Portugal and France: Where Rivers Meet History

Points of Encounter - Portugal and France: Where Rivers Meet History

By Armand Ortiz

In December 2024 Yeny and I visited Portugal. We mainly went for the food, and because Portugal is relatively compact, we were able to explore several different regions in just a few days. I was excited to visit Lisbon because I'd already experienced the city through Fernando Pessoa’s writings, long before I walked its streets. Yet the things we saw and experienced, as I later reflected, came to mean much more than I had expected.

In Lisbon we took a walking food tour and tasted bifanas which you could lather up with spicy oil called piri-piri. We also ate the iconic bolinhos de bacalhau, which are toasty, crunchy, soft and chewy all at the same time. The hot chocolate was like none that I had had before: creamy, thick, and deeply chocolaty.

As we strolled along the edge of the Tagus River we were greeted by a giant monument dedicated to the Age of Discovery and the men that set off from Lisbon to explore the world. In their attempts to have direct access to goods and spices they first sailed along the coast of Africa, then rounded the continent on their way to India. As a result, Portugal became one of the earliest European nations to launch an era of maritime exploration. Standing before it, I admired what it celebrated, though I had yet begun to understand the larger story it represented.

We learned of Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan. The Portuguese also explored and colonized South America, creating new networks of trade and cultural exchange while also contributing to systems of conquest, slavery and forced migration. Brazil would become Portugal’s largest and most significant colony. In Portugal it seemed that everything had a story, and that story often led somewhere else– a spice, a crop, a tradition, or a person who had crossed an ocean.

We were fortunate enough to travel around Portugal, learning about its history and how its architecture, art, and cuisine were influenced by centuries of exploration and overseas connections. We visited places like Nazare, where a small chapel dramatically atop a coastal cliff. Today, the town is best known for the giant Atlantic waves that have made Nazare one of the world’s premier surfing destinations. At Sintra, we stopped to admire the architecture of Pena Castle, a building containing symbols of Portugal’s maritime history. Although we enjoyed every place we visited, Lisbon stayed with me the longest. It was also a place where a major battle between Crusader and Muslim armies took place, which reestablished a Christian kingdom in 1147.

At that time I had not fully understood the significance of our visit. It was not until we’d returned from our trip to France that things gelled in my mind.

A few months later we went to France, spending most of our time exploring different parts of Paris. Walking through the Luxembourg Gardens allowed us to experience a city shaped by centuries of artists, writers and revolutions. We dined at one of the restaurants Ernest Hemingway once frequented, and at times I felt that his descriptions of Paris and its people were on point.

We also took several walking tours. One was a guided tour that had us tasting foods as we meandered through the Montmartre neighborhood. The tastiest dishes were the rich beef bourguignon and the cheese board. By the time we had crepes, we were full but still eager to taste the savory pastry, all under the backdrop of the Sacre Coeur. The other tour started on the Ile de la Cite, which is the historical center of Paris and is located in the middle of the Seine River. We were taken to different parts of the island and given brief descriptions of how Paris grew and evolved over the years.

We managed to take a day trip to Rouen, a city along the Seine River where Viking, French and English influences converged. The city is closely connected to the Viking world and the Christianization of Scandinavia, and it is also remembered as the place where Joan of Arc was executed. From Rouen, Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, embarked on the expedition that eventually led him to explore the Mississippi River.

The circle of discovery continued after our return from France. I thought that we had traveled to see places. Only later did I realize we had been walking through places where worlds had collided. Soon after, I began to understand that France and Portugal were not simply destinations but meeting points– places where people, ideas, foods, religions and cultures crossed paths. Through those encounters, history continued to shape the world we live in today.

Looking back, I remember standing beside the Tagus River watching small sailboats drift quietly across the water. Now I see these memories differently. Rivers, ports, and crossroads are more than places on a map. They are places where civilizations meet, where ideas are exchanged, and where the traces of those encounters endure long after travelers have gone.

Hummingbird, Lingering: Free Verse

Hummingbird, Lingering

By Armando Ortiz

Humming hummingbird

where do you come from

and where do you go

you hover, pierce flowers

then vanish in a swirl

you rest on thin branches

flicker on by

coming and going

darting through silence

in a kaleidoscopic spin

humming hummingbird

ripe flowers nearby

under a city sky 

time slows as you hover above

tiny wings, a shimmering glow

zooming on down

shooting on through 

toward bell-shaped flowers

to drink their nectar

treasuring that open bloom

humming hummingbird

twitching and chattering

circling in a breath

dancing with yellow petals

brushing blue trumpets

where do you sleep

who makes your bed

two beings frozen in time

looking through my balcony door

your hum lingers in my ear

Under the Shadow: Free-verse

Under the Shadow

By Armando Ortiz

Under the shadow of an absent father I grew 

and the shade of mother’s embrace gave courage. 

The stars reminded me that life is a miracle, 

and even in darkness it guides our way.

Inside passing storms 

we weather floods, 

and below the shade of trees rest our feet 

as countless stars quench our droughts.

L.A. Mountains Call

 

L.A. Mountain’s Call

By Armando Ortiz

I walk the adobe road, this old mountain frozen,

sagebrush and baking dust engulf me at the turn.

L.A.’s mountainous slopes like weathered lemon peels,

fade into the afternoon haze.

I disappear into clay and chaparral

A figure in an impressionist landscape.

The portrait dissolves; the fireroad opens.

Deer forage, a yucca thirsts beneath oak shade— 

this is where I eternally wander.

Butterfly shadows circle—signs warn of rattlesnakes.

Nature bustles to its own pulse.

Slithering shadows of heat

shimmer across the coastal desert.

At a junction city scents join the trail, 

leading to barren heights and spectacular views,

where past and present landmarks remain.

At the summit, a hummingbird pauses, reminding me it too belongs.

Coyotes, forever jokesters, play hide-and-seek with the past.

As I begin my descent, a school of wild quail suddenly breaks the silence.

The male perches atop a branch, wearing a black top hat.

Strange characters live up here—a diorama of memories and life.

Everything alive before my eyes,

sweaty and accomplished, I reach my car.

Tomorrow the hike will fade, my legs will ache,

but already the mountains call me back.

Waves, Joan Sebastian, and Hemingway: A Central Coast Road Trip from L.A.

Waves, Joan Sebastian, and Hemingway:  A Central Coast Road Trip from L.A.

Reflections from a California road trip where literature and ballads collided in unexpected ways.

By Armando Ortiz

Last year, we drove to Carmel, about five hours north of Los Angeles. Our route took us along the I-5 north, cutting west on Highway 46 before stopping for lunch in Paso Robles. There, we found a small Mexican restaurant frequented by locals. We took it to go and enjoyed it at a nearby park. From there, we continued north on the 101 until we reached the coast. Our first stop was the 17–Mile Drive, a picturesque stretch of road that hugs the Pacific.

At one of the first turnouts, Huckleberry Hill, I learned that John Steinbeck, author of Tortilla Flats, Cannery Row and Grapes of Wrath, used to frequent this part of the coast. It’s easy to see why–the crashing waves, the cypress trees, the feeling of solitude. It’s the kind of place that invites introspection and inspiration. 

To bridge our musical taste–mine rooted in hip-hop and Yeny’s hard rock–we tuned in to a Spanish-language radio station. The playlist moved between old and new regional Mexican music. As the car wound through along the coast, we listened to tracks by Juan Gabriel, José José, Enrique Iglesias and Alejandra Guzman. The music felt both nostalgic and refreshing, almost like the cool onshore breeze that blew in through the open windows.

Driving through this short stretch of coast was magical–the pounding surf, the manicured golf lawns and elegant homes facing west. This was the perfect place to catch a sunset. We spent the day driving and stopping along the 17–Mile Drive, and later went to have dinner in Carmel. The spot we chose, The Hog’s Breath Inn, was once owned by Clint Eastwood. It turns out he had also been mayor of this small town.

While in Carmel, I heard music that I hadn’t given much thought to before–especially the songs of Joan Sebastian. The next day, we explored the town by foot, enjoying ice cream, window shopping, and other sweets. We ended our time there with lunch at Flaherty’s Seafood Grill and some homemade bread to take with us from Patisserie Boissiere Restaurant.

I’d probably heard five different tracks by Joan Sebastian during our trip. So, upon returning to L.A., I began diving into his catalog. At that time, I was reading Hemingway’s A Movable Feast. Somewhere along the way, the Spanish lyrics began to blend with the author’s voice on the page. 

I had just finished reading the part where Hemingway confesses to cheating on his wife. He describes the regret that followed, and how during the affair, he was conflicted. Right then, Joan Sebastian’s Lobo Domesticado began to play–a song about a man who can’t be tamed but wants to be domesticated by the woman he loves. 

Another song followed: Sé que no merezco tu perdón. It echoed the passage I’d just read, where the singer admits his faults were serious, his mistakes were too severe. He knows she’ll find someone new. Similarly, Hemingway, while regretful, finds a kind of relief that Hadley, his ex-wife, married someone finer than him. As that song ended, Me Gustas began–Sebastian singing about loving a woman so deeply that being with her erases time and reason. The country twang and crying fiddle paired beautifully with Hemingway’s sense of longing and loss.

I kept reading, and soon Hemingway was reflecting on Paris and his time in the winter mountains with Hadley. The tone of writing felt perfectly in sync with Sebastian’s songs. One scene, where Hemingway hikes up the mountain, made me feel like I’d climbed three thousand feet in fifteen minutes. The timing of the music I was listening to felt uncannily aligned with the words on the page. 

Eventually, the track switched to Oiga, a duet with Prisma, who sings of her fear of love after being hurt. Near the end of the book, Hemingway reflects on human behavior–how actions have consequences, how even our most secret choices shape our futures. But at least, he says, he’s glad Hadley found a better man. Some of those songs, which I kept returning to, echoed Hemingway’s own regrets and longing. 

Life unfolds in unexpected ways–and sometimes, the art we encounter along the way helps us understand it. Our trip to Carmel was peaceful: we had good meals, shared desserts, and listened to songs that still linger in my mind. But what stays with me most is how all these elements–the coast, the music, the drive–came together to make A Movable Feast not just a book I read, but something I felt in real time. A layered, living experience.

Tastes of Summer: A Memory of Strawberries

Tastes of Summer: A Memory of Strawberries

By Armando Ortiz

Every year, from April to June, strawberries come into season across California. You see them everywhere – roadside stands, corner markets, backyard gardens. Their scent, especially when driving through Oxnard, carries more than sweetness; for me it brings back places, people, and moments that linger longer than the fruit itself. This piece is a gathering of those memories – some simple, some strange, all tied together by the taste of strawberries.

Strawberries and cream oatmeal 

with strawberries and bananas.

Strawberries and Tajin 

on the camping trip.

A carton of strawberries handed to me

outside of Santa Cruz.

Dried strawberries under the dust 

at Burning Man.

Strawberries with Zinfandel.

Strawberry banana pancakes, 

with whipped cream and strawberry syrup.

Peanut butter

And strawberry jam on wheat bread.

The film, Wild Strawberries

Buying agua fresca de fresa in Ukiah.

Strawberry coconut ice cream 

and slow-churned chocolate ice cream topped with strawberries.

Ice cream sandwiches eaten on the side of the road along PCH.

French toast with strawberries, whipped cream, 

bananas, and strawberry syrup

My summer strawberry,

with flush red cheeks.

And smiles–simple pleasures 

live deep in our desires.

Roberto Bolano's Cowboy Graves: Book Review

Roberto Bolano’s Cowboy Graves: Book Review

By Armando Ortiz

Roberto Bolano’s collection, Cowboy Graves, was published posthumously in 2017. The English translation was released in 2021. Known for his novels 2666, and Savage Detectives Bolano offers readers three novelettes that are partly biographical and woven into his broader literary world. This collection serves both as an introduction to Bolano’s world and as stand alone narratives that will captivate fans. The tales explore themes of revolution, artistic ambition, and identity, set against the backdrop of society’s underbelly. Bolano’s characters grapple with antisocial tendencies, revolutionary aspirations, and the challenges of navigating life’s unpredictable events, yet they hold onto the hope of changing the world.

In the first novelette, Cowboy Graves, we meet Arturo Belano, a Chilean born in Concepcion, who moves to Mexico City and later returns to Chile. Through Arturo’s recollections of his father, Bolano explores themes of identity and belonging. Arturo recalls moments with his father, a man torn between bravado and a desire to display his Mexican vaquero roots. In Mexico City, Arturo forms a friendship with “The Grub” as is drawn to leftist ideologies, prompting his return to Chile and joining the revolution. However, his outsider status leads to incarceration and violence. Despite the challenges he faces, Arturo’s love for literature remains his lighthouse like an unmovable rocky coastline. Following Arturo’s journey, the second novelette introduces a new character in a different setting. In this case he is offered a chance to go into exile in France, but also to live in the sewers of Paris.

In French Comedy of Horrors, a young poet in Guyana that has just witnessed an eclipse decides to take the long way home only to find himself lured into the underground world of surrealists by a phone call from Paris. The caller attempts to convince him to relocate to Paris, promising an artistic awakening. This story delves into the multifaceted nature of literature, contrasting mainstream and unconventional writing. Bolano highlights the choices writers face: pursuing fame or evoking emotions and actions. Yet, it is the individual who decides what community he will join or what lane his art will take. Ultimately, the story underscores the idea that whatever path we choose, we may become exiles due to our art, ideas, or geographical moves.

The third novelette, Fatherland, reflects on the concept of homeland and its implications for both Bolano’s characters and the reader. It prompts reflection on how we define our place of birth and lineage, asking whether we reside in the motherland or fatherland. This story expands on Bolano’s experiences in Chile and the leftist revolution, but also contemplates physical and mental exile. It examines how past, present and future environments influence writers and their creations. In this way, Bolano invites readers to ponder the impermanence of places, material possessions, identities, and even ourselves.

The stories in Cowboy Graves are engaging and original, though parts of “The Grub” appear in The Savage Detectives. Additionally, the scene where Arturo shares his fiction with a Jesuit echoes themes from another of Bolano’s novels. Nevertheless, like much of Bolano’s work, these posthumously published stories challenge readers to explore the motivations behind their writing and inspire them to continue their creative journeys. They also serve as a mirror, reflecting on our favorite writers, the makeup of our identities, and how life’s contexts lead us to make unexpected choices that can result in voluntary or involuntary exile. Bolano’s Cowboy Graves not only enriches our understanding of his literary universe but also invites us to reflect on our own artistic ambitions and identities.

Blossoms of L.A. - Palo Verde

Blossoms of L.A. - Palo Verde

By Armando Ortiz

The palo verde 

rooted along quiet urban streets,

spring brings blossoms 

that vibrate with a glowing beat.

Bright green tips

bursting with yellow flowers,

making a delicate veil of lights

a bouquet for the eye’s delight.  

May mornings shaded by gray skies

the sounds of hummingbirds gives rise,

While these trees reach up to touch the air,

rising from front lawns, behind houses.

Rows of green protect avenues

others stand alone in open spaces,

some planted at street corners,

decorating the city with pulsating halo.

Winds clash- east or west breeze,

Or perhaps cold waters 

touching the arid coast will prevail

pulsating traffic might make it sway. 

Under desert noon, the trees grow vibrant

With Lemon yellows and lime greens

evoking thoughts of cool lemonade,

refreshing beneath the sunny day.

Native palo verde

rooted on this land,

gifts the city blossoms 

that vibrate with a growing heat.