1:45 - That's because only the habitable storys are counted as floors and not all the storys. 2:50 - When a plug is located that high it's either because there's water sources below or they're for a especific application, such as an electric water heater. 3:00 - You'd be surprised to know that the majority of glass doors and windows in Portugal are of the sliding type, especially the aluminium ones. 😉 4:14 - I wouldn't say "even", I'd say especially when the crosswalks are not regulated by lights because the portuguese drivers know they must yield to pedestrians in those situations.
That's really cool that Portugal largely embraces free parking. Even though most rural cities and towns in the US offer free parking for what I have seen, it is almost unheard of in large cities except possibly on Sundays or holidays. I've seen the same things to with the toilets and the heated towel racks all over Europe which I noticed the same things in Serbia last October. Awesome video!
Thank you Kristin, I’ve been following you on-line for awhile now and am extremely grateful for all the compare & contrast videos you make. You are a delight and help this expat living in the UK feel more at peace living abroad thanks to your generosity-of-spirit and kindness! As a native Californian I find English culture abit too reserved… not as friendly as back home. Perhaps I should travel to Lisbon? It’s high on my to do list… I will never return to the US to live, the place / country I left no longer exists. You are a bright & shimmering star!
Thank you Philip! The cultures between England and Portugal are quite different. I’ll keep making videos to help people adapt better to different cultures
"I will never return to the US to live, the place / country I left no longer exists." Somehow this sentence almost made me cry. I am not American, but wanted to move there ever since I was a little girl. Now that I have saved up enough money, gained a lot of international work experience and can finally move there, the contry that I have always dreamt about is no longer there :( I still love the people, those who want America to be great through their hard work and Christian values. I work with the Americans on a daily basis via Zoom and I can see how they feel about what is going on, though often not ready to admit it yet :( On the other hand, aren't all countries (or specifically their governments) heading in the wrong direction? Some just were lucky enough to not be picked as the first to go. BTW, I also love Kristin's super informative videos :) Greetings from Poland!
You said you'll never return to the US, but here I am literally dreaming about living in the US. 🙂 I've been wanting to move there for about 6 months now and last months especially have been stressful. And some people go through so much work and preparation to get eb1 visa for example and other jump over the US-Mexico wall risking to be killed or risking not being able to move out the country for who knows how many years because their asylum case is pending. It's insane how different people have such a different perspective on things.
Also when you are in line waiting to be serve you have priority, sometimes there's a specific line: For old people, Mom carrying a baby under 2 years, or if you are pregnant
I noticed everything you did, except for the free parking everywhere. While I did notice that street parking is mostly free, I paid in every parking garage. It seemed to me that the closer you were to a city center, the more likely you were to pay for street parking. For instance, diagonal parking on a main street would usually require payment. But on side streets and alleys, it was free. Great video, seeing yours only makes me want to return sooner!
Welcome to Portugal. I hope you are enjoying living here in Portugal. It is not the perfect country but it is certainly a country that offers a good quality of life. Be happy in Portugal.👍👍❤❤
Great video. Absolutely laughed out loud with the Ace Ventura sliding glass door! Portugal like most of Europe more civilized than North America regarding Christmas. And it's beauty's privilege to cause cars to stop for you on the streets. It's a different pace of life in Europe. More at ease. Less rushed. More about community.
The toilet flushing , towel racks and the way you open the windows are all a thing in the US, i don't have any of them but I've seen all 3 at various hotels and friends/family members houses . The Christmas thing is because portugal is a Catholic country and in the church calenders Dec 25 is the first day of Christmas and continues on for 12 days after where for us Christmas is all about shopping so Dec 25 is the last day
Thank you for the observations! It seems like Portugal have a high value for what they have always done even in the smallest ways & there's a great community of people (in different areas) across the country.
I'm a Canadian and I have been to Portugal. We have compost containers here in Canada. When you go to a new country do research. When you are in the new country just relax and accept the country.
🎉Kristin is a lovely woman, she shows her love and talks about Portugal, because she is American, I admire her more. I wish you all the success in the world.
Great list. Our biggest surprise was the coffee/breakfast places not being open early. We are so use to getting it around 6-7am, that waiting until 9-10am was a major adjustment for us.
Re: No. 6: As a pedestrian for decades now in the U.S., in every city I've been in, I've had so many moments with distracted (though perhaps not distracted) drivers, I automatically walk behind and around a vehicle, assuming the worst from them. (Though they could put their vehicle in reverse and hit the gas. That has not happened with me. Perhaps I'm still too trusting.)
While in Europe, I still regret not making it to Portugal, ran out of time. Hope to get back soon. my wife and I love Ireland and are considering a small place in the Dublin area or just south of Dublin. Great content, thank you.
I would be careful crossing the roads on crossings in Lisbon, as I've had cars not stop for you, even on a red light. A local women shouted at a car for not stopping once in Baixa, would love to know what she called him.
That Christmas stuff, I love it. Having it for 2+ months in USA/Canada dims a lot of the magic: it is no longer a special moment (for me) if it lasts a sixth of the year.
I have been photographing Majorca for nineteen years, and the garbage collection is the same as in Portugal. much more efficient than the UK where you two bines for waste. I love Portugal, and I will be coming to Madeira soon. I love real coffee.
@@TravelingwithKristin, But is it Portuguese coffee? I have a photographer friend that runs the Cafe Studio in Lagos., and they serve Portuguese-filtered coffee.
Nice video! Where I am in N California we do have some of those toilets with two flushing choices, people do stop for you when you cross the street and you do separate out the garbage. We do have a lot of fresh veggies at the larger markets and a good number of farmer markets but it’s not cheap - no small stores here but yes in San Francisco and some have a good assortment of veggies. Parking is free mostly. People bike a lot and there are plenty of sidewalks. I also spend time in Atlanta - no independent stores, no sidewalks, don’t see people on bicycles. Lots of big roads and big chain stores. Some decent veggies at the big stores.
I live in Spokane Washington US and parking is free everywhere except downtown. The recycle bins we have are for yard waste and glass, plastic and cardboard.
Great video Kristin! A few additions; the septic systems/infrastructure are not like the US so when you wipe you put the paper in the waste basket that is beside the toilet - not in the toilet. People on the roadways are MUCH more polite. There are wonderfully friendly and helpful communities regardless of your background or the color of your skin (despite the fact that Portugal started the Eastern European and Western Hemisphere slave trade in the 1400's). And most important, unlike the US, you can walk the streets at night without fear!
Christmas in the US like any other holiday has been commercialized. During my childhood there was no Black Friday, the sale and placement of decorations did not start till Dec 1. This is just part of the consumerist society created by corporate America over the years.
Kristin, you said they do a better job than the US with their recycling. In the US when we recycle it goes to a center where giant conveyors separate the recyclables. It should also be added that a lot of Europe burns their trash whereas the US has the land area to bury the trash which allows it to decompose over time rather than creating more carbon. The US doesn't do it perfect but there are logistical reasons that the US is able to make it more convenient.
Nice Kristin, very nice. You are enticing me to return to my birth country, even thou i have a very nice life here. But…..there are things that only a native born portuguese knows and understands. Keep up the good work…..
Most of the rules/habits you shown are common to the whole of Europe, I think not just Portugal. I think except the towel thing all the rest are common in my hometown from of South Transilvania, Romania.
Most surprising? (1) Coffee shops that open late. I didn’t notice this (given we often rent apartments and make coffee in morning ☕️). Surprising as coffee shops elsewhere in Europe definitely open early. (2) Didn’t notice water fountains, gas + parking issues (we don’t typically rent cars in Europe). (3) Thanks for explaining recycling. Recycling process does vary by town in Italy. 👍🏻
@@TravelingwithKristin My friends and family live in Tuscany, specifically Pisa, Lucca and Grosseto. 🇮🇹 We live in the SF Bay Area but looking to move to PT or IT. Love your work. 👍🏻 ❤️🙏🏻
Really appreciate your videos, Kristin. I currently live in Sarasota, FL. There is much that I like about Florida but the traffic alone has become so unbearable and just mean especially for pedestrians and bicyclists. Everyday there seems to be a story on TV about someone getting hit. I am seriously considering Madeira and will be visiting this summer. Perhaps it will extend my life, who knows lol
Good point about parking. Same here in Thailand. All street parking is free (but a bit chaotic). I know one mall where the parking is free for the 1st 6 hours.
Dang, that water fountain is intense! I like the trash pick up here in the states better, really like the recycling bins at the mall there. The windows are cool, floor numbering makes no sense but I'm sure you get used to all of the differences after a while.
Great Video! I met an American in the Republic of Georgia a month ago. I'm in my 50s (from FL) and he is in his 60s (from CA). We hang out quite often and wonder why we didn't leave the US sooner. Don't get me wrong, I love my country, but I also know safety, business and the value of my money.
Portugal has a population 10 million. The United States has about 325 million. 92,000 square kilometers in Portugal. 9,833,517 square kilometers in the United States. Hardly comparable .
Maybe it's because the US is only 200 years old and in Portugal it's 1000s of years old so people are much more mature than people in the US. As far as being polite when driving.
Wish you would have included street signs. I didn't even think about it until we were driving down from Porto to Lagos. Then I was super confused on what to do because their signs are completely different other than the STOP sign. Which was super odd to see.
Idk about that heated towel rack, it seems like a rich people house thing, not a cultural thing for sure. You usually will see a cap on a plug if it's in the bathroom or someting in the kitchen because of the steam, but it can also works as protection from kids. Sometimes they are higher on the wall because of televisions and other thing that don't necessarily make sense to be near to the floor. Sliding glass doors are the norm in Portugal. The other type are usually found on more recent houses once it is more expensive. Idk where you at but free parking in big cities like Lisbon or Porto?? No way. Even in smaller cities you'll probably have to pay for parking when next to the center. Not all gas stations allow you to pay after but the ones who do... well, next time to pay attention to the many cameras there recording not only your face but also your car's license plate. Well, the law demands you to always give priority to the pedestrians unless there's a traffic light telling you otherwise. If they don't do it they're not following the law and can be fined. In Portugal usually are the local cafes that open that early for the working class. Big brands like Starbucks are the ones that open at 10am but also because the majority of times they are located in malls which its stores only open at 10am. The thing you said about water fountains in the US can also be said about the ones in Portugal. They look the same, half the time they're not working and can have too much power or little to none. In Portugal the Christmas is a religious holiday but also becoming the maximum display of the capitalist mentality of consumism. For that manner in some places you'll find some decorations right after Halloween but when you don't it's usually because we're poor and don't want to waste that much people's money on -unacessary- electricity.
Hi @whothefvckiscris! Thanks for sharing your insights. It's always interesting to learn more about cultural nuances and differences. Your perspective is valuable. And it's true, the approach to Christmas can vary widely. Appreciate your input! 😊🌍
Garbage is segregated almost in every country in Europe. Where are you from USA? I did recycled garbage while living in states. We just didn’t have him for bio.
With the exception of parking fees, coffee shops ( no not weed ones ) opening late, Christmas starting as soon asap and price of everything you could have been talking about the Netherlands. I think many things are EU regulations like waste collection and use of water, traffic behaviour, building regulations etc. Oh the first floor is also not the ground floor ie the first one 🤣.
I am 90 sec. Into this and we are wasting time in the US separating trash. We spend lots of time separating trash, we have three different bins all for naught. 90% of that is wasted, it just ends up in landfill. Unless Portugal 🇵🇹 can Prove that they aren't as bad, they are just another failure as well. Do you see your plastics and metals cost reduced from 30 years ago?
In the UK(as I am sure you know - because I think you live in Manchester) it is not just being polite for a car to stop at a Zebra crossings - IT IS A LEGAL OBLIGATION ! As soon as somebody steps onto the crossing - THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.
