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Since Portugal is going to be our place of residency for the next few years, we returned there this fall to travel the country and get to know it a little better. Portugal is not a big country, just 1% the size of the country I grew up in – Canada. So getting to know it shouldn’t take a lot of time. Our first journey out took us west and north, to Cascais, Sintra and Ericeira.
Continue reading “Getting to know Portugal, Part I”
We have been working on becoming Portuguese residents for some time now, as we have started a process to leave Mexico. Becoming Portuguese offers me full-time residency in Europe, so I can come and go as I please. Portugal also comes with some nice fiscal benefits. One part of the residency process involves having a home in the country so we bought an apartment in Lisbon. It was completely gutted when we saw it, which allowed us to design the layout ourselves and put in everything new. It was a fun experience and the contractors were great. They came in on budget and finished ahead of schedule.
Continue reading “Portuguese Residency”
Last weekend we decided to take a trip over to see Lisbon. Flights were very cheap from Nice and we’ve been wanting to visit for some time. We stayed in a very nice boutique hotel in central Lisbon called Lis Baixa (ask for room 305 or 405 as they are much larger). Good price, nice breakfast included and the people are super friendly.
Continue reading “Summer visit to Portugal”
This was a rather roundabout way to get to Paris, as it took us through Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg, but it made for a great trip. We took the coastal freeway to Savon and from there, turned up to Turin, until we reached our first night’s stay just north and outside of Turin in the the Canavese Valley. There are numerous small towns in the area, situated in the foothills of the Alps. We stayed at a small B&B just outside of the town of Strambinello, called the Castello (Castle) di Strambinello. It would be just outside, west of Ivrea, off the freeway that travels from Turin to Aosta.
Continue reading “Roundabout Drive from Nice to Paris”
There’s an amazing winding staircase that goes from one of the top towers to the bottom of the moat, 35 meters deep and dug between 1879-90, and a well was dug starting in 1690 through the rock down to fresh water, going down 120 meters. That must’ve been fun to dig, mostly by hand, by prisoners, back in those days where the only tools were chisels and perhaps some gunpowder for explosives. A few things were most notable: It has been a military fortress since the 11th century, right up until the 2nd World War, where it held back the Germans for eight days before being overtaken. Today it just provides tours to the public and is no longer active as a fortress.
Continue reading “Chateau de Joux near Pontalier, France”
Italy is not far from Nice, France, about a 1/2 hour by car or train, although it depends on which highway you take. It is definitely more scenic to take the lower coastal roads, but traffic can back-up quickly on these windy, narrow, steep roads. But there is a freeway which can get you into Italy quite quickly.
Continue reading “Visit to Dolceacqua, Italy”
There’s something about paths that I find intriguing and appealing in a number of ways. Where do they lead to? Who has gone on this path before me? Where would it take me? So what is around that next bend in the path?
Continue reading “Pathways…”
Seems wherever we go, I’m always a few steps behind Flo. Everyone now and then she’ll turn around and give me a look that says, “What, another photo?” or, “Can’t you at least sometimes walk beside me?” Can’t quite keep up to the girl sometimes. So I started taking photos of her from me trailing behind her, and have collected quite a few of them.
Continue reading “Following Flo…”
This Eastern US coast adventure was undertaken with good friends of ours, involving friendships going back in some cases to early elementary school, people we have since often traveled with over the years throughout Canada, Mexico and Europe.
Continue reading “The US Eastern Seaboard onboard Sockeye Blue”
There are a couple of islands near Puerto Vallarta, just off the northern point (Punta de Mita) of Banderas Bay, called the Marietas Islands. For years we have visited the islands to explore its many caves, both on land and below with scuba gear. It is riddled with caverns and caves. Today, you are not allowed on land as it is a protected bird sanctuary.
Continue reading “Puerto Vallarta’s Swimming Hole”