Yes, we do have some boardwalks here, although not like those sung about by The Drifters. Down by the sea we mostly have cobblestone pathways that you can see for miles and miles and miles. Oops! Sorry, that’s The Who. It seems the older I get, the more my mind has a tendency to drift back to the sixties.
Back in the sixties, however, Portugal was under a dictatorship. A lot of music was banned, and I doubt that anyone heard from The Who or The Drifters in Portugal during that era. It would have been deemed subversive to bootleg those records, although not as risky as smuggling Benny Goodman records into Germany during the thirties.
I am writing about boardwalks and miles and miles of seaside paths because we are currently under another lockdown. Walking along the sea is one of the few pleasures allowed to us these days. Our explorations of Portugal have been sidelined for the time being as Covid-19 cases are higher than they have been to date. We are back to essential services. Refusing to wear a mask outdoors can receive fines up to 1,000 euros ($1,200)! Some are unhappy about this, but not enough to storm Portugal’s Socialist Parliament. Especially without a mask!
Before this lockdown, there had been intermittent restrictions with designated dates and times of which Cathy and I have been somewhat remiss. We have scheduled shopping runs a couple of times at the exact time a shutdown begins. We have had a good excuse, though, because we have been distracted by yet another move into our third apartment since we’ve arrived.
The reason we are in our third apartment, soon to be four, is because we have been waiting for our new home to be completed. After a year in Mafra, we wanted to move to Ericeira where our new apartment will be finished next month. It will be two years in March since we first committed to buy one of the six units which had not broken ground yet. We are excited, though, as the apartment is shaping up beautifully. The builders have been very responsive to our quirky American requests, like a garbage disposal and additional electrical outlets (both rather non-existent in Portugal).
In my next blog I will show some pictures of our final home. Cathy reminds me that I have said “final home” on more than one occasion when referring to every home we have ever occupied. One of these times I will be right. Although, my final home will probably be my ashes off the coast of Ericeira.
Anyway, after moving from Mafra, we spent October, November and December in an Airbnb in Ericeira, but had to move out on December 31st because the owners wanted it back. We were fortunate that our friends, Tim and Jill, who are moving to Ericeira, are allowing us to stay in their rental until our place is ready to move into. They needed a Portugal lease for their Visa and there was a gap between the beginning of their lease and the date that they could occupy it. That has been a dilemma among many expats seeking residency, having to secure a lease in Portugal while still awaiting a visa in the US.
Random Acts of Kindness
One of the experiences we had while moving out of our Ericeira Airbnb on December 31st was the kindness of our landlady and her husband. They came to clean our unit, armed with rubber gloves, cleaning solvents and tools that made me wonder what kind of tenants they had in the past.
They are obviously used to people leaving things a mess. But we would never do that. Well, Cathy would never do that, to be more accurate. She worked her fingers to the bone for a few days while I made trips back and forth carrying necessities, and loads of unnecessities which seem to proliferate like rabbits. Our landlady, Tânia, and her husband, Luís, were noticeably pleased to find the place immaculate.
We had our final load packed in the car, which I had just dented on a pole while parking on the narrow street. UGH! Our car has a beeper that warns me when I am getting too close to an object. I guess I’ve gotten too used to ignoring it because the streets are so narrow in the old town, that it beeps a lot.
Anyway, our car was packed full when I realized that we had forgotten to take three framed paintings that I was leaving for the last load. I told Tânia that I would be back in about an hour to get them. She said, “No, we will take the paintings and follow you in our van.” When we got to the apartment, I told her that I hated to ask, but could she ask Luís (he didn’t speak English), if he could please help me carry the refrigerator out of my car and up the steps.
I wasn’t confident that Cathy could carry her end without injuring herself, and Luís looked like a very strong guy. Tânia said no problem, but then would not let me lift a finger. She proceeded to carry the refrigerator up the stairs with her husband and I felt terribly guilty and somewhat emasculated. But after watching them strain and grunt going up the stairs, I realized that she was probably stronger than my almost 70-year-old body was.
Cathy elbowed me to give them some money after they finished. I’m black and blue from her elbowing me to be more generous. My argument that overtipping in Portugal can be considered offensive doesn’t carry much weight with her. She was raised in a different culture than I. But Tânia wouldn’t accept any money, affirming that helping others is the Portuguese way (which it absolutely is). I was hoping that I didn’t offend her by offering. By the way, we didn’t realize this apartment didn’t have a refrigerator until the day we moved in and had to scramble to find one on short notice.
As Cathy described the move-in to a friend:
“We have moved into a lovely, spacious, apartment. Just two bedrooms and 1 bathroom, but more luxurious with large kitchen, ocean view, dining table that seats 10, etc. But, and here’s where it gets crazy… when Bob took a load there on the morning of the 31st while I stayed back to clean, his first job was to put our food in the fridge. But he called me and said there was no fridge! He called the property manager who said she told him there was no fridge. (??)
“We were under the impression that ‘furnished’ meant all-inclusive, not just bare furniture! So, he had to drive immediately to Mafra to buy one. Also, the gas inspectors found a leak in the boiler, so we couldn’t get the gas turned on, which meant no hot water or stovetop. Then I noticed there was no microwave or toaster. Then no flatware or utensils. Then no towels. Then no sheets, pillows, blankets. The temperature has dropped into the 30s at night, and there was no wood for the fire.”
By the way, this was the first time we had experienced temperatures below the forties here. It didn’t happen even once last winter. Also, this was move-in day when we noticed all the things we needed to get. Some stores were closing early for New Year’s Eve and everyone would be closed the next day. Oh, and we still had to meet up with Tânia for inspection and return the two sets of keys.
Unfortunately, Cathy had just lost one set during the move so getting another set of keys made was another thing I had to add to my to-do list. In the meantime, I was driving around with my knees in my chest because the only way to fit the refrigerator in the car was to scootch the seats up as far as they could go. And I was still pissed at myself for damaging my shiny new car which dampened my mood even further.
In other words, it was a fun day in paradise. But those things happen. It’s called life. Our life, anyway. However, random acts of kindness, like Tânia and Luís carrying the refrigerator up the stairs, more than balance the scales.
On more than one occasion, people have walked out of their way when we have asked for directions and have shown incredible kindness so many times in so many ways. Every expat has their own stories and here are a couple of stories that expats posted on Facebook recently that I will share with you here.
Pam writes:
“I had a delivery scheduled for today and the UPS driver, having trouble finding my villa, called me. So, I walked outside with my phone and stood at the edge of the street, giving him directions. Meanwhile, all of my neighbors, poured out of their villas (it’s a nice day and everyone has a window open, hence they heard me talking). The UPS driver arrived, got out of the truck and said, ‘You are American girl with that very nice accent, so I explain how it is better for you to put your address next time.’
“He politely explained the confusion and how to avoid it next time. When he handed me the parcel, my neighbors threw up their arms and cheered. God, I love this place. So much.”
I should add that Portuguese people aren’t nosey, per se, but they do tend to be very “curious”. In a nice way.
Susan writes:
“I visited Portugal in October 2019 and went to several cities.. everywhere I went, I met kind, helpful Portuguese people. The first was Annabelle, who owned the little market near my Airbnb. I had stepped into her mercado armed with a short shopping list in English and Portuguese. I grabbed a basket and was able to find most items by myself, but there were a few I couldn’t locate. I approached her and asked in poor Portuguese if she spoke English. She shook her head. I showed her the list. When she saw the items in Portuguese, her face lit up. She took me by the hand and led me through the short aisles, adding the needed items to my basket. Through pantomime, we introduced ourselves to one another. I frequented her little store the rest of my stay in Coimbra. Each time she greeted me with a smile and ‘Ola, Susan!’
“Today, after three and a half weeks in Coimbra, I walked back up the long hill.. up the 200 various stairs from where I now live. I went to the little mercado, and when Annabelle was done with her other customers, I handed her a note. I told her, in words translated by Google, how her kindness had made a difference in my life, how she was one of the reasons I had moved here.. She got teary. I got teary. I bought some wine and groceries and made my way back down the hill and the 200 stairs, smiling the whole way..”
I know that kindness is not exclusive to Portugal. It does seem, though, that it is more a part of the DNA here. Most of the Portuguese people we’ve met seem to love to help. Occasionally, we run into a grump, but that really stands out because it is so uncommon and unexpected here. And often, when you show kindness to a grump, you are rewarded with a big Portuguese smile.
You are a Monster!
I publish my blogs using WordPress. It is not user-friendly but it seems to be the go-to format for publishing blogs. On occasion I have gotten a little help from an Indian or Pakistani or Afghani on Fiverr.com to help me out of a WordPress conundrum. If you have a problem with anything, there is someone, somewhere, who can solve it. That is why Fiverr stock has gone up tenfold in the past year (no, I didn’t buy stock. It doesn’t fit with my Buy High, Sell Low philosophy).
If you have a problem with anything (well, maybe not relationships), check out Fiverr.com. If you are an expert in anything, or can fake it well enough, it might be a good venue for you to market your skills. Some people are offering amazing expertise starting at only $5, hence the name Fiverr. However, there isn’t much you can get for $5 anymore and there are many who are making serious coin from their own homes with their own unique abilities and marketing savvy.
Anyway, I got off on a tangent but the reason I brought up WordPress was because it is a treasure trove of hidden gems. As I was going through its vast resources of plugins, widgets, add-ons and whatnot, I found this cool feature that randomly assigns an avatar to your comment if you don’t already have your own profile avatar. And so far, none of you seem to have your own, so you will get a unique monster avatar next to your name. I wish I had found that in time for Halloween.
My next blog will be from the comfort of our forever home, with heated floors and blazing pellet stove. If you leave a comment, don’t blame me for the monster attached to your name. It’s as random as the kindness we encounter along our journey.
I do love your sensayuma and the way you write! We, too, are living in a temp apartment (Porto) while we wait for the Obras to be finished, and I can totally relate to the kindness of strangers and acquaintances, it really is one of the very best things about Portugal, certo!
Bob
PS I receive your blog as an email with a button that says “read more”… can you email me with how that is installed, I like it!
Hi Bob. Yes, the kindness factor in Portugal is real and I am glad that you can relate to that. I use MailPoet in WordPress for the emails I send out. I will email you some more particulars.
Your pictures of Ericeira look beautiful. I didn’t think that it got that cold there. How is the weather most of the time?
Most of the time the weather is delightful. Generally, it is in the 50s during the winter and mid-70s to low 80s in the summer. Sunny on most days. Today is a delightful 61 degrees Farenheit (16 degrees Centigrade) and sunny!
I LOVE reading your blogs!!! Miss you and Cathy and hope to see you in the future!
Enjoy your final move to your lovely ‘forever’ home.
Thank you, Molly! After the border opens, we will be open for your visit!
Enjoying your posts Bob, I’m working through them from the beginning. Susan’s little story in this one had me a little teary. I wish I could get my wife Mary a little more enthused about the possibility of moving to Portugal. If the election had gone the other way, she would have agreed in a heartbeat. Right now, she’s willing to do some long explores. So beginning May 15, we plan to spend three months in Portugal and Spain. Cascais May 15-31, Lisbon July 23-30 and Ericeira August 1-11. Hopefully, we can get together when we are in Cascais and chat and we’ll be neighbors for a short time in August. BTW Evidently, Luis, the owner of our Airbnb (Rua Doutor Eduardo Burnay 10) is a wine enthusiast and chef and has invited us to one of his experiences.
Best,
Ron
Hi Ron. I am positive it is a different Luis. That is a very common name here. Anyway, it is not uncommon for one spouse to be slower to accept the big move. It can be rather daunting. Wine helps. You might be surprised by her change of mind once she is here. Let her know that it is not a move that cannot be undone. It is just a plane ride, not a sea voyage during the 17th century.
Bob, I have been wondering why you haven’t shared pics of your new home. Now I know.
It’s great reading about the kindness of the Portuguese people. I would have never guessed that to be true, having the mother-in-law from hell in my first marriage. And she was from a huge Portuguese family, but she was terrible.
I truly think we have much kindness in the U.S. of A. However the past five years have made many of us into raging lunatics! And I count myself among that group. I’m hoping to return to my kinder self in 2021. There is a site I subscribe to, The Good News Network, and there is plenty of good news to share.
Hopefully we can all see a return to whatever ‘normal’ will be once this pandemic is controlled. I certainly miss my grandchildren and children. Particularly my daughter, Heidi, in Oregon. I think I mentioned before that her husband had a brain stem stroke July 2019. Covid procedures have made healing a more prolonged, problematic situation. I’m feeling so frustrated that I cant be there to help in any way.
We’ve had a mild winter so far…very little snow. It’s March and April that usually surprises us, so we’ll wait like the good New Englanders that we are. As much as I don’t want winter, I’m not a candidate to be a snowbird. Florida doesn’t do it for me.
As always, I live vicariously through you and your life in Portugal. Love reading your blogs and look forward to your next and final move (before the ashes) into your Portuguese-American home.
Take care. Hi to Cathy.
Before the Ashes. I like that. Maybe that should be the title for my novel that I will never write. So sorry to hear about your ex-MIL! The good news is that she is an ex. I am saddened to hear of Heidi’s husband. Life is a crap shoot. We don’t know what will happen to us from one day to the next no matter how well we plan. And life is short, so we have to make the most out of every day!
I love your blogs but I’m just commenting to get my monster 😀
I have often expected you to correct me on some historical inaccuracy. I never thought I would lure you in with a cheap trick like a monster avatar. 🙂
You do your homework very well… no corrections needed 🙂
Hi Bob, (Hi Cathy)
Thank you for paving all these paths and sharing them. And reminding me of why we want to move to PT in the first place. It makes what we need to do to get there less daunting because you already answered the question. One less thing to do. (here and AAFPT) And I love your writing, too. And I want to see my avatar.
Obrigada
One scary monster avatar coming up for you! For those who don’t know (probably everyone), AAFPT stands for Americans & FriendsPT, a Facebook group led by Susan Korthase, who generously, selflessly and patiently gives her time to help answer LOTS and LOTS of questions from future expats.
Looking at the Algarve around Tavira. Anyone else living there?
Janna, I know that there are some expats living there. If you join the Americans & FriendsPT group on Facebook, you will get a lot of responses to your question.
Good luck with the move and future endeavors!!
Thanks, Marc! Patience is a virtue, especially in Portugal. But the quality of the workmanship is topnotch and the location is perfect for us.
I enjoy your blogs, Bob. And beautiful pictures. Though Shelly and I loved our time in Ireland (it was truly special for us), we are still attracted to Portugal. When the time looks right, we will come for an extended visit to get a feel for living there. I hope that it will be by fall of this year. It does look, however, that there could be quite a bit of competition for living quarters, as there seems to be a lot of interest in Portugal (not the least thanks to your writing)! Best to you and Cathy.
Hopefully, that time will be soon. I think you are right to assume that the floodgates will open as soon as the borders do! There are a lot of delayed plans and pent-up desires among those wanting to visit or move to Portugal.