Saggy socks send message of support

Showing me and my two best friends — From left: Janie, Rosalie and Julia, at a reunion in London in pre-Covid times.

Portugal is back in lockdown again as the numbers of those infected with the Covid virus have skyrocketed. Since January 15, restaurants, cafés and non-essential businesses have been closed. Schools closed a week later. The streets of my local towns of Tomar, Ferreira de Zezere and Freixanda are deserted. On top of that, the weather has been rainy. It’s all very sad.

The silver lining in this miasma of gloom is the support I have from several old friends. Thank goodness for technology and the memory of our schoolgirl socks.

I had a very unusual upbringing for an American child. I was sent to an English boarding school at age nine.

It was the 1960s, and staff at the school had lived through WWII and the Blitz. They epitomized the stiff upper lip, no molly-coddling approach to life. They didn’t take kindly to whining or moaning. No, the response was, “You need to jolly well pull your socks up!”

This turn of phrase had less to do with our clothing – we wore brown knee socks, even in winter – than a reminder to just get on with life and don’t give excuses.

Another colorful phrase I remember was, “We don’t have any goo-goo sop-sops here!”

It may sound as though this was an inhospitable environment but I am grateful for the experience. At boarding school I met Janie and Julia, who have remained my friends throughout my life.

In the five decades since our schooldays, the three of us have collected marriages, children and grandchildren. We’ve endured some of life’s toughest blows as well; divorces, the loss of children, ill health.

One of the beautiful things that has happened as a result of the Covid nightmare is the reconnection we have established. Thank goodness for technology.

Our weekly Zoom and Houseparty conversations over the last few months have brought us closer than we’d been in years. We can let down our guard, allow ourselves to show vulnerability and freely give each other the support of trusting friendship.

I have promised my dear friends, “I will never say pull your socks up and I will never call you a goo-goo sop-sop.” So maybe we three will proudly call ourselves the Socks Around the Ankles Gals.

Child’s socks around the ankles — As a child of nine at boarding school in England, we were told to “Jolly well pull your socks up!” which meant, get on with life and don’t expect any molly-coddling.

Déja vu again as we wait for spring

With Covid restrictions in place yet again, it is a relief to be able to walk in the woods. Nature is a joy, but sometimes you do need human company.

I feel like I am re-watching a dark movie. Portugal went into Covid lockdown again on January 15. At the same time, the glorious weather we’d been having switched to days of rain. It’s like the early months of 2020 all over again.

Under lockdown, people are required to stay home except for essential trips to buy food, attend medial appointments or other activities deemed essential. Cafes, bars and restaurants are once again closed. The weekend curfews mean no traveling between municipalities from 8 pm Friday evening to 5 am Monday morning.

Looking out at the empty street of my village and the rain dripping off the trees it feels sad. Like a war where we are held hostage by an invisible enemy. In this war, unlike others, we cannot cling to each other for support. In this war, solitude can be a killer too.

Covid numbers skyrocket

Until late autumn, Portugal (population 10.2 million) had done a good job containing the virus compared to much larger European neighbors like Spain, France and Italy. But since November, numbers of infections have soared.

As of January 26, there are more than 643,000 Covid cases and 10,000 deaths from the disease in Portugal according to the statistics tracking site Worldometers.info.

Voters brave lockdown in presidential election

Despite the pandemic, Portugal was able to hold a presidential election on Sunday, January 24. It was such a low-key affair compared to the razz-a-ma-tazz of the recent US election. I went down my local Sunday morning market (operating at a fraction of its normal activity level because of the restrictions.) The local post office functioned as a polling site. A flyer showing photos of the seven candidates was posted on the wall. Instructions told voters to wear masks and use their own pens.

Incumbent Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa won another 5-year term. This kindly looking 72-year-old former professor will have a tough job. But brighter days are hopefully ahead. As of January 26, more than 255,000 vaccines have been administered. Prime Minister Antonio Costa, the man with executive power, is predicting 70 percent of the Portuguese population will receive the injections by late summer.

So, roll on spring and summer. It rained a lot during the lockdown last year too. The wonderful part of that was the dazzling display of gorgeous flowers. I am looking forward to that!

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Just a few of the infinite array of flowers blooming during the 2020 Covid spring lockdown.

Portuguese healthcare, a welcome change

A sign at my local health clinic explains the different routes by which expatriates can obtain healthcare in the Portuguese system.

I admit, one of the things that prodded me into retiring in Portugal was my fear of the US healthcare system. Even if you reach the golden age, as I did, where you can enroll in Medicare, it remains expensive, complex and often frustrating to get care when you need it.

In fact, the colossal cost of healthcare is one of the leading reasons why people file for bankruptcy in the US.

My experience of Portugal’s health system has been a delightful change from the costly bureaucratic US nightmare.

I was recently able to see my local primary care doctor and get several lab test with no hassle and no cost! Yay!

Special Circumstances

But I have a huge advantage over most US citizens who move to Portugal. I have a second passport – from Ireland which is an E.U. Country. I was able to obtain this through my Irish grandparents.

Using my Irish passport, I was able to get a 5-year residency permit from my local Camara Municipal (the local government office.) I also registered the Centro de Saude (health center) where I got a “Numero de Utente” or Users Number, so I could then register with the doctor who visits my village.

I also got help from the local Social Security office to get registered in the Portuguese social security system.

Visiting the Doctor

The health clinic in my village is open twice a week; Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings. There is also a pharmacy next door.

I had no need to visit the clinic until recently when I thought I should get a mammogram and see about the heartburn that has bothered me lately.

At the clinic, I showed the document with my numero de utente and the social security number, explained my problems and was told to wait.

After about 30 minutes I was able to see the doctor who spoke good English (I always start in Portuguese but often they switch languages if you are struggling.) He wrote orders for a raft of tests, including the mammogram.

I was able to get blood tests without hassle at a lab in the nearby town and will have to book appointments for the mammogram and other tests for a date next month.

It’s Different for US Citizens

For US citizens without the benefit of an Irish or other EU passport, you have to obtain private health insurance before moving to Portugal. There are many options but many expats have recommended Ged Heaney, a Scotsman who lives in Porto. I consulted him about travel health insurance for the trip back to the US and he was very helpful.

Five things I love about living in Portugal

Sun peaks over the eastern horizon. I love seeing this view in the morning from my kitchen window.

1. Dawn. My house faces southeast so when I look out my kitchen window in the morning I can see the sun peeping over the horizon on the other side of the valley in the direction of Spain. In this time of Covid, with all its challenges, I welcome the sight of the sun at dawn as a sign of hope.

2. The bread lady. Five years ago, when I walked the Camino de Santiago, I noticed a van would drive through the villages, honking its horn and delivering bread to the houses that had a bag hanging on their door handles. Here in my village, I have the same experience. A van from the Pecado Divino padaria (bakery) in Rio de Couros comes barreling though the village to deliver bread rolls. I hang my bag with change in it on the gate post and the lady van driver, the padeira, stops and leaves me my fresh rolls. I even named my dog Divina, after the bakery, it means divine sin.

3. My neighbors. I live in a tiny village atop a hill in Central Portugal. Many of the houses are empty. Like elsewhere, people here have left the villages for the cities and better employment opportunities. Several of the homes are owned by expats – Belgians, British, Dutch, Italian. But everyone I have met has been outgoing and welcoming and I feel very much at home here. I especially like my near daily chats with my old Portuguese neighbor. She is a widow in her late 70s or early 80s. We chat frequently. I understand about 10 to 15 percent of what she says and I try my best as my language skills improve. But I love the contact.

4. My local hardware store. Manuel and Erminda, the couple that run the hardware store located about 4 km (2.5 miles) from my house, are always kind, patient and helpful. This is a trait I have found in almost all my dealings with Portuguese people. They are always willing to be helpful and they will give you time. You may have to wait for service because everyone gets the time.

5. My local restaurant. Saavedra’s. During the time that people have been allowed to go to restaurants in this dire era of Covid, I have so enjoyed eating lunch there. Fernando and his wife who run the restaurant and serve meals are the sweetest kindest people. You can see the smile even behind a mask. A wonderful three-course lunch with wine costs about 10 euros or less. I love the Doce de Casa dessert.

Olive grove near my village in Central Portugal. I love walking past scenes like this in the morning when I take my dog out.

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Three of my favorite foods in Portugal

I’ve been living in Portugal for 18 months now, long enough to sample a variety of the wonderful food that the Portuguese are so proud of. It’s too hard to list them all but here a three of my favorites.

Bacalhau á Bràs: it’s found in almost any local restaurant, one of the innumerable recipes made from dried salted cod. The cod is rehydrated and mixed with egg, potato sticks and olives. Sound odd? No doubt, but I love the simplicity of it, like a Portuguese version of one of those comfort food recipes like shepherd’s pie or meat loaf.

This Bacalhau á Bràs recipe is from Maura at Hostel 33, a place I was fortunate enough to stay a couple of nights on my research trip to Portugal in 2018.

Maura and Paulo, hosts at Hostel 33 in Ferrel, near Peniche. Maura’s speciality is Bacalhau a bras.

Pastry

In my mind, nothing says Portugal like a pastel (plural pasteis) de nata. These wonderful concoctions of creamy custard encased in crispy flaky pastry are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of espresso coffee as you sit at a cafe and contemplate the world.

The recipe was developed about 300 years ago by monks at the Mosteirio dos Jerónimos in Belem. Although cafes all over Portugal serve these delightful pastries, the most famous is Pastéis de Belém, located at Rua de Belém 84, near Lisbon. The cafe has been making them since 1837.

Pasteis de nata served with a cinnamon shaker and coffee, perfect for a mid-morning treat.

Olives

Olives were never part of my food repertoire growing up. But 18 months in Portugal, where they grace the table at every restaurant as soon as you sit down, has made me an enthusiast.

I now live in an area surrounded by olive trees and I have spent hours helping neighbors with the annual olive harvest. Last year, one of my neighbors offered me the opportunity to pick some for eating. You can’t eat olives straight off the tree, you have to pickle them in brine first. It is a lengthy process but worth it if you have the time and the inclination.

Olives need to be picked before they can be eaten. They are sold at markets all over Portugal.

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Five tips for surviving winter in Portugal

View from my home in central Portugal on a rare frosty morning. I had to wrap my little orange tree to protect it from the cold weather.

Portuguese houses are usually built of stone which makes them great places to live in the summer, but damp and chilly in the winter. My first winter was a bit rough, but I have learned a lot about how to adapt. Here are some tips from what I have learned.

1. Be prepared for rain. Although temperatures here in Portugal are generally milder than many parts of the US, it usually rains a lot from November onward. Stone houses stay wonderfully cool in the summer, but they can feel freezing in the winter.

2. Electricity is expensive in Portugal, so people use dryers sparingly. Take advantage of any sunny dry day to hang out your washing. When I lived in Ireland, my Irish neighbors would call a sunny breezy day “A great drying day.”

3. Buy a dehumidifier. With all that rain, the interior of most Portuguese homes gets very damp. Mildew can be a problem and it smells unpleasant. Hanging out your bedding on a dry sunny day is a good idea too. That is a custom in many northern European countries.

4. Open windows whenever you can. Even a small amount of fresh air wafting through a room helps combat the effects of dampness.

5. Electric blower heaters can be costly to run. Heaters that use butane gas provide a quick source of heat for those chilly mornings, and they have rollers so they can be moved to different rooms. Initially you have to buy the gas bottle, after that you just pay for the refill. At the moment a refill costs around 24 Euros. The heaters can be purchased for around 70 Euros.

Sunshine, stars bode well for 2021 – I hope

Sheets drying on the clothes line strung between my olive trees. A morning of sunshine and breezes after days of rain brightened my spirits in time for Christmas Eve in my Portuguese village.

A bright sunny day always makes me smile. Here in my Portuguese village I appreciate it even more at this time of year.

This is my second December in Portugal and now I know to expect a lot of rain. It´s not as cold as I was used to in the high desert climate of Albuquerque, New Mexico, but the dampness brings its own problems. Electricity is expensive in Portugal so most of my neighbors depend on the good old fresh air to dry their washing. I do the same. It makes me remember one of my father´s neighbors in Ireland. If it was sunny with a good breeze she’d always call it ¨A great drying day!¨

So I felt I had a lot to be thankful for. On top of that, my astrologically expert friends told me that the planets Jupiter and Saturn were more closely aligned on the night of December 21, the Winter Solstice, than they had been in 800 years. According to one of my friends, the conjunction of these planets was in the sign of Aquarius. I don’t know anything about this stuff but apparently this is supposed to be an auspicious sign for 2021. Hey, I am ready to take any good news after the Covid-dominated challenges of 2020.

So, Boa Natal as they say in Portugal!

Happy to be home in Portugal!

So happy to see my little doggie companion Divina after a month-long visit to US to see my even more adorable granddaughter.

As soon as I spotted the red roofs of Lisbon from the airplane window, I felt elated to be home.

I’ve been living in Central Portugal for nearly 18 months now and each day in my rural community gives me a sense of joy that I just didn’t feel when I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. (I have to add USA as, believe it or not, a lot of people don’t realize that New Mexico is actually one of the 50 states.)

Even though people in my local town of Tomar are wearing masks on the street and in shops, I don’t feel the atmosphere of fear here that I noticed in the US. Yes, the number of Covid cases has soared in recent months. As of Dec. 21 Portugal, with a population of about 10.2 million, had about 374,000 cases and 6,000 deaths from the illness, compared to more than 18 million cases and more than 324,000 deaths in the USA.

But in the conversations I’ve had with friends and acquaintances since returning to Portugal, I’ve noticed that the subject matter isn’t all about the Coronavirus and being afraid so much of the time.

Still, I was utterly delighted to spend time with my little granddaughter Annika, who turns one year old today. Hearing her laugh or feeling her little body asleep on my chest after singing her a lullaby was one of the greatest joys I have ever felt. Being a grandmother is great.

Annika and I. Being a grandmother is so great.

So now I am back in Portugal, where it has been raining heavily. The Christmas lights are out in Tomar. The Lidl supermarket is full of cod and cabbages, the traditional Portuguese Christmas fare, and the trees are heavy with oranges.

Boa Natal!

My daughter-in-law Laci, Annika, and my son Patrick.

Portugal: rain and rainbows

Rainbow after a heavy downpour in April. Rain in Portugal is rarely a gentle shower, it’s more like a tropical downpour. But the flowers are lovely.

When I moved to Portugal in 2019, I knew it would rain. I thought I was prepared. After all, I’d lived in Ireland, England and southwestern Norway.

But rain in Portugal is different. It reminded me of a holiday in Bali. The travel agent had warned that it was the rainy season, but I wasn’t prepared for four days and nights of something that felt like standing under the shower and needing gills. Portuguese rain isn’t quite like that, but you get the picture.

I moved into my lovely, newly renovated stone cottage in July last year. For several months it was dry, dry, dry. The grass was dead, the hillsides were brownish, and did I mention, it was dry – and hot. However, despite, the heat a cooling breeze was always blowing over my hilltop village. And the stone walls of my cottage meant I never missed air-conditioning.

Come November, it started to rain, and rain, and rain. Stone walls are great for keeping out the heat. But guess what? Not great for cold temperatures. The house gradually felt damper and damper. The Bluetooth keyboard for my iPad even started to malfunction. Rooms started to smell of mildew.

A friend had planned to visit from the US. “I’m going to pack light, but you have a washer and dryer, don’t you?“ she said before arriving.

No, I don’t have a dryer. Electricity in Portugal is very expensive and most people I know depend on hanging out their clothes. Panic set in after days of rain, wondering if I would run out of clean underwear. The old Irish saying “It’s a great drying day” came to mind each time my phone indicated the possibility of some sunshine.

An umbrella, or chapeu de chuva, is part of the Portuguese rainy season uniform, so the Sunday morning market can go on.

Fast forward a year and I am better prepared. I have a better rain jacket and a better wood-burning stove. It’s made of iron instead of steel. It radiates and holds the heat better so I can always depend on it if I need to dry some clothes. I also invested in a dehumidifier to combat damp rooms and mildew.

So, let it rain, let it rain, let it rain. There’s always a rainbow to brighten up the darkest day!

10 things I love about living in Portugal

spring flowers in Portugal — Abundant rain this spring and central Portugal was carpeted with flowers

I first visited Portugal in 2011, exploring in and around Lisbon, with a short excursion to the Algarve village of Salema. I was so struck by the welcoming attitude of the Portuguese people I met, the charm of Lisbon and the laid-back atmosphere, that I began dreaming of retiring here. After a lot of hard work and planning, that dream became a reality for me in 2019. It hasn’t disappointed. Here are some of the things that have, and continue, to brighten my daily life.

1. Portuguese People

I have found so much kindness and such helpful attitudes. Like the MEO internet technician who spent an hour helping me set up my computer and re-wiring my power strip even though he knew that the MEO service the sales people proposed wouldn’t work for me and I wasn’t going to buy it. Another time, a Millennium bank manager phoned me in the US, before I moved, to tell me how I could set up a savings account to AVOID paying bank fees. Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes.

2. Coffee

I have become accustomed to the rich bitter taste of a “Bica” – what they call an espresso in Lisbon. A tiny thimbleful of dark high-octane coffee is just right mid-morning.

3. Natas

Of course you can’t have a coffee without a pastel de nata (plural pasteis de nata), the flaky pastry custard cream cakes that are synonymous in my mind with a Portuguese cafe.

4. Living in the country

I love walking out my door each morning with my dog. I have so many choices of where I can walk without having to drive somewhere and possibly pay for parking. I can walk past olive groves and vineyards and happily hail those I see with a “Bom Dia.”

5. Harvests

I’ve been so delighted to help neighbors with their grape harvest “Vendima” and to assist in picking “Azeitonas” (olives.) This is such a key part of rural life here in central Portugal and I am glad to join in and learn new skills.

6. Festas

Before the Corona virus changed all our lives, there were so many fun country festivals. Every weekend during the summer a different village would hold a festival with food, music and general jolliness.

7. Markets

I love going to the weekly markets in my area.Whether it’s the small Sunday market in the local village or the larger Monday or Friday markets in the towns of Tomar, Ferreira de Zezere or Freixanda. You wander around, shopping bag in hand, browsing the vegetables, dried fruit, nuts, olives, meat, fish, baked goods, clothing, tools, household goods and gardening supplies. I love listening to the shouts of the vendors and breathing in the scent of grilling chicken at the “Frango” stand.

8. Country stores

I love shopping at the little shops 3 kilometers from my house. The Amenhecer grocery has all the daily supplies I need. The hardware shop and gas/diesel station next door completes the list. And even though the stores are out in the country, the prices they charge are the same as the bigger supermarkets.

9. Poppies

Although I am not a big fan of rainy days, the old saying about April showers is true. The wet spring we had this year brought an explosion of wild flowers in myriad colors. Every morning was a visual feast.

10. Stars

Living out in the country there is little light pollution. On the many clear nights, I can look out my bedroom window and see a sky filled with stars infinitely brighter than I ever saw when I lived in the city.

spring flowers in central Portugal — So many colorful flowers to brighten each day.