We were perhaps overly optimistic about picking up Portuguese as we explored the country. Not that it has hindered our travels in any real way — we tried to order espresso tonight and received port instead– but we’re working on it. We’ve been impressed by how many Portuguese polyglots we’ve encountered, and most people don’t seem to mind our silly Spanish/French pronunciation as we practice. From Madeira to the Douro we’ve felt very welcome.
In trying to stick to our budget we’ve eaten more canned sardines than I have in my life, but are sweetening things up with Portuguese pastries, and have tasted more wine than I can keep track of. Between hilltop castles, seaside cliffs, and terraced vineyards, we’ve been spoiled with beautiful scenery and sea breezes…we’re just trying to drink it all in (and not only the wine!).

Looking forward to to sharing more from Portugal, but for now boa noite!