A retiree's adventures in moving from New Mexico to Portugal
Author: rosepatch3
Rosalie Rayburn is a writer, world traveler, avid cyclist who shares her time between the US and Portugal. She writes a blog about international relocation and is the author of The Power of Rain, a mystery set in New Mexico, USA.
(Author’s note: I wrote this blog post almost a year ago, after I had read about the horrific events at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Sadly, so much is still the same. Gun violence has become more prevalent and nothing is done to address the real problem–the prevalence of weapons of human destruction.)
LOSING A CHILD is the most gut-wrenching experience that can happen to a parent. It isn’t supposed to happen. Your children aren’t supposed to die before you. But it does happen sometimes, and we become members of a club no one ever wants to join.
Their little faces remain forever young in the photos that surround you, haunting you, like phantom pieces of your heart.
I lost my 11-year-old son to a rare and devastating illness many years ago and I am still haunted.
There are so many emotions; pain, despair, rage. The questions; why them? Why now? What did they/I/we do to deserve this terrible thing happening?
When numbness finally comes it is a relief from the pain, but it is always with us, like a severed limb that will never regrow.
I write this not to gain sympathy but to draw attention to what the parents of those 19 children in the small Texas town are facing. It will affect not only them, but their other children, their nieces and nephews, their grandchildren. It will ripple out throughout the families and neighborhoods, and eventually to the next generation.
The parents in Uvalde will live the rest of their lives asking the questions. And the terrible thing is; that despite so many of these hideous incidents, and their increasing frequency….. NOTHING substantial has been done to prevent them. Why the lack of courage to make change? Americans pride themselves on living in the land of the free. Where is the freedom in having to go to school surrounded by armed guards? Having to live in constant fear? Is that freedom?
I moved to Portugal three years ago and feel safer and more free here than I ever did in the US.
Cycling on the Portuguese coast near Figueiro de Foz
Before I came to Portugal in 2019, I had been an enthusiastic cyclist in New Mexico. Every weekend saw me out riding with the New Mexico Touring Society bike club. Rides were great opportunities to see parts of Albuquerque I would never have explored by myself, or get out of town on rural routes. We shared coffee, lunches and many social occasions. The club became my extended family.
So, when I moved to central Portugal I hoped to find kindred spirits. Unfortunately, it’s been hard. But through the wonders of modern technology–think Facebook groups–and sheer persistence, I have found a few cycling companions. It has meant driving a lot farther than I was used to in Albuquerque, but it has given me the opportunity to see different areas of the country, like the coastal town of Figueiro de Foz and the mountainous region around Figueiro de Vinhos, near Coimbra. Some of my best rides have been with Jean-Remi Chapelon who runs an adventure tour company called My-Green-Break.
From left: Figueira de Foz and a gorge near Pedrogão Grande
Challenging Terrain
I live in a hilly area of central Portugal which means lots of climbing if you’re on a bicycle. As you can imagine, this poses a challenge to the legs and lungs. I mentioned this to my brother, who is also a keen cyclist. His response was, “Oh but you used to live near the Sandia mountains, so what’s the big deal?” True, I did live close to the Sandias, which are part of the Rocky Mountain chain, but the difference is that there are hills everywhere here. They may be short, but they are very often steep–an 8 percent to 12 percent grade is not uncommon!
From left: Jean-Remi Chapelon of My-Green-Break leads riders up a steep climb on a ride near Tomar, central Portugal.
Nevertheless, I have grown to love the different style of cycling I can do in Portugal. I have met some wonderful people, enjoyed some great coffee, pastries, lunches and conversations. I have also learned to appreciate that a bike ride doesn’t have to be about killer mileage or training for some exhausting event like a century or the Iron Horse Classic, all of which I did while living in New Mexico.
Bike Friendly Drivers
Portuguese drivers are tolerant of cyclists, something I very much appreciate. Even though I ride mostly on narrow, winding country roads, there is so little traffic that I never feel in danger. Another wonderful thing about Portugal is the absence of broken glass on the roadside. Drivers in New Mexico had a habit of tossing beer bottles out the window. And, there are no goat heads, those nasty little seedpods with the wickedly sharp thorns that were deadly to bike tires.
From left: lunch stop near Figueiro de Foz and a visit to Agroal River Beach.
National Cycling Guidebook
My interest in cycling also gave me the change to pitch a story to Portugal Living, the online lifestyle magazine I have freelanced for since 2021. On page 26 of the summer issue of the magazine is my article about Paulo Guerra dos Santos and the Ecovias Portugal, National Cycle Tourism Network. Dos Santos, a 49-year-old engineer with a passion for cycling, has created an online guidebook which has downloadable maps of cycling routes throughout Portugal. He researches the routes and updates the guidebook annually. The 2022 edition of the guidebook now has maps of more than 6,400 kilometers of bike routes.
There are 19 long distance routes complete with maps, advice on towns and accommodation and cycling specific technical information. Cyclists can follow trails that take them to historic towns, past rivers, beaches, through hilly areas or the gently rolling countryside of the Alentejo south of Lisbon or among the orange groves of the Algarve. Santos divides the routes into segments of 30 kilometer s (18.6 miles) to 50 kilometers (31 miles), so cyclists can have ample time for sight-seeing and enjoying a coffee or meal along the way.
The National Touring Guidebook is available online and appears in Portuguese and English. The 2022 edition sells for 64 Euros or $70. (Purchasers get an 80 percent discount on future guidebooks.) The guide is downloadable as a ZIP document which includes the road book and GPS tracks, there is also a PDF file with a general map of the network. Each route section can be downloaded to a smartphone and used with a GPX-capable app.
This is the cover of my novel “The Power of Rain” a political mystery set in New Mexico.
It’s really happening! The Power of Rain, the fictional novel I wrote inspired by the strange political shenanigans I observed as a reporter in New Mexico is going to be available in paperback and ebook form this summer.
There are devious developers, ambitious politicians, a fight over a mysterious Spanish chapel, hectic newsroom scenes, a nasty election campaign, a heartwarming romance and the unpredictable vengeance of desert rain.
I’ll be writing a lot more about this as it gets closer to publication date. Watch this spot and sign up to follow my blog!
My eldest granddaughter, Annie, eats the sprinkles off an Easter cookie.
At the end of March I flew back to the US to spend a few weeks with my son and his little family. More precisely, I came to help take care of my two lovely little granddaughters while my son was away on an army exercise and my daughter-in-law started a new job.
I am exulting in the total immersion experience of caring for these two adorable little girls, but I am only here for a short time. I have enormous admiration for what their parents have to go through for the next few years. When you have had your own adult life for a few decades you forget just how exhausting caring for a toddler and a baby can be.
It’s the constant need to be aware of all the potential dangers that lurk in the seemingly harmless home environment. The sharp edge of a cupboard, the hard surface of a floor for a baby’s head should it lose balance while sitting, the endless tiny objects possibly within reach that pose a choking hazard, the hazards of a staircase and on and on.
Then, there is the colossal challenge of dealing with a two-year-old’s mercurial mood-swings–one moment all smiles and laughter–the next, ear-piercing wails and screams. The innumerable battles of will over demands for a favorite food or toy, only to have it rejected or go uneaten.
And did I forget, wrestling with a wriggling baby who has deposited something very stinky in their diaper/nappy. I can’t understand why they haven’t substituted velcro for those irritatingly fiddly snaps on onesies. And don’t get me started on car seats. Yes, in the last 25 years I am sure technology has improved their safety, but oh are they hard to fasten and unfasten, especially when a little person is not happy about being clipped in.
Yes, folks, little children will stretch your patience beyond anything you ever imagined. But humankind keeps having them and–let’s face it, they are so darn cute!
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressing solidarity with groups of Ukrainians who gathered outside the Presidential palace in Belem a few days after Russian troops invaded Ukraine.
A little more than two weeks ago, the Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s border began the invasion of that country. In the days since then, there has been near non-stop coverage of the horrors. Pictures and videos have shown droves of people fleeing the conflict zones. It’s scarily reminiscent of World War II movies, but this is real and it is now.
Portugal has a sizable Ukrainian population. According to government statistics, there were around 27,000 Ukrainians living in Portugal in 2020, making them the fifth largest group of foreigners living in the country.
Almost as soon as news of the fighting broke, Portugal and its people stepped up to offer help in many ways. The Portuguese president appeared on the CNN Portugal news broadcast speaking to a Ukrainian group to declare support and solidarity with their cause.
Soon after, the government declared a temporary protection program to help Ukrainian refugees obtain residence permits and access to the country’s healthcare system. There will also be help for Ukrainians to find jobs when they come to Portugal. Many Portuguese lawyers have offered their legal services pro bono to help the Ukrainians.
All over the country people are posting on Facebook groups and other media outlets to publicize the help efforts underway. People are offering space in their homes, making donations, organizing fundraising drives and gathering items to send to the beleaguered country.
While it is heartening to see this outpouring of support. We all hope and pray that the hostilities will end as soon as possible.
The city of Leiria has transformed this sign in its central square with the colors of the Ukrainian flag and the message “We are all Ukraine.”
A scene in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto where street decorations are a string of colorful bras!
I first fell in love with the city of Lisbon when I came on vacation in 2011. I am convinced the city enchants everyone who visits because of it’s easy charm, its mix of grand plazas and rabbit-warren streets and, above all, the welcoming attitude of the Portuguese people.
That wonderful first experience planted the seed that would eventually motivate me to move to Portugal full time. I cherished a fantasy of living in a quaint little apartment in the Alfama district with a view of the Tejo river. Alas, the reality is that prices in Lisbon were out of range of my meager budget. On top of that, a Lisbon native warned me that those old buildings in the Alfama usually needed extensive and expensive repairs. So, I settled in the country.
But a trip to Lisbon is still a source of great pleasure. I had the opportunity to visit over the Valentine’s weekend and fell in love with the city all over again. What’s not to like when you can stroll through the geometrically laid out streets of the Baixa area and browse the fancy shops or be amused by street performers in the pedestrian Rua Augusta. The grid pattern is thanks to the Marquis de Pombal who oversaw reparations after a devastating earthquake in 1755 destroyed much of the city.
From left: the Ascensor da Gloria and the Elevator de Santa Justa. Lisbon, like Rome, is a city of many hills.
A visit to Lisbon always means climbing. From the sea-level Baixa neighborhood you wind your way up through steep and narrow alleyways towards the Castelo de São Jorge and into the Alfama. This is the oldest area of the city, inhabited by the Romans and Visigoths, then developed by the Moors in the early Middle Ages. The name derives from Arabic meaning “hot fountains”. Wandering the Alfama you can enjoy peeking into the myriad tiny restaurants and shops. Many of them sell tourist souvenirs, but you will also find the hole-in-the-wall stores that sell basic groceries to the locals.
I’m not a big fan of Fado music, but it is an integral part of the Portugues culture. The Museum of Fado in the Alfama district is definitely worth a visit. You might even find out what the essentially Portuguese term “Saudade” means!
A crown for each! Statues adorn the top of the Arco da Rua Augusta on the Praça do Comercio.
After a trip to the Alfama, you can descend and take a stroll through the Praça do Comercio, one of the grandest city squares in Europe. It faces the river Tejo (Tagus) and a series of steps leading down to the water forms the perfect hangout spot on a sunny day.
From left: Hanging out by the river Tejo, and boys blowing giant bubbles in the middle of the Praça do Comercio.
One of the things I noticed about Portugal when I arrived here, was the number of independent book stores. For anyone who loves books, like me, the sight of so many book stores was a joy to behold. I’ve even seen one on a beach in the Alentejo and at Lisbon’s Oriente train station. In Lisbon, the Chiado district has so many little bookshops you could spend almost a whole day browsing from one to the other.
My favorite Chiado bookstore is the historic Bertrand Livraria. Founded in 1732 by two French brothers, it claims to be the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world. Drifting slowly through the seven consecutive rooms of the bookstore, you can feast your eyes on a huge array of titles, authors and subjects. Most are in Portuguese, but there is also a wide selection of books in English, including many translations of works by prominent Portuguese writers like Fernando Pessoa and Jose Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998.
The Bertrand bookstore in the Chiado district of Lisbon was founded in 1732.
And of course, if you have the time, climb to the Bairro Alto where the densely packed streets are full of restaurants, bars, night spots and a lively fun atmosphere!
Follow my blog for ongoing stories about daily life in Portugal or check out my website: Whynotportugal.com
The river Douro flows through Porto, Portugal’s second largest city. Wooden boats called “rabelo” ply the waters giving tourists a great experience of the city. Historically the boats were used to ferry crates of wine from the Douro Valley to Porto.
everywhere I look I see articles about how many Americans are moving to Portugal or considering retirement in this country. I made the move myself in 2019 for a number of reasons which I will explain below. Curious to find out why all these other US residents want to relocate to Portugal I posted the question on a couple of the Facebook groups aimed at that target audience.
There was an interesting similarity to the answers I received. Two reasons came top of the list for most of those who commented. Guess what? Political climate and healthcare costs were the most frequently mentioned reasons people said they decided to make the move.
It’s not hard to understand why Americans might feel disturbed about the political climate in the US. The last few years have seen a new level of turmoil. It’s become a cliché to say the country is deeply divided. But the animosity seems to have reached new heights, with the two major political parties behaving like football teams repeatedly clashing to gain ground while they lose sight of the goals.
Healthcare in the US has long been an industry aimed at maximizing profits rather than actually delivering an improved quality of overall health. Studies have shown life expectancy in the US has fallen in recent years, infant mortality rates are higher than in many European countries and the cost of healthcare is a leading cause of bankruptcy for American families.
Healthcare and politics in Portugal
I recently spoke to a couple who moved to Portugal the same year I did, 2019. A month after they arrived, one of them fell seriously ill with a rare autoimmune disorder and was hospitalized for a month followed by four months in a rehabilitation facility. Portugal has a national healthcare system which provides free or low cost care to the population. This particular couple had private health insurance (this is a requirement for Americans to obtain the D7 visa to move to Portugal), but they were still terrified they would be hit by huge bills. Guess what? They weren’t. “In the states we would have been medically bankrupt,” they told me.
Politically, Portugal has a parliamentary system where many political parties typically have to form alliances. The country just held an election on January 30 where the center-left Partida Socialista of Prime Minister António Costa was returned to power with an overall majority. Costa called the election in November after failing to win support from left-leaning parties for his proposed budget. After living in the US where the razz-a-ma-tazz of elections seems non-stop, Portuguese elections are refreshingly swift and modest affairs. The candidates actually focus on the issues rather than smearing each other’s characters like playground bullies.
Feeling safe
Safety was another factor some people mentioned. After living here for more than two years I can definitely vouch for this. As a woman walking around Lisbon or Porto on my own I have never felt unsafe.
Now for all the other reasons why Americans are moving to Portugal: great climate, low cost of living, beautiful beaches, historic cities and towns etc etc.
Yes, I appreciate those too. I was born in the US but lived most of my young life in various European countries. I longed to get back to a place where I felt more at home, where people mattered more than the competitive consumer culture. But the main reason I decided on Portugal, rather than one of the other European countries I was more familiar with –such as Spain or France– was the Portuguese people. The first time I came to Portugal on vacation in 2011, I was so impressed by the welcoming attitude and kindness of everyone I met, that I began dreaming about moving here. I knew I couldn’t retire in the US. And Portugal has not disappointed.
Blue skies above the city of Porto, the second largest metropolis in Portugal.
The city of Lisbon with the Castelo São Jorge overlooking the red rooftops.
A lot of posts I see in Facebook groups for people interested in moving to Portugal ask questions about learning the Portuguese language. Many of the replies comment on Portuguese being a difficult language. I disagree. Why? Let me count the ways.
Portuguese is what they call a “Romance language” – this has nothing to do with love – it merely means it is a language that evolved from Latin, the language we commonly associate with the Romans. As such, it is similar to French, Spanish and Italian. So, if you have a knowledge of any of these other languages, you have a head start on learning Portuguese.
Another point I’d like to make about learning Portuguese. If you have learned any other language, you have a basic grasp of what I call the “mechanics” of a language. It’s not unlike knowing how to use a hammer and screwdriver, power tools, working with engines or mathematics. If you understand the big picture – why doing A and B in the right order will get you to C – you can apply the same logic from one language to another.
Written Portuguese looks quite similar to Spanish. If you can read Spanish you can probably figure out a lot of what you read in Portuguese. However, the pronunciation is radically different. A lot of English speakers think Portuguese sounds like a slavic language. A Bulgarian woman I met recently disagreed completely. Still, the sh and zh sounds in Portuguese sure sounded like Russian to me the first time I heard it.
Questions to ask yourself
In the end, a lot depends on the individual. Is learning to speak the local language important to you? Do you see that as part of accommodating to a new country, culture and lifestyle? Are you committed to making the effort to learn? Many people in Portugal speak English so it is relatively easy to get by without having more than a few phrases. However, not knowing any Portuguese can be a huge drawback if you find yourself out in the country and need to buy something or get some vital service and no one in the village speaks any English.
A few resources
So, how do you learn Portuguese? I first visited this country in 2011 and was so smitten that I immediately enrolled in a class through my local university’s continuing education program. Unfortunately the class was dropped after the first semester for lack of participants. I went looking online. Babbel.com offers Portuguese among its selections. Be warned, it is the Brazilian version of the language. Think–learning British English versus US English versus Australian English– you get the idea. The accent is different, some grammar and many words are different.
I see many comments on the Facebook groups that seem to advise against learning Brazilian Portuguese. I disagree. There are thousands of Brazilians living in Portugal and you will hear it here, especially in big cities like Lisbon or Porto. The lessons offered by Babbel deal with real life situations, they are easy to follow and fun! The monthly subscription is just under $13, less if you sign up for several months.
Duolingo is an app you can use for free on your smartphone. This also is Brazilian but it is helpful and it nags you daily to keep practicing. Memrise is another app you can use on your phone. It offers continental Portuguese.
For the Portuguese spoken in Portugal, I found the best experience with Practice Portuguese. This is a great website started by two guys, Rui and Joel who offer videos, short conversations with text and translations, extensive information on verbs and a wealth of other useful material. Absolutely great for listening and learning. A subscription costs a little under $20, or 15 Euro per month. The videos and conversations are lively and informative. Well worth the time, expense and effort.
Many people rely on Google translate to translate from English into Portuguese. But often you can come up with some very weird results. Some other alternatives worth trying are Deepl. The website Linguee is an online dictionary.
Follow my blog for more about daily life in Portugal!
A carpet of oxalis flowers on my little piece of land in Portugal is a portent of spring.
I see a lot of posts on Facebook groups from people who are considering a move to Portugal. Many of them ask what is the best place to live? After more than two years living in Portugal I think I can offer some useful information. My advice to anyone considering a move to this country is to come here for as long as you can to get a real sense of the place. You can do all the research in the world online; but nothing, nothing, compares with what you will learn by having your feet on the Portuguese earth.
Also, ask yourself a lot of questions: Are you used to living in a city? Do you want to have shopping and restaurants within easy reach? Do you get upset if you can’t find the products and food you are used to? Can you adapt to new ways of doing things? Are you willing to learn a new language? Many Portuguese speak English but an ability to speak the language gives you a big advantage.
What are the most memorable things I’ve learned? Hard to say. I will list a few things in no particular order.
Portuguese people are some of the kindest you will meet anywhere. Almost without fail, they are willing to go the extra mile to spend time to offer you whatever help they can. That said, everybody gets that attention and you may have to wait your turn.
Portuguese bureaucracy can take time. Some expats complain about the amount of bureaucracy to do things like getting a driving license or opening a bank account. Remember, all countries have their version of red tape. It’s just that when you move to a new country you have to deal with a lot of it all at once.
If you are 65 years old or more you travel half price on the trains. Comboios de Portugal, the train service in Portugal is efficient, on-time and very user friendly.
Portuguese weather is generally kind. It’s hot in the Alentejo and Algarve regions south of Lisbon, with summer temperatures soaring over 100 degrees F (38 Celsius). But in the central and northern regions it is more temperate. Winters are milder too, with frost or snow rare except in the far north. In most areas you can grow oranges, bougainvillea and banana trees.
Portuguese winters can be very wet! When it rains in Portugal it is often a deluge. The rain can continue for days.
Dampness can be a big problem in houses. Many people complain of mold and mildew in their homes. You have to be vigilant about ensuring adequate ventilation. Buy a dehumidifier!
Portuguese houses are usually not well insulated! They stay beautifully cool in the hot summers but can be freezing in the winter. An electric under blanket can make life cosy.
Many people rely on wood burning stoves for heat. Remember to buy most of your wood in the fall. If you buy supplies after Christmas you may end up with some damp wood. If you are paying for it by the ton, wet wood ends up costing you more and it is hard to get your fire going.
So, as I head into my third year here, I am happy to see flowers blooming on my land. I look forward to many hikes in the spring and to planting my vegetable garden.
So many colorful flowers to brighten each day. Abundant rain brings spring flowers
Christmas goodies on display at my local Intermarché supermarket in Portugal
As Christmas approaches, stores in Portugal are brimming with decorations, boxes of chocolates and mounds of foods appropriate to the season. Friends, neighbors and people in the stores are offering each other the traditional Christmas and New Year’s wishes, which in Portuguese are: “Feliz Natal e Prospero Ano Novo.” New Year’s Eve is called “Passagem do Ano” or passing of the year.
Fireworks are typical at the New Year season and the past two years even my rural area has, at times, sounded like the middle of a battlefield. Unfortunately the latest surge of Covid infections has forced the cancellation of many traditional firework displays and other public celebrations. Still, the city streets are decorated with colored lights and the atmosphere is festive.
Christmas decorations in Praça do Comercio and Rua Augusta in Lisbon, Dec. 2019.
While Portugal has a wealth of pastries for sale every day at its thousands of cafés, the traditional sweet eaten during the Christmas season is Bolo Rei or King’s cake. This is a round bread-like cake decorated with crystalized fruits. It is especially typical on January 6, the day celebrated for the arrival of the Magi, or three kings.
Turkey has become a staple of Christmas meals in the US and UK. Cranberry sauce is a regular accompaniment in the US, while brussels sprouts or parsnips are popular in the UK. When I lived in western Norway the Christmas dish for Julebord was pinnekjøttmade from dried salted ribs of lamb served with boiled potatoes. Here in Portugal traditional Christmas fare is bacalhau (dried salted cod) and cabbage. It seems counterintuitive that this would be a festive dish since dishes featuring bacalhau can be found on the menu year round at any restaurant. But there you go.
Bacalhau is an age old way of preserving codfish by salting it and drying it. Before it can be cooked it must be cut in pieces and soaked for many hours and the water changed several times to remove the salt. Huge slabs of dried cod are stacked in every supermarket year round, giving off a – shall we say – “distinctive” odor.
Stacks of bacalhau, dried salted cod, for sale at my local Intermarché supermarket.
Be sure to follow my blog to hear tales of everyday life in Portugal. Feliz Natal!
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