We are spending nine weeks in Portugal to decide on where we might want to live for the next three years. My husband’s only grandchildren live here, so he wants to come and spend time with them before they go off to college. I am still ambivalent about leaving the United States and my family, particularly as I am the matriarch, but I am enjoying an extended stay in one country. We started our home-finding trip in Braga, Portugal. We had been here on a tour last year, so spending eleven days here was wonderful. We were close enough that we spent a weekend with the grandkids and they came to have dinner with us our last night here.
Braga is the oldest city in Portugal, and the history around it is amazing. We visited Roman ruins and museums with artifacts thousands of years old. One of my favorites was the Roman baths. I could picture in my imagination the men making deals in this private place where women were not allowed.
The past and the present intertwine. They value the past, and are doing much to preserve their heritage, which impresses me. The architecture is beautiful, and the building where we stayed was old,, but we were comfortable with its modern amenities.
Braga has a rich religious history, and museums are filled with amazing items. They included clothes, art, jewelry, and music instruments, which surprised me. Here is a sample.
I loved being in Braga, but it rains there for and nearly four straight months in winter. So, my husband vetoed the idea of making Braga our home. We are now in Albufeira, and we are five minuses from the beach. But this city is very hilly, so we should get a lot of cardio exercise. We averaged 10000 steps a day in Braga. We probably will do the same here, but that is what makes Portugal so wonderful. The ability to walk to everything you need makes us feel healthier, as we chose not to rent a car. Well, Albufeira, show me what you got! As soon as I figure out how to do collages, I will post more pictures.
Help from Heaven 
Leave a comment