48 hours with me: a French expatriate in Portugal

August 15, 2018

Today, I’m taking you away for a whole weekend with me, Anne-Sophie, a French expatriate in Portugal. I arrived in this small Iberian country in April 2013. Back then, you didn’t hear as much about Portugal as you do now. I’d never set foot in the country before living here. I’d only heard about it a few times from my friends of Portuguese origin who went there every summer, and I knew about “Porto”, the famous elixir known the world over. Suffice to say that my knowledge of the country was very limited.

In this introduction, I’d like to stress that there’s a big difference between spending a few days or weeks in Portugal and living there. Expatriating to another country is an adventure that you have to prepare well in advance, and you have to be able to live it on the spot. I see a lot of people who arrive in Portugal and, after 1 year, end up returning to their own country. It’s your curiosity and desire to discover that will help you, in part, to make a success of your expatriation. For the past 7 years, I’ve never stopped “moving around” whenever I have a free moment to explore and discover new places that bring me a little closer to Portuguese culture. For me, this is one of the keys to a successful expatriation.

Today, in this article, I’m taking you away with me for a weekend in Portugal.

DAY 1 with a French expatriate in Portugal: Saturday August 4

7:00 am: It’s Saturday, August 4, 2018, it’s quite early here but it’s already 25 degrees and I’m waking up. These days, it’s a heatwave in Portugal. It hasn’t been this hot in the country since 1981! Since I’ve been living in Portugal, I like to get up early even at weekends to make the most of the beautiful sunny days that Portugal regularly offers us. One of the first things I do in the morning is look out the window. I love looking at the particular colors offered by the city of Lisbon: its deep blue sky, its colorful houses, its ochre roofs… We’re in Lisbon on an August morning.

The roofs of Lisbon.

7:30 am: I put on my sneakers, my sports outfit and go down the 4 floors of my building(by the stairs of course, otherwise it wouldn’t be funny), because, as is often the case in Lisbon buildings, I don’t have an elevator. I’m now running towards the Tagus and starting to walk along this magnificent river. You should know that in Portugal, and in Lisbon in my case, sports enthusiasts have plenty to do. In addition to the many gyms in and around the capital(Holmes Place, Fitness Hut, Virgin Active…), the city also offers numerous spots for running, cycling, surfing… Today, I chose to walk along the banks of the Tagus, which are very well equipped for runners, walkers and cyclists, with dedicated lanes. I decided to go as far as the“Padrão dos descobrimentos” in the Belém district. Along the way, I pass many of Lisbon’s most famous landmarks, such as the April 25th Bridge, the MAAT Museum, the Museo dos Jeronimos, the pastelaria of the famous pasteis de Belém, where the smell of hot Pastel de Nata titillates my nostrils…

Jogging along the banks of the Tagus with the April 25 bridge in the background.

I like to vary the routes and I never see the time go by, so pleasant is it to contemplate the beautiful scenery along the way. Every weekend in the mornings, I always allow myself a session of sport, often running, but sometimes surfing too. For surfing, I have to go to the seaside, so it takes longer, but even though I’m a beginner and it’s exhausting(yes! yes! surfing is really exhausting), I love it! The spots atEriceira, Costa da Caparica and Carcavelos are particularly good for beginners. However, I never go alone, but with an instructor for optimum safety, because let’s not forget that it’s still the Atlantic and that it’s a sport that needs to be supervised. For my part, I always go through Carlo de l’Organic Surf School Ericeira.

Photo with friends before jumping into the water for a surf session.

9:00: My tummy starts rumbling. After the effort, the comfort! In Portugal, it’s customary to eat breakfast outside. Living in Portugal also means adapting to local habits and customs, so I too have taken up the habit of eating breakfast outside. So I head for the pastelaria(bakery-pastry shop) on the corner of my street to tuck into a HUGE“croissant brioche com fiambre“. You know the Portuguese “bread pudding” croissant with ham that I regularly talk about on the blog or on the Facebook group “Amoureux du Portugal”. I talk about it very often because I simply love it. And as you also know, I often accompany it with a little squeezed orange juice, because oranges here are bursting with sunshine and therefore exquisite. You should know that this croissant brioche can be eaten in the “normal” way, i.e. with the ham (and cheese for those who want it) that are put in the cold croissant brioche, but you can also ask for it“prensado“. In this case, the croissant is lightly crushed in a sort of hot sandwich press, which isn’t bad either, but I confess I prefer it cold. To each his own, you might say!

Croissant brioche com fiambre prensado with a good squeezed orange juice.

9:30am: Time to shower and get dressed for a busy day.

10:00: Today I’m joining a friend in Montijo, a town on the other side of the Tagus. I’ve already told you a little about it in my previous article on the Lisbon region. I’ve been living in Lisbon for several years now, yet I’ve never been there before. What’s more, this is the first time I’ve taken the ferry to Lisbon! So I walk to the Cais do Sodré ferry station, which is right next to the train station of the same name.

Cais do Sodré station

Taking the ferry is very simple, and works just like any other form of transport. All you need is a loaded Viva Viajem transport card (which you can pick up at any automatic machine located in metro and train stations), and then you swipe your card at the entrance to the transport you’re taking, whether bus, streetcar, ferry, metro or train, and the fare is automatically deducted. So here I am on the ferry for the 25-minute crossing from Lisbon to Montijo. It’s a fast trip. It’s so nice to sail on the Tagus and see Lisbon from another point of view.

When the ferry arrives at Cais so Sodré, we’re ready to board!

10.25am: I arrive at the port of Montijo, where my friend is waiting for me, and over a cup of coffee we chat about everything and anything(a chat between nénettes, you can imagine what it’s like ;)).

12:00: I take the ferry back to Lisbon, where I’m due for lunch. The restaurant where I’m meeting for lunch is a tasca not far from the famous Bairro Alto district. The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from the ferry station. a 15-minute walk is nothing, but let me remind you of the context: it’s early August, it’s one of the hottest days in Portugal since 1981, and I’ve got a nice hill to climb between Cais do Sodré and Bairro Alto. Oh yes! don’t forget one thing, Lisbon is also called the city of 7 hills… and not for nothing! I’ll say no more, but you’ll soon guess why…

Not an easy climb on Lisbon’s slippery cobblestones in 40-degree heat 🙂

12:45: I arrive at the tasca Zapata. This is the kind of place I love. In a small street, far from the crowds of tourists, a tiny entrance, you go in thinking it’s tiny and in the end a maze of small rooms appear as you make your way through the restaurant. There’s no fuss here, just paper tablecloths, simple crockery and a menu written in felt pen on the wall.

A large sheet of paper on which are written the various dishes offered by the restaurant.

You can see the cooks preparing the dishes, and the smell of grilled meats and other simmering foods awakens your senses and permeates your hair and clothes … but never mind! Here you’ll find generous, authentic home cooking at unbeatable prices. I’m not going to review Portuguese gastronomy, as you already know I’m not objective(I’m a fan!), but if you want to know a bit more about it, I invite you to read or re-read my article dedicated to Portuguese gastronomy on the blog. Today, we’ll be eating“picanha” accompanied by half a jug of“vinho verde“(yes! half a jug, we’re wise). It’s already 3:00 p.m., which means it’s time to get up and get on with the day.

A large dish of Picanha meats accompanied by rice, French fries, pineapple and red beans.

4:00 pm: I have an appointment with one of my clients at his offices near the Estrela Gardens. I’m a digital marketing freelancer, a trivial term that encompasses everything to do with communication on the Internet. So I work mainly from home, but sometimes meet my clients in their companies and also like to work in co-working spaces. In fact, Lisbon is full of them, so it’s quite nice to change spots regularly and work in places with different atmospheres. In Portugal, cafés, restaurants, kiosks… are almost all equipped with WIFI, so it’s easy to work from anywhere. In the end, it’s a bit like changing offices all the time. So routine never sets in.

5:00 pm: My appointment comes to an end and I take advantage of being near the Estrela garden to go for a walk. I love this place. I’m quite a city person, but I like the fact that I live in a “big” city and still have the opportunity to find a little peace and quiet from time to time. The Estrela garden is one of those peaceful places where I like to spend some time. There are waterholes, trees, palm trees, kiosks for eating and drinking, and you can hear the birds singing…

Shady gazebo in Estela’ sgarden .

There are many other places like this in Lisbon, where time stands still amid the hustle and bustle of the capital. These include the Monsanto parks, the Cerca da Graça garden, the Eduardo VII park at Marques Pombal, the banks of the Tagus, and lookouts such as senhora do monte, santa luzia, sao pedro de alcantara. .

Kiosk on the banks of the Tagus, where you can sip a drink or eat a pastel de nata in peace and quiet.

6.00 pm: Oops, it’s already 6 pm! I’ve got to hurry, I haven’t got much time. I make a quick trip to the local supermarket to do some shopping for my aperitif with friends this evening: vinho verde, water and pasteis de bacalhau will do the trick! As in all capitals, in downtown Lisbon you’ll find plenty of small supermarkets and grocers to do your shopping. The main brands in the city center are Mini Preço, Pingo Doce, Meu Super and Continente Bom dia. However, for the most bulky and heavy groceries, I opt for delivery via“Continente Online“, which I’m very satisfied with, but you can also find other stores offering this service, such as Jumbo Online, Leclerc Online… If you live in the center of town, it’s quite practical to do your shopping online, because between the difficulty of finding a parking space near your home to empty the trunk, the heavy shopping to carry with slippery cobblestones and the flights of stairs to climb, having your groceries delivered is finally priceless!

6:30 pm: I’m due in Belém in 1/2 an hour. With today’s extreme heat, still 37° at 6:30 p.m., I’m not going to take the streetcar at the risk of arriving in a sweat for my aperitif with friends. So I decided to order a cab online via the“mytaxi” application( now called “freenow“), which I use fairly regularly even though I prefer public transport in Lisbon. The app is very easy to use and there are no price surprises, as the price is announced before the journey. So I order my cab, which will be 8€ for 10km. The app warns me that my cab is arriving in 3 minutes, it’s on time, I hop in and off I go in the direction of Belém and more specifically the marina at the foot of the Padrão dos Descobrimentos where I went for a run earlier in the day.

7.00 pm: My friends join me and we’re off for an aperitif that’s a little atypical, as it’s on a sailboat at sunset. It’s not the first time I’ve opted for this activity, which is a welcome change from the usual aperitifs in a bar or rooftop in the city. We’re 8 friends: Portuguese, French and Belgian. Being a French expatriate in Portugal means meeting locals and other expatriates of different nationalities, and I love this mix of cultures! Our 2-hour sunset cruise costs around 30 euros per person. I always go through the same person because the service is always impeccable: Rui from PalmaYachts. Music, sunshine, blue skies, an aperitif, friends… the cocktail is perfect for a 2-hour cruise on the Tagus, discovering the beauty of Lisbon from the river. Along the way, we pass some of Lisbon’s most emblematic landmarks:

padrão dos Descobrimentos,
the Belem Tower,
the MAAT Museum,
the Electricity Museum,
cristo Rei Sanctuary,
the April 25th Bridge,
the Praça do Comércio..

“I am the master of the world” … Port of Belém with the Padrão dos descobrimentos in the background.

8:30 pm: The sun is now below the April 25th bridge, and is about to set.

Sunset over the Tagus.

9:00 pm : We arrive at the port, and the tour is over. We head for the center of Belém, scouring the narrow streets for a little tasca where my friends and I can dine. We find one, in a secluded little street, and spend the evening enjoying some good grilled sardines.

Dish of grilled sardines for one person.

11:00 pm: It’s still very hot in Lisbon on this summer’s evening, and greedy as we are, we confidently head for the famous “Pasteis de Belém” pastelaria. Unlike during the day, when you have to wait quite a while in line to get a chance to taste this delicious pastry, in the evening there’s no waiting and the pastelaria is open until midnight! So we quickly bought our little box of Pasteis de Belém and went to taste them in the garden opposite the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.

11.45pm: After a beautiful day, it’s time to head home, as another busy day awaits me tomorrow.

DAY 2 with a French expatriate in Portugal: Sunday August 5

6:00: The alarm clock is already ringing! I’ve got to hurry. This morning I’m off to the north for a baptism. After a 5-hour drive, I arrive in Chaves, a town in the north of Portugal, inland from the Spanish border and about 1 hour 40 minutes from Porto. Portugal is a small country, and as I’ve already mentioned inone of my previous articles, the motorway network is pretty well laid out and serves the towns well from north to south, so the road isn’t too complicated…. it’s always straight ahead 🙂

12:00: The christening ceremony is about to begin. I’m in a cute little church in a village near Chaves.

Small church in Portugal.

I’ve already taken part in several weddings in Portugal, but this is my first baptism. These events are very important in Portuguese life. They’re a time for celebration, but also a time for sharing, and for getting together with family and friends. The month of August is often favored for these events, as it’s a month when Portuguese families living in France, Switzerland… come to Portugal for the vacations, so it’s the ideal time for the whole family to be present. The christening ceremony lasts around forty minutes, and features codes similar to those for christenings in France, although I’d never seen the use of the shell to pour the water over the baptized. A custom that existed in France in the past, but is not very common today.

The shell and the baptismal candle.

1:00 pm: The naming ceremony is over, and it’s time for the feast. Why “the feast”? Because I think it’s the best word to describe the meal that awaits me.

1:30 pm: I’ve already mentioned it several times, particularly in my article on gastronomy, but in Portugal, food is a central part of the culture. Good, generous food. And the further north you go in Portugal, the more generous it becomes! So, as you can imagine, at weddings, christenings and the like, you’ll want for nothing! This christening is no exception, with three starters, two main courses and three desserts, all accompanied by Douro wines. So when you’re invited to a wedding, christening or birthday party in Portugal, be sure to prepare your stomach 😉

Table d’honneur at a christening.

17H30: I leave the table. I can’t really move, I’ve eaten so much! A short digestive walk is in order.

6.00 pm: I arrive at my friends’ house, where I’m spending the night before setting off again tomorrow morning. They live in a small village of around fifty people, which triples in size in August when the “emigrants return to the village”, as they say. I love these small Portuguese villages, simply for their authenticity and return to simple methods and values: the wash-house where some ladies still clean their laundry with long rectangular soaps, the huge ovens in town where bread or suckling pigs are baked, the sheep that roam the streets accompanied by their shepherd, the donkeys harnessed to carry bales of straw, the people at their windows or in the streets who all know each other and say “Boa Tarde, tudo bem?” …

Washhouse in Portugal.

6:30 pm: After lunch’s feast, I’m not really hungry any more, but my hosts suggest I go into the garden to find something to cook for the evening. In the village, all the houses have huge vegetable gardens that yield far more vegetables and fruit than the whole village needs. At the moment, there are potatoes, zucchinis, cucumbers, lettuces, watermelons… We’re also picking up eggs from the hens and discovering the bunnies born just a few days ago. At the other end of the village, we hear a horn honking: it’s the bread delivery man arriving. Maybe it’s silly, and I’m probably sounding like a city girl, but it’s good to get back to simple, authentic things.

Picking potatoes in a very appropriate outfit 🙂

19H30: The vegetables are washed, peeled, chopped and mixed. We put everything in a saucepan and, after a few dozen minutes of simmering, the soup is ready. We accompany it with a few slices of “homemade” presunto(like everything else here) and a little “broa”, my favorite Portuguese bread, and I think my hosts know it. As far as drinks are concerned, we’ll be having“Agua das Pedras“, the sparkling water that’s found all over Portugal and whose “Pedras Salgadas” springs are about thirty kilometers from Chaves.

9.00 pm: After a good supper, I’m off to bed and back on the road to return to Lisbon early tomorrow morning.

Tic, Tac… The 48 hours are up

The 48 hours in Portugal with me, French expatriate in Portugal, are over. Of course, I don’t do boat tours or christenings every weekend, but with this article I wanted to show you a bit of the range of things to do and discover when living in Portugal. From the frenzy of a big city like Lisbon to the authenticity of small Portuguese villages. This country has so many riches: architectural, culinary, natural… that you really have to take advantage and explore them. There’s never a dull moment, and there’s always something to do. As you can see, my weekend was very busy, and all my weekends have been since I’ve been living here. It’s really a pure pleasure to discover new things all the time!

what doyou like to do at weekends in Portugal?

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