Since Alyson and Dave Sheldrake moved to the Algarve, their art has gone from strength to strength. They have both been busy setting up their art business in Portugal and running exhibitions as well as creating fabulous paintings and photography. Last month, Alyson was kind enough to choose my dog, Daisy,Read More →
‘Get rid of brambles’ has been on our To Do List ever since I moved to rural central Portugal. That was almost five years ago. After a long, prickly process, I can finally tick this as done. Well, almost. Here’s how not to deal with brambles, followed by the easyRead More →
This week’s guest has a house in Portugal so she visits several times a year. She has some great recommendations for trips to central Portugal and for garden lovers. Hi Sheila, can you tell us a bit about yourself, please? I’m a garden photographer, based in Edinburgh in Scotland. WhenRead More →
What does it take to feel comfortable if you live abroad? I was interviewed for a television documentary about my experience as an expat in Portugal. The producers were exploring the concept of home comforts; how certain objects might affect the way that people living away from their home countriesRead More →
I’d like you to imagine for a moment that you’re looking for a second-hand car to buy. After establishing a price range and the criteria that are important to you, you go to a showroom. You’re in luck, they have a car that might suit you so you check theRead More →
It’s been two years since Louise and Ben Taylor made their dream of moving from London to the Algarve a reality. Time enough to give proper consideration to whether or not it was a wise move, and to write a book which tells their story and may help other potentialRead More →
During an unanticipated trip to the UK, I couldn’t help making several comparisons between life in Portugal and in Britain. As a Brit who’s lived abroad for more than 10 years, there are things I notice when I go back to see family and friends in my native country thatRead More →
A friend recently visited me here in Portugal and when I asked her what she liked about the country, I wasn’t surprised when she said, “I feel safe here.” I do too. When you consider that Portugal currently ranks as the 6th safest country in the Global Peace Index, perhapsRead More →
One of the things I find most frustrating about living in Portugal is how difficult it is to get quotes for work that needs doing. To my way of thinking, it’s in a company’s interests to provide potential clients with the information that they need promptly and with a smileRead More →