Category: Uncategorized
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An Extraordinary Weekend in Rome
Wow. Holy Cow. Wow. I think I repeated those words at least a hundred times over the weekend. Whether it was food, seaside views, or historic Roman landmarks, it was a captivating experience. But the best part was spending time with my extraordinary niece, Elaine, her equally extraordinary Scottish husband, James, and their white cat,…
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Yeah, Fall is Here
Wow! So much has happened since I came back from Madrid. Here’s a whirlwind recap. Early October was hot and dry. It felt more like August than October. Finally the rains came, and they have not stopped. Normally we get some nice sunny breaks in between the rain, but those have been scarce. When the…
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Madrid
A Marathon 24 Hours October 1, 2023 Handsome. Regal. Confident. My first impression of Madrid. Madrid is an easy 1-hour flight from Porto. Of the long list of places I’ve wanted to visit, there were two reasons Madrid was on the list. It’s the home of extraordinary art museums that house many of the works…
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Festival Sao Joao
The Saint and Sardine Mashup Also music, dancing, feasting, Super Bock, parades, more music, more Super Bock, more dancing, more music, more Super Bock, and fireworks. Festival Sao Joao is a week-long festival that originated as a pagan celebration in the 14th century. It was repurposed by the Catholic Church as a festival for St.…
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Questions You Have Asked, Part 2
Have you met people? Have you made some friends? It’s easy to meet fellow expats here. There are multiple Facebook groups sharing information, events, and experiences. I joined a group called International Womens Chat. We exchange information on WhatsApp (the must-have app in Europe, everyone uses it). This is an amazing group, hailing from many…
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Stop That Thief!
Porto is considering making it illegal to feed seagulls. They are noisy, messy, wily thieves. I was having lunch by the river in Ribeira when two gulls swooped in and stole cod pastries right off my plate, swift as a hawk on a dove, without so much as a “Pardon me, have you finished yet?”…
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Home
Friday, February 3, 2023 I’m working again from my “office” at Esquires. Finishing my second perfect latte and typing at jingly-jangly top speed. It was a smooth flight home two weeks ago, and I walked off the small jet from Amsterdam to feel a warm sun on my back. It’s good to be home to…
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APPROVED
Just as I was publishing the December update earlier this week, an email from the Portuguese Consulate arrived: “We inform that your visa was approved and is now ready to be issued, you can send us your passport by mail so we can stamp the visa and mail it back to you as soon as…
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Unexpected Twists
Heartbreak. December arrived, and it was wonderful to be enjoying the season with my brother Bob, my sister-in-law Setsuko, and Pokey the black cat. We were excited about our upcoming drive to New York City for Christmas, where we would join all of Bob’s family in the Tribeca home of his eldest daughter, Sarah, her…
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Bolhao Market
The famous Bolhão Market is an open-air market that covers an entire city block. It’s an easy 5-minute walk from my apartment. Over 100 years old, it just reopened in September after a complete renovation. More than 600,000 visitors strolled through in September alone. I go here several times a week for the outstanding fresh…
Mamie Moves to Portugal 