Gail Aguiar

LATEST ARTICLES ( 525 )

• Painted Sky

  

  I’ve taken a few dozen trips around the sun yet I do not recall witnessing a sky quite like this before. How can it be? Either my memory is playing tricks on... Read more

  Posted on 19 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• A Portuguese Sweet Pastry With Squash

  

  Abóbora-chila or abóbora gila is a gourd more commonly shortened to chila (“sheila”) or gila (“jeela”) in Portugal. Cucurbita ficifolia has a watermelon-like... Read more

  Posted on 18 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Postcards From Praia De Labruge, Vila Do Conde

  

  After a rather long Sunday that included some commitments, eg. volunteering, all I wanted to do afterwards was to have a meia de leite and a torrada by the... Read more

  Posted on 17 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• A-maze-ing Parque De São Roque

  

  Exploring Parque de São Roque da Lameira was our mission for Saturday, and it was a first visit for all of us. We love this park! Read more

  Posted on 16 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Gail At Large On Pinterest

  Visit Gail at Large’s profile on Pinterest. When the website Pinterest really started to gain traction around 2012, it was during in my previous life as a... Read more

  Posted on 15 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Homemade Bolo De Bolacha

  

  My quest to find the best bolo de bolacha began nearly two years ago but soon afterwards the mission sputtered for the longest time without any contenders,... Read more

  Posted on 14 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Funicular Dos Guindais, Porto

  

  A trip on the Funicular dos Guindais is a two-minute ride up the steep bank of the Douro River, from the base of the Luís I Bridge up to near Batalha Square. Read more

  Posted on 13 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• A Mélange Of Street Art In Porto

  

  Reaction to street art can be polarizing. But I'd venture to say that if I told a street artist the reaction was indifference, it would be the greater... Read more

  Posted on 12 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Jardim De São Lázaro, Porto

  

  As a pedestrian who is often tethered to a dog, I always seek out urban green spaces. This is not a new thing for me, but it’s become a stronger impulse as the... Read more

  Posted on 11 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Porto In Black and White

  

  Once in a while, it's a good idea to view a familiar environment in new ways in order to appreciate it, to notice new details, and to interact with it... Read more

  Posted on 10 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• The Hidden Magic of Praia De São Paio, Vila Do Conde

  

  Praia de São Paio in the parish of Labruge, Vila do Conde, is hidden. Very hidden. In fact, in the three times I’ve gone there with Paulo, we’ve been lost... Read more

  Posted on 09 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Jardim Das Oliveiras: Porto’s Urban Rooftop Garden

  

  Jardim das Oliveiras is, as far as I know, Porto’s largest green roof — an oasis of 50 olive trees and lush grass on top of a semi-open gallery of shops,... Read more

  Posted on 08 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Casa Portuguesa Do Pastel De Bacalhau: Much Ado About Tradition

  

  After two hours at Clérigos yesterday, I was ready to head home but there were some distractions nearby. Namely, a praxe (university freshman initiation rituals... Read more

  Posted on 07 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Porto From Clérigos Tower

  

  I checked another item off the 2016 list today: I went up the 240 steps to the top of Clérigos Tower (76m). Read more

  Posted on 06 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Porto From Muralha Fernandina (Old City Wall)

  

  Today I checked off another item from the 2016 List: visit the Muralha Fernandina. I brought Ice the Dog along with me, hoping there weren’t too many people... Read more

  Posted on 05 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• AviatorDog, Take 1

  

  Meet the newest — and most reluctant — member of the Aviator Wall of Fame. It’s been nearly two years since the last addition, so the wall is well overdue for a... Read more

  Posted on 04 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Two More Reasons To Live Beside A Portuguese Bakery (Or Not)

  

  Exhibits A B: Bolo de nozes (nut cake) and tarte de nata (cream pie). I can’t take credit for these, except choosing them from the array of baked temptations... Read more

  Posted on 03 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Scenes From Miragaia, Porto

  

  Scenes from Miragaia, the parish across from Alfândega (Customs Building), last month. Read more

  Posted on 02 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Night Shooting In Porto, Without A Tripod

  

  I do own a tripod — hefted here from Canada — but it would take a dedicated evening of long exposures to persuade me to carry it around. Read more

  Posted on 01 April 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Beware The Rides* Of March

  

  Last week I posted that I hoped that Easter weekend would be less eventful than our 30-hour bus ride, and it was, in a way. We ended up not going to the home... Read more

  Posted on 31 March 2016 EXPAT, TRAVEL