We spent the better part of Wednesday on laundry and reviewing our Portuguese textbook for our lesson later that afternoon. We knew we wanted to make plans for dinner because there was nothing to eat at home and eating out with friends is SO much nicer than grocery shopping! We were able to secure a spot on Helena and Mike’s busy calendar and they agreed to meet us right after our tutoring session ended at 5:30.
To our surprise, they brought their car. They wanted to show us one of their favorite sites around town that wasn’t easily reached on foot. Always up for something new, we eagerly hopped on board. Mike drove past the familiar sections of town we’d explored in our walks. He continued past the beach that Tim had photographed earlier in the week, and continued on, climbing up a steep, curvy road that led to the top of the mountain. We ended up at Sao Filipe, a fort that has stood sentry over the city since the 18th century. We arrived at dusk and were able to get some great views of Setubal and the bay as the sun sank behind us. We strolled through some beautifully restored areas of the fort, including a stunning chapel, wrapped in traditional blue and white ceramic tiles. What a perfect little gem! Helena and Mike led us through some more restored areas of cozy lounges and opulent spaces where folks can read, reflect, or converse at leisure. This charming spot is maintained by the city of Setubal for the benefit of the public. After a brief return to the scenic overlook, a staff person explained that the guard was holding the fort gate open for us because they were closing for the night. Reluctantly, we left, vowing to return when we could spend more time. We’re so glad our friends offered us a ride to this lovely spot.
Tim and I are still learning some of the local customs, one of which is the hours of operation for stores and restaurants. Helena reminded us that the restaurant where we were planning to eat did not open for dinner until 7:00, so after driving around a little longer and seeing more of the shoreline after dark, it was time to eat. We returned to the nice pizza place in the old town where we’d first met Mike and Helena a few days ago. Over fantastic salads and calzones, we enjoyed lively conversation and picked up a few tips on the Portuguese language from Helene. She told us the name of this favorite restaurant translated to Chew! After dinner, we walked the short distance to our friends’ house/Air B&B, and enjoyed another hour or two of wine and conversation. I must admit we were grateful for their offer of a ride home when we felt the biting wind racing through the narrow streets of the old town. We were sorry to have this congenial evening come to and end.
While we were out, our friend Barbara texted us to see if we’d join her and Wayne the following afternoon for cocktails at their place. She suggested it would give us another look at our future apartment and the furnishings we will be acquiring from them in April. Never ones to turn down an opportunity to hang out with friends, we gladly accepted. What a great time we had! We are even more excited about the apartment than we were before, but more importantly, we thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Barbara and Wayne. Conversation flowed easily and they shared lots of important information on topics that ranged from haircuts to healthcare, and the free community centers in town. We count ourselves lucky to have stumbled across this friendly, accommodating city where we’ll make our home for the foreseeable future. Even more, we’re so grateful for these smart, charming, and very helpful people who have become good friends so quickly.
Now, armed with deeper knowledge of our town and her amenities, we look forward to a busy weekend completing some delayed errands and meeting Barbara and Wayne at the local art cinema for a showing of “The Green Book.” Life is good.
Entrance to the fort 
Niche in the chapel wall 
Tiny grandeur of the chapel 
Check out that ceiling! 
And the wall 
A lounge area inside the fort 
Beautiful vista from the terrace