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Lisbon Tram

London to Lisbon
Adventures in Life

Agora a segunda parte! Mike and I took a couple short road trips to some popular beach towns. First we headed south of Lisbon just on the other side of the Tagus River to Costa da Caparica. Unfortunately it was a grey and rainy day but we could easily see how it will be a very popular spot once things warm up! Also, it was still very busy with surfers 🏄‍♀️. It has a lovely long sea wall walk and tons of restaurants. The next day we headed north to Ericeira who is my favourite spot so far! Truly the most charming little town with the friendliest people and such a wonderful vibe! I could easily live there!! So anyone who comes to visit us can expect that we’ll be taking them on a little road trip to visit there! On our way back we drove through another town I want to spend some time in called Mafra, but we didn’t have enough time to stop so that will have to wait for Mike’s next trip back. And of course I have to include some crazy weather updates….the rain here is bonkers!!! It absolutely pours and the wind blows rain sideways for very intense bursts (usually less than 20 minutes) and then the sun ☀️ pops out again and there’s blue sky again!!

Agora a segunda parte! Mike and I took a couple short road trips to some popular beach towns. First we headed south of Lisbon just on the other side of the Tagus River to Costa da Caparica. Unfortunately it was a grey and rainy day but we could easily see how it will be a very popular spot once things warm up! Also, it was still very busy with surfers 🏄‍♀️. It has a lovely long sea wall walk and tons of restaurants. The next day we headed north to Ericeira who is my favourite spot so far! Truly the most charming little town with the friendliest people and such a wonderful vibe! I could easily live there!! So anyone who comes to visit us can expect that we’ll be taking them on a little road trip to visit there! On our way back we drove through another town I want to spend some time in called Mafra, but we didn’t have enough time to stop so that will have to wait for Mike’s next trip back. And of course I have to include some crazy weather updates….the rain here is bonkers!!! It absolutely pours and the wind blows rain sideways for very intense bursts (usually less than 20 minutes) and then the sun ☀️ pops out again and there’s blue sky again!!

A wonderful week with Mike in town. We had a mixed bag of weather…beautiful sunshine, crazy rain, thunderstorms, and some very cool temperatures along with some very warm ones!! We’re hoping that spring is right around the corner!! Regardless it was so wonderful to have time together again. We jammed a lot into our 5 days so I’ll break this into two parts! We had dinner at our favourite Mexican restaurant with the boys and it was delicious as always. Then we had lots of Futebol to watch!! We went to Kaleb’s U19 Estoril game which was awesome to see, then the Estoril pro team played Sporting so we went in disguise for fear of being booed or worse 😜. Unfortunately our team didn’t win, but it was incredible to see a game at this level in a stadium like this! The energy and spirit of the fans was amazing and so fun!! Carson had a game with his elite program team which they won! And I successfully booked a haircut in Portuguese with a hairdresser that speaks zero English 😬😬😬….it was a bit risky but I had a good vibe from her and I figured I could translate what I wanted….and I’m pretty pleased with the result!! Next update with the rest of our weekend adventures coming soon…

A wonderful week with Mike in town. We had a mixed bag of weather…beautiful sunshine, crazy rain, thunderstorms, and some very cool temperatures along with some very warm ones!! We’re hoping that spring is right around the corner!! Regardless it was so wonderful to have time together again. We jammed a lot into our 5 days so I’ll break this into two parts! We had dinner at our favourite Mexican restaurant with the boys and it was delicious as always. Then we had lots of Futebol to watch!! We went to Kaleb’s U19 Estoril game which was awesome to see, then the Estoril pro team played Sporting so we went in disguise for fear of being booed or worse 😜. Unfortunately our team didn’t win, but it was incredible to see a game at this level in a stadium like this! The energy and spirit of the fans was amazing and so fun!! Carson had a game with his elite program team which they won! And I successfully booked a haircut in Portuguese with a hairdresser that speaks zero English 😬😬😬….it was a bit risky but I had a good vibe from her and I figured I could translate what I wanted….and I’m pretty pleased with the result!! Next update with the rest of our weekend adventures coming soon…

Wow I didn’t realize that we hadn’t updated in so long but honestly there hasn’t been a lot to share. Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough here or exploring enough. But then I remind myself that we are living regular life here….not vacation life! So it’s not going to be exciting or adventure all the time. So here’s what our regular everyday Portuguese lives looked like this month!! Scarlett has a friend around the corner that she only gets to see through the fence!! Every day she goes to visit him and they say hello, paw at each other and whimper through the fence!! It’s hilarious and I wonder what will happen when she one day gets to properly meet him!! She also had a freshen up complete with some bedazzling 😜 Mike was in town and we explored Cascais, celebrated 28 years since our first date, checked out the fish market and had a lovely family dinner out. Carson was selected from his program to do a scrimmage with the women’s national team…and he loved every moment. Playing on grass in the national stadium, wearing a really nice Portugal kit…the whole experience was a big highlight of his time here so far. He was bummed that he didn’t get to keep the real kit, but they sent him home with some nice gear anyway!! And of course we had more beautiful days here exploring the surrounding beaches. In the last video you’ll see how busy the beaches and sea wall are on a sunny winter day…makes me nervous about how crazy the summer will be 😬😬😬 Ethan took advantage of the spring weather to get out golfing…no photo evidence of that but I guarantee he had fun!! And this morning on my walk, I ran into this sand crocodile….it’s insanely good!! For me its been hard to be away from friends and family these last few weeks with so much happening at home…but this is part of the whole experience and it just means I have to make extra efforts to connect, share love and support virtually! Mike is coming to town later this week and we have some fun things planned….so more updates coming soon!! 😘❤️😘❤️

Wow I didn’t realize that we hadn’t updated in so long but honestly there hasn’t been a lot to share. Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough here or exploring enough. But then I remind myself that we are living regular life here….not vacation life! So it’s not going to be exciting or adventure all the time. So here’s what our regular everyday Portuguese lives looked like this month!! Scarlett has a friend around the corner that she only gets to see through the fence!! Every day she goes to visit him and they say hello, paw at each other and whimper through the fence!! It’s hilarious and I wonder what will happen when she one day gets to properly meet him!! She also had a freshen up complete with some bedazzling 😜 Mike was in town and we explored Cascais, celebrated 28 years since our first date, checked out the fish market and had a lovely family dinner out. Carson was selected from his program to do a scrimmage with the women’s national team…and he loved every moment. Playing on grass in the national stadium, wearing a really nice Portugal kit…the whole experience was a big highlight of his time here so far. He was bummed that he didn’t get to keep the real kit, but they sent him home with some nice gear anyway!! And of course we had more beautiful days here exploring the surrounding beaches. In the last video you’ll see how busy the beaches and sea wall are on a sunny winter day…makes me nervous about how crazy the summer will be 😬😬😬 Ethan took advantage of the spring weather to get out golfing…no photo evidence of that but I guarantee he had fun!! And this morning on my walk, I ran into this sand crocodile….it’s insanely good!! For me its been hard to be away from friends and family these last few weeks with so much happening at home…but this is part of the whole experience and it just means I have to make extra efforts to connect, share love and support virtually! Mike is coming to town later this week and we have some fun things planned….so more updates coming soon!! 😘❤️😘❤️

If you don’t like watching videos of waves and the stormy ocean, then you might want to skip this post!! This week we had all the crazy weather with the arrival of tempestade Herminia. And wow…the wind, rain and waves were amazing to experience. Our local beaches were ravaged and you can see the damage done in some of these photos. Part of the seawall caved in and the railing was ripped away in one place. The ocean’s strength is fierce!! Not to mention Scarlett’s favourite beach to run around on lost about 3 ft of sand. Normally we can walk straight from the pathway onto the beach and as you can see, the stairs are now exposed by the missing sand. I’m guessing that they normally experience these fluctuations throughout the year with all the storms that come through. I took some scenic walks during the breaks from rain along the Quinta da Marina area close by us. It’s a beautiful coast and the waves didn’t disappoint. The boys and I also went to see Boca do inferno in the same area where the waves pop up through a cave area. And it was lovely to end this week with a beautiful rainbow this morning as Scarlett and I strolled around. The weather is a bit of a metaphor for all the emotions of the week…for me at least. More bureaucracy and paperwork challenges which was so frustrating, feeling lonely and missing having Mike here most of the time, along with missing our social life with friends and family, all while trying to be grateful for this experience and knowing how lucky we really are. Carson got injured and couldn’t train for a couple days….but he’s better now and ready for a great week ahead. Ethan meanwhile has a few leads on golf courses jobs and is hoping to get out and play now that the sunny weather is here! Mike is back on Friday so I’m looking forward to another fun weekend ahead. So I guess this week was as another life lesson for me….hang in through the storms…there’s always sunshine ☀️ and maybe even a rainbow 🌈 ahead!

If you don’t like watching videos of waves and the stormy ocean, then you might want to skip this post!! This week we had all the crazy weather with the arrival of tempestade Herminia. And wow…the wind, rain and waves were amazing to experience. Our local beaches were ravaged and you can see the damage done in some of these photos. Part of the seawall caved in and the railing was ripped away in one place. The ocean’s strength is fierce!! Not to mention Scarlett’s favourite beach to run around on lost about 3 ft of sand. Normally we can walk straight from the pathway onto the beach and as you can see, the stairs are now exposed by the missing sand. I’m guessing that they normally experience these fluctuations throughout the year with all the storms that come through. I took some scenic walks during the breaks from rain along the Quinta da Marina area close by us. It’s a beautiful coast and the waves didn’t disappoint. The boys and I also went to see Boca do inferno in the same area where the waves pop up through a cave area. And it was lovely to end this week with a beautiful rainbow this morning as Scarlett and I strolled around. The weather is a bit of a metaphor for all the emotions of the week…for me at least. More bureaucracy and paperwork challenges which was so frustrating, feeling lonely and missing having Mike here most of the time, along with missing our social life with friends and family, all while trying to be grateful for this experience and knowing how lucky we really are. Carson got injured and couldn’t train for a couple days….but he’s better now and ready for a great week ahead. Ethan meanwhile has a few leads on golf courses jobs and is hoping to get out and play now that the sunny weather is here! Mike is back on Friday so I’m looking forward to another fun weekend ahead. So I guess this week was as another life lesson for me….hang in through the storms…there’s always sunshine ☀️ and maybe even a rainbow 🌈 ahead!

Another adventure to Nazaré over the weekend. There was a prediction for ondas gigantescas 🌊…over 30 metres. While those didn’t quite materialize for us, we did see some that were likely around 15 metres. Hard to do them justice in our videos and photos but we tried! And of course with all the hype about the big swells, the crowds were massive and made it hard to get a good spot. The wind wasn’t ideal so you can tell that the surfers 🏄‍♂️ didn’t have the conditions they were hoping for. Still…it’s so impressive what they are willing to take on for a shot at the perfect wave!! We hung around the town and had lunch, explored the little shops and enjoyed the scenery! It was a beautiful day and ended up being really warm in the afternoon. I continue to be amazed by the architecture and incredible tile work all over. Nazaré has so many cute buildings and all of them have beautiful tiles. We also spent time this weekend watching soccer!!! We watched Carson’s new team play Sunday morning and then Mike and Carson watched the Estoril team win big! This week the weather continues to be crazy so watch for more storm and ocean wave videos coming soon!!

Another adventure to Nazaré over the weekend. There was a prediction for ondas gigantescas 🌊…over 30 metres. While those didn’t quite materialize for us, we did see some that were likely around 15 metres. Hard to do them justice in our videos and photos but we tried! And of course with all the hype about the big swells, the crowds were massive and made it hard to get a good spot. The wind wasn’t ideal so you can tell that the surfers 🏄‍♂️ didn’t have the conditions they were hoping for. Still…it’s so impressive what they are willing to take on for a shot at the perfect wave!! We hung around the town and had lunch, explored the little shops and enjoyed the scenery! It was a beautiful day and ended up being really warm in the afternoon. I continue to be amazed by the architecture and incredible tile work all over. Nazaré has so many cute buildings and all of them have beautiful tiles. We also spent time this weekend watching soccer!!! We watched Carson’s new team play Sunday morning and then Mike and Carson watched the Estoril team win big! This week the weather continues to be crazy so watch for more storm and ocean wave videos coming soon!!

We’re in the depths of Portuguese winter here in Estoril! It’s been incredibly stormy with strong winds and waves. Lots of sunny moments sprinkled in because the weather changes quickly here. And it’s been relatively warm. This is a very typical winter we’ve been told. But wow…the dampness that has invaded our apartment!! Our laundry takes days to dry…but it’s never fully dried!! I definitely miss our dryer at home!! Scarlett continues to enjoy her beach runs when we get some dry moments! Carson has started training with the team he will play with and so far he’s enjoying it…although he can’t wait for his official transfer to come through so he can start playing games!! Ethan is praying for some golf weather to there soon….and hoping he can get another golf course job to feed his habit!! Meanwhile, Mike has been taking advantage of the English countryside and exploring on his weekends. Last weekend he went to Camber castle. Also the English pub fare definitely suits him…fish and chips galore!! I’ve actually been rather busy with work and I’ll be starting up more Portuguese lessons again next week which I’m excited about! This weekend Mike is back with us and we have an adventure planned….so stay tuned!

We’re in the depths of Portuguese winter here in Estoril! It’s been incredibly stormy with strong winds and waves. Lots of sunny moments sprinkled in because the weather changes quickly here. And it’s been relatively warm. This is a very typical winter we’ve been told. But wow…the dampness that has invaded our apartment!! Our laundry takes days to dry…but it’s never fully dried!! I definitely miss our dryer at home!! Scarlett continues to enjoy her beach runs when we get some dry moments! Carson has started training with the team he will play with and so far he’s enjoying it…although he can’t wait for his official transfer to come through so he can start playing games!! Ethan is praying for some golf weather to there soon….and hoping he can get another golf course job to feed his habit!! Meanwhile, Mike has been taking advantage of the English countryside and exploring on his weekends. Last weekend he went to Camber castle. Also the English pub fare definitely suits him…fish and chips galore!! I’ve actually been rather busy with work and I’ll be starting up more Portuguese lessons again next week which I’m excited about! This weekend Mike is back with us and we have an adventure planned….so stay tuned!

Our first update of 2025 with very full hearts! We had an amazing and jam packed time back in Vancouver with friends and family. We celebrated Christmas again which was so lovely. We had so many visits and time connecting with all our loved ones that we hardly took photos…but that’s ok because we were really enjoying the moments we had! Here are a few of the moments I did happen to capture!! Carson got his learners and was very happy to do some driving. The boys both spent time with friends which they loved of course and Carson & Claire celebrated their first anniversary together! We are so grateful for the Dalzell’s who let us crash at their beautiful home and my Dad who let us invade his space for a week! I managed to capture some gorgeous sunrise shots on the few sunny days we had. Scarlett was beyond happy to see us, but she was more than taken care of while we’re gone and we feel great comfort knowing she has a home away from home here with our amazing pet sitter! And now we’re back to our regular routine here in Estoril…it’s a balmy 19 today with glorious ☀️☀️☀️So although I’m missing my family and dear friends, I’m certainly enjoying the weather here much more than Van!! Can’t wait to have all the visitors so we can show you around! xoxo Here’s to more adventures and wonderful memories made together for 2025!!

Our first update of 2025 with very full hearts! We had an amazing and jam packed time back in Vancouver with friends and family. We celebrated Christmas again which was so lovely. We had so many visits and time connecting with all our loved ones that we hardly took photos…but that’s ok because we were really enjoying the moments we had! Here are a few of the moments I did happen to capture!! Carson got his learners and was very happy to do some driving. The boys both spent time with friends which they loved of course and Carson & Claire celebrated their first anniversary together! We are so grateful for the Dalzell’s who let us crash at their beautiful home and my Dad who let us invade his space for a week! I managed to capture some gorgeous sunrise shots on the few sunny days we had. Scarlett was beyond happy to see us, but she was more than taken care of while we’re gone and we feel great comfort knowing she has a home away from home here with our amazing pet sitter! And now we’re back to our regular routine here in Estoril…it’s a balmy 19 today with glorious ☀️☀️☀️So although I’m missing my family and dear friends, I’m certainly enjoying the weather here much more than Van!! Can’t wait to have all the visitors so we can show you around! xoxo Here’s to more adventures and wonderful memories made together for 2025!!

Christmas em Lisboa…es muito bem!! We loved our Christmas experience this year…totally different than what we’re used to…and we missed our family and friends so much. We made the most of it and enjoyed the beautiful days here….gorgeous sunshine ☀️, stunning Christmas lights all over the city and lots of fun together. We found a beautiful little restaurant to have dinner on Christmas Eve…outside and under some orange trees!! We had a very calm Christmas Day and made a fairly Canadian traditional dinner (minus the turkey 🦃). Then Ethan and Mike went golfing on Boxing Day at a gorgeous oceanfront course. Now we’re heading home and can’t wait to visit with everyone and do Christmas all over again with family!!

Christmas em Lisboa…es muito bem!! We loved our Christmas experience this year…totally different than what we’re used to…and we missed our family and friends so much. We made the most of it and enjoyed the beautiful days here….gorgeous sunshine ☀️, stunning Christmas lights all over the city and lots of fun together. We found a beautiful little restaurant to have dinner on Christmas Eve…outside and under some orange trees!! We had a very calm Christmas Day and made a fairly Canadian traditional dinner (minus the turkey 🦃). Then Ethan and Mike went golfing on Boxing Day at a gorgeous oceanfront course. Now we’re heading home and can’t wait to visit with everyone and do Christmas all over again with family!!

Pre-Christmas weekend in Portugal looks a lot different than what we’re used to in Vancouver! We spent a gorgeous sunny weekend hanging out and enjoying the beauty around us. We wandered around the marina district in Cascais and had some refreshing drinks to celebrate the season! Then Mike and I spent Sunday in Sintra which is really the most magical fairytale town you’ve ever seen! I love absolutely everything about it. We toured around the Palace of Pena which is beautiful. The details in the stone and wood work are impressive. Then we spent time walking around the village and enjoying the stunning Portuguese tiles and architecture. Not pictured in our weekly update are the visits to the crazy malls and grocery stores to prep for the festivities…that really is just the same as Vancouver…ha ha!! I’ll update with our Christmas adventures later! But for now….wishing you all a wonderful holiday celebration with your loved ones near and far!! 🎅🏼🎄😘❤️We are missing everyone but only a few days and we’ll be back to catch some New Years hugs and love!! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!🎅🏼

Pre-Christmas weekend in Portugal looks a lot different than what we’re used to in Vancouver! We spent a gorgeous sunny weekend hanging out and enjoying the beauty around us. We wandered around the marina district in Cascais and had some refreshing drinks to celebrate the season! Then Mike and I spent Sunday in Sintra which is really the most magical fairytale town you’ve ever seen! I love absolutely everything about it. We toured around the Palace of Pena which is beautiful. The details in the stone and wood work are impressive. Then we spent time walking around the village and enjoying the stunning Portuguese tiles and architecture. Not pictured in our weekly update are the visits to the crazy malls and grocery stores to prep for the festivities…that really is just the same as Vancouver…ha ha!! I’ll update with our Christmas adventures later! But for now….wishing you all a wonderful holiday celebration with your loved ones near and far!! 🎅🏼🎄😘❤️We are missing everyone but only a few days and we’ll be back to catch some New Years hugs and love!! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!🎅🏼

It was a beautiful weekend together in London!! We walked forever, saw the sights, ate delicious food and the boys each got to experience their passions! F1 exhibition for E and a Chelsea game for C!! The boys were a little underwhelmed by Buckingham Palace!! But Tower Bridge really showed off for us!!! I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my British family (Richard and Jeanette) who I haven’t seen in years….it was so delightful!! And we spent the morning at the Natural History Museum which we thoroughly enjoyed! Overall it was the perfect weekend to start feeling that holiday season!!! Mike is coming back to Lisbon at the end of the week and then we have all next week to enjoy all the celebrations around Cascais and Lisboa!

It was a beautiful weekend together in London!! We walked forever, saw the sights, ate delicious food and the boys each got to experience their passions! F1 exhibition for E and a Chelsea game for C!! The boys were a little underwhelmed by Buckingham Palace!! But Tower Bridge really showed off for us!!! I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my British family (Richard and Jeanette) who I haven’t seen in years….it was so delightful!! And we spent the morning at the Natural History Museum which we thoroughly enjoyed! Overall it was the perfect weekend to start feeling that holiday season!!! Mike is coming back to Lisbon at the end of the week and then we have all next week to enjoy all the celebrations around Cascais and Lisboa!

Well this week was productive with some fun thrown in the mix! But honestly not a lot to tell you about!! I had a lot paperwork to get done for Carson’s club so that meant spending time dealing with Portuguese bureaucracy. Some was surprisingly easy and others have been frustrating! But I’m clearly getting better at dealing with the way things operate here because none of it caused me any tears 😭!! There were more walks, amazing sunsets and discovering the beauty around us. We still have some soccer friends in town so we had some great dinners out and Ethan enjoyed a night at the casino with all the boys his age! Carson is pictured here in the casino lobby…very flashy! The temperature here has finally dropped and we’ve been down as low at 6 degrees overnight. So the new challenge that brings is constant dampness in the apartment and our laundry never drying! So my new obsession is the dehumidifier and seeing how much water it collects….this was the amount in only 1.5 hours!!! The boys and I are off to London-town to hang with Mike so we’ll update next week with that adventure!! Also, we found a sitter for Scarlett so here’s hoping she has a great weekend while we’re away 🤞🏻Love to you all xoxoxo

Well this week was productive with some fun thrown in the mix! But honestly not a lot to tell you about!! I had a lot paperwork to get done for Carson’s club so that meant spending time dealing with Portuguese bureaucracy. Some was surprisingly easy and others have been frustrating! But I’m clearly getting better at dealing with the way things operate here because none of it caused me any tears 😭!! There were more walks, amazing sunsets and discovering the beauty around us. We still have some soccer friends in town so we had some great dinners out and Ethan enjoyed a night at the casino with all the boys his age! Carson is pictured here in the casino lobby…very flashy! The temperature here has finally dropped and we’ve been down as low at 6 degrees overnight. So the new challenge that brings is constant dampness in the apartment and our laundry never drying! So my new obsession is the dehumidifier and seeing how much water it collects….this was the amount in only 1.5 hours!!! The boys and I are off to London-town to hang with Mike so we’ll update next week with that adventure!! Also, we found a sitter for Scarlett so here’s hoping she has a great weekend while we’re away 🤞🏻Love to you all xoxoxo

This week’s recap! Carson’s buddy Xav had his final week here…and that gave me the opportunity to capture them pre-training 😜 Also more stunning walks along the coastline in our backyard!! Mike came back for the weekend and we had a wonderful time hanging out with the Richard’s family(Deb, Dean and Nolan). We went out for dinners, strolled the Christmas village in Cascais and had an epic day trip to Nazaré…home of the biggest 🌊 and epic surf! Also not pictured are a few Estoril soccer games we watched! Nazaré was a true highlight for all of us though. The scenery, beach and town was awesome. We didn’t get to see the massive 50ft waves…but what we saw was still incredible. It was mesmerizing and we all got sucked in watching the waves for ages! If we hadn’t gotten hungry we probably would’ve have watched for hours!! It’s only a 90 minute drive from where we live, so I think the boys and I will be watching the surf forecast and heading back there as soon as the big ones come around! Deb is still in town this week so her and I will be spending more time exploring the area…which is really lovely for me!! xoxoxo😘

This week’s recap! Carson’s buddy Xav had his final week here…and that gave me the opportunity to capture them pre-training 😜 Also more stunning walks along the coastline in our backyard!! Mike came back for the weekend and we had a wonderful time hanging out with the Richard’s family(Deb, Dean and Nolan). We went out for dinners, strolled the Christmas village in Cascais and had an epic day trip to Nazaré…home of the biggest 🌊 and epic surf! Also not pictured are a few Estoril soccer games we watched! Nazaré was a true highlight for all of us though. The scenery, beach and town was awesome. We didn’t get to see the massive 50ft waves…but what we saw was still incredible. It was mesmerizing and we all got sucked in watching the waves for ages! If we hadn’t gotten hungry we probably would’ve have watched for hours!! It’s only a 90 minute drive from where we live, so I think the boys and I will be watching the surf forecast and heading back there as soon as the big ones come around! Deb is still in town this week so her and I will be spending more time exploring the area…which is really lovely for me!! xoxoxo😘

Such a fun week here in Estoril! There’s a sweet old man who lives across the street from us who we have become friends with. He doesn’t speak any English…he’s Ukrainian and only speaks a bit of Portuguese. But we communicate our best and we have the basics to say hello and how are you every day. This weekend he gave me some tomatoes and herbs from his garden! He’s so sweet and I wish I could actually chat properly with him…but I’m grateful for his kindness and willingness to connect! One of the Faly mum’s is in town for a few weeks (Deb) and it’s been great to get out and explore with her. We walked the local sea wall and then drove out to a stunning beach area called Praia do Guincho. The surf is very popular here and the beaches and dunes are beautiful. It was such a warm day…we could have jumped in the ocean but unfortunately hadn’t planned for a swim!!!! And it was a big weekend in Cascais with all the Christmas lights coming on…they really do a beautiful display and it was jam packed as you can see! We’ll head down another night when it’s not so busy!! And this morning I took Scarlett for a walk to another area past the marina that we hadn’t explored yet. No surprise it was absolutely gorgeous! So all in all, it’s been another delightful weekend here! Hugs 🤗 and kisses 💋😘from all of us

Such a fun week here in Estoril! There’s a sweet old man who lives across the street from us who we have become friends with. He doesn’t speak any English…he’s Ukrainian and only speaks a bit of Portuguese. But we communicate our best and we have the basics to say hello and how are you every day. This weekend he gave me some tomatoes and herbs from his garden! He’s so sweet and I wish I could actually chat properly with him…but I’m grateful for his kindness and willingness to connect! One of the Faly mum’s is in town for a few weeks (Deb) and it’s been great to get out and explore with her. We walked the local sea wall and then drove out to a stunning beach area called Praia do Guincho. The surf is very popular here and the beaches and dunes are beautiful. It was such a warm day…we could have jumped in the ocean but unfortunately hadn’t planned for a swim!!!! And it was a big weekend in Cascais with all the Christmas lights coming on…they really do a beautiful display and it was jam packed as you can see! We’ll head down another night when it’s not so busy!! And this morning I took Scarlett for a walk to another area past the marina that we hadn’t explored yet. No surprise it was absolutely gorgeous! So all in all, it’s been another delightful weekend here! Hugs 🤗 and kisses 💋😘from all of us

Update from life in London for Mike this week. The Christmas lights are up all over the city and they are spectacular. It’s very busy out with the weather being dry. London definitely loves theirs Christmas decor! This weekend was the typical dreary, wet and grey weather you would expect this time of year so it was the perfect time to go to the National Gallery and check out the art! Mike is back in Lisbon with is later this week and we have so many adventures planned!!

Update from life in London for Mike this week. The Christmas lights are up all over the city and they are spectacular. It’s very busy out with the weather being dry. London definitely loves theirs Christmas decor! This weekend was the typical dreary, wet and grey weather you would expect this time of year so it was the perfect time to go to the National Gallery and check out the art! Mike is back in Lisbon with is later this week and we have so many adventures planned!!

A little late with our weekly update but that’s because we were busy with our first guests!! Mike was back for a few days which was awesome so we set up a few things for the Christmas season. I took him to the great Cascais market and we got some incredible fresh local fruit and cheese. We had more awesome walks and when Linds and Derek arrived, Ethan and I took them into Lisbon. It was awesome to wander around and find some new things to see. We got to the highest point in the city with an incredible view and then meandered back to the water. The buildings are just stunning here….all the details, colours and history! I love ❤️ it! Scarlett got lots of cuddles and walks again!! All around it was another delightful week made extra special with our family!! Thanks for the visit @beaverhausen1978 @rambleon76 Who’s next??

A little late with our weekly update but that’s because we were busy with our first guests!! Mike was back for a few days which was awesome so we set up a few things for the Christmas season. I took him to the great Cascais market and we got some incredible fresh local fruit and cheese. We had more awesome walks and when Linds and Derek arrived, Ethan and I took them into Lisbon. It was awesome to wander around and find some new things to see. We got to the highest point in the city with an incredible view and then meandered back to the water. The buildings are just stunning here….all the details, colours and history! I love ❤️ it! Scarlett got lots of cuddles and walks again!! All around it was another delightful week made extra special with our family!! Thanks for the visit @beaverhausen1978 @rambleon76 Who’s next??

Another great week for us here in sunny, warm Portugal. We have been told that the temperature is warmer than normal (it’s been about 20-24 all week). We’re certainly not complaining!! It gave us some more beach days which I’m very grateful for. Carson spent time at the beach with his buddies too (of course no photographic evidence of that!).
Scarlett and I continue our walks to one of my favourite spots…it’s so scenic. And it’s a great surf beach so Ethan wants to try surfing over the next couple of weeks.
I checked out the Cascais market on Saturday morning…full of fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses, seafood, meats, flowers and local artisans with their crafts. I’m definitely going to have to include this into my regular weekly shopping!
And today we topped off the week with an awesome visit to Sintra. It’s a stunning town that features over 7 castles & palaces with lush gardens. We opted for a guided tour with Bruno! He took us all around the area stopping at the Palace of Peña so we could explore the area. We’re saving the interior palace visits for another time when Mike can join us. I drank water from the Fonte de Sabuga dating back to 1700’s which is supposedly renowned for its medicinal properties. Here’s hoping I don’t end up with some kind of parasite…the boys refused to drink the water so I’m the guinea pig!!
Then we took the scenic route home on the coastal drive to stop at Cabo do Roca (according to Bruno it was a must see). It was insanely windy and so beautiful!
So that’s our week. Mike is in Istanbul for work over the next few days and then coming back to hang with us for almost a week!! And we’re looking forward to our first visitors next weekend…Lindsay & Derek…we’re getting ready for you!!

Another great week for us here in sunny, warm Portugal. We have been told that the temperature is warmer than normal (it’s been about 20-24 all week). We’re certainly not complaining!! It gave us some more beach days which I’m very grateful for. Carson spent time at the beach with his buddies too (of course no photographic evidence of that!).
Scarlett and I continue our walks to one of my favourite spots…it’s so scenic. And it’s a great surf beach so Ethan wants to try surfing over the next couple of weeks.
I checked out the Cascais market on Saturday morning…full of fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses, seafood, meats, flowers and local artisans with their crafts. I’m definitely going to have to include this into my regular weekly shopping!
And today we topped off the week with an awesome visit to Sintra. It’s a stunning town that features over 7 castles & palaces with lush gardens. We opted for a guided tour with Bruno! He took us all around the area stopping at the Palace of Peña so we could explore the area. We’re saving the interior palace visits for another time when Mike can join us. I drank water from the Fonte de Sabuga dating back to 1700’s which is supposedly renowned for its medicinal properties. Here’s hoping I don’t end up with some kind of parasite…the boys refused to drink the water so I’m the guinea pig!!
Then we took the scenic route home on the coastal drive to stop at Cabo do Roca (according to Bruno it was a must see). It was insanely windy and so beautiful!
So that’s our week. Mike is in Istanbul for work over the next few days and then coming back to hang with us for almost a week!! And we’re looking forward to our first visitors next weekend…Lindsay & Derek…we’re getting ready for you!!

Another recap to share!
The boys and I enjoyed a couple hours at the beach mid-week. You can see they had no fun frolicking in the waves 🌊
Mike had a grand tour around Greece and got to see some sights -Temple of Poseidon and the Acropolis from afar and of course he watched a lot of Futbol ⚽️
Then we had wonderful weekend hanging out together.
We enjoyed some very Vancouver-like rain on Saturday and watched the Estoril game with a sweet victory that made the cold and wet more bearable!!
We explored the local beach and found this curious creature washed up..kinda looks like a turtle without the shell…but probably just a jellyfish
Mike and I spent the day wandering around Lisboa and it was gorgeous and just what we both needed after a long stretch apart!!
Scarlett enjoyed more early morning walks and sunrises
Mike and Ethan hit the local golf course and enjoyed the time spent together! Ethan did not enjoy the rental clubs and cannot wait for his to arrive (thanks to Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Derek!!) I’m sure he’ll enjoy a much better round with his own!!!
And today I celebrated turning….gulp….49! Not sure how that’s possible…but here we are!! I know this year will bring me lots of adventures and experiences and I’m excited for all of it!! Thank you Mum for the beautiful orchid plant…it suits our apartment perfectly! And thank you for all the birthday wishes and love sent throughout the day. I feel so loved and blessed! 🥰❤️

Another recap to share!
The boys and I enjoyed a couple hours at the beach mid-week. You can see they had no fun frolicking in the waves 🌊
Mike had a grand tour around Greece and got to see some sights -Temple of Poseidon and the Acropolis from afar and of course he watched a lot of Futbol ⚽️
Then we had wonderful weekend hanging out together.
We enjoyed some very Vancouver-like rain on Saturday and watched the Estoril game with a sweet victory that made the cold and wet more bearable!!
We explored the local beach and found this curious creature washed up..kinda looks like a turtle without the shell…but probably just a jellyfish
Mike and I spent the day wandering around Lisboa and it was gorgeous and just what we both needed after a long stretch apart!!
Scarlett enjoyed more early morning walks and sunrises
Mike and Ethan hit the local golf course and enjoyed the time spent together! Ethan did not enjoy the rental clubs and cannot wait for his to arrive (thanks to Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Derek!!) I’m sure he’ll enjoy a much better round with his own!!!
And today I celebrated turning….gulp….49! Not sure how that’s possible…but here we are!! I know this year will bring me lots of adventures and experiences and I’m excited for all of it!! Thank you Mum for the beautiful orchid plant…it suits our apartment perfectly! And thank you for all the birthday wishes and love sent throughout the day. I feel so loved and blessed! 🥰❤️

Yesterday was a DAY…and not a good one!! I hit the wall with some life admin. Tasks that are so simple at home were impossible here! The language barrier hit hard and I was beyond frustrated! It was bound to happen…especially after three weeks of doing this on my own while Mike has been in London. And feeling the loneliness set in without friends and family around. I let the tears take over, vented a little to the boys and took some deep breaths. I knew things would work out, I just needed to let it out and come up with a new plan! Yesterday ended with a beautiful sunset and I knew today would be better. And it was! We started with a beautiful rainbow 🌈 and then I had an awesome encounter with the resident parrot 🦜 that hangs out at Carson’s club!! And today all those pesky admin issues went smoothly and are checked off my to-do list! So while a lot of the days here are awesome and full of fun☀️🌈…I will share our hard days too. I can’t be anything but authentic with all of you! I miss all the comfort I had at home with loved ones always there to support…but I know you’re loving and supporting us all from afar….so obrigada!! Mike is finally back tonight and we’re looking forward to a jam packed weekend all together again ⚽️❤️🏖️🦜😊🥂

Yesterday was a DAY…and not a good one!! I hit the wall with some life admin. Tasks that are so simple at home were impossible here! The language barrier hit hard and I was beyond frustrated! It was bound to happen…especially after three weeks of doing this on my own while Mike has been in London. And feeling the loneliness set in without friends and family around. I let the tears take over, vented a little to the boys and took some deep breaths. I knew things would work out, I just needed to let it out and come up with a new plan! Yesterday ended with a beautiful sunset and I knew today would be better. And it was! We started with a beautiful rainbow 🌈 and then I had an awesome encounter with the resident parrot 🦜 that hangs out at Carson’s club!! And today all those pesky admin issues went smoothly and are checked off my to-do list! So while a lot of the days here are awesome and full of fun☀️🌈…I will share our hard days too. I can’t be anything but authentic with all of you! I miss all the comfort I had at home with loved ones always there to support…but I know you’re loving and supporting us all from afar….so obrigada!! Mike is finally back tonight and we’re looking forward to a jam packed weekend all together again ⚽️❤️🏖️🦜😊🥂

This weekend included a trip into Lisboa where we wandered, ate and saw some of the sights. It was incredibly busy (still tourist season here) so we didn’t get to do everything we wanted….our plan is to head back in Nov when it’s quieter! I explored lots of areas in our neighbourhood with Scarlett on some sunrise walks. Honestly the sunrise and sunsets are stunning and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of them!! The sunset views are right from our living room window. I also found a cool fortress close to our house, it was early so Scarlett and I had the place to ourselves!! I found some amazing GF fresh pastry at the grocery store and whipped up this delicious tarte de maçã! Oh and we really miss maple syrup….but not enough to pay €11.59!!!!
Mike is in Athens for work this week and then he’s finally coming back to hang with us for the weekend and I can’t wait!!
More updates coming soon 😘❤️😘❤️😘

This weekend included a trip into Lisboa where we wandered, ate and saw some of the sights. It was incredibly busy (still tourist season here) so we didn’t get to do everything we wanted….our plan is to head back in Nov when it’s quieter! I explored lots of areas in our neighbourhood with Scarlett on some sunrise walks. Honestly the sunrise and sunsets are stunning and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of them!! The sunset views are right from our living room window. I also found a cool fortress close to our house, it was early so Scarlett and I had the place to ourselves!! I found some amazing GF fresh pastry at the grocery store and whipped up this delicious tarte de maçã! Oh and we really miss maple syrup….but not enough to pay €11.59!!!!
Mike is in Athens for work this week and then he’s finally coming back to hang with us for the weekend and I can’t wait!!
More updates coming soon 😘❤️😘❤️😘

Another week of weird weather…ending on a high note! Looks like we have a long stretch of sunny skies and warm days coming our way! There have been some big storms and the last video shows all the seaweed that gets washed up every time there’s a big storm. The seawall was covered with sand & rocks but it didn’t stop us for enjoying how beautiful it is after the storm. You can see how much Scarlett loves it here!! We’re heading into Lisboa today to discover the beauty of the city so I’ll update tomorrow with more photos!!

Another week of weird weather…ending on a high note! Looks like we have a long stretch of sunny skies and warm days coming our way! There have been some big storms and the last video shows all the seaweed that gets washed up every time there’s a big storm. The seawall was covered with sand & rocks but it didn’t stop us for enjoying how beautiful it is after the storm. You can see how much Scarlett loves it here!! We’re heading into Lisboa today to discover the beauty of the city so I’ll update tomorrow with more photos!!

Thanksgiving looked a little different for us this year! -We finally had some beautiful hot & sunny days so I took advantage and spent some time at the beach right by our place. The ocean was warmer than I was expecting but the waves were a lot crazier than I’m used to!
-We toured around downtown Cascais…the buildings here are so beautiful with their tile work and colours. -Scarlett is desperate to find a spot to look out the window….nothing is at her height. But she did find a spot that sort-of works! And she got a bath (actually a shower since we don’t have a tub!) and curled up on the couch afterwards!
-Ethan joined the gym and Carson continues to love his soccer experience here.
-Ethan and I are finally getting a few Portuguese phrases going and we practice a little every day…this week the goal is to at least tell cashiers in the grocery store that we cannot speak Portuguese and ask if they can speak English - Eu nâo falo Portuguese. Tu fala Inglés? Wish us luck!!
Until the next update…nós amamos-te (we love you)
Wishing you all a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday!

Thanksgiving looked a little different for us this year! -We finally had some beautiful hot & sunny days so I took advantage and spent some time at the beach right by our place. The ocean was warmer than I was expecting but the waves were a lot crazier than I’m used to!
-We toured around downtown Cascais…the buildings here are so beautiful with their tile work and colours. -Scarlett is desperate to find a spot to look out the window….nothing is at her height. But she did find a spot that sort-of works! And she got a bath (actually a shower since we don’t have a tub!) and curled up on the couch afterwards!
-Ethan joined the gym and Carson continues to love his soccer experience here.
-Ethan and I are finally getting a few Portuguese phrases going and we practice a little every day…this week the goal is to at least tell cashiers in the grocery store that we cannot speak Portuguese and ask if they can speak English - Eu nâo falo Portuguese. Tu fala Inglés? Wish us luck!!
Until the next update…nós amamos-te (we love you)
Wishing you all a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday!

London life for Mike is going well. He’s been enjoying some lovely Fall weather and taking in the sights when he can!!

London life for Mike is going well. He’s been enjoying some lovely Fall weather and taking in the sights when he can!!

Portugal is hot and sunny ☀️….not our experience just yet😜😜😜. Apparently we are experiencing some abnormal weather right now. I think it’s just trying to help us feel more at home!! Hopefully sunny skies are coming soon!!

Portugal is hot and sunny ☀️….not our experience just yet😜😜😜. Apparently we are experiencing some abnormal weather right now. I think it’s just trying to help us feel more at home!! Hopefully sunny skies are coming soon!!

A summary of week 1:
-saying goodbye, lots of tears & hugs
-so happy to finally land in Lisbon, Scarlett was the most happy!!
-exploring our beautiful new neighbourhood. The beaches & seawall are incredible!
-first day of training resulted in BIG smiles!
-new kit looks great
-more beach walks
-night out for Elise & Mike with live music and the best margaritas….who would have thought!!
-it’s humid here and my hair doesn’t know what to do with itself…I think it’s time to grow out the bangs and figure out a new style to cope with this!!! For the next few weeks, get used to frizzy styles!
-Ethan has rediscovered his passion for Lego!
-we rented the cutest car to help us discover our area even better (and get Carson to & from practice multiple times a day…the legs are a little tired for extra walks!!)
Carson went into Lisbon with his new teammates and loved exploring the city, shops and food!!
Scarlett took a couple days to get comfortable, but now she feels right at home.
Our apartment is perfect and we’re slowly making it feel more like home!
A few challenges with banking & phones…but all around great so far!

A summary of week 1:
-saying goodbye, lots of tears & hugs
-so happy to finally land in Lisbon, Scarlett was the most happy!!
-exploring our beautiful new neighbourhood. The beaches & seawall are incredible!
-first day of training resulted in BIG smiles!
-new kit looks great
-more beach walks
-night out for Elise & Mike with live music and the best margaritas….who would have thought!!
-it’s humid here and my hair doesn’t know what to do with itself…I think it’s time to grow out the bangs and figure out a new style to cope with this!!! For the next few weeks, get used to frizzy styles!
-Ethan has rediscovered his passion for Lego!
-we rented the cutest car to help us discover our area even better (and get Carson to & from practice multiple times a day…the legs are a little tired for extra walks!!)
Carson went into Lisbon with his new teammates and loved exploring the city, shops and food!!
Scarlett took a couple days to get comfortable, but now she feels right at home.
Our apartment is perfect and we’re slowly making it feel more like home!
A few challenges with banking & phones…but all around great so far!

This is us exploring Europe together! Adding friends and family along the way! Can’t wait to share the journey with you!

This is us exploring Europe together! Adding friends and family along the way! Can’t wait to share the journey with you!

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