Tag: Porto Portugal
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On the Road to Amares, Portugal
Adventures and misadventures can happen anywhere. Monday, June 22, 2026Destination: Pousada Mosteiro Amares Hotel, Amares, Portugal. I’ve previously described the joy and magic of São João. This year it coincides with the FIFA World Cup for a double dose of crowd excitement. At one end of my block, on the Praça (Park) Dom João I,…
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A Sunshine Break in Tavira, Algarve, Portugal
The Brits are onto a good thing when they flee British winters for the Algarve. Last year, during the day after day, week after week of nonstop rain, I made a promise to myself that I would ditch the umbrella and schedule a retreat to a sunny place in 2025. As luck would have it,…
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Discovering a Joyous Celebration of Everyday Porto
I’m well into my third year living in Porto (!) and there are still wonderful surprises to discover. One day I meandered onto a narrow, nondescript street that begins at the top of the hill near the old city wall. As I descended steep stairs, the sight of cheerfully painted walls on the old homes…
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Magical December Lights: Amsterdam, Paris, and Porto
Wishing you joy and peace. 9:15 AM December 25, 2024 It’s a bright, sunny day with a clear blue sky, at 15/59 degrees, forecast to reach 18/64. Christmas music sets a peaceful mood. The coffee is hot and strong, and a cinnamon roll awaits. In early December I traveled to Amsterdam and Pairs, returning home…
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Blink. Gone.
What Happened to Summer? Goodness. I blinked and it was gone. Now here I am in mid-fall, on a perfect sun-filled autumn day. It’s cool in the shade and warm in the sun. I’m sitting outdoors at the new Esquires in the Cedofeita neighborhood, enjoying my usual latte and croissant simples (simple croissant, nothing added).…
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A Wet Spring
This blog was meant to be published a month ago, but, well, life and Morocco happened. A long, wet March had us all looking forward to sunnier days. Even the seagulls seemed to wish for a bit of shelter. April brought big improvements, but today on May 1st, an uncomfortable chill drifts in through the windows and…
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Boas Festas!
Holiday Time in Porto The lights are on, the music is playing, and the stench aroma of bacalhau permeates every food store and flavors the streets. Compared to the US, Christmas is comfortably understated here. According to the Portugal News, the average spend for Christmas time last year was around €239 (about $263), and this…
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Letting Go
The Things We Treasure Also Weigh Us Down. Why are humans so driven to collect stuff? A few animals, like ravens and magpies collect objects. Cats collect their favorite toys. Foxes like to steal shoes and cache them. But humans are in another league. Some of it makes our lives easier and civilized. Much of…
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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…
Mamie Moves to Portugal 