First of all, a family update! It’s been a month since I posted, and, although I’ve had way too many article ideas to count buzzing in my head, I haven’t had the shred of an opportunity to write anything more than a grocery list. There’s a good reason, though. After a very stressful month, I can announce that we’ve moved! Only about two and a half miles though, which was all the best for my cortisol levels. There were several reasons why we had to pack up all our shenanigans and move across the river Lima, but that would be a whole article in itself! Our new home is tucked into a city street of quiet homes, only interrupted by a few small businesses. We love how clean and cozy it is, as well as how close it is to all that Viana do Castelo has to offer. The children love that there is a playground fairly close as well! Altogether, it’s been an exhausting and exhilarating month – with zero free time for me.
So, until I have more gumption and sleep, I’d like to talk about the small things about life in Portugal. When people come to visit northern Portugal, they talk about the pastel de natas, the fado music, the wine, and the beautiful countryside. That’s all true and wonderful (please don’t sleep on the pastel de natas!), but the longer we’re here, the more I’m picking up on and writing down the little things that trigger an ‘Oh, that’s different’ in my brain. I consulted my husband Jack and he added several things to the list that I’d forgotten or normalized. Some of these may not surprise you at all; some may be unique to Viana do Castelo, while some are confined to the North of the country. But these differences in space, life, nature and culture really give flavor to our day-to-day life and remind me of how much I have still to learn!
- Eucalyptus trees
Before moving here, eucalyptus was only something I saw when we visited the zoo and went to the koala enclosure. But now I see these massive trees every day and think nothing of it! Obviously, eucalyptus isn’t native to Portugal. The trees were brought over in the mid-1800’s as a botanical what-not, but quickly became a financial earner for the paper industry. Forests of them help combat soil erosion with their massive roots. However, there are drawbacks. Eucalyptus bark is very flammable, making the trees an active aid to forest fires. When the oil in the tree is ignited, the tree literally explodes, sending burning bark every which-way to start new blazes. As you can see, eucalyptus is leaving a complex legacy. Personally, I love the smell of the bark as I walk through the woods on hikes. Very calming. No koalas, though. If you wish to read more about the history of the eucalyptus tree in Portugal, look here: https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2023-11-24/eucalyptus-trees-friend-or-foe-to-portugal/83560 - Air kissing between women
At least where we are living now, this seems to be fairly common. Not everyone does it, but frequently when I’m meeting a friend here she will lightly kiss both sides of my face (with my returning the gesture) before we sit down for our coffees. I’ve always associated air kissing with French culture and haven’t seen anyone mention it being a part of Portuguese life. I think it’s very charming. - Free candy for children
Since we’ve moved here, I have had many people say to me, with a knowing smile, “Here, children are the kings”. While there are no crowns in sight, it’s true that there is a tolerance for kids being in public in a way that is getting to be rather rare in the US. This includes giving children candy/treats in many different establishments, from restaurants, stores, and fruitarias (we’ll get to those in a minute). This makes my kids VERY happy and is a good opportunity for them to use their Portuguese vocabulary to thank the giver. People around here are (mostly) very pleased to see anyone making an effort to learn Portuguese so the little ‘obrigado’ from our toddlers makes their faces light up like Christmas trees. - Nonstop summer festivals
There is literally something going on every week (Thursday through Sunday) through the rest of the summer in Viana do Castelo. This week, it’s a folklore festival. Last week, it was the ArtBeerFest. Next week, it’s a jazz festival, attracting many performers from all over Europe. We’ve attended a Nautical Festival, a Renaissance Festival, and a charity bike-a-thon that sort of turned into a festival! I am not complaining. There is always something to do and you never know what you’re going to find when you step out towards the Praça de República. However, the biggest festival in Viana do Castelo has to be the Romaria de Nossa Senhora da Agonia (Festival of Our Lady of Agony/Sorrow), an event dating back to 1744 when fishermen began publicly calling on the Virgin Mary to help keep the seas calm for fishing. The festival is in August and I cannot wait to attend! If you want to learn more about Viana do Castelo’s biggest celebration, read this: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/NR/exeres/40D3EEB2-1E35-4C76-9B1C-596B5BDFF921 - Fruitarias on every corner
A fruitaria is…just what it sounds like. It’s a fruit and veggie store, sometimes in a storefront and sometimes in a roadside stand. They pepper the city and surrounding villages, meaning that you can find one within easy walk of wherever you happen to be. Often, prices are very affordable even for those on reduced salaries. You can also find some dry goods as well, like beans, flour, rice and other essentials. These (as well as cafes, which are also on every corner) are truly the soul of the city, with regular customers coming by and regular gossip being exchanged over the cabbages. And do our toddlers get free apples from our local fruitaria shopkeeper every time we go? They do indeed. Kids are kings, after all. - Electric scooters
Of course, we’ve all seen those rent-a-scooter stands in major cities in the US. However, I was not prepared for the sheer scale of how many people (mostly teens) are whizzing around on their own electric scooters in Viana do Castelo! They honestly might outnumber bicyclists. I can see the appeal, though as a mom with two erratic toddlers who clamour for independence yet have zero spatial awareness, I do sometimes have panic-induced visions of one of my kids being flattened by a mach-speed scooterist. - American pop music in every store
First of all, Portuguese pop music is an absolute bop. Great stuff. My personal favorite Portuguese pop artist is Bárbara Bandeira, who filmed a music video in Viana do Castelo last year (see link below). So it was a bit weird to hear Shawn Mendes howling ‘There’s nothing holding me back!’ over the loud speakers in the local Continente Bom Dia, or listening to Taylor Swift proclaim that she is never, EVER getting back together as I’m looking over the cherries. I guess I expected to hear a different soundtrack when shopping over 3,000 miles from the nearest Giant Eagle. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the dose of familiarity. Of course, not every store plays pop, and many restaurants do put on more traditional Portuguese instrumental music. I just found it surprising how mainstream American music is.
- Pop-up trunk sales of produce on random streets
This is one of the things that continues to surprise Jack. We’ll be cruising along down a rural road and suddenly there will appear a car facing away from the road, its trunk open and loaded with local produce (usually onions, potatoes, or cherries) with someone sitting next to it hoping to make sales. We’ll drive the same route the next day and the car and its contents will have vanished, not to be seen again until it pops up randomly a few weeks later. We don’t know exactly how this system works. Is there a schedule we don’t know about? Is it a word-of-mouth thing that ‘João has potatoes for sale in his truck today if you want some’? I don’t know. I’m used to the Amish community having veggie stalls and bringing baskets to truck stops, but these are often roads with minimal, not-guarenteed traffic. If anyone knows how this system is advertised, please feel free to comment and enlighten me! - Flea markets that sell (primarily) clothes
Many towns and villages hereabouts have regular craft fairs or flea markets, where you can buy anything from live ducks to antique typewriters. However, we’ve been to a number of these in different locales, and about 60% are tents displaying new clothing items. They’re mass-produced, not hand-sewn or crafted. I wouldn’t think to go to a flea market to buy a new pair of jeans, but these stalls seem to do a brisk business. It’s just a cultural difference between our two countries that made me pause and observe. Not every fair is exactly the same, though. If you’re looking for a good time and a variety of things, the Ponte de Lima craft/antique fair is a good bet. It’s always on a Sunday, and we’ve gotten local choriço, handmade wooden toys, a plant-stand from the 1920s, a bush, and a bread-box there. I still have my eye on one of those typewriters though. - Pedestrian right-of-way
Viana do Castelo is very pedestrian-friendly, with gentle gradients and clear street signs and crosswalks (due to the large number of pilgrims that ebb and flow out of the city, following the Caminha Way). I still have to admire the complete indifference to cars that many pedestrians display when crossing the street. The average Portuguese runner has more faith in their pedestrian rights than I do in the entirety of my religious experience. They mostly just step out and expect the cars to stop for them. And the cars do, sometimes screeching to a halt and sometimes slowing yards away from the crosswalks. I still usually pause at the curb to make sure they do stop so I’m not a permanent part of the street graffiti. I’ll get there. One day. Although here, I’d like to place another disclaimer that not everyone marches into the street without looking. About 70% do, though. - Roadside foraging
This is a fun one! Plantlife is everywhere in Portugal – not just in fields and pots and gardens, but growing from sidewalks, cracks in the walls, hedgerows, and rooftops, not giving a pluck about what humans have to say of their location. There is sun and rain and a miniscule amount of dirt, and that’s what matters. So many edible plants are to be found as you walk along a trail or street, from fennel to rhubarb to rosemary. And who’s going to pass up free herbs? I’ve seen many a person carrying around a small shopping bag, snipping bits from plants to use in their cooking back home. As far as I can tell, nobody cares. And I love that. - Glittery sand
This is my favorite on this list. Sand is such a miniscule thing to be excited about, but it caught us completely off guard the first time we went to Cabadelo Beach, a wonderful half-circle of soft sand and clear water. There are a lot of shiny rocks in the locality (particularly mica and quartz) which have eroded into the ocean, creating a beach that looks like it was imbued with fairy dust. It’s pretty magical, especially when you’re not expecting sparkling sand to go with the waves. Pictures can’t do Cabadelo Beach justice – you’ll just have to come see for yourself!
And that’s a wrap! For now. What surprised you the most? Would you eat roadside herbs? And which festival sounds the most appealing to you? Please feel free to comment below and recommend this blog to anyone you know who’s interested in experiencing life in Portugal.
Ciao-ciao!
3 Comments
What a lovely read! I enjoyed learning all about the little things that you have time to take notice of and appreciate. I’m glad you found a great home for you and your family!
Aw, thanks Tracy! We do really love it here. Hope you get to visit VdC someday!
This was a fascinating read!