Saudade is a Portuguese word that is almost impossible to translate, but you know it when you feel it. Some call is nostalgia or longing, a sense of sadness tinged with love, desire, regret, hope. Yes, it’s pain, but the kind of pain in which pleasure also finds a place. In English, you might just call it "the blues."

The feeling is closely connected with Portugal's history and culture, and it is one of the most powerful and culturally significant words in the Portuguese language. It’s the feeling that comes from centuries of loved ones sailing off to sea, perhaps to be gone for years…maybe never to return. It’s the feeling of regret you get from missed opportunities, when once the world was your oyster, but life didn't turn out as you had hoped. This is a country, after all, that was for centuries one of the most powerful empires on Earth, that ruled the seas and controlled territories across the planet. Today, it is a small outpost on the edge of Europe with a struggling economy and distant memories about the greatness that once was. Saudade.

On a more personal level, saudade is the feeling I get when one of our expeditions comes to an end. I look back on the time we spent with our guests: sharing adventures, enjoying meals together, getting to know each other, learning personal stories. I try to imagine the contours of their lives…the continually surprising paths that ultimately converge for a short time on this ship.

And at last, the journey comes to an end and we must say our goodbyes. Perhaps, we will meet again on a future expedition, or perhaps we will connect out in "the real world." It's also possible that we may never see each other again, and all that will remain of our time together are fading memories and the evidence of photos in our Post-Voyage Portfolio.

Our last day together on this voyage was spent exploring the cliffs and caves of Portimão, wine tasting (again!), enjoying a few meals together on the ship, hearing a few final presentations, and raising our glasses for one last toast. It was a lovely day, as all of them have been on this expedition.

As music has been an important part of this trip, we also heard one last song: "Gente de Minha Terra" by the famous Portuguese fado singer, Mariza. Fado is a Portuguese music style that is an essential representative of Portuguese identity. It was born in the 1800s in the bars and brothels of Lisbon's Alfama district, just steps away from where our ship docks. As Mariza sang, her voice ripe with emotion, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who shed a tear…but it was a tear accompanied by a smile. And that is saudade.