One more day and we get picked up to start the first part of our journey home. We have virtually been in self isolation for the last week, and I have had way too much time for social media. Need to stay informed, but I am saturated. Daryl is encouraging me to stay busy doing something I enjoy, hence this post. Our plans of many places to visit and explore has been curtailed. Our only visitors have been birds on the deck. Lots of the biggest, fattest seagulls I have ever seen, with yellow beaks and feet.
Travel is such a wonderful experience in so many ways. Sometimes it is the little things that make me go, “Oh, look at that, so neat”. So here are a few of my observations of “neat things”.
Garbage bins are underground. The truck comes around, lifts the bins up and the bottom opens up to empty! Seriously how cool is that. Not having to deal with snow or ice is an advantage here for sure.
It seems everywhere we went, people find ingenious places to hang clothes. Most balconies have racks or clotheslines. Our first apartment had a washer but no dryer. I don’t know if that is the normal, however people do hang out their clothes. It could be due to electricity being expensive.
The first time we went grocery shopping was like going on an adventure. The store was massive and sold everything!
There are tons of wines from Portugal….full price range. We are about an hour from the airport. On arrival our driver was giving us practical information, including a list of the ‘good’ wines to buy. In anticipation of Heather and Mike coming, and the last day we were going to have a car for a while, we decided to stock up. Despite our best efforts we are having to leave some bottles behind. Our apartment has offered to store the wine until we come back, that is one way to age it!
Most of the towns we have visited have defibrillators on the sidewalks.
There are orange trees everywhere…well slight exaggeration. The oranges are the juciest, sweetest, tastiest morsels imaginable,
Standard issue. Definitely an alternative to the run on toilet paper:)
The heater in our bedroom, a wall mounted panel that gives off radiant heat. Really works.
Lots of wind surfing here. When people were still out and about this was a busy little area. Note the wet suit…. this Atlantic ocean is still too cold for me.
An elevator to the beach. Now that is the way to travel.
This town is really booming. Thankfully from this apartment we have an ocean view. From our first apartment we could watch buildings going up, at least eight cranes going at any given time. Also demolition happening.
I haven’t done any shopping here, when you travel with only carry on luggage there is no space for extras. However, couldn’t resist going to a cork store and getting one item. Have to be careful though, not all cork is created equal and not all made in Portugal.
For the most part we have similar trees and flowers. This one was interesting.
Electric bikes for rent. 
Solar powered tour boat.
And we must not forget the beer bottle that comes with a built in opener.
I even got to try the hospital system. Would not recommend anybody getting sick, but if you have to….well, no complaints from me about the treatment or system. But it was busy and I sat in a waiting room with many other people with my IV running.
Another time when I am not being a germaphobe I will give this a try. Looks ticklish.
And last, but not least, we had to go to a shop yesterday. Many social distancing rules in place. The grocery store was only allowing 30 people at a time (trust me, when we were there that was not a problem), and there were lines on the floor indicating how far apart people needed to be while waiting to check out.
Our trip to Portugal has been shortened by half. It is an amazing place to visit and we will be back.
Cheers
Ruth
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