The Bigger the Bumbum the Better

An interesting issue I encountered before leaving for Portugal was the shape of my butt . . . It' too flat! . . .  Once you watch the video you'll see that the preferred bumbum for Kizomba is a "bubble butt". This realization came to me less than 30 days before my trip . . . Oh dear . . . 

So I turned to a personal trainer, Tony Kroll, for help fluffing up my butt. Tony's reaction after watching a few seconds of this video was . . .  "Oh my!" . . . Then he went straight into trainer mode:  Here's what you need to do . . . 100 squats a day! Suddenly using public restrooms became part of my butt-building program. 

No matter what your backside looks like, Kizomba is a very sexy dance. It originated in Angola in the 1990s and is sung mostly in Portuguese since Angola was once a colony of Portugal. Although it's popular in Europe and other places, it's nearly unheard of in Minnesota. Fortunately, I was able to take lessons from Kaija Freborg and Eda Lazaro at Four Seasons Dance Studio in Minneapolis. Kaija had just returned from a workshop with Mestre Petchu in Portugal and referred me to Jazzy Studio in Lisbon.

 . . . Stay tuned for Karen's dance (and Kizomba butt) . . . 

One thing I like about traveling is being exposed to different cultures and the way they define female beauty.  Not all the world believes tall and thin is beautiful. Kizomba comes from a culture where full-figured women are beautiful and I love that! Want to be sexy? Dance sexy, act sexy, forget how your culture defines "sexy" and just move to the music.

Now for the dance . . . 

Isabelle and Felicien are considered one of the top Kizomba couples.

To see the full trip, click here

"I have a universal body . . . beautiful in any culture!" - Esperanza

I had the incredible honor of working with Ana Rita and Mauro Miguel King (originally from Angola). Mauro is the son of Mestre Petchu who many consider to be the "Master" of Kizomba. Being with Ana Rita and Mauro was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish forever!! Thank you, Ana Rita and Mauro -  from the bottom of my heart!

Here they are dancing Sembe . . . 

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Once Upon a Fence in Portugal

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"Nothing comes between me and my dance!!" - Esperanza

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Being the world traveler that I am, it may seem that all this comes easily to me, but occasionally I encounter a challenge that demands extraordinary measures - like the one that occurred on the way to my dance lesson. It required some ingenuity to get there, but I will let no obstacle stand in my way when it comes to dance!

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The dance studio was about a mile from our Airbnb home in Alfama, the oldest district in Lisbon which is listed in the book "1000 Places to See  Before You Die". Alfama is full of twisting, turning cobblestone streets, ancient churches and castles, beautiful Portuguese tiles (like those in the flat below), brightly colored bougainvillea and panoramic views. It's a favorite of photographers and walker, and I thought it was a great home base for exploring much of  Lisbon. 

Our airbnb flat for $83 a night

Our Airbnb building  - directly across from the Cathedral Se and just steps from a group of "Tuk-Tuks"

Cathedral Se

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On the day of my dance lesson, I left the flat with just enough time to get to my lesson. . . provided I caught a taxi or a tram immediately . . . which of course didn't happen!  I was feeling frantic when I spotted a group of Tuk-Tuks waiting to give tours around the narrow Alfama streets. The driver was surprised when I asked him for a ride to the studio - Tuk-Tuks are not taxis. I gave him the address and had the awful feeling that he really didn't know how to get there - but I was desperate so off we drove.

My friend Kitt in front of a Tuk-Tuk. More than once, people asked if we were sisters to which I always replied, "Yes . . . she's the evil one."

The little Tuk-Tuk drove through the downtown streets, weaving through traffic and turned onto a four-lane divided avenue that ran parallel to the frontage road where the studio was located. I had a sinking feeling when we drove right past it and there were no place to turn around in the near distance. Cripes!

A few blocks down the road I saw a pedestrian overpass where I could cross the avenue to get to the frontage road. But when I crossed it, there was a 9-foot wire fence between me and the frontage road!

I saw a 20-something man on the sidewalk below, "Sir, could you please help me get over this fence? Can you catch me?" The poor man froze and you could see on his face that he didn't dare leave this crazy old lady alone. 

Before he got a chance to answer, I started climbing the fence, high heels in hand. When I got to the other side, I dropped down and he caught me around the waist - just like they do in the movies!  . . . I thanked him and ran off.

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Stay tuned for the Portuguese dance - Kizomba. You won't want to miss it - it's a jaw-dropper!

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May we have this dance? Enter your email address at the top right of my homepage to subscribe and follow our adventures! (Mobile users subscribe on the "Contact" page.)