Please be sure to check your local listings for dates, times, and the schedule of Pride celebrations.
June is just around the corner. June is known for so many things. The start of summer, the end of the school year, my birthday. But it’s also the time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, friends, and allies around the world celebrate June Pride Month. I’ve been attending gay parades and celebrations since my 20s. I can tell you that some of those early parties might have been smaller but they were fun, that’s for sure.
I’m pretty certain that the phrase “over the top” came out of a pride celebration. Where else can you see scantily clothed marchers, politicians, religious leaders, business people, drag queens, and everyone in between coming together to walk the streets on a hot summer day? How did it all begin? Sit back, grab a cold one and read on.
History of June Pride Month
Why is gay pride celebrated in June? Celebrating June Pride Month coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City on June 28, 1969. On this day police had raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. During the fifties and sixties, gay clientele would regularly meet up in bars even though it was risky and sometimes dangerous. There were raids from time to time but it was a place to gather and be with other people like yourself. On this particular evening, things got ugly and a riot broke out. That evening was the one that broke the camel’s back. The riots continued for several evenings and changed the LGBTQIA community forever. A small group of gay and lesbian activists came up with the idea to commemorate the event with a gathering. They proposed a parade in New York City.
In fact, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago all celebrated their first pride parades a year later on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The New York City parade traveled 51 blocks to Central Park and the marchers covered 15 city blocks. Originally scheduled to run an hour they finished up late reportedly due to the initial excitement and the fear of walking around the city clearly displaying gay signs and banners.
The Chicago Gay Liberation marched from Washington Square Park to the Water Tower Center. Originally done to get the attention of the many Sunday afternoon Michigan Avenue shoppers it has been held the last Sunday in June ever since.
Pride & The Rainbow
Although the original gatherings were political in nature protesting discrimination against the LGBTQIA community they soon became a place to celebrate social and self-acceptance, achievements, and legal rights with pride. As one story goes, the rainbow flag first came to be when Harvey Milk asked gay activist Gilbert Baker to come up with a symbol that would represent pride in the gay community.
There have been many explanations as to what inspired Baker and the rainbow theme. Some say it was a riff off the “Flag of the Human Race” which was used during the ’60s during peace marches and included red, white, brown, yellow and black. Others say that it was because Judy Garland died a few days before the Stonewall Riots and that her infamous song “Over the Rainbow” inspired the rainbow colors.
We may never know the exact inspiration but the rainbow flag has gone on to symbolize gay pride and a welcoming acceptance anywhere it’s flown or seen. Whether it be a church, restaurant or store flying the rainbow flag no matter how subtle, the establishment welcomes those of us who identify as LGBTQIA.
LGBT Welcoming Destinations
While we’re not a “gay” website most of our readers get pretty quickly that Diana and I are a married couple. In fact, we clearly state that on our home page. You can bet that all the places that we go welcome us and we know that they welcome all people to come and visit their destinations. You know you can find terrific Pride events in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Provincetown, and New York. But here are just a few places that may be a little unexpected. They too are celebrating Pride Month with Pride Parades, Pride Parties, and Pride Festivals. Keep in mind that some destinations plan their festivities in other months to avoid conflict with so many other celebrations in June.
PRIDE IN THE UNITED STATES
Philadelphia When a town has an area called “Gayborhood” you know they are going to throw quite a shindig for Pride Month. This year the Philly Pride Parade will be in September. You’ll want to stick around for the festival and enjoy dancing (of course) food trucks and some adult beverages.
Philly Pride Fest. Photo courtesy of Visit Philly.
St. Petersburg, FL It doesn’t get much better than the beautiful Vinoy Park along Tampa Bay in St. Pete. The St. Pete community is very LGBTQ+ friendly.
New York City we have to include this one. Always one to put on a good party the Big Apple has plenty of parties and festivals to celebrate Pride.
INTERNATIONAL PRIDE
Amsterdam, Netherlands No surprise here. Their celebration takes place in August and looks like tons of fun. A Canal Parade, Pride Drag Queen Olympics and many parties will certainly keep you busy. Check the dates as this one is still not scheduled.
Dublin, Ireland a surprisingly welcoming country for the LGBTQ+ community, Dublin will be celebrating with a full month of Pride-full activities.
Lisbon, Portugal Beautiful Portugal was the sixth country in Europe to legalize same-sex marriage. They have two completely separate events. A parade and a pride festival that is typically about a week apart. We attended the pride festival and met up with some ladies from our QWIP Facebook group and it was tons of fun. You’ll most likely need to stay in Portugal for a while to enjoy all the festivities. Come and visit us over in Cascais.
For a complete list check out Pride Month events check out the IGLTA website.
Travel Brands That Are LGBTQIA+ Supportive
This year more than ever it’s important to show our support for brands that support the LGBTQIA+ community. Here ae some of the travel brands that show their support visibly and that we’d like to make you aware of.
The rainbow is the LGBTQIA symbol throughout the year. Displaying your rainbow love in June and throughout the year will show folks that you support our community. Everybody knows that choosing your Pride outfit requires time, effort, and silliness. Here are a few Pride ideas to let your inner rainbow shine.
Pride Shoes from Converse I bought these shoes as a treat for myself for my birthday a few years ago. I saw them on Facebook and I had to have them. They are cute, comfortable, and classic Chuck Taylors. I actually wore a pair of these, sans rainbow, in high school on the basketball court. You may not find these anymore but they have plenty of new styles to choose from.
Pride Socks Compression socks are my jam. I have a zillion pairs in a lot of different colors. I break these out anytime I want to celebrate Pride or just want to smile.
Pride Compression Socks
Rainbow Cake These cakes used to be pretty hard to come by. Now there are many options. Check with your local bakeries as many now have rainbow offerings in the month of June.
Rainbow Bagel When we were in Brooklyn earlier this year we had to stop at The Bagel Store for the original rainbow bagel. Although they make them year-round, we’re sure they sell even more during Pride.
The Rainbow Cone If you’ll be in Chicago don’t miss the chance to try the classic Rainbow Cone. Made with sherbet it’s one of my childhood favorites and adapts well as a fun adult treat now.
Cheers!
Rainbow Cocktails While we were in Portland, Maine we couldn’t believe how many liquor companies are showing their support by throwing a rainbow on their labels. Smart marketing because June Pride Month means serious partying.
Mixing up a special rainbow-themed Pride cocktail seems like a perfect way to celebrate with friends and family. Cheers to another June Pride Month. We hope that everyone celebrates with a little rainbow, a little glitter, and a lotta smiles. We’ve come a long way and we still have a long way to go. But…let’s take a moment to celebrate each other and the LGBTQ+ community.
Pin to your LGBTQ+ and Pride Celebration Boards On Pinterest
White Fence Farm. Just hearing that name brings back so many memories for me. Folks working on their Route 66 Planner must know that White Fence Farm has been a haven for family meals along Route 66 since the early 1920s. Located in Romeoville, Illinois just about 25 minutes southwest of the Chicago city limits, this restaurant has been serving up the “World’s Greatest Chicken” to families for generations.
When I was a kid my family didn’t eat at restaurants a whole lot. In fact, even going to McDonald’s was a treat, something special. On occasion, we’d go out after church for a Sunday dinner. At that time there weren’t a lot of casual dining family restaurants. My Mom typically cooked at home or we’d go to my Grandmother’s or Uncle’s house for dinner.
On Sundays, my family had a couple of spots they liked and they seemed always to be a bit of a drive. Of course, now that I’m an adult I realize they were all less than 30 minutes away. But at the time it seemed like we were going on a road trip! I had no idea that this was a famous restaurant for Route 66 drivers going through Illinois and probably on many Route 66 tours.
White Fence Farm Mural
We were recently returning from our visit to St. Louis I remembered that White Fence Farm was right off of Route 66, which is now mostly I-55 for you road-trippers. So we threw caution to the wind and decided to take a trip back in time and visit White Fence Farm.
White Fence Farm Dining Room
Fence Farm Family Restaurant
I have to be honest and say that I don’t remember what the food tasted like or much detail of the place we visited as a kid. When we turned the corner to the entrance I had a vague memory of the buildings. Chicago businessman Stuyvesant Peabody built the restaurant in the early 1920s originally on 12 acres of a 450-acre farm. The idea was that people would enjoy coming to the farm and having a home-cooked simple meal. It worked because it had over 40,000 visitors in the first four months. In the 1950s the Hastert family purchased the restaurant and did plenty of remodeling. It’s still run by the Hastert family to this day.
The restaurant still serves meals family-style and now has seating for over 1,000 people. The original hand-hewn hardwood ceiling beams still exist in many of the rooms. Each room is decorated in what I’d call farm-chicken retro. Chicken memorabilia is found everywhere. Plus there’s chicken carpeting, chicken wallpaper. It’s chicken decor all around, far beyond an accent.
Step Back in Time
They also have a “museum” full of antiques and collectibles. Any Route 66 planner is going to want to check this museum out. There are even antique cars, motorcycles, and arcade games, which the kids can play. There’s a large waiting room with plenty to entertain adults and kids. Outside there’s a petting zoo for the kids too. They are clearly set up to feed many people but the weekday we visited we didn’t need to wait and were seated promptly.
The one thing that’s really different from what I remember is that this is now a family “casual” dining experience. When visited in the ’60s and ’70s we were in our Sunday best. Patent leather shoes and cute dresses for me, and Dad in his suit and tie. As much as I now love being casual and comfortable there was something about being dressed up and going out to eat that made it something really special. Ah, nostalgia!
Best Chicken on Route 66
Let’s get to the chicken. We ordered “our specialty” 1/2 (4 pieces) of Farm Chicken $15.00 per person. White Fence Farm’s chicken is really tasty and crispy. It’s prepared in a pressure cooker and then flash-fried in low-cholesterol soybean oil for just three minutes. It’s not greasy at all and it reminds me of “broasted” chicken. They use fresh chicken that arrives daily and the coating is, as you’d expect, a well-guarded secret. The chicken is served with your choice of potato: mashed with homemade gravy, baked (they will charge you 35 cents for sour cream, ha!), French fries, or macaroni and cheese.
White Fence Farm Relishes
While you’re waiting for your fresh hot chicken, you start your meal with a variety of relishes. The term still sticks from the relish trays they used to serve as salads back in the day. Some of you may even remember the relish trays from the supper clubs that used to be so prevalent in the Midwest. Those have been replaced by small bowls of pickled beets (my favorite), cottage cheese, kidney bean salad, and coleslaw, which are brought out very quickly after you order. All of these are all-you-can-eat the server will bring out more upon request.
Corn Fritters White Fence Farm
Corn Fritters
The second star of the show is the fried corn fritters. Oddly enough, I do fondly remember these. These little crispy gems are dusted with powdered sugar so they’re really more like a dessert, but they pair perfectly with the fried chicken, as do waffles. These are also all-you-can-eat, which is terrible because they’re small, delicious and warm. You’ll want to eat a lot so be careful. Be sure to plan a stroll around the farm post-dinner to work off those extra corn fritters.
They do serve entrees other than chicken. Aged steaks, pork chops, French fried shrimp, and whitefish are available. All meals are served with the relishes and corn fritters.
The food is brought out quickly and hot. An extra bonus is that although there are plenty of people eating, the dining rooms are pretty quiet. There’s no music, just simple conversation. Although I did spy a few cell phones in use there was a lot of actual dinner conversation going on. Remember that?
Cocktails and More
They also serve cocktails, beer, and wine. They still serve the old school cocktail favorites like Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, Whiskey Sours, Vodka Gimlets and Highballs. The wine list is short and affordable (the Inglenook Chablis would have had my Mom’s name all over it and at $3.50 a glass you can’t beat it). They also have dessert, which we didn’t have room for, but I have a vague memory of the hot fudge parfait (probably why I still like these) and the Brandy ice for the adults.
All and all it was a fun trip down memory lane. It brought back fond memories of my Mom, Grandmother, and Uncle, who are no longer with me but I’m sure were smiling down and happy that I could experience White Fence Farm again and this time share it with Diana.
If you’re traveling to or from Chicago, or live in Chicago go give it a try. It’s a great couple of hours of food, conversation, and fun. Like many along the old Route 66 these types of restaurants are dying out and only consistent diners and visiting families can keep them open. If you like to support local restaurants like we do add White Fence Farm to your Route 66 planner today.
They also have carryout locations throughout Chicago. See their website for details and hours.
THE QUICK BITE: White Fence Farm is a family restaurant just south of Chicago off old Route 66. Stop in for a homestyle fried chicken dinner and a little nostalgia.
Every year at this time of year I still remember my experiences visiting Pearl Harbor and Normandy. Although both visits were years ago my memories bring me right back to these memorable places every single year. As we celebrate Memorial Day, my hope is that we all can take a moment to remember those who paid the ultimate cost of fighting for our freedoms with their lives. I also hope that people continue to travel and learn about the people and cultures in the places they visit even here in the United States. Maybe, just maybe, this learning will bring us all just a little closer together. God Bless America!
One of the things I love best about traveling is learning about the history of the places we visit. I, like many others, read books and watch films before I travel to get a better understanding of what I’m going to see. It really heightens my travel experience. It gets me excited for the journey and I look at everything I see just a bit differently.
What Are We Remembering On Memorial Day?
When Memorial Day comes around it’s impossible for me not to reflect on our visits to Pearl Harbor and Normandy.
Our trip years ago to Pearl Harbor happened to be right on Memorial Day. It wasn’t planned that way. We were in Hawaii and we wanted to visit Pearl Harbor during our trip. When we asked the hotel concierge about the hours and how long it would take to get there he warned us that it would be crowded and folks would be lining up early for the Memorial Day tribute so we should probably go another day.
Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial
Looking Back
We considered it for about two seconds and decided we had to go on Memorial Day. Standing in line in the beautiful weather in Hawaii didn’t seem like that much of an inconvenience when you consider the sacrifice of all those who have served and those who now serve our country.
Pearl Harbor Memorial
Pearl Harbor Memorial Day Tradition
We set the alarm and at 5:00 am we made the trek to Pearl Harbor. There were about 100 people gathered waiting for the 8 am opening. As we waited, a military car drove up and we saw an elderly man in a Hawaiian shirt and a sash with honors on it get out of the car. Murmurs went quickly through the line. The elderly gentleman was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He then began to walk the line, something he has been doing annually on Memorial Day. He shook hands with everyone, let people take pictures, and chatted with the crowd.
Military Band At Pearl Harbor
I have to admit I had a lump in my throat as I shook his hand and thanked him for his service. As it turned out he was also the leader of the military band we would hear later that morning.
It was by far one of the most patriotic moments I’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing.
The shores of Normandy Beach
What Is The True Meaning Of Memorial Day?
Normandy
When traveling through France years ago we drove through Normandy. Our first stop was, of course, a patisserie for morning coffee and croissants. After we grabbed our goodies, we walked through the village of Grandcamp-Maisy along the waterfront just to see what there was to see. Clearly, visitors, we were just wandering around very early in the morning. As we were strolling, an older French gentleman approached us and asked in broken English if we were lost and needed help. We assured him in even worse French that we were not and that we were fine and happy to be there. He told us that he loved the Americans and would be ever thankful for our help during the war. He wished us well and went on his way.
The American Cemetery in Normandy, France.
What an unexpected and remarkable moment. As we continued our exploration of Normandy, we went to the American Cemetery. We both were uncharacteristically quiet reflecting on the many, many lives lost in this now sacred place. We watched the videos at the American Cemetery as we had at Pearl Harbor including real footage and interviews. You couldn’t help but feel the pride and great loss expressed by the men and women who served. Every person told their unique story and how they truly felt they were fighting for our freedom.
Is Memorial Day For Remembering Loved Ones?
It’s these memories that I reflect on and cherish during Memorial Day. I hope that, whether you’re an American or any other nationality, you take the time on this day to remember those who fought and died for your freedom. Say a prayer or a thank you and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to make this world a better place especially as we celebrate Memorial Day 2020.
Many of us may not be able to spend time with family and friends for Memorial Day. We can take the time to remember why it is we celebrate this most sacred American holiday. It’s not for us, it’s not about hot dogs, hamburgers, and apple pie. It’s about those we’ve lost who died to protect our freedoms and our protections. We must honor them and see to it that losing them was not in vain. Be an active citizen, vote in every election, and help determine the future of this country. It’s our privilege and our duty.
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Lots of people may dream of moving and living abroad. We did it. One year ago we became residents in Portugal. Living in Portugal as an American results from a lengthy process that we have talked about many times here on Food Travelist.
Over the last twelve months, we have jumped over a lot of hurdles and stumbled on a few others, but all and all we have found Portugal to be as we expected. The kind people here have welcomed us, made us feel at home, and helped us whenever they could. From silly things like helping us figure out how to use the fresh-squeezed orange juice machine in the supermarket that kept spinning (an orange was stuck) to important things like how to get our national health numbers and VPN set up. It’s been a year of triumphs, learning, and making new traditions.
We’d like to share just some of the lessons that we’ve learned over the last year since moving to Portugal.
1. Be Patient
This is definitely the number one lesson. As Americans we often expect everything to be easy. We think a quick call, email, or conversation can fix most problems and then we move on to the next thing. Here in Europe, the pace is much different, especially in Portugal. Things that you think might take one trip or appointment might take several, and often these trips are fruitless meaning you need to come back again. Granted COVID added unexpected time to many administrative tasks like getting a driver’s license or setting up health accounts but typically everything runs a bit slower.
Pro Tip: Don’t go expecting to meet with anyone from noon to 1, 2, or even 3 pm. Many businesses, including banks and some healthcare facilities, close for lunch and no one will be there to answer any questions.
2. Your Social Life Can Be As Busy As You Like
We were so lucky to meet a few folks who were already in Portugal before we moved. We had dinner with new friends the first week we arrived and they in turn introduced us to many of their friends. Those original people we met are now our Portuguese family and we cherish our time together.
It’s important to take the time to go out and meet new people. Frankly, it’s easier to meet people in a new country than it is to meet people in a new town in the country you live in. The people you meet abroad have all made the same choice to move. You already have that in common. As a dear friend told us before we moved, you’ll meet a lot of people – some will become great friends, some will be acquaintances, and some just won’t be a fit. You gotta put yourself out there and start to create your new community.
Pro Tip: Join lots of Facebook groups that cater to your new location. Look for Meet Ups and local events that interest you and you’ll likely meet like-minded people with similar hobbies and interests.
3. The Language is Hard, But…
Learning a new language where ever you move is not easy. Portuguese is said to be one of the toughest. One of the other challenges is that if you live in a more metropolitan area like Lisbon, Cascais, or part of the Algarve most people speak English.
Pro Tip: We have found the program Portuguese with Carla to be a great resource for us. It uses a fun treasure hunt type movie broken into chapters and covers all the bases and teaches you via videos, reading, repetition, and patience. They are also quick to answer any questions you may have along the way.
4. Be Prepared
We can’t stress this point enough. Moving to another country is exciting, adventurous, and full of paperwork. Be sure to check the requirements along the way. Things change quickly, especially in the world of COVID-19. Read and follow resources that can help you but do your own homework and be sure that what you’re gathering is right for what you want to do. To get residency in Portugal you need to do a lot of legwork. We arrived in Portugal on a D7 visa. There are different types of visas with varying requirements. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself – hire someone.
Pro Tip: There are a lot of people and companies that can help you with various parts of the process of moving to Portugal. We think NIF NOW is one of the best in the business for getting your NIF (Portuguese tax ID number) and bank account set up quickly, easily, and without hassle. Their advice and knowledge has been invaluable.
Pro Tip: If you’re visiting to check out Portugal as a potential new home or are already here check out Allianz for health insurance. We used them for our first year and recently re-upped with them for 2022.
5. Slow Down
Most of us are used to going at breakneck speed and getting things done quickly and moving on. This is simply not the case in Portugal. We’ve said time and time again that you need to pack your patience when you start this process and that continues once you’ve set up your home here too.
This is one of the primary reasons that we wanted to move here. We wanted a less hectic, more centered lifestyle. It takes a fair amount of adjustment not to race around trying to make things happen (when sometimes you just can’t). Taking the time to slow down and enjoy life is worth every single moment.
6. Embrace New Traditions
Residency in Portugal means some things change. We spent the last year creating new traditions for holidays and learning the traditions that have been in Portugal for centuries. From experiencing our first Sao Martinho day to going to Lisbon to enjoy the holiday lights and even recreating “Thanksgiving” here with friends. We found ways to celebrate life and enjoy the company of others whenever we could.
Estoril Praia Pitch
Living across from the Estoril Praia futebol pitch had us learning to love a sport we didn’t know much about. We now hoot and holler for our guys in yellow and blue right along with the rest of the crowd.
7. Explore When & Where You Can
For us, life is a balance of work and fun. We’ll be the first to admit that sometimes we have a tendency to work more and turn down walks on the beach or lunch with the ladies to make sure we meet a deadline or have that call with a student in Chicago. However, that doesn’t mean we haven’t taken the time to explore some places around our new home.
We’ve gone to visit friends in Setúbal, stayed at a wine hotel in the Douro, and enjoyed drives along the Silver Coast. And we have toured friends and fellow writers around Cascais and Estoril. There’s so much more for us to discover and experience. This summer in Portugal we’re going to history-filled Évora in the Alentejo, we plan to do more exploring along the Linha de Cascais, that beautiful area between Lisbon and Cascais, and we’ll get to the Azores, too.
Now that we’re in Europe, we’re also planning to go back to France and Germany and hopefully get to Italy and Greece too. It’s now so easy and much more affordable to reach all these wonderful places from Portugal.
Pro Tip: Moving to Portugal means lower fares within Europe and super low train fares within Portugal. You can get to major cities throughout Portugal for under 10 euros. That’s pretty amazing. Momondo is one of our favorite resources for finding out when we can go somewhere fabulous at a great price.
8. What To Bring With/What Not To Bring
Even after being here for a year we still bemoan things we left behind. We downsized our “stuff” twice. First with our big move from a 4000 square foot house in Chicago to a 1500 square foot apartment in Madison, Wisconsin. Then, to Portugal. Both were difficult and emotional events. We gave away a lot to family and friends and donated a lot more.
When we were doing our final pass of what to take with us and what to ship we took the advice of many who had already made the trip. We got rid of just about everything. We shipped about 50 boxes of personal items most of which were artwork, books, and kitchen items. As long-time readers know, Diana is a fantastic home cook. She took the unique odds and ends she uses a lot in the kitchen but didn’t take pots, pans, knives, and other things that we now sorely miss.
Think Twice
We didn’t take any of our entertaining dishes (every time we have people over I lament the loss of these cute little white appetizer plates, I know, I know we can replace them here but I’ve yet to see anything like them in Portugal). One friend here asked, “Did you think you’d stop entertaining?”. I guess we didn’t think we’d make so many great friends so fast and want to share our home with them. Go figure.
Not to mention the expense of replacing everything. Our advice to anyone considering a major move. What works well for someone else may not be the same for you. Some people arrive here with two suitcases and are just fine. We are not those people.
Pro Tip: Take your time and really think about what should come with you.
9. Ask For Help
Even after doing all the research and having the best plans in place things sometimes just go sideways. We’re still working on getting our driver’s licenses here in Portugal. It’s a long and boring process that often gets stuck along the way. You will get tired of hearing the word, “não” (no) from underpaid government workers who are not swayed by the fact that you waited for two hours. Getting angry or raising your voice will not help, in fact, just the opposite.
The best option is to find someone who speaks fluent Portuguese to go with you or to hire a professional to help with the process. Administrative functions can be incredibly tiresome, so pack your patience or find someone to help you rather than spinning your wheels and getting frustrated.
10. Be Part of The Community, Become A Local
We moved to Portugal because we love this country and its diverse people. While we love all our friends that are Portugal expats we want to meet more Portuguese and really embed ourselves into the culture. Learning more of the language will certainly help but volunteering and showing up at local events is also a great way to show support and meet new people.
We are still working on our language skills and are constantly thankful for the locals who apologize to us for not speaking more English. We always ask them to speak Portuguese to us. It’s our job to learn their language, not the other way around.
We often write about having local experiences when we travel. It’s no different when moving to a new country. It makes no sense to do the same things the same way we did before. This is the chance to begin again and really embrace this new place and lifestyle.
11. Shop Local, Support Neighborhood Business
Part of being part of this new community means supporting local businesses. We frequent all the little shops in our neighborhood. The churrasqueria down the street knows us very well and the servers wave to us when we walk by heading to the sea for our daily trek. Hilda, the lady who runs our neighborhood florist shop smiled and said “I like you” in broken English (way better than our broken Portuguese) as we left the store last week. We joke and laugh and she helps us find the best plants for our veranda.
Our hairdresser, Anabella, often shares her favorite places to eat and travel to in Portugal her advice is invaluable.
Life isn’t easy here for small business owners so we go to those instead of the big hypermarkets whenever we can. We always know we’ll be treated well and walk away with a new friend.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to walk into the small shops and restaurants in your new neighborhood. This is where you’ll find the real treasures. The Portuguese people.
12. Enjoy The Differences
Portugal is not like the United States. That’s one of the reasons we moved here. We love the vibrant culture and welcoming people here. Learning the history and getting familiar with the traditions and their place in Europe has been a really rich learning experience.
You can’t get all the same foods you got in the U.S.? That’s ok! Try some of the unique cheese, sausages, and wine in Portugal and you’ll find yourself missing just about nothing. Seafood is fresh, abundant, and affordable. We love to order the special of the day when we go to new spots. It’s always a great value and you get to try traditional Portuguese dishes.
13. Have A Sense of Humor
When things go off the rails (and they will) if you can smile and know that this too shall pass you will save yourself a lot of heartache and blood pressure problems. Most issues that we’ve encountered here are not insurmountable. Just annoyances or mild setbacks. See #5 and understand that if you just slow down, things typically work themselves out.
Put a smile on your face and start every interaction with Olá, Bom Dia/Boa Tarde/Boa Noite (hello, good morning, good afternoon, good night). Being polite and having manners will always be welcome and remembered. The Portuguese people are generally good-natured, friendly, and love to chat. The other day we were walking through the park and a groundskeeper smiled as we smelled the flowers on a tree trying to identify it. He shared the name of the bloom, then stuck his nose in the air and sniffed loudly, smiled, and giggled, saying how beautiful it was to smell the flowers. Encounters like these are not unusual and it’s infectious to share the good cheer of just being able to smell the flowers.
14. Be A Little Bit Braver
One of the challenges of moving is meeting new people. You may get nervous and wonder if people will like you or if you’ll “fit in.” As someone who was painfully shy as a child, I can tell you that going to my first meet-up alone was intimidating for me. Some of you may laugh at this as I have spoken in front of hundreds of people, I’ve taught dozens of classes, and feel very comfortable talking to new people. Honestly, meeting new people in a new country threw me off my game a little. It’s one thing to walk into a room knowing you have a big job or a big title or run a company and it’s another thing completely to just go somewhere and be yourself.
To my surprise when I met people early on the conversation quickly moves to why did you move here, where do you live, and what do you love best about Portugal. For the most part, no one cares where you worked or what you did. They want to know who you are now and what you’re doing. You just have to be brave and put yourself out there.
The truth is that most people who move here to Portugal are like-minded. They love Portugal and they love being here. The more you put yourself out there and meet more people the more comfortable you’ll become. Don’t like big groups? Start with an individual or small groups of 2-4 people. That way you can get to know each other and see where the conversation takes you. Love big groups? There are plenty of those too.
15. Surprise Yourself
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what being creative means to me. I’ve even spent time again with Julia Cameron’s Artist’s Way books to help inspire myself and get back to doing some painting and drawing. Lots of things have stopped me. I make excuses. I just don’t get started. I’m proud to say that I finally found a way to begin.
Like many others, I wanted to show my support for Ukraine. Living in Europe seems to make the whole thing so much more difficult to watch. I’ve admired Chef José Andrés of World Central Kitchen and his outreach to feed people all over the world who are experiencing trauma. When he and his team headed to Ukraine we immediately made a donation. Somehow that didn’t seem to be enough. My idea was to hand-painted bottles with blue and yellow sunflowers and swallows (a symbol of hope in Portugal). I sold them here in Portugal and so far we’ve raised 600 euros for World Central Kitchen. There we no excuses. I had to do them once people started ordering them and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it.
I’m already pondering what I can do next.
Pro Tip: Check out the documentary “We Feed People” streaming on Disney+. You’ll be amazed by Chef Andrés and his team. If you are able please make a donation toWorld Central Kitchen.
Can I Live In Portugal For A Year?
Moving to another country can be stressful but it can also be rewarding. We would say wholeheartedly that we’re glad that we made the move to Portugal. Not every day has been perfect but it is the life we were looking for. Living as a resident in Portugal – you can live in a beautiful place with kind people and enjoy a slower pace. If you are considering a move to another country we hope you find our tips helpful. We’ll be writing more about our move, settling in, and more things to do in Portugal in upcoming posts.
Olá! One of the biggest challenges we had when moving to Portugal was learning Portuguese. If you’re considering a move to Portugal we would highly recommend that you begin your studies early.
Learning the language will make it easier to be part of your new community and feel comfortable in your new home or even when you’re just visiting.
We want to help you along with your language learning by sharing some tips on learning Portuguese that have helped us. We hope they help you too.
1. Learn European Portuguese
This probably is THE most important tip to know. There is a big difference between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. Be sure whatever video, course, or book you pick on language learning is about European Portuguese.
Even Google translate only has Brazilian Portuguese – which is helpful but will not be one hundred percent accurate. Just be aware of it.
2. Start Early
If you are planning on visiting or moving to Portugal the good news is that you can get started before you arrive. There are many books and many online Portuguese courses available to begin to learn European Portuguese.
One of the best resources we’ve found for learning Portuguese is Portuguese with Carla. In fact, we have enjoyed the program so much that we signed up to be part of their affiliate program. If you use one of our links to sign up you get a special discount and we get a small commission that costs you no additional fees. It’s just their way of thanking us for leading you to them.
We think that Carla and her husband Marlon have designed just about the perfect program for learning Portuguese. They incorporate a movie called “The Journey” that you watch and follow along with the story. The movie takes you on a sort of treasure hunt throughout Portugal. You learn Portuguese the way people really speak it and get a chance to gain practical cultural insights as well. In between, you’ll get vocabulary lists, audio segments to listen and speak along with, fun grammar instruction, ways to quiz yourself and consolidate your learning, and even homework!
They also have gamified the learning making one of the hardest languages to learn actually fun and cheery. You can earn “escudos,” the Portuguese currency before they adopted the euro, for participating in some activities. These can be used to get bonus content, additional course materials, and other surprises.
Whether you are an auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learner this program will work for you.
Check out this short video from Carla and Marlin with some tips on memorizing Portuguese vocabulary.
They also offer supplemental videos, a podcast, forum discussions, and live practice sessions to their students. Most importantly they make it fun and easy to learn the language. We’ve tried other methods and programs, but this is the one that is far and away the best for us. You can get a free week to try The Journey and see if you like it too.
3. Repetir, Repetir, Repetir
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Any lessons that you do take, be sure to do them over and over again. It may seem silly but it really works. The more you repeat words and phrases the more your brain and tongue get used to this new strange (to you) language.
Many of us who are making the move to Portugal are a bit older. Many older people think they can’t learn a language and that it’s just too difficult. I’m not going to lie. It’s not a walk in the park. But then again, anything worth learning is worth putting in the time and effort. Right?
I’ve found that giving ourselves a little Portuguese treat after completing a chapter or quiz is a terrific incentive for us! It can be a delicious Portuguese pastry or going out for a walk to enjoy a beautiful Portuguese day.
4. Don’t Speak English
It sounds simple but it’s actually hard to do once you get here. When someone hears your American or British accent they immediately start speaking English or hand you a menu in English. I always say don’t worry I’m doing my best to learn YOUR language you don’t need to learn mine.
Since there are many English-speaking tourists and residents English is pretty widely spoken in most of the larger cities in Portugal. Once you get out into the smaller villages and towns it does get a bit tougher to find English speakers.
Our advice is to give it a try and use your Portuguese every single time you can. Again it’s part of the repeat, repeat, repeat process.
5. Make Some Flashcards
For those of you old enough to remember them, flashcards are still a great way to learn. Sure you can buy them but we’ve made our own on index cards. We hang them up around the house on things. Like “cozinha” for kitchen. You get the idea. We take them down when friends come over which is always another fun game of putting them back where they belong.
As we see them around the house we say them silently and out loud. Our cats may be learning a bit of Portuguese, too. We talk to them both in Portuguese and they look at us the same as they always have, so we’re sure they know we’re still their moms.
6. Read Children’s Books and Comic Books
Instead of trying to start with books you’d typically read try reading kid’s books. Especially stories you may already know. We purchased The Little Prince in Portuguese which is always fun to read.
Books with pictures and photos make it even easier to follow along.
Many of the grocery stores in Portugal have inexpensive books and comic books you can pick up.
An added bonus is that you can donate them to a book collection when you’re done with them.
7. Pick Up All The Grocery Store Advertisements and Read Labels
Some of the things we learned quickly were the groceries items that we buy frequently. It was important when we first arrived to be sure we were actually buying what we thought we were buying. To be honest, we made a few mistakes in the beginning by purchasing things that didn’t have salt or did have salt, things like that. Nothing was catastrophic but it sure helped us learn new words like “com” means “with” and “sem” means “without,” as in salt or “sal.” See how easy that was?
Every week we pick up all the circulars for the next week and beyond. Not only do we learn what’s on sale but we study them like schoolbooks. The good news is that there are typically pictures that help you identify the objects. One of the quirky things about Portuguese is that there are sometimes multiple words for the same thing. The weekly brochures become practical visual dictionaries to help us sort those things out.
Following the papers, we learn something new every week. Plus you’ll learn more about the local foods and what is in season.
8. Watch Local Portuguese TV
You can watch the local television stations and get a real dose of the language. You may not be able to follow everything but you will be able to pick out a few words and do some research to figure out the rest.
Watching local sitcoms and soap operas is also fun. You’ll get the gist pretty quickly and may even get caught up in the stories. Kids’ cartoons and shows are usually pretty easy to follow too.
We’ve been watching two shows on Netflix, “Gloria” and “Until Life Do Us Part” that are in Portuguese. We put on the closed captioning and pay attention to the words. We learn more about the culture and history of Portugal and get a good language lesson at the same time.
9. Don’t Give Up on Learning Portuguese
This is by far the most important tip. Many people say that Portuguese is one of the hardest languages to learn. We don’t know if that’s true, but we do know that if you really put your mind to it you can learn just about anything. We’ve changed careers and jobs several times in our lives. All were necessary, all were difficult at the time but in looking back we always made a change for the better. We think of learning Portuguese like a new job something we must master – no excuses.
Find someone who can help hold you accountable. If you’re in Portugal find a Portuguese friend who will correct you and help you. Most of all be kind and patient with yourself. You will get there in your own time.
Start today and turn Portuguese into one of the best languages to learn for you.
Chances are that you may have never even heard of the Oberammergau Passion Play. Honestly, I didn’t either until we started planning a trip to Oktoberfest in 2010. Our plans were to visit Munich and Stuttgart for their famous autumnal festivals and make a stop in Berlin to see Diana’s cousin. Beyond that, we thought what else should we see?
In our trip planning research, we stumbled upon the fact a tiny town in Bavaria, Oberammergau (once you learn how to say it, you may find yourself like me, repeating it over and over again with a bad German accent) was presenting their Passion Play that year. To add to the uniqueness it only happens every ten years. It didn’t take much to know that we had to add it to our itinerary.
What Is The Oberammergau Passion Play and Why Is It Special?
The village of Oberammergau, nestled in Bavaria, is a lovely and unique destination, sometimes overlooked by visitors who come to Germany in search of perhaps more populous locales. But in 2022, Oberammergau will once again be the site of one of the most sweeping theatrical events in Europe, the Passion Play in Germany, which has been consistently performed since its first appearance in 1634.
1860 Production Oberammergau. Photo credit Oberammergau Bühne, Wikipedia.
The genesis of the Passion Play was a promise to God by the village during the horrors of the bubonic plague that took millions of lives in the 17th century. The promise was that if God did not condemn the villagers to death by the plague, a play reenacting the life and death of Jesus Christ would be performed every ten years.
The Passion Play, or PassionsSpiele, is performed repeatedly for five months in the last year of the decade. Thus, May 14 through October 2 of 2022 will be the time to see this spectacle if you have the desire. The play reenacts the last five days of the life of Jesus Christ, covering Palm Sunday to Easter.
Is Oberammergau Passion Play Still on for 2022?
In 2022, the Passion Play will be performed in an off-year after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Anticipation of larger crowds makes it imperative to start your planning early.
Jesus Christ and John in a 1900 performance of the Oberammergau Passion Play. Photo credit: Wikipedia.
The town of Oberammergau itself has a population of around 5,000. The Passion Play involves the participation of over 2,000 residents, acting as performers, musicians, and stage technicians and support. Visitors do take notice and the village receives some 500,000 of them during the period in which the Passion Play takes place. Preparations and rehearsals take place for nearly a year prior to the public presentations. The 2020 performance season will represent the 51st such event since the village’s oath to God in 1634.
Oberammergau, Germany
The pageantry of the Passion Play is undeniable. But the village has many charms even beyond the grand spectacle presented every decade. Many of the buildings are adorned with beautifully painted murals. Many of the murals depict Bible stories in glorious colorful detail.
Shops and Tourists in Oberammergau
Bright and plentiful flowers often embellish building facades as they spill forth colorfully from window boxes and wooden balconies. The Bavarian Alps and rolling green meadows provide a luscious backdrop for this enchanting scene.
Beautiful flower boxes on the buildings in Oberammergau
Oberammergau is also home to Linderhof Castle (Schloss Linderhof), one of King Ludwig II’s spectacularly luscious castles. King Ludwig, responsible for some of the most beautiful and fanciful castles in Europe, is sometimes referred to as the Swan King or the Fairy Tale King. Believed to be inspired by French King Louis XIV’s Versailles, Linderhof Castle is also notable in that it is one of the few castles the dreamy King actually used.
Another treasure of tiny Oberammergau is the lovely wooden carvings from clocks to critters to creative inspirations. Originally created by foresters and farmers as a way to while away the long winter months, the artistry of woodcarving has become more of year-long pursuit by full-time artisans. There are shops to explore and carvers on hand demonstrating their techniques.
Woodcarver in Oberammergau
You will not be surprised to also find hand-carved nativity sets in many of the shops as well. Wonderfully detailed and unique Cuckoo clocks are also another favorite souvenir from the Bavarian region. You will likely be inspired to pick up a memento from your visit. Buyers beware – use caution and your best negotiation skills before you make your final purchases, especially ones with a larger price tag. Keep in mind that you will be there during the high tourist season if you go to experience the Passion Play and prices will reflect that.
Nativity Sets for sale in Oberammergau
Oberammergau Tours
Once you decide to add the Oberammergau Passion Play 2022 to your travel plans you should immediately start your research. With the coming of the Passion Play, tickets have been on sale since 2020, while packages and tours are being offered by a vast array of travel companies.
We decided to book with a company that took care of everything. It was easy to take the train from Munich to Oberammergau which is a little under two hours. Train travel is wonderful in Europe and we choose that mode of transportation whenever we can. It’s easy, the trains are typically very clean, offer free WiFi and get you from point A to point B quickly and with a much smaller carbon footprint.
Oberammergau Hotel
Our package included two nights’ accommodations at a perfectly quaint and mountainside Bavarian inn. There we had a delicious and hearty German dinner. We awoke to a breakfast buffet and then took a comfortable minivan to Oberammergau about 30 minutes away. We spent the entire day in Oberammergau attended the show, had a meal that was included as well as breakfast the next morning. If you get up early you can stroll around the very tiny village and hear the cowbells tolling on the hillside.
Be Prepared
It is a really long day. You will arrive in Oberammergau prior to the showtime you’ll have plenty of time to roam around the town and get the lay of the land. It’s very small so you’ll figure it out really quickly. Then you’ll head to the theater. The play is divided into two parts. The first one starts at 2:30 pm and ends at 5 pm. Then the entire theater empties out and heads for dinner. It may sound odd but it works really very well (it’s Germany).
Since the majority of the attendees have purchased tickets that include the meal it’s organized and orderly. Your tour company will provide directions to the Oberammergau restaurants you’ll be going to. We were served a plated meal that came with soup, salad, rolls, butter, beer, and wine. We had a choice of fish or chicken and one lady at our table had a vegetarian plate option as well. The food was traditional Bavarian, hearty, plentiful, and delicious.
Salmon dinner at Oberammergau
There’s a three-hour break for dinner. You’ll once again have time to stroll around the town, make some purchases, or just window shop. I’d advise walking as much as you can during this time as you’re in for another two and a half hours of sitting once you get back to the theater. You might want to snag a tea, coffee, or cappuccino too so you don’t nod off.
Oberammergau with mountains in the background
More Tips on Oberammergau
One of the things that makes this performance special is that the back end of the stage is open to the outdoors so the natural lighting really brings the show to life. It also means that it can be chilly or warm depending on when you’re attending. Bringing a light sweater or jacket would be a great idea. We were there in late September and it was quite comfortable. It is fully covered so no need to worry about rain or sun.
Inside the theater at Oberammergau
Photography and videoing are not allowed during the performance. I took the snap above during the break right before the show started again.
The latest theater can seat over 4,000 people. It has under-floor heating, large coat rooms, plenty of restrooms, and accessible seating.
Oberammergau Theater Germany Food Travelist
Some of the “performers” are live animals. You’ll see the full complement of these characters on stage during the show. It’s really quite memorable.
Is the Passion Play in Oberammergau in English?
The play is performed in German. You will be given a program that is printed in English as well as many other languages as well. Since the story is familiar to most people it is easy to follow regardless of your native language.
Start Planning Early
If you want more information about the Passion Play itself, and to purchase Oberammergau tickets visit the official website.
PRO TIP: Be sure to check the visa and entry requirements from your own country of origin. Check the COVID-19 regulations for Germany too.
If you want to combine a visit to the Passion Play in Oberammergau with the Munich Oktoberfest, it runs from September 17 through October 3, 2022. As we always say, since you’ve already made the long journey you should make the most of it and see and do everything you can.
Of course, you can always visit Oberammergau any time of year and get Low-price guaranteed on Viator and get a completely different experience. Without the crowds and the Passion Play, you will visit a tiny Bavarian town that will welcome you with open arms, delicious food, beautiful mountain views, and friendly people.
Can you believe that we’ve been living in Portugal for 9 months? Me neither. A friend said, “we have birthed a new life.” Indeed we have. How are things going, you may ask. All and all, pretty darn well. We continue to work and learn more about Portugal every day.
One of our articles on Travel Awaits, “11 Reasons We Chose Portugal When Moving Abroad” went a little viral and we’ve had a lot more people interested in our experience and asking us questions. That makes us really happy.
Believe it or not, there were still some people that didn’t know we moved. Those people continue to be surprised and shocked by our decision. When we tell them the story of how we fell in love with the country on several visits and couldn’t wait to come back and live here they begin to understand.
Life in Portugal is not perfect, but it suits us perfectly. People ask us so many questions like, Is Portugal safe?” We say heck yes it is. We walk everywhere every day. Down alleys and back streets and never worry. We wake up every morning, open our room-darkening shutters, and still marvel at the burnt orange rooftops and soccer stadium across the street. Last month, we lay in bed and watched the perfect full moon trailing across the morning sky. The simple movements of the sun and moon seem to take on new meaning here in Portugal. We take the time here to enjoy each moment that nature shows us its full glory.
We’ve met many other expats and immigrants in Portugal who share the same sensibilities and love of Portugal.
Moonrise in Estoril
I continue to open the veranda door and look to my left to be sure the Atlantic Ocean is still there and look to my right to see the mountains of Sintra in the distance. Knowing these two places are right where they should be grounds and centers me for the day. We often start our days with 30 minutes of Tai Chai. The deep breathing and gentle muscle stretching make our bodies just a little more ready for the day ahead.
Working Remotely in Portugal
I think that most people are surprised to hear that working from Portugal is no different than working from Wisconsin or Illinois. In fact, I would say that on most days our internet connection is better here in Portugal than it ever was in Chicago. But that’s another story. We have good speed and reliability with MEO. We use Vodaphone for our local phone service and T Mobile for our U.S. numbers.
We also know you’re more than likely going to need a VPN service we’ve used several to be sure our internet browsing is safe to access some U.S. accounts for banking and financial access.
Administrative Requirements
When you’re moving to another country there are plenty of regulations, rules, and paperwork. Lots of paperwork. While most of our details were hammered out in the first 30 days we still had several things to do. One of the things that was dragging on was getting our U.S. driver’s licenses exchanged for Portuguese driver’s licenses.
There were many hoops to jump through on this one even before we left the United States. Getting driving records, and other essential paperwork in order early was our plan. We then had to send everything to the IMT once we got here and had the mandatory “health test.” Then we simply had to wait. We were alerted to go and get our photos taken last month. So off we went to Lisbon. Of course, we both were assigned different days. We finally received word that both our driver’s licenses are approved and we can expect them to arrive via certified mail. When they will arrive is anyone’s guess. As they say, welcome to Portugal! Most people who move here will tell you that the driver’s license process is most likely the longest and most frustrating. As always, patience is the most important part of the process.
Language Learning
This has been a tough one for us. We took a few online classes with a teacher and we learned some of the basics. As you would expect we learned a lot of food words through restaurants and grocery shopping but carrying on a conversation has not happened yet.
We just started a new program for us Portuguese with Carla. Carla uses a unique approach called “The Journey.” The main feature is a movie along the lines of The Davinci Code or National Treasure. Carla and her husband Marlon play characters on a journey through mainland Portugal as well as the islands on a search. The program also includes video, imagery, audio, text, and more. This assures that whatever way your brain works and learns best you will benefit from the program. You go at your own pace and there are plenty of study guides and personal help along the way that can take you from not knowing any Portuguese up to a highly conversant level. We are so excited about the program that we have become affiliates!
If you’re thinking of learning Portuguese, please check out The Journey using one of these two links and you’ll get a discount while supporting Food Travelist. You’ll also get a week free to try it out and see if it’s for you. We’re planning to find ways to connect with friends through the forum function and other means to practice together. We’d love to have you join us. We are already starting to see some progress and hope to be able to have simple conversations in Portuguese very soon.
Getting Used To The Slower Pace
The pace, as we’ve mentioned before, is slower. While that may seem like this is something everyone would relish it sometimes tries your patience. One of the things we really needed to get done was to update our health records and get our U.S. COVID-19 vaccinations into the Portuguese system. This is required to get the EU digital certificate. It was also required for us to get our COVID-19 booster here in Portugal. Yes, there is/was a workaround. But trying to find out what that is took hours of phone calling to a number that only answers on occasion and finding an insider who knew the “secret” handshake with a blind man (we kid, kinda) at the local health center that finally got it all sorted out.
It was nerve-wracking because we really wanted to get the booster when our age group came up. Fortunately, (thank you, Science) we were able to do that and get our CDC card updated to reflect all our vaccinations, too. Another problem was solved.
Burgers at Budha Burger Estoril Portugal
The good news is that while we waited to get everything done we had time to stop and have a gorgeous burger lunch nearby the health center. The health center closes down completely for lunch (as do most businesses). So we relaxed munched on our burgers and waited. All’s well that ends well.
Walking Everywhere
A lot of people have asked if we have purchased a car. No, we haven’t. We honestly don’t need one right now. Our flat is conveniently located on a bus line and it’s only a 20-minute walk to the beach. There’s a large Pingo Doce, grocery store across the street that has just about everything. Several local restaurants have delicious and affordable Portuguese food, too.
When we want to go to Lisbon we can walk down to the train station in about 20-minutes. Then take the 30-minute train ride down the coast. If we want to head into Cascais, we can walk, it’s about 40-minutes to the downtown area or weekly market.
We take rideshare vehicles like Uber and Bolt for times when we don’t want to walk or have a lot to carry. They are super reasonable and typically readily available. The local bus is free to residents and we’ll be getting a Lisbon transportation pass,the Urban Navengante, that you can refill monthly and get access to all the buses, trains, and ferries in the Lisboa area. The card is 40 euros a month, or 20 euros a month if you’re over 65. It’s a huge saving if you plan on traveling around the area a lot.
Our First Holidays Abroad
We experienced our first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve abroad. While I’m not going to say that we didn’t miss our families and all our favorite traditions we did enjoy creating new holiday memories and learning more about how the Portuguese celebrate.
Full roasted turkey in Portugal
Thanksgiving of course is not celebrated here. We decided to get together with a few close friends and just celebrate being thankful for being here with each other in Portugal. Diana prepared a fresh turkey and everyone brought side dishes that made for a bountiful feast. It was a relaxed and special meal that I think we’ll all remember for years to come.
Cascais Holiday Lighting
When Christmas came, we found ourselves in a lockdown again. In order to be safe, we decided to not gather with our friends and kept our celebrations to ourselves. We did get out and see all the beautiful holiday decorations. Cascais put on a real show the day the lights were lit with carolers and a jazz band that strolled the streets with Santa and lots of giant characters.
Lisbon Holiday Lights
Lots of Fun
If you’re in Portugal you simply can’t miss the holiday lights in Lisbon. We were surprised by the crowds but we donned our masks and kept safely distanced.
Flaming sausage
Lisbon still had the Christmas markets and all the light displays up as well. We went on a Christmas light tour with Lisbon with Pats and enjoyed every minute of it. Pats made sure our stops included local cheese shops, bakeries, and a great spot for mulled wine and flaming sausage. OSHA is clearly not here in Portugal.
Traditional Portuguese Christmas Eve Dinner
The food here in Portugal at Christmas is really special. The grocery stores are full of special cakes, pastries, and candies. Clearly, food is their way of celebrating and we love that! Our local grocer had everything you could imagine. All the fresh and dried fish, whole roasted pigs, all the side dishes, and special treats to make the meals complete. Diana prepared the traditional Portuguese Christmas Eve dinner of bacalhau, potatoes, cabbage, chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, and vegetables. It was wonderful! Our former Christmas Day tradition when we visited family in L.A. was to go to Mort’s Deli on Christmas morning for breakfast. We created it the best we could with scrambled eggs and bagels here in Portugal.
Christmas Cookies and Port wine
One of the highlights of my Christmas was a Port Wine advent calendar that Diana found for me at our favorite gourmet food store in Estoril (and a new store on the Cascais Marina, too!) Quinta do Saloio. Every day it was something different. Even a magnificent thirty-year-old Port wine was included.
We opened stockings (with the cats), watched Hallmark movies, ate homemade Christmas cookies, and enjoyed the holiday decorations we brought from the U.S. We also had the Bolo Rei, king cake, which is something that is part of every Portuguese holiday table. All and all we think our first holiday abroad was a success.
Bolo Rei Christmas cake
Still So Much To See
We’ve been limiting our travels because of COVID. But we just couldn’t miss the chance to go to one of our favorite spots, Obidos during the holiday season. We went with a friend and it was simply magical. This remarkable walled city is even more beautiful with the holiday lights and decorations throughout the city. Even the iconic castle itself is wrapped in a big red bow.
When you go to a town that is a UNESCO Creative City of Literature you have to stay at The Literary Man Hotel which is one of my personal favorites. Every room comes complete with its own library. The included breakfast is full of Portuguese pastries and cakes and served in their relaxing great room where you’re surrounded by – books, of course!
The Literary Man hotel
We hunted for treasures in the little shops finding unique items for our homes. We stopped for some tasty cherry Ginjinha liquor and had a remarkable meal at the Pousada do Castelo. The food and the service were impeccable. We were just about the only ones in the dining room, which made for a unique and special experience. We sure hope more people are able to get out and enjoy a meal there very soon.
Diana with donkey friend at Quinta do Pisao
Get Out Into Nature
We also took a tour of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. It was only fifteen minutes from home but felt like we were far away in a tranquil remote natural beach setting. The hiking there provides spectacular views. A stop at the Quinta do Pisao also provided a respite that included learning about bees, a walk with donkeys, and learning how to “glamp” in the area. Being so close to places like this is why this area is one of the best places to live in Portugal.
We just cannot wait to continue our travels through Portugal. We’re hoping to do just that very soon. In the meantime, we’ll be exploring everything that is close by and there sure is plenty to cover.
We Live In Portugal – We Are Locals
After nine months, we are starting to consider ourselves locals. We know where to shop, we know how to get around, we have a solid group of friends. Now we’ll be looking to go deeper. Connect with more Portuguese people and continue learning from them.
We recently started a Queer Women In Portugal Facebook group to connect with more women here in Portugal and those in the process of planning to visit or move.
We’ll be attending the Web Summit in Lisbon in the Fall and hope to network with more like-minded people there, too.
We’re excited about being in Portugal and excited about what the future will hold. We hope you’ll continue to follow our stories. If you think you might move to or retire in Portugal, ask us questions and come visit us in Portugal.
Sometimes we get stuck. Especially when the world feels a bit upside down and nothing seems to be going right. We say it’s when the bread falls butter or jelly side down. Everything is going wrong and you just can’t get your footing.
If we’re honest, we all have days like that. If you’re happy with where your life is at, these days pass and you typically get back on the horse and keep riding. But sometimes, these days just linger. Maybe you’re unhappy with your job. Or you’re not getting that promotion you know you earned. Maybe your company is no longer functioning. Or you’re not thriving in your career. Maybe you’re dreaming about doing something else. Perhaps you want to live somewhere else. Or maybe you’re just befuddled by what your life looks like these days and you’re searching for what you can do to make it into the life that you want. The possibilities for discontent and unease are endless.
Sue and Diana at the Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel in Cascais
We’ve Been There
We get it, we really do. We’ve both had many times in our lives that required us to think things through from the big picture to the minute details. We forged our own futures by working through it all and we made decisions that have led us to a life we love.
But we understand from personal experience that sometimes the hardest thing is to get started. Fortunately, through all our trial and error, we found a process that works, leading us to the point at which making decisions is easier. So we’ve broken down the process that took us years to learn and put it into a workbook that you can follow for just two weeks. From cloudy to clarity, each day will bring new insights to help you forge your own path to a life you love. This workbook is something we’re proud to offer because we know that it can make a big difference in someone’s life. It certainly has in ours.
The Process Works
If you work through the process you will quickly identify the next steps of what you need to do to start putting your life back on track, getting unstuck, making the decisions that have challenged you, and taking the action that you need to move your life forward in a positive way.
The workbook What Should I Do Now? A 14-Day Jumpstart Program To Get Unstuck, Make Decisions, And Take Control of Your Work and Your Life will help you identify your strengths, and let you quickly determine what to do that will make you happy. It will change the way you feel when you wake up every morning knowing you alone can set your life on the right path.
Just setting aside an hour or two each day for fourteen days. In that time, the process will have you thinking differently, taking action, discovering what you want, and taking control of your life .
Perhaps you are:
Tired of Your Job
Do you have a dead-end job you’ve been stuck at for years? Perhaps you have the boss from hell (we’ve all had one). Business Insider’s recent article says that many people are quitting not because of bad pay but because they’re in a toxic workplace. Record numbers of employees left their jobs in 2021 and in 2022 even more people quit.
You Feel Stuck In Your Life
One of the things that we really understand is feeling stuck. Sometimes your current situation may seem great from the outside, while on the inside you feel stuck, bored, empty, or unexcited about what you’re doing. Taking the time to examine why you feel that way and learning how to change can replace that stuck feeling with excitement and enthusiasm.
You Want To Consider Moving
A place you’ve been in the world for years may now feel different. Living somewhere new, or even moving abroad may have crossed your mind. Perhaps it’s something you’ve dreamed about but have been too nervous ever to really consider. We spent an enormous amount of time and energy considering our move to Portugal. But once we went through our process, step by step, and learned how much it would benefit our lives, making the move was an obvious choice. And it has been the right one for us.
Done With School and Unsure of How to Proceed?
You got your degree. You’re all set, right? You might be looking at the industry you thought you wanted to work in and say, ‘gee, that may not be for me.” Or maybe you feel trapped by your degree, lack of experience or limitations in the marketplace to find a position you will really like. Maybe you feel like you don’t have any choice in the matter. Or you’re in a different stage in life and you want to go back to school or start a new career. But choosing what to study or what career path to follow may feel more confusing than ever.
You Become Overwhelmed And See No Way Out
Sometimes we may feel that no matter what we do we can’t change our current situation. Every option we consider seems like just another bad choice. We become overwhelmed and can’t think straight or see any way out of our current situation. Taking the time to stop and reassess your life and your life skills may just be what you need to start out right and progress quickly on a new and positive path.
Thinking What Have I Done With My Life?
Once we reach a certain age most of us begin to wonder, “What am I doing with my life? “what will be my legacy?” “am I making any difference?” and other important questions. Stopping to refocus and ask yourself the tough questions can help you figure out what exactly you do want to “do” with your life. Then you can begin taking the steps to get there.
There are plenty of other reasons we start feeling stuck or sense the need for change. Yours may be simpler or much more complex.
Take The First Step
We know there are a ton of self-help gurus and books on how to change your life. You may think this is just another one. It’s not. This is a workbook that you work through and it will help guide your next steps. You won’t have to wonder “what should I do today?” We’ll tell you exactly what you need to do every day for fourteen days. You’ll cover a lot of territory in that time. Together, we’ll take you step by step through a fun and enlightening process. Together we’ll explore where you are, where you want to go, and how you’re going to get there. We’ll look at what you want more of in your life and what you don’t want in your life. And a whole range of other things that will help you move forward.
How To Change Your Life
If you know someone or if you are having a hard time, feeling confused, or struggling with some decisions, please know that we wrote this workbook to help jumpstart the process of how to get unstuck. We hope you’ll give it a try or pass it along to someone who can benefit from it.
We were so excited to be interviewed about living in Portugal by Chris from the Nomadic Foodist for his podcast we almost couldn’t wait for the final word that it was LIVE!
Cascais Santa Maria Harbor
What Did We Talk About
It’s no secret that we love to share everything about moving to Portugal. When Chris first contacted us we couldn’t wait to share our food experiences and share them with his audience as well.
We spent the better part of an hour sharing stories about how we both got our passion for food and travel from our families. We talked about favorite foods and some wonderful travel stories.
Most of the time we discussed our new home in Cascais, Portugal. We shared some of our favorite things to do along with some restaurants that we would love for everyone to check out when they visit.
Living in Cascais
Saying that we were excited to chat about Cascais is an understatement. We’ve only been here seven months and we already call this place home. We have our favorite restaurants, favorite grocery stores, and favorite things to do. And spoiler alert there’s no shortage of any of those things in Cascais.
After the interview, we convinced Chris to take the train into Cascais from Lisbon and have dinner with us at one of our local favorites Nova Estrela. I’m pretty sure he and his wife were glad they did. We had a delicious meal and could have talked all night about our mutual love of travel.
Thanks again, Chris for taking the time to come to Cascais and for interviewing us about living in Portugal on your podcast.
Take A Listen For Yourself
Take a listen to the podcast and let us know what you think.
We knew that our first holiday season in Portugal would be something different. We just weren’t sure exactly how it would be different. Both of us enjoy celebrating the holidays and all that includes. Decorating, hosting get-togethers, going to concerts, wandering through Christmas markets, and checking out all those sparkling holiday lights.
Would we be able to do that in Portugal? Turns out, yes we can! The lights were turned on this weekend in Lisbon and they are truly dazzling. The stores are full of holiday displays and every rideshare car you jump into is playing holiday music. Although I have to admit songs referencing snow and sleigh rides don’t exactly fit the warmer climate in our beach town. But if we want snow, there are parts of Portugal we could visit for a dose of winter white.
Everything Is Different
Some may argue that everything has changed for everyone. The pandemic that rages on certainly changed the way we get together. One of the many things that we have embraced since moving to Portugal is simplicity. Learning to do more with less. This came out of necessity for our move but we had been moving toward a simpler life for years. We aim to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing what we buy, recycling what we can, and reusing or upcycling whenever possible.
The holidays are a perfect time to reassess how you approach this hectic time of year. Why not take advantage and start simplifying your holidays this year? You don’t have to add to consumerism. Do you really need that extra set of lights? And I bet that the kids don’t need the latest toys that will be in all the Black Friday sales.
If you’re looking to make the holidays something different here are a few of the ideas we have for making our holidays (and yours) more reasonable, more enjoyable, and more meaningful. At the same time, we’ll be spending less money, accumulating less stuff, and spending less time freaking out (fingers crossed).
7 Ways To Do Something Different This Holiday Season
1. Less Is Really More.
Perhaps the global supply chain issues that have made many items impossible to get in time for the holiday will force people to realize they don’t need everything on that Christmas list. Even the New York Times ran a piece on how to buy nothing new for the holidays.
Our downsizing experience has taught us that you really don’t “need” that many “things” to be happy. You just don’t. We kept only two boxes of Christmas decorations. Two. Those boxes are filled with treasures, especially sentimental travel and cat ornaments, and retro Christmas decorations we just couldn’t bear to part with. We’re looking forward to opening the boxes and reminiscing about each and every piece.
We’ve ordered a simple Christmas tree that will need to be hand-lit. I’ll be using my rusty skills learned long ago while working in the Christmas business to be sure that the tree is beautifully shaped and lit just right (thank you, Steve Feinberg).
The tree and the few decorations we’ve brought with us will be the full extent of our decorating this year.
2. Do What’s Important to YOU
So many of the social obligations around the holidays may be things you dread. Going to a party you’d rather not, taking part in a gift exchange that has run its course. Why not make this the year you simply so, no thank you? You may even want to suggest an alternative plan. Volunteering at a nearby senior home or food pantry can still be a time to get together but also to give back.
Maybe getting together for an intimate meal with just one friend or a small group so you can really catch up with one another would be something you would all enjoy.
Or go for a walk to see the holiday lights. This way you get a little fresh air, some easy exercise, and a chance to connect with someone you’ve missed. There are even online Christmas light tours that you can take with friends around the world. We took a virtual Christmas lights tour of Lisbon with Lisbon with Pats last year and loved it so much that we’re doing it live and in-person with Pats this year too.
3. Take Care of Yourself
It’s been a rough couple of years. Even the strongest amongst us have had plenty of difficult days. Sometimes the holiday season just makes everything worse. If you can’t be with family or friends, or you just don’t feel like socializing for whatever reason, it can be a struggle to get through these days.
If a friend suggests getting together at a large gathering, offer up the alternative of spending time one-on-one and really relaxing with each other.
On those tough days do the simple things like taking a good morning walk, no matter the weather. Getting outside has proved time and time again to be a way to improve your spirits and refresh your outlook.
Keep a journal. I like to write down three things that I’m grateful for every day, one thing I want to work on and one thing that surprised me the day before. Writing down the way you feel and all that you have to be thankful for can help set the tone for the rest of your day.
4. Act Like A Child
Just be silly. Remember the things that used to bring you joy when you were a kid, especially around the holidays. Then do them again. I watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and Christmas every single year. Although I know the stories by heart, and they mean different things to me in adulthood. They still bring a smile to my face every time I watch.
Watch an old holiday classic like White Christmas and sing along at the top of your lungs. It’s really fun to do with a few friends or family members.
Sled down a snowy hill if you are in a cold region or head out to sing some carols with friends. The most important thing is to just laugh out loud and enjoy yourself.
5. Don’t Buy It
Everywhere you turn there are temptations to buy this or that around the holidays. From that small decoration or candy at the check-out to that giant inflatable Santa that would look so great in your yard.
Staying within your budget in December can be a real challenge for most people. But what if this year you just said no?
Say No, I’m not buying presents.
And, No, I’m not buying all those extra (and yes, they are cute) decorations.
No, I’m not competing with my neighbors for the best-decorated house on the street.
Don’t run to those Black Friday sales. Don’t even look at the ads (sorry, not sorry, marketing friends). They will tempt you to buy something you undoubtedly don’t need. Did you know that worldwide the average piece of clothing is only worn seven times (7 times!) before it gets thrown away? Think twice before buying one more holiday sweater.
No Gifts Please
Does saying all this saying no make you a Scrooge, a cheapskate, or a non-believer? Of course not. We all know that the real meaning of Christmas isn’t about buying presents and going into debt. The holidays are about getting together with those you love. Spending quality time together. Having conversations and really getting to know what is going on with each other. Do you know what’s going on in Uncle Bill’s life right now? When was the last time you got down on the floor and played with your nieces and nephews? These are the things that people remember for the rest of their lives. My nieces still tell the story of me crawling around in a tunnel tent with them when they were little. And unfortunately, they also remember that my big butt would get stuck in that said tunnel too. Their retelling of that story always provides lots of laughs and giggles.
I’m Not Buying Presents
I’m not buying any Christmas presents this year. At least no gifts in the traditional sense. I plan to be thankful for the people in my life and will make some donations to places that can help feed people in need like Heifer International and World Central Kitchen. I also love the World Wildlife Foundation and the Anti-Cruelty Society which aid God’s creatures who can’t help themselves.
This also means that there will be no Food Travelist “holiday gift guide” this year. We’ll be walking the walking and talking the talk on this one. Sure you’ll still see the ad network ads that circulate throughout our site as always. If you’re curious, those links provide us a small commission if you do click on them and end up purchasing something. It helps us pay for our site hosting and other boring things like that. Other than that you’ll see no overt selling from us. No urge to click on products. Not this holiday season.
Heifer Herd of Llamas
No one I personally know needs more things. They don’t need another present and they sure don’t need a present from me to know that I love them. It’s up to us to let the people in our lives know how much we love them every day. If we’ve learned anything over the last couple of years it’s that life is short. It’s unpredictable. And the future is uncertain.
While it’s great to spend the holidays together, making time throughout the year to connect with friends and family has never been more important. Last week, a friend I hadn’t talked to in too long came up on my messenger. I thought she had called me. I called her and she said she hadn’t called. It truly doesn’t matter how it happened. We laughed and ended up having a brief but lovely catch-up conversation. We expressed our love for each other and that was it. That call just made my day and made me smile all week.
6. Make Something Different
Another way to show you care is to make something homemade. It could be something as simple as making a dried fruit and nut mix and putting it in mason jars with a pretty holiday bow. Let’s face it Pinterest is loaded with homemade holiday gifts that are as cute as a button.
Bake some cookies for someone you know would never bake for themselves. Make some limoncello. Whatever you make they will appreciate it.
Holiday Treasure Cookies
Create 12 days of Christmas gifts by giving someone 12 days of poems you’ve written. Imagine their delight as they anxiously await opening the next gift every day. Not a writer? How about a drawing, holiday craft, or creation that is uniquely your own. Trust me. People will love it.
7. Live a Life Of Abundance Not Scarcity
Sometimes we all get caught up in keeping up with everyone else. Or thinking we need the next best thing. But if we take a hard look at our lives and what’s important soon we realize we have everything we need. Living a simpler life lets you be a bit freer. Less to worry about (and less to clean).
I think about the Christmas decorations I gave to my niece and it makes me smile when we’re on a video call and I see something that was in our family for decades that has now found a place on her table.
The holiday spirit is often taken over by consumerism. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all those holiday sales encourage us to get there early or click on that bigger television to improve our lives. The reality is these “things” won’t improve our lives in fact in many cases they will make them more difficult as we try to figure out how to pay off that credit card bill 30 days later. That moment of exhilaration comes crashing down when reality hits.
This year, make the choice of spending time together either in person or virtually. Experience something together. Make a memory you’ll be talking about for years to come. Whatever way you decide to do something different this holiday the most important thing will be to make it your very own.
Wishing you all a healthy and happy holiday season.
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