Wetsuits hanging from the windows of homes, a huge mural with a picture of a surfer riding a wave, a sign outside a bar with a drawing of a sunset behind the silhouettes of palm trees and a surfer, people with thick layers of sunscreen on their faces, people going by with surfboards. If you ever visit this place in Portugal, it is not difficult to understand that this is a popular surfing spot. We are just outside of Lisbon, facing the Atlantic Ocean. This area is well-known for its urban beaches, one next to the other along the coastline. The biggest and more popular one is Praia de Carcavelos. Both local surfers and tourists visit it all year round, especially in the winter. With the cold weather, the waves are bigger, and the beach is not overrun by bathers. There are several surfing schools by the beach. Pedro, a surfer, works in one of them.

“One day without surfing is not a good day,” Pedro likes to say.

There are surfboards scattered all around his house.

The best time for a nap is after lunch, after a morning of surfing and classes, and before an afternoon back in the water.

"I know who that is."

"How can you know? That is so far, you can't see their face!"

"I recognise their style of surfing, it's very smooth."

“Do you have to wax your board each time you go into the water?”

“Yes, for the feet not to slip.”

Prepare the board, put on wetsuit, quickly apply sunscreen, ready to go.

“Your sunscreen is very green.”

“I once took part in a surfing competition and it was one of the prizes. I am still using it.”

One hour of driving on the road to a small fishing town.

It is a very good place for surfing. Really big waves here.

“All true surfers know this road.”

I showed this picture to Pedro.

I had asked him several times to put his hand up to the sun.

“Is it Jesus or me?”

"That was a good wave!"

Pedro stared at the ocean for a long time in silence. He becomes disappointed.

"No, the waves are not good here, we should go to another beach. “

He is very introspective.

“That is what I keep saying to my students. They should keep in mind that the weather and waves can change unexpectedly. They should remember that this sport depends on nature. That is why l cannot live without my car. I need to be able to move easily from one place to another.”

On the way back to the car, talking about his longest surfing trip from Portugal to Morocco and back.

“Searching for good waves. “

"How did surfing go today?"

"I caught five waves!"

Pedro coming out of the water. Happy face.

"Have you ever had any injuries from surfing?" I asked.

“Football, swimming, karate, skate, boxing. I had a broken arm and some problems with my knees after these sports. Then I started surfing. I never had any injuries with surfing. Well, sometimes a board may hit you in the face, that is not pleasant. But I never had any major injuries. You just have to be careful and pay attention.”

Pedro took a quick shower on the beach. He wanted to go for doner kebab for lunch.

“It is a working day, they are supposed to work, but they are here at the beach.”

“Well, it is a sunny day, they took a day off,” I replied.

“I work at this beach and I see them everyday.”

We went to say hi to his colleagues at the surfing school.

“What did you learn from surfing?” I asked.

"Respect, confidence, good attitude and how to make a living. You have to deal with many things and many people, and you are always learning, inside and outside of the water."

“The water looks so green here.”

Pedro pointed to the dark.

This other, much smaller beach, is one of his favourite places to surf.

Portuguese reggae was playing from the phone.

“Let’s meet here again on Monday. Waves are going to be good!”