Living in Portugal - Our Monthly Journal - January 2026
- Tony
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
January turned out to be a wet and stormy month with little of the bright sunny days the Algarve is known for. A month without travel combined with several days of grey skies and rain, proved to be a perfect for rehab from my recent shoulder surgery and to enjoy time at home with Sonny and Barney. We (mostly Mary) spent time in the kitchen, focusing on creating fun meals that support our health; we connected with friends; and, when the rain did subside, we explored the sights of the beautiful place we live.
In early February, we're back on the road again, this time it's a series of two road trips from Portugal into southern Spain. First, we'll make a quick stop in Sevilla, then head on to Ronda, stopping at the white villages along the way. After Ronda, we'll head to Marbella on the coast for a few days with visits to Malaga and Estepona during our stay. The second road trip later in the month takes us to Ayamonte, Cadiz, and Jerez. Stay tuned for updates on these trips.
In December, I celebrated a very low-key milestone birthday, just nine days after shoulder replacement surgery. Having reached the magic age of Medicare qualification, the dawning of a New Year, and recovery time on my hands, there was plenty of time to think about life, past, present, and future. People often view aging negatively, but I think there is something magical about growing old. I look at aging differently now than I have in the past, mostly because I see myself entering a time of my life that is finite. The downhill side of life that makes you realize the importance of time, that moments from the past, present, and future are appreciated and celebrated, that the time we have left is lived with passion and purpose.
I am grateful for many things, all of the life experiences of the past, some good, some not so good, but experiences that have helped shape who I am today. I have a lot of gratitude for the present, I would never thought that I would end up with dual citizenship and the chance to move to and live in Europe, Portugal in particular. Living here, I feel a connection to family roots in Portugal, Italy, and Sweden that I would have never dreamed of experiencing. The opportunity to live and travel, to experience people and cultures that open your eyes to a whole new perspective on the world. Looking forward, yes, there will be issues with aging, we are blessed with good health today, but we are prepared to face what ever comes our way head-on. We plan to spend the rest of our lives abroad, but we will never close the door to other options. As we sit here today, we love living in Portugal but are considering future locations in France and possibly Italy. We are blessed to have these options and intend to make the most of them.
We recently re-discovered a documentary on the Blue Zones, areas around the world with high concentrations of centenarians living long and healthy lives, and the commonalities that connect them to achieve healthy longevity. The concepts, although simple, make a lot of sense and are something that we strive to live by. If you have a chance to read about Blue Zones or watch the documentaries, it's interesting and eye-opening.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere reported that 2025 was the fifth warmest and third wettest year on record in Portugal since 1931 and the start of the century, respectively. With January already showing intense rainfall, 2026 may bring record-breaking wet conditions.
We used to hear the weather term "Atmospheric River" tossed around by sensationalist news media in California. Although not a term used here, we are experiencing the equivalent of back-to-back storms, with Ingrid, Joseph, and Kristin hitting Portugal hard in quick succession over the last few days of the month. Ingrid arrived first, bringing heavy rain, hail, strong winds, and rough seas, with snow reported across large parts of the country from the North to the Alentejo. Joseph then crossed the mainland with heavy rain and wind, including flooding, fallen trees, and road closures. Kristin followed and proved the most destructive with heavy rain, wind, and seas of 10-12 meters (30-40 feet), with widespread damage and six fatalities reported. The outlook points to the continuation of a “harsh winter”, with successive episodes of rain and wind. Two additional depressions currently in the Atlantic could arrive on the mainland in the coming week, potentially bringing renewed disruption, though their severity remains uncertain.
Recovery continues to go very well. I continue to be amazed that such an invasive surgery can be recovered from so quickly. I am writing this at five weeks post-surgery, and I am happy to report all is going well. The incision and related issues have all but healed, leaving a small but long scar that seems to disappear more each day. My mobility and strength continue to rapidly improve with a pretty good range of motion at this point. I start PT next week (week six), so improvement in range should continue.
With all the rain, it's been pretty quiet on the garden front, but there are signs of spring approaching even in late January. The weeds are taking over, some flowering to create a bright yellow carpet in the open fields. Almond trees are beginning to blossom even in this cloudy, cool, and rainy climate, showing a few clusters of bright white flowers. Mix in the bright orange fruit of the abundant orange and clementine trees in the region, and you can almost feel spring.
For the new year, we celebrated what our friend Kevin deemed as "Old Year's Night" with friends, then on New Year's Day, we prepared our traditional Crab toast for a late lunch. Usually prepared with Dungeness crab from the North Pacific, this year's treat was with local Atlantic crab, which was good but just not the same.
While recently in Faro, we stopped in at Zorba the Greek for a taste of Greece. Simple food but great Greek flavors.
Early in the month, during a break between storms, we were blessed with a sunny day, so we decided a hike along the cliffs of Carvoeiro was in order.
A fun wine tasting with friends at Wines and Co in Lagos, followed by Dinner at Eat Thai.
Another opportunity for an in-between-the-storms hike. This time, along the beautiful coast near Lagos.
We've recently seen this on top of block walls in the area, an apparently good security feature. Glass shards and broken bottles are placed in mortar on top of your block wall fence. What we don't know is whether its design is to deter people or animals from crossing
In our village, Sophia is a small neighborhood "go-to" restaurant for locals serving traditional Portuguese food at very reasonable prices. Not a Michelin experience but good, solid home-style food. You can't beat the prices either. Prato do dia (Dish of the day) today was pork steak, or Squid, with starter and dessert for €10 (and for our American friends, that includes tax and tip!).
A beautiful day at the Torre Rive Reservoir, adjacent to the village we live in. It's normally filled with Storks, Flamingos, and other seabirds, but after the storm, they have seemingly found shelter elsewhere.
This month's Algarve Wine Society event was at La Piazza in the small village of Santa Barbara de Nexe in the foothills above Faro. The restaurant was recently taken over by a couple from France, so the menu featured a little French flair. For starters, Terrine de Champagne, or Oeuf Mayonnaise; Entrées of Boeuf Bourguignon, Confit Duck Leg, or Grilled Salmon Steak; and, for dessert, a Crumble with red fruits or Crème Brulée. For the wine pairings, we were presented with a contrast between Spain and Portugal from producers on each side of the border using the same grape varietals. Although there were some notable differences in the wines, we tended to prefer the Portuguese wines over the Spanish wines presented.
Calm between the storms, a good time for a walk around the Marina and Praia da Rocha.
A project is underway on the beach at Praia da Rocha. Over time, ocean currents have migrated sand from Praia do Vau and Praia dos Três Castelos to the west onto Praia da Rocha to the east. The migrating sand has left beaches to the west with a narrowing footprint of sand, while Praia da Rocha has grown into a vast beach. The narrowing sand on the west beaches is not only an inconvenience to beachgoers, especially at high tide, but also causes growing concerns about cliff erosion when the surf reaches them without the protection of the sandy break. Some say the issue is a natural occurrence driven by tides and currents, but many believe that the construction of the seawall and the entrance to the river and marina to the east of Praia da Rocha have accelerated the process. The solution is to move the sand from the east beaches back to the west beaches through a long dredging pipe laid between them, returning it to its original source, and replenishing and widening the beaches at Vau and Tres Castelos. As our friends from the American South say, they've been fixin' to do this for a few months.
Smash burgers have recently become a thing in the Algarve. I usually prefer a good thick burger, but we recently tried Smash and Dough, a small place nearby that makes a great Smash burger, my favorite so far.
Wine seminar at about Wine in Faro. Luís, the owner, is a Level 3 certified Sommelier and always provides a fun education on Portuguese wines, along with some good charcuterie snacks.
Storm Kristen passed through last night, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and heavy surf to Portimao. Checking on our boat in the Marina this morning, there is sand blown everywhere, including some on our boat, which rarely happens. The road to the Marina is covered in sand, as are the walkways and boardwalk along Praia da Rocha. Plowing sand seems a lot more pleasant than plowing snow.
Another version of Jazz nas Adegas with the Diga Diga Doos band, New Orleans style Jazz. Mary got us all to go on stage with the band for a photo after the performance
A few photos from around our village. The flowers must be confused, it's not spring and our weather has been cloudy and rainy but everything seems to be in blossom. It brings brightness to our grey cloudy days.
Sonny and Barney continue to enjoy their humble abode in Portugal
Our semi-adopted neighborhood cats enjoy our yard together. Nicknamed Mini-me and princess, these two love to hang out in the yard with us, following us around and showing great curiosity about what we are doing. They appear to be well cared for and probably have a nice home to go to, but during the day (when it's not raining), they love exploring with us.
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As always, we hope everyone is doing well, healthy, happy, and thriving. We miss you and love you all...A lot!
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