Summer Vacation

June 16, 2024June 16, 2024 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

Right now Kyle and the kids are in Castelo Branco and I finally get a little bit of peace and quiet. I took the kids to Castelo Branco for a day trip a few weeks ago and it’s nice there. I need to go back and see more because we barely got to see it.

Summer vacation has been kind of rough, but we’re making it work. It’s so much easier when the kids are split up, so I’m taking Sofia on one more trip before school starts. Sofia has been wanting to go somewhere where the kids will understand what she is saying. I have been wanting to go to London for a long time, so that’s finally on our agenda for August! Obviously the language will be easy and I think that Sofia and I will like the food. I love palaces and gardens and London seems to have plenty of those. I love natural history museums and really miss them. London has one so we will definitely visit. Even better is that it’s free!

When the kids are in school we won’t be able to keep pulling them, so traveling will drastically slow down (for the kids anyway). Kyle and I agreed that we can each go on a 2-3 day trip by ourselves during the week while the other parent stays home. We will probably each take a trip every few months. In September Kyle will be going to Vienna to visit his sister. I’m excited for him. Vienna is on my list- really everywhere is on my list!

My first solo trip is going to be to Seville, Spain. I have been wanting to go but have heard about how hot it is during the summer, so the timing hasn’t been good. I think October or November will probably be a good time to visit. I’m excited to go but it will also be weird. I traveled before I met Kyle, but we met when we were 26. Then we had Sofia and Leo in our mid thirties. Things have been pretty loud and hectic since Sofia was born 5 years ago. It will be really strange to have so much silence and to not be showing the kids stuff. Whenever I go out without them I notice things that they would like and that I wish I could show them. I haven’t traveled completely solo since my early to mid twenties, which was a few decades ago now! I’m a little nervous about solo travel just because I have really come to appreciate the company of my family even though they drive me crazy sometimes.

In a few weeks I’m taking Leo to a Centerparcs in the Netherlands. Leo and I haven’t gotten a trip together, so it will be nice to spend a week with him. I loved Efteling, but that trip was hectic and busy so I am happy for a more laid back trip this time. Then I will have another hectic and busy trip when Sofia and I go to London. The Centerparcs Leo and I are staying at will be really close to a train station and only a 30-minute train ride from Amsterdam. I’m planning on going into Amsterdam for at least a few hours and hopefully we will be able to check out a town or two nearby.

This year has been absolutely insane travel wise. Once the kids are back in school I will have to start saving money, but that should be pretty easy. We have been bleeding money this summer. Entertaining kids is expensive! Kyle has been taking them out while I work and we have been paying a babysitter once a week so that Kyle and I can go out for a few hours. I suppose that all of the travel isn’t helping my savings account either, but after paying the bills I will almost always prioritize traveling. We have finally gotten used to living in Portugal, but it does still feel surreal how much we are getting to travel Europe and that we will get to do so for years to come. Especially now with Kyle and I planning on taking trips for 2-3 days at a time. I will get to see a lot of different places next year.

It has been different splitting up to go on these trips. It’s weird making memories with only half of my family, but I also think these trips can help future family trips. Now Sofia and I have a pretty good feel for Efteling, so when we all go as a family we will know what rides we’re excited to take Leo and Kyle on. Sofia and I will get to know London, which will definitely help in future trips because we will know which neighborhoods we do and don’t like. Kyle will know a bit about Vienna so whenever we all go together he can show us around. It has been an adjustment to go with only one kid, but it does make the trips a lot more affordable!

Pombal

August 3, 2023May 11, 2024 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

The pope is visiting Portugal this week. He’s in Lisbon right now, but things have been pretty busy throughout the country. Two days ago we went to Batalha and the Leiria mall and both were significantly more crowded than normal. On Saturday the pope goes to Fatima, which is only about 15 minutes from us. We plan on staying home because I think there will be way too many people out in the area.

We wanted to go out today, but not have to deal with the crowds. We went to Pombal a month or two ago but we were too tired to really walk around and we knew we wanted to go back again. Since it’s not a touristy city and there aren’t any major religious monuments (that we know of) we figured it was a safe day to go.

It turns out that we had gone the wrong way last time because the city was a lot bigger than we expected. That’s not to say that it’s big, but big enough to kill a few hours. They have a market, lots of cafes, and green space scattered around. They also have a castle at the top of a hill. We weren’t up for walking up the hill, so we’ll have to drive there one of these days.

Before waking around downtown we had lunch just outside the city at a fondue restaurant. The food was pretty good. We haven’t had fondue since we were in the US so it was a fun experience. It got us thinking about fondue and Kyle tried to find some more places. Looks like there are a few in Porto. One of these days we’ll go try one.

We head up north for our trip in just over a month and we’re excited. I can’t wait to see Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima. They both look great. And I can’t wait to go back to Braga and Guimaraes. Until then we’re going to do a bunch of day trips around here. We have been meaning to check out Torres Vedras and Peniche, so maybe one of those will be next.

Agueda and the Umbrella Sky Project

July 12, 2023August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

Before we moved to Portugal I was looking for some pictures for my blog and I found the picture of all the umbrellas. I finally figured out that the picture was taken in Agueda. It has been on my list of places to visit but we decided to wait until July when they have the art festival AguitAgueda and the Umbrella Sky Project. I’m not sure if the umbrellas are up all the time, but they are definitely up every July.

It’s a cute town and somewhere that I would have explored anyway, but it’s even more charming with all of the umbrellas and colorful things around. We have been lucky because the weather has been on the cooler side this year, so we’re able to enjoy more of the summer festivals and activities this year.

We don’t have a ton of plans for the rest of the year. I have just been working to fund our move to northern Portugal next year. I know I have always talked about Braga and it has always been the place for us, but things have been changing a bit since we got a car. When we moved to Portugal I didn’t want a car, so I wanted a walkable city with lots of things to do and a train station so that we could leave easily. I wanted to be really close to a city center. Braga has all of that.

With a car it’s okay if we’re a little further from city center. I want to be somewhere walkable, ideally within walking distance of a market, a playground, a restaurant, and the kid’s school. In some ways a smaller town might work because things will be closer and ideally easier to walk to. I definitely still love Braga, but I want to look at a few more places. I can’t remember where I first heard of Viana do Castelo, but it looks really cute there and I could see us living there. We also like Ponte de Lima and want to check it out. If we’re in a smaller city we might be able to get a little house with a yard. Living in an apartment has been fine, but a house has its draws too.

All of this to say that we just booked a trip up to Northern Portugal in the fall. We will be staying in a house in Barcelos for just under 2 weeks. We’re definitely going to Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima. I want to go back to Guimaraes and I’m sure we’ll add a few more places to look at. Braga is still very much on our list, but with the car we would probably choose somewhere a little further from city center since apartments in the city center are getting more expensive.

Tomar and Festa dos Tabuleiros

July 2, 2023August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

Festa dos Tabuleiros is a festival in Tomar that takes place every 4 years. I first read about it a few months ago and when I saw that it’s happening this year I knew we had to go. We have been looking for a reason to go back to Tomar and this seemed like the perfect one. The festival takes place over 10 days in July. Since Leiria Kids is next weekend, we decided that today was the perfect day for Tomar.

We really love Tomar and were wondering why we didn’t move there. Then we started looking at temperatures and figured it out pretty quickly. About an hour ago we were walking in Tomar and my watch said it was 90 degrees, or 32 celcius. We just got back to Leiria and it’s 75 or 23 here, so quite a big difference. And it must be even hotter in Tomar now. Tomar is a beautiful city, but it’s hot and there isn’t a ton of shade outside of the park there.

Anyway, we made it to Tomar in time for the parade at 10 this morning. Today was the kids parade and they were all so adorable. I’m glad we were able to see the parade. When I look at pictures on Google I see lots of pictures of beautifully decorated streets, but we didn’t see any of those today. Then again, we didn’t walk around town all that much either. We walked to the parade and then we went across the street to the park. They had some bouncy houses for the kids and they had tons of fun and got some energy out. We were going to get lunch, but everywhere was so crowded so we came home instead.

Sometimes I plan all kinds of things and want to see and do so much, but then the reality when we get there is that it’s just too hot or we’re just too tired. I’m really glad we got to see the parade, and one of these days we will see one the amazing decorated streets. Right now is AguitAgueda up by Aveiro. That’s where they have the street full of umbrellas. We are definitely going to see that before it ends!

If you’re thinking about checking out the Festa dos Tabuleiros I would definitely say to go. We only got to see a tiny part of it. Maybe in 4 years we can come back and see more! Tomar is a beautiful city and always worth a visit.

Road-trip to Nazare in our car!!

April 5, 2023August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

Our car is here! We were approved for the loan and one night the dealer let us know the car was ready for pick up. They had given us an insurance quote and we decided to go with the company they used since it would be easier. They gave us 3 quotes. I don’t remember the exact amounts but the most expensive was 750+ per year and the cheapest was around 300. We decided to go with the expensive one for our first year because it’s similar to full coverage insurance.

Buying a car in Portugal wasn’t any better or worse than in the US- both places require hours of waiting and lots of paperwork. I am really grateful that the dealership did a lot of the hard stuff for us. They got us the loan, registered the car, and got us insurance. We also have warranties and roadside assistance that works anywhere in the EU.

Unfortunately I had to work a ton the first few days we had the car and I didn’t get to use it much. Finally I have a day off today and we decided to head to Nazare. We went there once last year and have been meaning to go back. We let Sofia ditch a day of preschool so that she could come with us. It feels nice driving again! It was nerve wracking at first, but I’m adjusting. The roads here are great.

For now we’re having to avoid the toll roads since we don’t have our transponder yet. There is a company called Via Verde and they have an awesome app. You can create an account there and use it to pay for all kinds of car related things including parking and tolls. Once we get the transponder it will make driving easier since we can use the toll roads. We can probably use the roads anyway and pay either a person or get a bill in the mail, but I’m not entirely sure.

We were only in Nazare for a few hours. Finding parking was a bit harder than we thought given that it’s Wednesday and not summer. There were still plenty of people out and tons of cars looking for parking spots. We finally found a spot and headed to the beach. Last time was super foggy and we couldn’t see anything. The skies were clear today.

Nazare was fine for playing in the sand, but definitely not a beach to let the kids wade in the water or swim. The waves were pretty big and the tide looked strong. Luckily the kids were happy just playing in the sand.

We didn’t walk around town much today. It was more of a let the kids play kind of a day. Next time I want to go while the kids are in school so that we can look at some of the shops and go to the lighthouse. Given how tough it was to find parking I don’t think we will go again until late this year. I have been really wanting to see the big waves, so hopefully we can make it in November or December to see them.

Tomorrow the kids are back in school and Kyle and I are going to Tomar! I’m excited. I have been wanting to see Tomar for a long time.

Figueira da Foz

July 11, 2022August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

Kyle and I have semi started a routine to give each other a break. Every week one of us (we alternate) takes Leo on a day trip while the other stays home alone. Our kids are at really demanding ages right now, and this is the only way we have found to stay semi sane. I was going to go back to Nazare today, but at the last minute I decided to check out Figueira da Foz because it has been on my list and it’s pretty easy to get to and from using public transportation (bus there, train back).

Even though Leo and I were in Figueira for 7 hours we somehow never made it to the beach 😂 We got to the bus/train station (they are connected!) and it took us about a half hour to walk to the main beach area. Leo got bored and fell asleep. I just wondered around a bit until he woke up. We got lunch, played at an awesome pirate playground, and then I ran out of steam. The beach is set back quite a ways from the street and looks like a bit of a hike.

They had a really cool looking pirate ship pool on the beach. I didn’t bring Leo’s swimsuit, but I definitely will next time. After that we got coffee and ice cream and then our 7 hours were up and we headed back to the train station. I’ll never again underestimate how long it takes a toddler to eat ice cream. That took up a good hour and he still didn’t even finish it. 😆

I’m not sure how I feel about Figueira. I should love it. It’s a beach town (and a pretty big one at that) with a beautiful fountain, a boardwalk by the water, and it’s one of the flatter areas in Portugal I have been to. It has a train station and lots of stores. It’s the same way I feel about Coimbra. I should love Coimbra and Figueira but so far I just don’t. I don’t dislike them at all either. I will continue to visit Coimbra and Figueira often because they have a lot to offer. But for some reason I’m just not in love with those places.

I’m definitely going to give Figueira another chance though. Maybe I will fall in love with it. It just wasn’t love at first sight and that’s okay. Well, for now it’s back to the grind of work. I’m trying to earn back some of the money we have spent traveling, and we’re hoping to travel Europe a bit later this year. The only definite is Belgium in December because we already have plane tickets. We’re trying to fit Disney Paris in before Leo turns 3 (in February) because under 3 is free.

I’ll be going on another day trip in 2 weeks! I’m thinking maybe Peniche because it’s an easy train trip from Leiria with a decent schedule.

Alcobaca

June 28, 2022August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

Today is Kyle’s birthday so I decided to give him what the parent of any toddler wants- some time alone! 😂 With the bus schedule, me and Leo were gone for over 7 hours. Kyle is taking Leo to Alcobaca next week, so I will get 7 glorious hours all to myself. Just in time for Stranger Things! It’s one of my all time favorite shows and the last two episodes of the season come out on July 1st. Each episode is going to be longer than the others.

Anyways, I digress. Kyle really loves Alcobaca and it has been on my list, so Leo and I took the bus there. We have a pretty good routine going at this point. Get to where we’re going, find a playground for Leo, stuff his little belly, and then he passes out in his stroller for almost 2 hours. It’s the perfect time to get coffee and explore. Once he wakes up we get ice cream or a snack.

Alcobaca is a cute and charming town, like so many in Portugal. I really love getting to see so many places. Alcobaca is known for the monastery. There were some steps to go inside, so I couldn’t go while Leo was sleeping. When he woke up, we didn’t have enough time to go inside. Maybe next time. The monastery is huge and beautiful from the outside.

There is a Main Street lined with shops and restaurants directly across from the monastery. There is a river with a path along it, and a cute park called Jardim do amor. There is also a castle that we didn’t see. We didn’t do a ton, but had a nice Portuguese day. We took an hour for lunch, sat in a cafe and had coffee and a snack, walked around a ton. I love these days. I love slowing down and trying to enjoy things more instead of cramming too much into the day.

We have finally started socializing a bit more. We went out to dinner with an expat group on Saturday night and that was nice. Kyle met some people in the square in Leiria because he heard them speaking English. In some ways it’s easier to meet people because when we hear English we are quick to stop and say hi. I’ve had people approach me just because they hear me speaking English to one of the kids. The people Kyle met have a son right around Sofia’s age and the two of them play so well together. It has been really nice meeting some people.

Day trips and apartment hunting

June 11, 2022August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

For the past month or so we have been settling into a routine. Sofia goes to school Monday through Friday so we take turns walking her to and from school. I have been working Wednesday through Saturday. On one of my days off we go somewhere. Sometimes all 4 of us go on a Sunday, sometimes just me and Leo, and sometimes it’s me, Leo, and Kyle.

There have been tons of day trips to Coimbra and Caldas. Kyle and Sofia went to Sao Martino do Porto and said it’s way different now than when we went a few months ago. That’s on my list to visit soon. Right now we’re on the train headed home from Caldas da Rainha. We’ve never been to Caldas on the weekend. I like it. Lots of people out and about, but without feeling crowded. The market had a lot more stalls today than we see on weekdays. When we move to Braga we’re going to miss Caldas.

A few days ago Kyle, Leo, and I took a trip to Bombarral , which is a small town with a train station. They have some gardens we wanted to see but unfortunately they were closed when we went. We just wandered around town a bit. It was interesting because it seemed like at least half of the buildings there were abandoned.

A few weeks ago Leo and I went to Braga. Kyle and I are hoping to buy an apartment there. Now that the kids are getting older we really don’t want to keep moving around. We want to enroll them in kindergarten and then stay put for at least 10+ years. It seems like renting an apartment is getting more and more difficult, especially with an 80 pound dog. Kyle and I have been slow to settle down and stop moving around, but we’re finally ready.

I went up there to meet a realtor and see a few places. We found an apartment on Idealista yesterday that seems perfect for us, so we messaged the realtor and hopefully one or both of us will be in Braga again this week to see it. We know we want an apartment with 3+ bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, an energy rating of C or higher, and a 10 minute or less walk from the city center. We would love a bathtub and a garage too, but those aren’t necessities.

I meant to take pictures of the places I saw to document what it’s like to buy an apartment here, but I couldn’t last time because the residents were home when I toured the apartments and it would have been way too awkward. If I view any empty places I’ll take some pictures. We have been using Trusted House Sitters to find pet sitters for Bailey when we go out of town. It has been working great so far, but these dates are super last minute, so we’ll see if we can find someone to pet sit or not.

Aveiro

April 7, 2022August 2, 2023 / bashleyf / Leave a comment

It’s our last night in Aveiro and tomorrow we head back to Leiria. We had already liked Aveiro and all that it has to offer. Yesterday we went to Costa Nova, and that pretty much sealed the deal. I’m still really excited to see Braga, but I’m not sure how it will compete with everything Aveiro has to offer. I think Aveiro will be the next city we live in.

Aveiro is pretty flat, making it so much easier with strollers. There are sidewalks everywhere. The kids get a lot more freedom to just run around here. There is a pirate ship playground in front of Aveiro Forum that we all love. It’s fenced in and there is a coffee place, so we can sit and drink coffee while the kids play.

The canals are definitely unique. Aveiro is big enough to keep us entertained, but small enough to be able to walk around pretty easily. I wanted to live somewhere with a train station, but I never thought to check the schedule. Leiria’s train schedule just doesn’t work for us. There are huge gaps in the schedule, so sometimes we have to commit to being gone for 6+ hours. Aveiro has so many trains coming and going all day. They also have some high speed options to Porto and Lisbon.

Bolts and Ubers are pretty easy to find around here. They even have pet Bolt. That was something I hadn’t even thought of, but I definitely want that. Bailey would love to get to go to the beach with us!

Costa Nova is so charming and cute. It’s only about a 10-15 minute drive from Aveiro. They also have a bus that goes there. Sofia and Kyle are big beach people. I like the idea of the beach more than the beach itself. I spend about 20 minutes on the beach and then I get bored. I think Leo is like that too. In Costa Nova we can go walk around and see the stores and the candy striped houses while Sofia and Kyle spend hours at the beach.

The location of Aveiro is perfect. Super close to the coast. Close to northern Portugal, which I think I will love. Probably slightly milder weather than the north. Aveiro is a great location to travel. We can easily access both Lisbon and Porto airports. Kyle and I were going over what we want, and there is no compromise in Aveiro. Some things are important to him, but not to me. Some things are important to me, but not to him. In Aveiro we will both get what we want.

To add to it all, there is a beautiful park here too. It’s big and one of the prettiest we have seen. There is an area with three slides in the side of a hill. I thought the kids would get bored quick, but they loved those slides and didn’t want to leave.

Tomorrow we head back to Leiria. I’m going to miss Aveiro a lot. I really don’t hate Leiria at all, it’s just not the lifestyle I want right now. Sofia starts preschool on Monday. She keeps talking about it. I plan on spending the next year visiting (and revisiting) some of the places near Leiria that we might not visit much if we move to Aveiro. Obidos, Caldas, Alcobaca, and Batalha are all on my list.

I’m still super excited to go to Porto and Braga next month. I really do think that I’ll love Braga, but Aveiro is going to offer some pretty tough competition. It will take an amazing city to push Aveiro out of our number one spot.