Settling into life in Vila Franca da Beira

On Monday, the technician from MEO came to set up my internet and tv service. It was pretty uneventful. He arrived at the stated time and was very nice, but some of the technical questions he had for me were over my head and I had to call my landlady so she could speak to him. He completed his work and left. I spent the rest of the day cooking ChuChu squash which was a gift from my landlady. Before coming here, I had no idea what ChuChu squash even was. I'd never seen it before. Apparently it is common in Central America and Mexico where it's known as Chayote squash or Pear Squash. I roasted it with salt, oregano, and olive oil. It was good and is quite nutritious.

On Tuesday, I meant to go to Oliveira do Hospital to do some shopping, but I didn't. I couldn't seem to muster the energy. Instead I puttered about the house putting together a shopping list. There are many things I need for my new house that did not fit in my suitcase. That said, I do not want to spend much money until I know that I have been approved for a D-7 Visa. It was raining, though, and quite chilly. I opted to stay home with the fire and do Portuguese homework. I also tried to communicate with Novo Banco in Porto. I need them to change the phone number associated with my account to the Portuguese number I obtained on Saturday. What they have now is my attorney's number. I can't make the account functional via the app until they change the number in the system. I am trying to avoid having to go to Porto just to accomplish that, but I don't know if it's possible. We shall see. In addition, I worked with my American bank to figure out how to get into my locked account so that I can pay bills when needed. Arrgh! Banks! The gal at Cornhusker was very helpful, though, and together we managed to add my new phone number so that I can receive two-factor authentication codes from them in case it happens again.

It's Wednesday, now. Today I did some walking around Vila Franca and had a coffee in the village cafe. It was less than 1€ and very good. An elderly and inebrieted man walked me around, speaking rapidly and repeatedly in slurred Portuguese. He was nice, though, and we became friends. Then I took a taxi to Oliveira do Hospital. It turns out that the cab is owned and driven by Tó, short for António. He is my landlady's cousin and is the same gentleman who owns the cafe and the mini-mercado. He is also the guy you give your mail to so that it gets sent out. He wears a lot of hats!

He dropped me off in Oliveira and I set off on foot to find a store called Lucky Home I had found online. I needed some basics like some paper to write on, bungee cords for the bike, a caddy for shampoo and shower gel, etc. Tó kept saying something about the Chinese and I didn't understand why. It turns out that Lucky Home is a store full of Chinese merchandise. It's very inexpensive, but also very, um, cheap. I got a lazy susan, some hangers, a bath mat, and a few other items on my list, but I had to be selective. There was only so much I could carry on foot! I stopped in another cafe and had a coffee com leite and a pastel da nata (yum!). I posted a photo of their cigarette machine. They are everywhere in Portugal and I notice that a lot of people smoke.

When I'd finished my breakfast, I walked to Pingo Doce, a big supermercado with many locations throughout Portugal. That's where I got myself into trouble. It took me a long time to locate what I was looking for in the store because things are arranged differently than in American grocery stores. I definitely wanted some mustard. I was in the back of the store and noticed a large display of bacalhau, which is dried cod, a Portuguese staple. My uncle tells me cod is related to flounder, but I know nothing of fish, no matter who they're related to! Anyway, I was struck by the odd beauty of the display and stood still to take a photo. After doing so I walked away to another aisle to continue my search. Within seconds, two stern men approached me saying, "Com licença, Senhora. Não é permitido tirar fotografias na loja." I responded, "Peço desculpa. A sério? Eu não sabia,". I continued shopping but took no more photos! I never did find whole wheat flour or yeast. Cumin and chile powder are difficult to find here, and I really want some mustard! I'll look when I go to Porto.

As I waited for Tó to arrive, it began raining again. Seeing the enveloping clouds moving over the mountains, I knew I should get home. When the sun starts to drop in the sky, it gets suddenly cold here. Besides, I had a Portuguese lesson at five, and I clearly need to keep trying to become more fluent. On the way back to Vila Franca, Tó showed me some waterfalls near the village. They are so beautiful, but I couldn't get shots of them from the moving car. I will be exploring those on the e-bike, for sure! Once home, I threw three small potatoes into the oven above my wood stove. An hour later, they were perfect and hit the spot for dinner, along with more ChuChu.

Tó charged me €33 to drive me to Oliveira and back, which is a lot. Taking a cab is far more expensive here than taking an Uber in Porto. I need to get the e-bike up and going so that I can provide my own transportation when I need groceries. My landlord told me today that he is going to take me into Viseu (another city in Portugal) to buy a basket and a good lock for the bike He has loaned me a nice helmet, which I will be certain to wear. I worry a little about riding on the roads between here and Oliveira. Portuguese drivers like speed, and the roads are winding and hilly. What could go wrong, eh? I will get past it, though, and soon begin more adventures. I need to plan a trip to Porto. I am thinking maybe on Saturday I will go so I can get in some sightseeing. It's supposed to be 56 degrees with no rain. Wish me luck!