Billy Munnelly / October 26, 2024
Time for the story! Tavira Talking!
On a nothing Tuesday night in beautiful PEC Kato dropped a bomb. “Why don’t we move to Europe?” I gave my usual response to new ideas, “let’s think about it.” But I didn’t just think about it. I got excited and started thinking about all the reasons for agreeing with her. Which I usually do. Especially when she’s right! Such as this time.
This may sound strange, but what appealed to me was the opportunity to disrupt my perfect life. To abandon comfort, the familiar and to dive into new waters where things would be different. Even difficult. New home, new town, and new ways of everyday life. Of course I’m partly lying. Yes, I loved the idea of a change, but a change that offered stuff I wanted. The European lifestyle. And aesthetic. Not the pretty one you see in travel ads, but the more gritty one I’d experienced on my travels. The back streets. Washing hanging from the windows. More blue and less beige. I was keen to see how life really was over there. Living there. Not knowing what was around the corner, in the supermarket and in the cafes appealed to me. I planned on being open to any challenge that might come my way. Waiting an hour to buy a postage stamp – no problem. I’d have time to look about. I’m good at that.
Not everyone wants to give up a lovely comfortable life especially in the bosom of family and friends. And maybe a good job that’s paying down the mortgage. However, leaving friends was the only sacrifice I was making, and many of them followed a week later “Had to see what you’re up to.” “You could have given me time to chill the Vinho Verde.”
But why Portugal you ask? Ireland was our initial choice till we started getting real. After a few minutes describing the winters to Kato – rain, wind and cold, we wised up. The south of Portugal has the best winter weather in Europe and if we’re going, we opted for comfort. Not that boiling Mexican stuff, but mid-teen winter temperatures appealed to me. Portugal scored on other accounts too, such as low cost of living but mainly because we’d already fallen in love with the country on our tours over here. It had all the well-worn charm of France and Italy, but with a more modern outlook. Also, being less well-known appealed to my love of adventure. Making my own discoveries. Why be the millionth outsider in the south of France! My Irish passport (EU) gave us automatic residency here, a big plus.
And how has it been? Everything I’d hoped for and more. Today I got my Portuguese driving license – took only three years. If slow is not one of your gears, Portugal is not the country for you. But if it is, this is a great place to live. Which I’ll start telling you about next time. For now, the chilled Vinho Verde and lunch with Kato is calling.