Ordinary life

Well, I guess one can't really call it ordinary life when we are so far from home, but I wanted to talk about what is normal for us here.

The apartment is lovely.  We have a spacious bedroom, full bath with bidet, well stocked little kitchen, dining table, living room area with a sofa bed couch, another small bedroom off the living area which faces the front of the building and a nice sized balcony with table and chairs.  The cleaning ladies will come every day, but we usually get cleaning only every second day.  

Breakfast comes with the room, and there is something very nice about having a lovely selection prepared by someone else.  There are always eggs -- one or two preparations, bacon and some grilled vegetable.  There is ham and a couple of different cheeses to go with the savouries, including a fresh -- pressed cottage cheese that Ian really likes.  Pancakes are also prepared daily and there are a variety of jams and nutella to accompany them.  There are 6 different sorts of breads including croissants, and the local bread cooked on a griddle, a couple of pastries, mixed fruit, and pineapple (the local stuff), yogurts, and juices.  There is a lovely machine that makes any hot drink you might like, and if that is not fancy enough, the serving girls will make you specialty coffee concoctions from their espresso machine in the back.  We have thought about getting an AirBnB style apartment, but having breakfast included just makes it feel more like a vacation. 

Our view of the harbour is spectacular and we comment about boats that come in.  Thanks to Google, all the boats are listed and so we know if it is a tanker or a container ship, how many beds are on the cruise boats, and where the schooner calls home.  The variety is everything from little outboard motorboats, to sailboats moored in the harbour, to some nice sized yachts, the whale watching boats, the tugs of various sizes and then the big container ships and cruise boats.  Often there is a military boat staying a few days before it is off again on patrol.  Time is money, so there is loading and unloading well into the night and the big ships manage to sneak out at night without waking the whole city.  

The hotel is on the main waterfront road and so gets a fair amount of traffic, but the soundproofing is good, and the bedroom is towards the back of the building.  The promenade along the harbour is about 3.5 km without interruption.  There are further walk/cycle paths to the east of the city, but they come after short breaks where one is forced onto the road or sidewalk.  Since we were here last, the section in Lagoa has been completed and it takes you close to the shore among the big black basalt rocks.  A dune style grass is being planted in clumps in order to help hold the path against erosion by wind and waves.  I walk about 5 km each morning before breakfast, as I get up much earlier than Ian.  Being beside the water is a lovely start to the day, though I have not braved the 16 degree water and gone swimming with the people that venture in each morning about 100 m from our hotel.  I came here to escape the cold.

As with most restaurants, masks are mandatory at breakfast when you serve yourself.  And masks are necessary any time you go into a building.  Outside, about 30% of the people are wearing them.  Other than that, there are not really any more COVID effects visible on a daily basis.  I found out today that the Carnaval activities are cancelled again this year -- no parade for the kids, no big masked ball on Saturday night, and no water fight next Tuesday.  So large gatherings are still not happening, but everyday activities are almost back to normal.  

And so we occupy our days with walks and visiting museums and gardens, shopping and cooking a simple soup for supper.  The cheese on the islands is fabulous and so with a pastry for midday snack, soup and bread and cheese for supper work very well.  Wine is abundant and priced from about 2 euros to 10 a bottle and easily accessible as it is sold in the grocery store.  We have a small satellite store of one of the big supermarkets just 2 doors from the hotel.  

I have been cycling.  I got my legs and seat used to riding again with trips along the coast to Lagoa -- about 10 km one way and mostly flat.  But going west or going north involves climbing and the low gears get a serious workout.  I don't ride on the main expressway, but do go on the secondary highways.  There are good shoulders on the roads, and not very much traffic compared to riding at home.  I got a waterbottle cage on my bike this year and so it is outfitted with just about everything I have at home.  Don't have a computer, but this isn't about going far.  

In the evenings I stitch on my delphinium tapestry where I now only have the background to finish.  We watch TV.  Netflix and Disney+ both work here.  It is quite relaxing and very low stress.  I think it is wonderful that we have found a place where both of us are comfortable and can amuse ourselves.  Sure beats February in Hamilton.