Saturday, July 18, 2015

Anjos Beach & Snack Bar

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This beach is the last to lose the light, so this is the best to have dinner or cafe while watching the sunset. The cafe is very stylish, an...

Massachusetts towns with Portuguese Populations

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 I still read Facebook to keep up with the news back home. (Once upon a time, I used to read the New York Times, but their paywall has annoy...
Friday, July 17, 2015

Columbus Monuments on Santa Maria

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B First of all, Columbus never got off the ship. His sailors did. And visited a chapel, to pay tribute to the god that helped them to surviv...

Santa Maria Blues Fest: Maria Joao

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Held in Anjos, this Blues festival has been growing every year. It is run by a group translated as "The Slaves of the Little Jail"...
Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Walden; Ou A Vida Nos Bosques

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My biggest fear when traveling is to run out of books. I call it "Abibliophobia". The second biggest concern is to run out of book...
Monday, July 13, 2015

Dark Side of Portuguese History

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Portuguese history is long and complicated.  The longer I am here, the more persistent it seems to be. You can laugh off an inappropriate jo...
Sunday, July 12, 2015

Hiking Trail from Vila to Praia Formosa Competed!!

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It was amazing!! From the main town, to the best beach, it is about 3-4 hours on the trail. DO NOT go when it is a hot & sunny day, or i...
Saturday, July 11, 2015

Starbucks in Lisbon

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Primeiro! The cafes here are awesome. You can get a shot of espresso for .50 to .60 cents and sit as long as you want. Secondly, the coffee ...
Thursday, July 9, 2015

Preparations for Imperios in Sao Miguel

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If you are traveling from Lisbon to Santa Maria, it is highly likely that you will have a  stopover in Sao Miguel.  Especially if you fly wi...
Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Expo Cable Cars, Just Like Flying!

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If you find yourself in the Expo '98, be sure to ride/fly on the cable cars!! You are impossibly high and have a great view & orient...
Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Divertida-Mente

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I just saw the film "Inside Out" in Faro. In Portuguese. The biggest news is that I cried.  No, wait, that's not news at all. ...
Monday, July 6, 2015

Tavira, Algarve

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Tavira is the Venice of the Algarve.  (Except it is not sinking) I found festa decorations and a public square performance piece about a shi...
Sunday, July 5, 2015

Hotel Faro Cafe at Midnight

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If it is a very hot night in Faro, and it is highly likely that it will be very hot in July, go to the highest spot you can find. For me, I ...
Saturday, July 4, 2015

Farol/Lighthouse Island

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Spent the day on a beach island. As if the regular Algarve wasn't party central enough.
Friday, July 3, 2015

The Moorish Influence on Faro

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Walking through Faro today, getting lost by myself and wandering with family, I was amazed by what I had forgotten and what I remembered. Th...
Thursday, July 2, 2015

Ketchup Americano and A Portuguesa

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After a day of visiting Lisbon & taking the train to Faro, I arrived happily at my uncle's  house. And was most surprised to find 2 ...
Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Michaelense Museums and Factories

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On my way to the mainland, I took a puddle jumper from Santa Maria to São Miguel early in the morning & left late at night. That meant t...
Monday, June 29, 2015

Walking Trails, Vila do Porto, Santa Maria-My Journey

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I was looking at the trailhead just yesterday.  In my lazy way I thought, I'll get to it one of these days.  I was planning a quiet morn...
Sunday, June 28, 2015

San Juaninhos em Santa Maria!

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I'm Great annual festival, not as big & crazy as in Terceira. But not bad, either! Peeking out of my cousin's house on En Cima d...

Mare de Agosto presents Escolinha da Mare!

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The Mare do Augosto Festival sponsors several events during the year.  For the past 5 or 6 years, it has also encouraged children of the isl...

Walking & Hiking Trails-Vila do Porto, Santa Maria

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One of the best ways to see the islands is in an SUV.  Seriously, the hills are very intense and so is the sun.  If you have only a few hour...