What do you do all day?

I’m asked this question a lot, and I’m a little nonplussed as to how to answer. Did you ever have a busy day, but when someone asked what you did, you couldn’t really say? You just know you were busy. I could tell you about the hours spent going down rabbit holes, trying to fill out the multiple forms in Portuguese that the US requires if you want to mail any physical object, like your brother’s car key that you found at the bottom of your purse. I could tell you that, just like in the US, much of my time is taken with the everyday things of life, like grocery shopping, house cleaning, and laundry. Sometimes it takes twice as long to find a common object like baking soda.

I walk. A lot. I stroll down Rua Santa Catarina several times a week to check out the street musicians and watch people, on my way to the Continente grocery store. I explore the back streets and little side streets. You can walk the same street many times and still discover something new, depending on the time and the day of the week. For instance, 2 days ago I strolled down Rua de Candido dos Reis, a narrow street full of bars and restaurants that only begins to stir around 7 in the evening. I came across a popup gallery showing of a cinebook, a book that is a movie and a movie that is a book. It was a love story set in the time of Covid. There is art everywhere.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of all the interesting places I want to
see, but I’ve climbed to the top of the Clérigos Church Tower, which is a real
treat if you have acrophobia and it’s an extremely gusty day. #Kelly
Gomez, I was channeling your bravery on the Grand Canyon cliff
walls as I took a deep breath and stepped onto the narrow walkway at the top.
My legs, accustomed to the steep hills and steps of Porto, were quivering little wimps. The roaring wind made it hard to keep my balance. I could not bring myself to turn loose of the railing long enough to take pictures, so I’ll go
back on a calmer day. The 360° views were worth it.

I go to Serralves with its contemporary art museum that is always showing something provocative, fun, or inspiring, its amazing park, and the pink Art Deco villa where the fantastic Miro exhibit is housed. It’s all so large that even on a busy day, it doesn’t feel crowded. €25 (about $27) provides me with an annual membership that includes free access to everything and discounts in the restaurants and store.

 

 

 

I go have an espresso and Pasteis de Nata, or a glass of wine, and eavesdrop on locals to develop my ear for the language (still trying to get into language classes, hoping to attend in July).

I go to various expat social events where it’s fun and easy to make new friends. I go on tours with local guides to learn more about the architecture, history, and food. Speaking of food, I eat out quite a bit and have found some wonderful restaurants, ranging from inexpensive, traditional churrasquieras to higher end establishments serving all kinds of food. Roughly translated, churrasquiera means barbeque. It’s meat on a skewer, cooked over a flaming grill, but does not include BBQ sauce that Americans are used to. The traditional meal includes large servings of your meat of choice (chicken, beef, pork, or fish) served with potatoes (fried or boiled) and cabbage. My neighbors, Ryan and Eric, introduced me to one of my favorites, Churrasqueira Moura. It’s family-owned, straight-forward and unpretentious. I like to sit at the counter and watch the cooking action. The owner takes good care of me, slipping in little extra treats like a splash of Scotch on the chocolate mousse dessert.

Mexico + Switzerland + India + United States + Portugal = A random evening out in Porto

Last night, I walked around the corner to a Mexican restaurant. As I was finishing my tacos, the attractive young couple next to me asked if I had enjoyed it. He is a Swiss citizen; she now lives in Switzerland but is from India. We had a fun conversation and I advised them on where to look for movies shown in English. Experiencing moments of 21st century cultural mashups like this is great fun. Like the tiles of Porto, there is an infinite variety.

What do you miss?

My Sonos sound system. They are available here and I’m waiting to find one on sale.

Harry and Penny, my brother/sister cats that died of old age shortly before I moved. Pokey, my late father’s cat who came to live with me in Summerfield, and now happily resides on the warm lap of my brother. He has what appears to be a 2-year supply of Greenies treats in the closet, and I don’t think he misses me one bit. There are plenty of cats to adopt here, so eventually I may get one.

Being able to read instructions, package labels, and documents without using a digital translation tool.

Ann Hardee’s driveway yoga gang and our great fun and workouts. I have found some classes here, but nothing will be as fun as the Monday and Wednesday afternoon classes with Ann. #Don, do you have the heated driveway completed yet?

That’s all for now, Part 2 to come soon. Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summertime.

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