Portugal Daily Life

We have been alternating between a few days of sunny weather and a few days of rainy weather. When it is sunny we do two things: laundry and exploring by bike or on foot.

I didn't know the path we were walking on had a name. Turning back, I saw a sign reading Caminho dos Pombais (Path of the Dovecotes). Having just passed such a structure and having marveled at the flock flying in dramatic circles above it, I felt oddly pleased at the apt naming.

Nos foi aqui para três meses e estamos apenas na unidade seis de Português (We have been here 3 months and we are only on unit 6 of Portuguese). Portuguese is a tough language, but I am accelerating at pão e doce (breads and pastries).

Pleased to meet you, February! It has already have been 12 weeks since we arrived on that rainy day in November. With all the gelato places still closed, what is it we do all day? Here is our short list...

Apparently, all the gelato places in Tavira are closed for the month of January. I've heard of dry January, but what is this called - no gelato janeiro?

Saturdays are market days. It is when the local farmers and merchants bring their products into the Mercado.

From December to January in the Eastern Algarve, festivities and decorations are abundant. It is easy to be enamored by the twinkling holiday lights and unknowingly walk right past something of significance.

When we arrived, it felt like we were in vacation mode. Then sometime over the month, we realized we had shifted out of being a tourist. We can't really pinpoint the moment, rather, it is all the little things that come together.

We arrived to Portugal on Nov 15 and again on Dec 15. Why did we enter twice? The first time, as a tourist and the next time on our D7 Visa. To get the entry stamp into our passport, we needed to leave the EU then return to Portugal.

Clearly we packed for warmer weather. We are used to the Santa Ana winds in Southern California that bring warmth and drop humidity to frighteningly low numbers. The wind that arrived to Tavira must be the Santa Claus winds because it has a bite to it that I imagine is a mainstay at the North Pole. Our humidity is at 60% and the temp is 7° but with the humidity and winds it feels like 4° (Celsius).