Putting down roots

 Our second week in Olhão, Portugal and we are trying to “settle in”-well that’s a stretch! 

This has been a week of new learning for us, from garbage to new foods to learning some necessary “survival” Portuguese words.

The garbage/trash is (apparently) provided by the municipality and receptacles are located  within the neighborhoods.  Our area is about a block away next to a small green space.  

There are three large metal bins-blue (cardboard/paper), green (glass), yellow (plastics, metal & aluminum) PLUS there are several large metal containers for organic waste that is “dropped” underground. I don’t know how it works but it sure is efficient.  

We have a local market, Pingo Doce, about two blocks away that is very adequate.  We have found most everything we need there but there are also several larger grocery stores and variety/home stores within a 15 minute walk.  We purchased our “granny trolley” to haul our groceries.  

It’s a bit challenging over the cobblestones but works great.  I did my first shopping that included 4 bottles of wine which is a whole lot easier to transport!  I must say I prefer the small “hole-in-the-wall” little shops to find what I need.  I can’t figure it out but they open on different days and different times.  The stops are totally undistinguishable unless the door is open and items hanging by the entrance.  

Olhão is famous for it’s MARKET, or daily fish market and the weekly produce market, both inside and outside along the quayside (pronounced “kee-side”).  

We had a visit from another American expat, Cindy, who took the train from her town about 30 minutes away.  

Pumpkin-a vegetable that’s very plentiful 

The Aguardente de Medronhos is a strong spirit, a traditional fruit brandy from Portugal, obtained from the fruit of the Medronho tree 

Commonly called “strawberry tree”

Tastes sort of like a peach or pear  

We enjoyed wandering the produce market being mesmerized by unknown vegetables, fruit and fish.  

Octopus-very popular here

black scabbardfish-It has an elongated, eel-like body.

These are anchovies that are raw

Figs and almonds must be in season as the market is full of sweets.  One of the special cakes made in Olhão called Folar are “signed” by the baker! It is made with honey and is so dense

it is sold by weight!

Chewy fig & almonds

We have been trying to learn some words and sentences in Portuguese.  Of course the common words of please, thank you, hello, and good morning go a long way.  But we are also trying to add to our conversation some sentences: “we would like…” and “I like the…” It’s fun to see the expressions and giggles when we make a fool of ourselves trying to pronounce these words!  What we really find is that many of the shopkeepers and restaurant servers speak basic to very good English (and French and German).

And finally our experience with waiting…..Portugal is known for friendly people and slow bureaucracy.  Rather than go to the business to transfer the electrical and water into our names, our rental agency says they arrange to have a representative meet us at their office.  But it’s been “tomorrow” or “Friday” or “next week” always with a smile.  Our internet took a week to have the technician come to our apartment and now there needs to be additional fiber cables installed on the building that will take “a week”, or maybe “two weeks” or “oh, could be longer”.  Our expectations of what efficiency is has definitely taken on a slower pace and nobody seems to mind.  What a pleasure!

Quince fruit?