# Anyone near Caminha?



## Deblett

Hi, We live a couple of miles South of Caminha in Northern Portugal and are looking for new friends in the area that are English speaking, we are both in our 50's. I will give more info to anyone who would like to meet up or chat. Thanks


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## Ukkram

All the Brits are in the Algarve. I know of only one member north of Porto and he is in Ponte de Lima. I am in Viana do Castelo but relocating to the UK next month.


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## ahaserendipity

Hi Deblett! Just tried PMing you but it looks like that option is not turned on yet. We are arriving in late march w/ the intention of finding a place in VdC. We would love to meet up! Please PM me when you get cleared (I think you need to put up 5 posts in order to PM) and we can make arrangements!


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## Deblett

Hi Thanks for your response. I know there is a reasonable expat community here as I met someone at the gym briefly who told me about a monthly get-together but the website address he gave me I must have written down wrong as can't find it. Something about Alto-Minho? Does that mean anything to you? Debbie


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## Deblett

ahaserendipity said:


> Hi Deblett! Just tried PMing you but it looks like that option is not turned on yet. We are arriving in late march w/ the intention of finding a place in VdC. We would love to meet up! Please PM me when you get cleared (I think you need to put up 5 posts in order to PM) and we can make arrangements!


Hi, VDC is very close so do please keep in touch - Debbie


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## Ukkram

Alto-Minho is the area between River Lima at Viana and River Minho where you live and eastwards to the Spanish border.


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## Deblett

Ukkram said:


> Alto-Minho is the area between River Lima at Viana and River Minho where you live and eastwards to the Spanish border.


Oh yes, I know that, but I was told the expat club had the same name or something similar and that there were dozens of brits as well as other English speaking expats who were members and they meet at a Restaraunt every 1st Thursday of the month?


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## ahaserendipity

I have not heard of that group --- have you tried the "Americans & Friends in Portugal" Facebook group? They might know how to connect to that group.... and if you find anything out, please let me know!


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## Deblett

ahaserendipity said:


> I have not heard of that group --- have you tried the "Americans & Friends in Portugal" Facebook group? They might know how to connect to that group.... and if you find anything out, please let me know!


Hi, I will try and find out next time I go to the Gym. I am heading back to UK for about 3 weeks to look after my Mother in Law who is poorly, but will be heading back by Ferry mid March


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## Deblett

Also, forgot to say, I don't have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. I'm afraid it's one of my pet hates!! Not that I have many hates!! That is my only major one besides certain MP's! LOL


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## smudges

I totally agree. I was against it anyway on general principles but when I saw so many people at my gym hastily scrolling and texting between sets I realised how insidiously addictive it is. So now I'm actively allergic! Sorry to jump in, but it's so rare to come across someone with my POV!!


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## Deblett

smudges said:


> I totally agree. I was against it anyway on general principles but when I saw so many people at my gym hastily scrolling and texting between sets I realised how insidiously addictive it is. So now I'm actively allergic! Sorry to jump in, but it's so rare to come across someone with my POV!!


Hi yes, we are a rare breed, we should be on WWF most endangered list!!


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## nandnjudge2

Hi there, welcome to Northern Portugal



We have been living here coming up to 15 years, we live just outside Valenca. If you are interested we can meet up for a week day lunch at the same restaurant where the Expats have their monthly luncheon every first Thursday of each month. Any time suits us just give one week notice. 



If you want more information regarding this region please send a Private Message and we can take it from there. 



Regards


N & N


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## TheVegPatch

altominholuncheon which is a gmail account I'm sure you can ask to be put on their guest list.


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## John and Cecil

Hi, My dog Cecil and I have been considering moving to the northern border along Spain as well. I see you have a chicken on your avatar, are you currently farming in Portugal? We are moving to Portugal and we would like to start a small farm to grow most of our own food and become carbon neutral if possible. Right now I am leaning toward the border area with Spain (Caminha-Valenca-Cristoval) or somewhere on the island of Madeira. I am hoping we can find a small apt or house rental for April through July (maybe longer) in Northern Portugal to see how we like it there before the ferry starts running to Madeira in July. I like Madeira for the weather but getting on and off the island will be difficult with a dog and electric bicycle/motorcycle when the ferry is not running. 

PS - I also don't like Facebook and Twitter!


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## Deblett

John and Cecil said:


> Hi, My dog Cecil and I have been considering moving to the northern border along Spain as well. I see you have a chicken on your avatar, are you currently farming in Portugal? We are moving to Portugal and we would like to start a small farm to grow most of our own food and become carbon neutral if possible. Right now I am leaning toward the border area with Spain (Caminha-Valenca-Cristoval) or somewhere on the island of Madeira. I am hoping we can find a small apt or house rental for April through July (maybe longer) in Northern Portugal to see how we like it there before the ferry starts running to Madeira in July. I like Madeira for the weather but getting on and off the island will be difficult with a dog and electric bicycle/motorcycle when the ferry is not running.
> 
> PS - I also don't like Facebook and Twitter!


Hi John, I am just a couple of miles from Caminha and absolutely love this area, it being so unspoilt and for most of the year tourist free. I don't have a farm as such, but do have a few acres and keep chickens for food and eggs and also goats. I do grow pretty much all my own veg and fruit too. My portuguese is still very weak, but I get by very well, my neigbours are very friendly and helpfull. The weather though you may not like so much, I am not sure about Madeira, but weather is very variable. Sometimes we have a beautiful warm spring but other times torrential, Summer can be quite hot 30+ but not for very long. The last couple of summers have been wet and overcast and quite windy, but picked up in September. This autumn has been a complete washout, rain and strong winds from October right through to New Year. Today is beautifully sunny but there was a light frost on the lawn this morning. So if weather is a major factor, I would definitely look into the area more. Good luck


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## John and Cecil

Deblett said:


> Hi John, I am just a couple of miles from Caminha and absolutely love this area, it being so unspoilt and for most of the year tourist free. I don't have a farm as such, but do have a few acres and keep chickens for food and eggs and also goats. I do grow pretty much all my own veg and fruit too. My portuguese is still very weak, but I get by very well, my neigbours are very friendly and helpfull. The weather though you may not like so much, I am not sure about Madeira, but weather is very variable. Sometimes we have a beautiful warm spring but other times torrential, Summer can be quite hot 30+ but not for very long. The last couple of summers have been wet and overcast and quite windy, but picked up in September. This autumn has been a complete washout, rain and strong winds from October right through to New Year. Today is beautifully sunny but there was a light frost on the lawn this morning. So if weather is a major factor, I would definitely look into the area more. Good luck


Hi, thank you for all the info. I am looking for something similar, I just want a half dozen chickens and maybe a half dozen fruit and almond trees and a large garden. I was thinking under an acre, possibly as small as 1/3 acre but then it would be hard to rotate the garden area. Over time we will need more chickens because I do not want to kill them, I just want their eggs and in return they will get a retirement plan 

I know the weather is not as good there as it is on Madeira. I compared weather with the weatherspark.com site which shows all kinds of information, but perhaps it is not accurate and that area probably varies considerably. The rain did not look too bad there, in Valenca it was showing about 1 meter of rain per year. 

30C is not bad though, I lived in Southern California and in the summer it got up over 40C during the summer quite a bit. It was quite dry there though which helped. I also lived in Buffalo NY where it got well below freezing and would rain or snow quite often, and I have witnessed days where it snowed over a meter in one day. 

I am trying to avoid the tourists though, and that has become the main priority. I left America to get away from Americans. Just today (and against my better judgement) I joined a Portugal British Expat facebook group (I had to make a facebook account to join, I hate facebook) and within an hour I had to quit because they are trashing me. They are claiming I am like a criminal or something because me and my dog ride an ebike that is legal in the USA but considered overpowered here. I don't even drive a car and I am pedaling an ebike to save the planet and these British expats living in Portugal are actually trashing me for it. The weather does not matter nearly as much as getting away from people like the ones in that Facebook group.

Thankfully the people on this forum have been very kind and helpful (like yourself). I hope the weather is good for you this weekend.


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## smudges

John and Cecil - I am English and want to apologise for the way you were treated. That was wrong and extremely rude. Anyone who has read your posts knows how conscientious you are about green issues - you know far more than anyone I have ever come across and are an exceptional example to others. Those people should hang their heads in shame. Liz


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## John and Cecil

smudges said:


> John and Cecil - I am English and want to apologise for the way you were treated. That was wrong and extremely rude. Anyone who has read your posts knows how conscientious you are about green issues - you know far more than anyone I have ever come across and are an exceptional example to others. Those people should hang their heads in shame. Liz


I guess it is often the actions of individuals that bring us down as a group. Thank you for reminding me that it works the other way too, that an individual (i.e you) can lift us up as a group too. It is still a sad moment though, because I have become aware that British and Americans are not as different as I had hoped. It is not all bad though, the Italians have been absolutely wonderful and welcoming and I am hopeful that the Portuguese will be the same.


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