Cascais, Portugal - Day 2

Friday, February 23, 2024

Our day began at an airbnb in Cascais, Portugal with Andi’s sister Lindsay and nephew Arnie. Lindsay and Arnie flew in from The Netherlands to spend a few days in Portugal with us during Arnie’s school break. Andi rented an airbnb house for all of us to stay together. Arnie was awake first this morning and enjoyed a breakfast of toast, yogurt, and banana on a make-shift kid’s table Lindsay made for him. The tall bar stool countertop is a little tricky for the grown-ups to sit at with its swiveling chairs, let alone a five-year-old, so this solution works better for Arnie.

Our family was awake and moving by 9:00am, and ready to explore the city of Cascais today. We’re walking distance from the city center, so we set off on foot to check out the downtown area. Along the way, Lindsay pointed out this birds of paradise plant blooming in several of the grassy lawns. Arnie really liked this flower, and continued to point out every one he saw until we reached the city center.

We navigated ourselves to the pedestrian walking zone with lots of touristy shops and restaurants lining the sides of the street. Streets like this one that are closed to cars really make wandering through a city more enjoyable — especially with little kids. Aden and Arnie chased each other up and down the street as we walked which wasn’t a problem because there weren’t many people walking around yet this morning.

I love all the beautiful tile work and attention to detail in Portuguese architecture! The cobblestone streets and sidewalks through Cascais are true works of art. It feels like centuries of history re-telling their stories as we walked through the city centre. This would not be a place to walk with high heels though! We had to watch where we stepped and shout warnings to the kids a few times, too, as there were lots of puddles from the recent rain.

Arnie said he wanted something to eat from the bakery, so we popped into the first one that we saw. This Portuguese padaria was called Sacolinha and was packed with people enjoying their morning coffee. We initially thought it was too busy inside the bakery to stay, but the door locked when we tried to leave. A sign posted on the door said that we had to be buzzed out of the bakery by an employee at the front counter, so then we decided to order from the bakery counter while we were there. I have no idea why the door was locked, other than perhaps the restaurant didn’t want people using that entrance/exit.

From the bakery counter, Lindsay picked a pastel de nata (egg custard tart with a puff pastry shell that’s a popular breakfast item in Portugal) and Arnie picked a muffin filled with chocolate. Andi and Aden split an Italian butter cookie dipped in chocolate, and Tory ordered a decadent miniature cake! Dad was being mighty generous when he let her pick out cake for breakfast.

We found a table outside for the six of us to sit down and enjoy our bakery treats. The air temperature was cool this morning, but the sun was shining. It felt like a perfect spring morning outside.

I wasn’t hungry, but picked up a little bag of areias de cascais to enjoy later. The word “areias” translates to “sand” in Portuguese which perfectly describes these tiny, round, shortbread cookies originating from Cascais in the 1800’s. I’m a sucker for trying anything that claims to be the local favorite.

After the bakery, the six of us continued walking through the pedestrian zone, browsing a few of the shops. We stopped in a store called Mundo Fantástico Da Sardinha which was a circus-themed sardine shop. Sardines are a very popular food to eat in Portugal given the country’s proximity to the sea.

Lindsay purchased a can of sardines to take home to her husband, Kyle, and then we continued walking toward the oceanfront.

It was a cool morning — too cold for swimming — but many people flock to Cascais in the summertime for its calm waters and sandy beaches. We visited Praia da Rainha this morning, which is nicknamed Queen Beach because Queen Amelia would bathe here when the royal family visited Cascais in the 19th century.

A few hundred yards from Praia da Rainha is a Ferris wheel and another small beach area. It was gorgeous down by the water, even on a windy winter day. Lindsay, Andi, and I were just glad it wasn’t raining! The three of us went back and forth about what to do today since the weather is less than ideal, but ultimately decided to brave the wind and a chance of rain to spend our day walking around Cascais’ city center. I’m glad we did.

After we walked along the waterfront, the six of us stopped to decide what to do next. Andi is still having a lot of stomach cramps, Lindsay is battling a terrible cough/cold, and Arnie has little five-year-old legs, so we knew we only had a little more time before everyone would need a break. We decided to visit Parque Marechal Carmona about a 15-minute walk from the Cascais city centre. I’d read glowing reviews about Marechal Carmona Park which has a big, grassy areas for kids to run around and a kids playground, as well as a duck pond, a cafe, and a library nearby. It really was a beautiful spot in the city with mature trees and sidewalks wandering through the park.

I loved watching Arnie, Tory, and Aden explore the city together. Tory climbed up on a cement ledge, and started walking along the metal fence. Of course, Aden hopped up right behind her to do the same, and then Arnie did, too. Arnie was a little more timid, so I stood next to him to make sure he didn’t fall off the ledge. “Look, guys, I’m doing it!” he yelled for Tory and Aden to see.

“We’d better find some shelter,” Andi said suddenly. Why, I wondered? Just then I noticed people bee-lining it out of the park and heading for their cars. The six us had just enough time to run inside the park grounds and duck under a patio umbrella at a local cafe. The sky opened up and dumped rain down around us. All of us stood under the umbrella, but Aden decided to catch some raindrops with his tongue. Monkey see, monkey do! Arnie was right behind Aden to mimic his big cousin.

As quickly as the rain came, it left again. The six of us continued walking through the park, making our way around the duck pond, toward the playground. The equipment was wet, of course, but that didn't stop Tory, Aden, and Arnie from climbing around on it. Lindsay and I found a patch of sunshine shining on a park bench and sat nearby watching them. Poor Andi was having stomach cramps, and needed to find a bathroom ASAP. He ventured off to find one in the park while Lindsay and I waited with the kids.

More than the playground equipment, the kids’ favorite part of the park was the resident chickens. We thought it funny how the birds were laying in patches of sunshine on the ground soaking up its warmth, just like us!

Andi returned a few minutes later and said he needed to get something to eat, then he wanted to go back to our rental house. Lindsay thought that sounded like a good plan for Arnie, too. The six of walked back in the direction we came, heading toward Cascais’ city centre. Along the way, we spotted a taco shop called El Señor and Tory quickly reminded Andi that he promised her tacos yesterday. El Señor sounded fine to the rest of us (except Aden), so we picked a place to sit on their patio. The restaurant had just opened for the day so we were the only people there.

El Senor’s menu was small, but authentic. Now Andi wasn’t sure his stomach could handle eating much, so he decided to share shrimp tacos with Aden. Tory and I split an order of chicken quesadillas and Lindsay ordered pork tacos to share with Arnie. We also ordered beans & cheese, and guacamole for the table. The kids thought the big, homemade tortilla “chips” were super cool. The bean dip was seriously delicious. Tory and Arnie loved it so much, they asked for a second plate of it.

Arnie wanted milk to drink, but the restaurant only sold sodas and specialty drinks. While we waited for our food to come, Andi slipped over to a convenience shop down the street and bought a chocolate milk for Arnie. When he returned a few minutes later and pulled a bottle of chocolate milk out of his pocket, Arnie was so surprised! It was really cute.

After lunch, the six of us walked back to our airbnb. Andi said he wanted to lay down for a while and Lindsay decided to go to urgent care in Cascais to see if she could get an antibiotic for her cough. She said her cold has been hanging on for three weeks now, and she sounds miserable. I offered to watch Arnie so she could go to the doctor.

Andi and I always say, one of the best things about traveling is that it’s fun and interesting to experience life in another place. It also gives us a new appreciation for our lives at home in Wisconsin, and gratefulness for the benefits and opportunities we have as citizens of the United States. Who knew that healthcare would be something we’d experience so much of on this trip?!

Portugal, like many other European countries, operates with both a private and public healthcare system. The public healthcare system gives anyone the right and ability to receive healthcare at a limited cost. The downside of this system is that patients often have longer wait times to be seen. Private doctors and hospitals are also available and are often more efficient, but the patient is responsible for paying out of pocket for their care.

Lindsay initially went to a private urgent care facility this afternoon, but decided to leave when the hospital required her to put down a deposit of 400 euros to be seen. As a resident of the Netherlands, she has a European health card and thought she’d be able to use that at the public hospital in Cascais. The private hospital told her which public hospital to go to, so then she took an Uber there. She had to wait four hours, but was eventually seen and diagnosed with bronchitis. The Portuguese doctor gave her an antibiotic for the cost of 8 euros.

Meanwhile at our airbnb, Andi was feeling worse by the hour. Given that it was Friday afternoon and most doctor’s offices would be closed over the weekend, Andi made an appointment at a private doctor’s office in Lisbon. Andi took an Uber there while I stayed back at the airbnb with Tory, Aden, and Arnie.

Through a Google search, Andi found a private doctor that caters to international patients. The team of English-speaking doctors at this private medical facility accept international patients for a variety of medical needs including family medicine, pediatrics, dermatology, etc. Andi was able to get an appointment with a doctor who examined him and listened to his medical history. His determination was that Andi got salmonella in Morocco, and was mis-treated for the bacteria while we were in the Canary Islands. This doctor gave Andi a different antibiotic and advised him what foods to eat to heal his inflamed stomach and colon. Two hours and $80 later, Andi was back at our airbnb with a new prescription in hand.

While Andi and Lindsay were gone at their respective medical facilities, I held down the fort with the kids. We ordered take-out using the Uber Eats food delivery app. Tory and Arnie shared an order of spaghetti and a crepe, and Aden and I shared pad Thai from the same noodle restaurant we visited yesterday. We taught Arnie how to play Bunco and we played Go Fish with my deck of cards. The kids had some screen time on their iPads before it was time for bed.

Afternoon doctor’s visits weren’t what we envisioned when planning this trip to Cascais with Lindsay and Arnie, but I’m really glad both Andi and Lindsay have new medicines that will hopefully help them feel better soon. More than sightseeing or exploring this coastal city, the main reason we organized this weekend was to spend time with Lindsay and Arnie, and that we did. Tomorrow, we’ll say good-bye to Andi’s sister & nephew and depart Cascais for southern Portugal.