Viver em Portugal

Living in Portugal...

This visit to Portugal is definitely different than our visits past.  Previously, we would come, stay with O&M and see life as a "tourista"  for two weeks.  This visit we are still "touristas", but the eyes are seeing differently.  We live in a "first story" apartamento (which to me is really the 3rd, depending on which window you look out of.  Out the back - or is it the front?- we are on the 1st story, and from the front/back it is the 3rd story.  But here in Portugal, the ground floor is really the 0 story, and one floor up is the 1st.)  So I seem to always be confused as to which floor is really which floor!?!  Nevertheless, our apartment has become such a sweet place to come "home" to.  It is warm and cozy and the view is beautiful! 

All the windows are covered on the outside with shades that roll up and down.  At night down you roll them down because they block out all the street lights.  Yet many times during the day people leave them down to keep the bright sun out.  My friend M says she always can see our apartment because the shades are always up -- ours are the only windows lit up in the building at night.  I see their apartment also as she leaves her shades up in the evening.  We do lower the shade in the bedroom at night to darken the room, but I would definitely be too claustrophobic with them down all day and in the evening as we sit here.  We have only had to have one repaired since we have been here!?!  Oops!  We're learning.

Old tiles on the wall in our entry catch my eye each time I walk through.  Tiles are EVERYWHERE inside buildings and out!  Love love love the all the tiles here in Portugal! 

The light switches ... are on the outside of the room you are walking into.  How many times have I walked into a room and realized I'm standing in the dark with no switch by the door?  I'm not sure why that is except to confuse us "estrangeiros" (foreigners).  A bidet in every bathroom is hard for me to get used to and takes up space in the already tiny bathrooms.  Ours is blue which adds to the 'beauty' of the bidet, but there are several uses we have found... any ideas???

convenient place for the matches...

Ahhh... the blue bidet...

some quiet reading storage...

On driving ... I am so grateful we still drive on the right side of the road!  Yes, I drove myself to my Portuguese lesson and back the other morning all by myself!  I made it home without incident -- deep breath.  I have been able to drive a bit; its going well.  I have learned to manuver around and through the round-abouts pretty well also.  The highways are fantastic.  Many are new and they are SO smooth.  It is like driving on I5 with only a dozen other cars at times.  The round-abouts are a most efficient and quick way to get from one place to another.  At home, we haven't quite figured out to use them as efficiently without stopping or running into another car.  Stop signs here are mostly just a "suggestion" and you can't turn right on a red light.  Curbs are definitely "optional" and everyone parks over the curb anytime, and whenever there isn't quite enough room in the regular parking spaces!!!  :)  (ps.  By the way, my lessons were only a few blocks away, but when you are as directionally challenged as I am, a few blocks can seem like miles!!)

Abatanado pingado and torrado

Coffee drinking is a way of life ... and an art. To me, an interesting challenge.  At home we walk into Starbucks, we know our favorite coffee drink, and order a large size that we can carry out with us.  The coffees are all written out on the board overhead -- simple.  Here?  Not so much.  I have been making a list and trying to figure out which is my favorite.  Ordering a large mug of coffee "with room for cream" is nowhere to be found.  Let's see... there's uma bica, uma bica cheia, um abatanado and abatanado pingado, uma carioca, uma meia de leitte and a galao.  Which one do I try?  I do like a bica cheia (=an espresso, 1 shot,  the little cup is full) for afternoon coffee and after dinner as dessert.  For the morning I have been enjoying um abatanado pingado (= 1 shot with a few drops of milk in the larger 'tea' cup size cup.)  Only here at home every morning do we make a pot of coffee and enjoy it with the mini moos we brought with us -- and, we can hold the large mug!  Mini moos?  Yes we brought them in our suitcases, they don't do 1/2 and 1/2 here, only whole milk for your coffee.  Crazy Americans we are! Oh, the things we can't do without!  :)  I'm sure there are many more coffee drinks, but for now that list is long enough for me.  The cafes here are great!  It is a social place for people to stop on the way to work for a coffee or simply to meet friends for a visit. 

Living in Portugal ... the hardest thing for me is not being able to speak Portuguese.  I have taken many lessons, but this old dog can't seem to learn the new trick of learning the language.  We do have an instructor here in Loures who is fantistic!  She is Portuguese and speaks perfect Portuguese and also perfect English.  E is very patient and is very knowledgable about the "whys" and "hows" of the language which has been very helpful.  E is encouraging even as I feel like a 6 year old trying to learn.  I am picking up more words and understanding a bit more, but continue to be frustrated as I wish I were able to communicate with people.  I definitely appreciate her taking time with us to help us.  E took me to lunch at a tiny local restaurant after my last lesson.  We had a wonderful time visiting about food, family and life in general.  She loves the Lord , I am grateful for the gift He has given her.  Obrigada minha amiga!

These are only a few things that I wanted to share with you.  I know as I continue on this journey there will be much more...  

"For the Lord is Good and His Love Endures Forever; His Faithfulness continues through all generations."  Psalm 100.5  (And even my times and travels here in Portugal! :)
























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