Gaining Perspectives: Does different mean better?

Perspective: A specific way of looking at something.

Overlooking Costa da Caparica--Canada is that way!

For me, gaining new perspectives is the bread and butter of traveling.
Almost 5 months in, and I'm still observing new and different ways of doing everyday things.

Don't get me wrong: this is not a Portugal vs Canada thing. We are loving our adventure, but Canada is home, and we'll be back. What I find fascinating is how common things can be done so differently. Examples:

School: 

• Students here have the same teacher for all four years of primary school.

PROS would be really knowing your child's teacher, her expectations and approaches to teaching, nurturing and communication, and she in turn, will learn how best to work with your child; kids really get to know their classmates and have time to cultivate deeper friendships; parents get to know each other well and build more community.
CONS: better hope you like the teacher and that your kid gets along with their classmates! 

• Parent/teacher interviews are a tri-annual meeting with all the parents and teacher, together at the same time.

Upcoming events and general class issues are discussed: parents learn which kid talks too much, which kid is really improving on their listening skills, which kids share struggles...at first I thought it was unfair to those kids named, but then I considered how it might be helpful information that fosters compassion and understanding among kids and families over the next 4 years. The teacher is available twice a month to meet with parents one-on-one if there are specific academic concerns.

We love our walk home from school! 

Chasing birds, catching eachother, exploring sand designs...
love that our short trundle home takes a long while!

Ready early, so did a good deed on our way to school.
Sadly, so much garbage in the ocean :(

These goofs and their modes of transportation this morning

I own this sea wall!

Fashion:  

• The Portuguese take great pride in their appearance. 

Although I'm not sure how practical it always is, it sure beats the common sighting of pyjama pants in public back home. To illustrate my point:

1. At 8:30am when I pop in to grab fresh buns at the bakery, the caliber of stockings, skirts, heels, scarves and coats I see amazes me. I am Captain Frumpy in my yoga pants, hikers, and puff coat.

2. Leather and pleather pants are alive and well here: in every colour of the rainbow.  WOW.

3. Stockings under shorts--a stylish winter look with cute ankle boots. Can't bring myself to buy some (it won't work for a Canadian winter!), but it sure looks pretty.

By chance, and by smell, I found this bakery in September.
No signage needed: people have been going here for over a century.

Wood-fired bread, I get fresh "carcacas" (buns), still warm, every morning.

This frumpy tourist cannot resist the wide array of tasty, fresh-made treats first thing every morning ;)

"Fix First" Mentality:

• If something is broken, try to fix it.

We are used to the North American way--if its broken, get a new one! But, it seems the Portuguese are more conscientious: is it that labour is cheaper? people are more frugal? concern for the environment outweighs convenience? everyone "knows a guy"? Examples:

1. When we moved in, our apartment's 10 year old dishwasher was in rough shape: the cover for the soap dispenser was broken, a few rollers were missing from the bottom rack, the upper spray arm was blocked...the land lady sent in her friend, who after about 30 minutes and ~$10 in parts had it in perfect working condition. I'll be honest, back home we would have likely rationalized getting a new one.

2. We got a flat-tire. Instead of having 1 new tire and 3 oldies, the mechanic replaced the flat with a tire from their junk pile...still years younger than the others! We only paid for labour. Clever, helpful, and all that we needed.

Daddy impressed us all--changed the tire in 10 minutes flat!

3. The glass door to our balcony cracked. In Canada we probably would have had to go through the door manufacturer to get it fixed. Likely the most convenient and cheapest option would be to get a whole new door. Here, the building contractor called a glass guy, who cut it to size, and they reused everything else. Awesome.

Door is all fixed, same great view.

Paediatric Emergency Department:

• If a child needs to go to the hospital, they enter through the Paediatric Emergency Department. 

Genius! Why mix sick/hurt kids with all the characters, illnesses and stressful environment of an adult emergency waiting room? The Paediatric department has cartoons on TV, brightly coloured walls, and kids tables and chairs. And for the shared services (e.g. x-ray, ultrasound, ortho), kids get to skip ahead. I'm sold!

Seen in Emerg, x-rayed and in a cast in less than an hour!
Don't slide off a 3 meter high seawall onto hard sand.

Can you spot the heel fracture?

Super Daddy! Jonty's mode of transportation until
his contused right heel could handle him walking on it to support the left one.

Cast is off!  Time to retrain the foot to work again.

Let the adventures continue!

Christmas without Snow? Um, YES!

Snow is synonymous with Christmas.

At least it was for me and my kids, who, until now, only knew a white Christmas in Canada's notoriously cold, and always snow-covered Winnipeg.  We love that romantic notion: waking up on December 25 to a scene of white, cuddled up in fleece jammies, and enjoying a magical winter morning...

A surprise at the local park: Santa, musicians, animators and candy

So, when our sunny, green, coastal town here started getting decked out for the holidays (beachside lampposts strung with Christmas tree shaped lights, shop windows stickered with snowflakes and snowmen, palm tree trunks wrapped in tinsel, poinsettas blooming in the town garden), and Catarina's constant serenading of "Let it Snow" in Portuguese while running on the beach (practicing for her Christmas concert), I wasn't convinced we'd feel the spirit of the season in quite the same way.

A typical display at restaurants - pick your ocean dweller meal

Train scene at a mall in Lisbon - complete with white flakes falling from 4 stories up

The entrance to the historic fort in Sesimbra

White Lighted Christmas Trees line the waterfront

A 5 storey high pine tree decorated in the town park, with poinsettias blooming

Our 30cm high tree...lots of love went into decorating it

Reality: a green Christmas didn't change the kids' excitement or magic of the season. Sure, they miss snow (you can't build a snowman with sand, we tried). But no snow gear to wrangle on the kids, no fights to get outdoors, and the glory of sitting on our balcony soaking up +28C on Dec 28...yup, I could do this again, and again, and again...

The sun makes my heart so happy...oh, and this guy too

We made the most of the kids' three week school break:
1. My sister and her family joined us from Winnipeg. We headed south to a holiday resort in the Algarve. Picking oranges, pomegranates and peppercorns (who knew they grew on trees?), jumping in a chilly pool, playing wide games in the lush grass, making iMovies outside in the dark yet warm evenings, watching the fishing boats, and taking the train to the beach...
Glad the rain finally stopped, ahem, hurricane Elsa...

The Temple of Diana in Evora - any Percy Jackson fans out there?

Pretty cool to swim in an outdoor pool in December, right?!

Taking the train to the beach

Picking and eating fruit at our resort--fresh and YUM!

Mamma and her little man at Tavira Island Beach

Take 2 on the train with cousins--the weather was much nicer this time

2. We joined our extended family (hailing from the UK, Mozambique, Canada and our steadfast Portuguese contingent) for a week in Carcavelos, near Lisbon: food+drink+family+music+sun+fun= everybody happy.

Cousins! Three Generations gathered for the week-long fun.

The Portuguese eat Bacalhau (cod fish) on Christmas Eve--a tradition my parents have maintained too.
My kids are super fans--whew!

Oranges and pomegranates are in season

Bolo Rei - King's Cake

Rice Pudding

More dessert! Flan pudding, Molotof, Mince Pies, Cake, Coffee, Moscatel liqueur, port wine...

3. Wrapped up the holidays with house guests in Sesimbra and a visit from the 3 Kings on real camels (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uj5_m2erzs).
Oh, add a broken foot and 3 sickies; but the sun was always shining, which helped keep mamma sane while tending to them all.

On January 6, 3 Kings Day, the municipality gifted each child: a free screening of Frozen 2 during the school day, a stationary set, and a visit from the kings with live music and candy

Catarina is in Mark's arms, screaming to get away from the camel...

A few highlights:
Christmas Concert: Catarina's daycare held a Christmas concert where 100 kids, ages 2 months-5 years performed on stage, and culminated with an exhilarating visit from Santa. It was total and utter chaos, but oh-so-fun! When's the last time you witnessed a group of 2 years olds carrying out the nativity story? Mary stripped, Joseph used his staff like a lasso narrowly missing every classmate, Jesus escaped his manger and danced like nobody's business, and the sheep kept pulling off the angel's wings, much to her chagrin.  OMG--how we laughed!

Catarina's class sang "Vai Nevar" (Let it Snow) and "Jesus Ama-nos" (Jesus Loves Us).
She is in the candy cane striped pants by the tree.

"Christmas" is not a taboo word: Being in a Catholic country, Christmas is about Jesus. Yes, Santa still comes, and that tradition is growing in popularity, but wishing everyone a merry and holy Christmas is OK. At the schools, in the town square and at the nursing home, beautiful nativity scenes were on display for all to admire and reflect.

The Nativity Scene by the Nursing Home (enroute to school)

Neon Nativity In the Town Park

Harry Potter Exhibition: The cousins had a great time exploring the props and reliving the magic of Hogwarts.

The Screaming Mandrakes - block your ears!

The Nimbus 2000 and the Nimbus 2001 straight from the movie

Hagrid's Chair

Life is good with cousins

Reveillon: aka New Years. A late dinner of tapas, great company, live music performed by my cousins, fireworks thanks to the neighbour...so special to ring in 2020 with this crowd.

Everyone gets 12 raisins at midnight--to make 12 wishes for the incoming year.
Dad wished for sleep, 12 times! 

Daddy's entourage enroute to the beach for a ceremonial New Year's Day swim.

Swimming in the ocean on January 1st, 2020.
A braver person than me...go Mark!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas; Dashing Through the Snow; Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful--we managed this mild winter just fine!