Dear readers, I’m going to teach you a lesson about coffee this week. About the real coffee. Not the dutch version, not the english variety – which is probably lukewarm with a foam head on top – not the french soup bowls with colored water, not even over the well-known italian pep. Excuse me, but […]
A lesson about Portuguese coffee Read More »
Last week Friday, March 18, 2022 at 11:28, spring broke out here. A few days earlier than indicated on the calendar, because spring doesn’t care what we humans think – if spring thinks it should break out, then it breaks out. And with a spring break in Portugal, everything is going very fast! As a
Spring in Portugal, with mosaic and a good meal Read More »
After some texting back and forth, he figured it out: Harald is coming on Saturday. He found it difficult to commit because if you leave at random like he did, and you’ll see what happens, well … then … then you’ll see what happens. I had warned that it might be more convenient not to
Storms, monasteries, and all those things that bump in the night Read More »
“I don’t know if it will work, because they have only scheduled us here for one day,” says one of the three solar panel installers, “We are going to do our best.”“Maybe it’s because it’s going to rain tomorrow. At least that’s the prediction,” I answer, “but maybe I should call ahead and say that
Solar panels in the rain Read More »
I’ve had that experience, yes, that I painted myself in a corner. Once even literally, but in my defense, then I was very young, and there was no one around to warn me. You’ll figure it out, sure, but it takes some footprints on your with sweat and tears freshly applied new paint. (And I
Painted in a corner Read More »
“Okay, last check. Just open the tap completely, then I’ll close it in fifteen minutes” I say to Broes, “when that cloth stays dry, it’s done.” That tap has to be opened because the drain is leaking. Not a big deal, maybe a drop every five minutes, but enough to bother you. Prior to the
A flooding with odds and sods in the pipe Read More »
P: Bonjour Ellen, I wanted to ask you something: do you mind if I park my beautiful Dacia somewhere on your estate for 3 weeks from Saturday morning? I go to take a portuguese course at the university in Coimbra but parking space is scarce there, so I prefer to park the car safely in
Crash course portuguese at the University of Coimbra Read More »
“Then come around 11” I app, “’cause you do need a fair amount of time, and if the sun goes down at about 5, it’s no longer nice.”“Oooo soooo nice sitting in the sun making mosaics! What a life we have!” Paula would come and make a mosaic. In the sun, ’cause it’s a sunny
Making sunny mosaics Read More »
Last week we talked about us, us poor foreigners who are not allowed to vote, and this week we are talking about foreigners again. This week is about them, non-poor foreigners. They aren’t allowed to vote either, but that doesn’t matter because money buys you all kinds of things. A good architect, for example. An
Breaking news: foreigners in Tentugal, Portugal Read More »
Today is the day of the elections for the “Assembleia da República” – the Portuguese parliament. As a foreigner you are not allowed to participate As a foreigner/resident you can vote in municipal elections, which is much more comprehensive than just the municipal council. That layer of government is much thicker here, because it is
Foreigners are not allowed to choose in Portugal Read More »
