TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A list of posts categorized by topic. Within each topic posts are listed alphabetically and not by the date of publication. This page is updated regularly. Click on any title to read the post or click here to view the entire website.
ABOUT US
Had you ever visited Portugal before moving there? Nope.
Welcome to Our Portugal Journey – Here’s a little about us and why we decided to move to Portugal.
Where we currently live in Portugal – and the reasons why.
Why Portugal? Out of all the countries in the world, why move to Portugal?
Why we decided to move from the U.S. – Why we moved to Portugal in 2021.
BLOG ANNOUNCEMENTS, GENERAL INFORMATION
An Upgraded Reading Experience – A new way to read your favorite posts from Our Portugal Journey.
Getting the Most out of Our Portugal Journey – How to navigate this blog.
Join my Expat Chat – A private space for us to converse and connect.
Let’s Collaborate! – I’m open to working with other creators.
You have questions. I have answers. As me (almost) anything.
Ways to Support my Work – My content is free to everyone, but your support is always appreciated!
GUEST POSTS
Among the Americans in Lisbon – A guest post Jason Wilson
Boas Festas! Also known as Happy Holidays – A guest post by Nancy Whiteman
Christmas Lights in Sintra – A guest video by POV Tours
Peace on Earth – A guest post for Christmas week by Ladonna Witmer
Portuguese Wines from the Alentejo – A guest post by Tricia Conover
GUIDES, E-BOOKS, AND TUTORIALS
How to Donate or Recycle your Stuff – A list of resources to responsibly get rid of stuff.
Shipping your things to Portugal – Our personal experience with UPakWeShip.
Tipping Culture in Portugal – A Guide to Tipping Etiquette.
Using Mobile Phones in Portugal: - How to keep your US cellphone number while living in Portugal.
LIFE IN PORTUGAL – CAROL & PAUL’S EXPERIENCES, CHALLENGES, AND OBSERVATIONS
Beginnings and Endings – Little reflections on the past 3 years.
Finding Family – An unexpected Christmas gift.
Frustration, frustration, frustration. Our first real experience with Portuguese bureaucracy.
Have a nice life – How relationships can change when you move away.
My Dad’s Childhood Experience making Ginja – A story I recently discovered.
My Search for Ground Beef in Portugal – Why do things have to be so hard?
Our Car Buying Experience – Something we said we’d never do in Portugal.
Our First Christmas in Portugal – perhaps this year would be different…
Our first visit back to the U.S. – It had been 15 months. I was a bit apprehensive…
Saharan Dust Storms in Portugal – North African Dust – another new experience…
Saying Goodbye to the First Man I ever Loved.
Taking the Bus in Portugal – What would people think?
That must have been fun! - It was. Some of the time.
The Day we Almost Blew up a Village – The story of a twist of fate.
The Meaning Behind a 76-year-old pack of Herbs – Old Portuguese folklore rediscovered.
The Saga of the Traveling Pants – A Portuguese laundry story.
There’s a War on our Continent – A new experience for us.
VFS San Francisco – A (sort of) anniversary celebration for us.
What I learned from Steve McCurry – Not what I was expecting.
When life starts going sideways. Literally. Our first healthcare crisis in Portugal.
MADE IN PORTUGAL
Porches Pottery – Keeping artisan traditions alive.
Taleiga Handmade – Preserving the cultural heritage of Portugal.
Terra Rustica – Part of my new Made in Portugal series.
MOVING TO/LIVING IN PORTUGAL
Driving in Portugal
Driving in Portugal for Foreign Residents – Licenses, age limits, and other concerns.
Health
Cancer treatment in Portugal – How good is it?
The Emergency Medical ID Card – Easier emergency communicating in Portugal.
When life starts going sideways. Literally. Our first healthcare crisis in Portugal.
Housing
Finding a Place to Live -Part One – The Housing Situation in Portugal.
Finding a Place to Live – Part Two – The Housing Situation in Portugal.
Where should I live in Portugal? Spoiler alert: I don’t have the answer.
Language
Learning the Lingo – How much Portuguese do expats really have to know?
Legal issues
Legal Rights in Portugal – Reproductive and other sensitive rights issues.
Living in Portugal
Dazed and confused in Portugal – Confusing things that can trip you up.
Is Failing an Option? What if Portugal is not right for you?
Minding your Manners – Unspoken Portuguese rules of etiquette.
Race Discrimination in Portugal – Unmasking the hidden realities.
What we Learned about Guarantees and Warranties – Our coffee maker experience.
Shipping
Shipping your things to Portugal – Our personal experience with UPakWeShip.
Taxes & Finance
Fiscal Injustice? My ‘two cents’ on sunsetting the NHR.
Live Like a King in Portugal? Yes. No. Maybe…
Taxes in Portugal – What expats should know about NIFs, NHR Status, and filing tax returns.
PORTUGAL FOOD, WINE, AND TRAVEL
Portuguese food
Portuguese Sausage: Choriço – The start of something delicious in my Portuguese kitchen!
Cantinho do Avillez Cascais – Contemporary Portuguese cuisine in the heart of Cascais.
Portuguese wine & spirits
Adega Belém Urban Winery – A new concept in wine tourism for Portugal.
Bafarela 17 Vinho Tinto – Portuguese wine tasting notes.
My Dad’s Childhood Experience making Ginja – A story I recently discovered.
Portuguese Bolota – Nectar from the mighty oak tree.
Regionalarte Handicraft Production – Liqueurs from the Algarve, Portugal.
Portugal travel
Festivals, holidays, and celebrations
5 Key Facts about the Carnation Revolution – A celebration of freedom in Portugal.
Carnival in Portugal. It’s a big deal here.
Castanha Season in Portugal – Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Celebrating Festas Junina and Eating Sardines.
Discovering the Feast of the Red Vest - Festa do Colete Encarnado.
Halloween Celebrations in Portugal – Lots of meaning and history.
Holidays, Celebrations, and Festivals in Portugal – There are many…
Jacaranda Season in Portugal – Lisbon’s lilac canopy.
Portugal Changing of the Guard Ceremony.
Valentine Celebrations in Portugal – A little romance steeped in legend.
Museums and attractions
Buddha Eden Garden – Larger than life!
I Saw the Mouth of Hell – And I was fascinated by it.
Museu Medeiros de Almeida – A hidden gem in Lisbon worth a visit.
Presidential Palace of Belém – An exclusive tour of the historic gardens.
QUAKE – A new interactive experience – The 1755 earthquake that destroyed Lisbon.
The Last Folio – One photographer’s personal quest for memories.
Visiting the National Coach Museum – when ‘horsepower’ was the real thing.
Walking the Trilho das Vinhas – Urban and rural co-exist on a hidden ecological trail.
Villages, cities, places to stay
A Bone-Chilling Place? Chapel of Bones in Évora.
Eating Chocolate Cake in a 17th Century Guest House - Casa do Adro da Igreja.
For a minute I thought we were back in Scottsdale! Apolónia Supermercados.
Lady in Red Contemporary Art Gallery – Weirdly interesting.
Monsaraz, Portugal – A Medieval village in the Alentejo.
Playing Tourist in Lisbon – Three days of fun in the city.
Pousada do Convento da Graça – Old Portuguese convent repurposed into a hotel.
Pousada de Viseu – Be a guest in a former hospital.
Sleep in a ‘museum’ – Casa da Picva in Obidos, Portugal.
The Village of Cabeça – A genuine “head” trip.
Vila Nova de Milfontes – Little village in coastal Alentejo.
Visiting Paço de Arcos – A hidden Portuguese gem on the coast – for now.
Visiting Palmela Portugal – A village of ancient history and wine.
PORTUGAL MISCELLANEOUS
Killer Whales off the Coast of Portugal – Some disruptive behavior going on.
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a (big) bird! – The White Storks of the Alentejo and the Algarve.
My Summer Reading List - With a Portuguese theme.
Portuguese Music – Memories and my playlist.
What are all these Ceramic birds? The significance of the swallow in Portugal.
What I’m Reading – Blogs about Portugal I recommend [April 2022]
Where is Portugal? A little lesson in geography.
Wrapping up Our Portugal Journey – At least for 2022.
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE OF PORTUGAL
Coming soon…
TRAVEL TIPS
New Visa Requirements for Americans Traveling to Europe.
Portugal Travel Tips – The essential things to know for Portugal travel.
The Emergency Medical ID Card – Easier emergency communicating in Portugal.
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) – Safe travel registration.
Travel from U.S. to Portugal Updates - Things to know before traveling to Portugal and beyond.
VIDEOS
Bits & Bites – Fall 2023. My summer sucked but now I’m back.
Bits & Bites Winter 2023-24. A glimpse of our lives in Portugal.
Happy New Year from Our Portugal Journey! [2023]
Holiday Greetings from Our Portugal Journey – Year ending 2023
I Saw the Mouth of Hell. And I was fascinated by it…
Our first year in Portugal – A recap of our first year in our Portugal journey.
Portugal Changing of the Guard Ceremony.
Presidential Palace of Belém – An exclusive tour of the historic gardens.
QUAKE – A new interactive experience – The 1755 earthquake that destroyed Lisbon.
Terra Rustica – Part of my new Made in Portugal series.
Walking the Trilho das Vinhas – Urban and rural co-exist on a hidden ecological trail.
VISA INFORMATION
Apostille and Certified Documents – Understanding the differences.
How to Get an FBI Criminal Record Check – Why you may need one.
Our D7 Residence Visa Experience – Our personal experience at VFS San Francisco.
Portuguese Consulates and VFS Global Offices – A Quick List [Updated April 2024]
Private Health Insurance for Expats in Portugal – Insurance requirements for a D7 visa application.
Residence Visas in Portugal – Documents for a D7 Residence permit in Portugal [Updated 2024].
Types of Visas in Portugal – Portugal Residence visas for U.S. Citizens [Updated 2024]
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