywhere, good public transportation system, lost of parks, good museums, all all other stuff that I need to be happy.

Bruxelles

In Brussels for two weeks...work, visiting friends, and Magritte museum are waiting for me.

Ainda o SLB - FCP

"Lucho e a ausência de Pedro Proença do clássico: "Não é suspeito, mas deve analisar-se"" in Público 16 Janeiro 2013

Depois da conferência de imprensa do VP antes do jogo em que assumiu que no jogo SLB-FCP da época 2011/2012, o referido árbitro deu como válido um golo marcado em fora de jogo, não admira...

Independentemente da qualidade do árbitro Pedro Proença, a arbitragem "desastrada" no SLB-FCP da época anterior era motivo suficiente para a sua não nomeação.

SLB

Everyone who knows me is aware that I love football and I am Benfica supporter since my early days. Thereof, they understand that today I am in a bit of a mood. Since the game for the Portuguese Cup in Porto (two or three seasons ago), it was the first time I saw yesterday Benfica playing against Porto to win. In the second half I only saw one team trying to score, and Cardozo had all to do it. Probably some Porto supporters did not see the same match as I did. And yes, some players of both teams should have received one or two yellow cards, but the referrer had the same criteria for both sides (unless rules apply differently according to Porto players, as VP seems to consider).

Vint-cinq années sont deja passés et tu me manques toujours.