SHOCKED! Retiring Early To Madeira, Portugal (And Why We Are Staying!)
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
- 10 Things that SHOCKED us after retiring early and moving to Madeira Island, Portugal. We have been living abroad for 4 months now and many things are different. Have YOU had any of these experiences while travelling or during retirement abroad? Let us know!
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Would you like to take One Year Off to travel the world? You can!
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Best video EV-ER! My husband and I just sold our house in chilly Calgary Canada and are Portugal bound with 2 of our 4 kids. We are hoping our older teens will be inspired and join us after visiting . Sometimes I get cold feet making such a huge change, and your video just made my evening. I think we are going to love Portugal too, we have never even been to Portugal, (only Germany in Europe, love that but want more sunny skies).
We are looking for the 2nd half of our life to be focused on relationships, having time for friends, having a tea mid day without feeling guilty not working, prioritizing enjoying every day, not just working to pay for your over priced home. We are hoping that people there socialize in the winter months as well. In Canada, most of us hibernate, watch tv all winter and can't wait for our short summers to entertain and be social. I want to be out and about all the time and love living life all year round amongst friendly people. We are thinking of the Caldas Da Rainha area, be there soon to scout. Thanks again for your inspiring outlook. Can't believe you guys are 50, looking incredible guys.
Thank you so much for reaching out, for watching, and for you feedback! Much-appreciated! Ha ha, you nailed it with your description about life in a cold climate - we have a lot in common and know exactly what you mean about hibernating, watching TV most of the winter, and jamming most of socializing/life into a few short summer months😉. It makes perfect sense to think, re-think, and worry about decisions of this magnitude, but that's part of the excitement / journey of life. I was always amazed by the explorers of bygone eras who set out and explored and travelled all over the world - the courage that must have taken. I feel if they could do it, then so could we (and like-minded people like you). Although we had been to Portugal before, it wasn't recent and we certainly had not even heard of Madeira before researching it and coming here. We figure we can always move back if things don't work out or our thoughts change. From what you mentioned you want in your "second half of life," we believe most of Europe and especially Portugal and the like are way ahead of N. America with regard to slowing down and enjoying family, food, and wholesome fun. So great you are heading out to scout - all the very best to you guys in your search and journey! Doug & Monique.
You're making the right choice as a fellow former Calgarian myself. Although it helps that I can speak Portuguese
I'm from Madeira. And for the last 5 years the houses prices went up so mush. So it's a good time to buy now before it goes up more. Good luck to you all.
I believe it - we are sure seeing signs of that. Thank you for your support!
This video is SO helpful - I have heard Portugal culture has less urgency and rush than here in North America - will take some adapting to so thanks for highlighting it!
Hello Nicole! Very well said - less urgency and rush! Portuguese patience! You will fall in love with it! Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers! M&D
We’ve lived in the Philippines before, and are used to line drying clothes. Our new flat in Porto, is SUPER TINY, and has no outdoor space either, so we plan to purchase a condenser dryer (no vents needed), as suggested by other expats.
We've never heard of that! Thanks so much for that info :)
Hi...Nice to find your channel! I am from California and moved to Lisbon 6 months ago after 3 trips...Lived in France for 12 yrs! Anyhow, yes it no dryers although I've always had one until moving to Portugal! I changed out most of my shoes when moving to Lisbon...Never wore tennis shoes before moving here...Skechers are where it's at! Not just 'runners', but they have cute boots and even slippers!! For me the thing I love most, which is I guess shocking, is the welcoming and friendly nature of the Portuguese people! In addition, the absolute beauty of this hidden gem of a country...And, the food and how good and affordable it is to go out!! The most shocking for me having gone through it in France is...The bureaucracy! Oh, boy...Still going through it! Overall, shocking or not it's all good and I love Portugal so much!!
Hello, and thank you for such a great comment, you are SO right on all your points! All the best! D & M
I loved your experience in Madeira, I married a Madeiran lady 33 years ago, we met and lived on the island of Jersey, we have been back and forth between the islands and will make the permanent move to Madeira at the end of next year
Nice! Madeira keeps people coming back it seems. We love it here and are so happy to make this our base. Good luck and all the best! Doug & Monique
Jersey to Madeira ‐ What a contrast !! 😳
Great things about Portugal (mainland) coming from the UK - The friendly/helpful people, the food, the wine, the weather, the inexpensive prices, wonderful beaches, transportation infrastructure (roads and rail), internet speeds, closeness to other European cities, English is widely spoken and they are very accommodating when we try to speak Portuguese. We made the right decision.
So true! The list could go on and on 😆
Yes, you’re right about English being widely spoken. That makes a big difference. We’re from the U.K.
We're moving to Portugal - just south of Lisbon from the UK, in April. We very much enjoy most aspects of Portuguese life.
That's great to hear! So far we do as well. Enjoy and good luck!
I am venezuelan but been living in Madeira for 8 years now. I agree with almost everything you said. However I can say it gets a bit cooler in january until march not during the day but at night in Funchal it can come dow to 12 C (more or less) and if you go a little up you will find yourself in 5 C. It is true their culture for drying clothes (it drove me nuts) so I went ahead and bought a dryer machine and can tell you that the electricity bill has stayed around 50€ per month (which was what we used to pay before) as for the space we stocked one on top pf the other (problem solved 😊) I am so glad you enjoyed this beautiful island. 🤎🤎🤎
Hello there! Thank you so much for watching and for your insightful comment! You have the experience living here!! We also come from a very cold climate ( -30 to -40 during the day in winter) so…… we find it “ warm ish” almost all the time! Lol! Great info about the dryer!! Thanks for your support! Cheers! M&D
I love the Midwest “runners” term. They can be sneakers, tennis shoes, kicks, trainers for the UK. I am sure there are more.
Ha ha - that's a good (and funny) point! 😀
People are less stress in Madeira than mainland, everything is close, going by foot or car, and even cues are less problematic because there's less people.
The laundry situation is not negotiable for me 🤣🤣🤣. I'll pay any amount of money for a laundry room with a dryer 🤣🤣🤣. Great video 👍👍👍
Hi there! Ha ha… the laundry situation!! If you insist you can find a dryer. Expensive but possible! Thank you for the comment! Cheers! D&M
I also think that in europe people dont really look down on runnets. They dont see it really as street style of thuggish. We just see it as comfortable
Hello Jac! Well said. That is what we are seeing is that comfort is king! People here walk everywhere and on all kinds of terrain. We follow their lead! Thank you for watching and commenting. Cheers! M&D
Your video shocked me 😊. Such an enjoyable video but also full of useful information. It is fun to watch your videos and see how you can enhance your quality of life by living overseas 👏🙏😀.
Thank you! That's what we are hoping to achieve! 🌴 ☀ 😃
Very nice video. Clear, fresh, beautiful presentation. Very interesting to know how we are seen by foreign people who choose to live here. You are very welcome here in Madeira.
Thank you very much! We sure appreciate the feedback, but most of all the warm welcome. We have a lot to learn and emulate from Madeirans! 💙
Such a treat to find your videos. We also arrived in Oct for retirement from the US. I connected with each of your “shocked” list as we too are falling in love with the island. We have settled in Funchal and ask daily “how is this our life?” Nice to see your affirmations of what makes Madeira special. We found your videos because after 5 months here my husband said last night….OK, time to start a budget, haha.
Thank you so much for reaching out - can't tell you how nice it is to hear from others! Sounds like you are living the same "retirement awakening" here on Madeira as we are, lol. We literally ask ourselves the same thing! And yes, the budget was a must for us and quite comforting as it turns out, to see how far our retirement $$ can go here! All the best to you both! ❤ D & M
I don't know how you found my little gem of an Island but I'm glad you did
We are very friendly people yes we love coffee, beer, wine and food lol
I don't know how much you explored on the Island but Cabo Girao is a high view point on a glass platform I would recommend
Obrigado! It truly is a gem, along with the people. We did indeed go to Cabo Girao twice already - the view is breathtaking. One of several incredible places on this island. We sure are enjoying our new life here, and all that Madeira has to offer! Cheers!
Very good i start see you Chanel welcome to my country i from madeira enjoy Good weather
Thank you very much! We really appreciate your warm words and welcome.
❤ 🇵🇹 ❤ Madeira
Another great video, guys. It was so refreshing to watch a video with such great positive "shockers!" My wife and I particularly liked your comments about developing more patience as a way to reduce stress in your second half of life. It's great advice and something that we all need to do. Cheers!
Thank you! Yes patience is such a great quality to have for Health and Happiness! 👍
I am so delighted to discover your channel! You’re both so charming, happy, and likable! We’re planning a move to Madeira in a year or so and desperate for every scrap of info, especially when presented is such a friendly manner! Thank you for being you ❤️
Thank you SO much for your kind words! We hope we can continue to put out useful info for you and anyone else who comes across our channel! All the best to you in your endeavours, stay well, and hope to see you on this island soon! D & M
I agree 👍
You guys are awesome. Appreciate all you do. Trying to convince my wife to visit there.
Hello! Thank you for your kind words and for watching our videos! Oh we hope she decides to come for a visit. It’s worth a vacation here for sure! Cheers! M&D
I saw a Funchal live cam the other day when it was early evening there, with many folks walking along the promenade without jackets...then one person walked by wearing a parka and a fully fur-lined trapper hat1!! Hilarious.
Exactly! Ha ha - Cheers!
Hi guys thanks for sharing my wife and I really enjoyed your video and had a few chuckles....we moving there year end...till then we will enjoy your content :-)
Well thank you very much! See you on the island!!
thank you so much, I thought i knew quite a bit about portugal but your video was well.. shocking!,,, also over Covid i have started to have doubts about my fantasy and plans to live there and you have totally improved my attitude again. obrigadíssimo . eu amo Portugal
Ha ha, glad you found it "Shocking!" and helpful. Cheers!
Great list! Quite a few new things I hadn't heard yet.
Hi Val! Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers! M&D
Great reveal on your insight as to some of the subtleties of Madeira!
Thank you!
Great video. I especially liked the part about the shoes and winter clothing. Thank you.
Hello there! Thank you so much for watching and for the kind feedback. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
Loved the video . We’re going to visit Madeira someday ! 🙂
Thanks! You should!! 😃☀🌴
Loved your video. You guys are adorable. My husband and I will be in Madeira in June. This will be our second time. Our first trip was in October 2021 and we fell in love with the island and its people. We loved the easy pace and of course the nature. There are truly so many reasons to move to Madeira, and your videos are making it more and more tempting. I look forward to watching more of them. Thank you!
Thank you so much! Madeira keeps you coming back, that's for sure 😉. It sounds like you have found all the same reasons we did! Enjoy your journey and thanks for watching! D & M
Love your channel ! very transparent and great content ! we will be following as we are on the fence about making the Leap!
Awesome! Thank you! We will convince you! Good luck to you! D & M
Great video ..... thank you so much!
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it 😊
My husband and I will be moving to Funchal in June. On our scouting trip in January, we noticed many of the "shocking" things that you mentioned. We can't wait to join you there.
Wow that's soon! Congratulations! Glad to hear that we aren't alone in our observations, and that others like yourselves have also decided to join us! See you island-side! D & M
I like the practicality of the shoes. It encourages a healthy and active lifestyle. If I wore heels, I wouldn't get nearly as many steps or walk up as many hills daily.
You are absolutely right! Thanks for that excellent point. They have such nice shoe shops here too,,, makes it easy to replace as needed! Cheers! D & M
Great videos, thanks so much for posting. One of the things I’d be interested in hearing about is the process of getting a D7 visa. My wife and I are planning to retire to Madeira soon.
Thank you for reaching out, and for the feedback - we sure do appreciate it! That's great that you are planning to retire to Madeira too. We surely will do a video on that soon. Cheers! D & M
10:19 fifty years of live???????????
You two are well preserved. Congratulations
Aww, thanks so much!! 💙 Cheers! D & M
Thanks. Looking forward to come and check out Madeira:)
Awesome!
Wonderful vid! You two make me wish i knew you. I'm pondering leaving California as I've retired and speak some (Brazilian) Portuguese. I loved Brazil as a young adult....but there are issues. So the Azores draw me. But now i'm going to consider Madeira. So thanks again...and i'll watch all your vids! Muito obrigado. And if i ever get there, i'm going to try to "track (you) down"!
Thank you so much! That's very nice of you to say. Congratulations on being retired! You are so far ahead with already speaking some Portuguese, even Brazilian. That's great that you are considering Madeira. We haven't been to the Azores - yet - but have spoken with many who have and they say although very nice, it rains a lot there. But that's not for us to say. Good luck on your research and all the very best with your endeavours.. and yes, please do Track Us Down! 😄
You do a terrific video together. Best of luck to you. I am a new subscriber.
Hello new subscriber! Thank you for your support and kind words! Cheers! M&D
Nice! My early retirement is going to be in Sao Miguel in the Azores where my parents are from.
Hello there! The Azores is a beautiful choice! Congratulations! Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
i'm from ponta do sol (madeira), and it's so fun to watch your videos...
That's awesome! Thank you for your support! Ponto do sol is beautiful 😀☀
Wowwww!!!! I’m sold!:):):)
Hi! Im here to say that i am also soon moving to Madeira, and it is VERY beautiful!
That's great! Congrats!
Hi Doug and Monique, thank you for the great Video. Hope we are also positive shoked about your Top 10 List when we move to Madeira. I also have a lawenforcement background, maybe we can have a coffee or a beer and talk about it, when we arrive end of March 😉😂
Absolutely! We would love that - shoot us a message on Insta when you arrive and are settled in. 👍 😃 D & M
Great video! What I found most interesting was the comment about cashiers in the supermarket being seated, but still chatting and working more slowly than you were accustomed to in N.A. We now shop at Aldi as much as possible, and those are the only stores here with seated cashiers--and they work much more quickly than in any traditional larger supermarket because their station is so ergonomically efficient.
Aldi's cahiers are the fastest i have ever come across. As a customer you have to be fast to keep up with them. They will finish scanning faster than you can take your credit card out of the wallet
That's neat! But it's all good - we are learning our "Portuguese patience"! 😆
@@Track_Us_Down - Seems much more pleasant 👌
Hi there , I was informed by my wife that this couple moved to Madeira island ( The birth place of both of us )
I was surprised by the energy of both of you when talking and explaining what to do , cost of living etc etc to those who might be planning on doing the move
I’m very happy to come home after work ( living in CA since 1988 ) raise a family and keeping on going towards our retirement
It’s specially interesting seeing you two talking about the home purchase , your wife is always it’s that permanent smile when talking about Madeira
We’re both happy for you two , and wish all the best
PS , your place is on one of the best visit point overlooking the city and the bay , specially for the New Year’s Eve fireworks
We were both from the Lido are , west from the city
Manny thanks for all the posts
Thanks for reaching out! How nice that you were both born here - it's such a beautiful island, and country. You provided such excellent feedback - much appreciated. We found it hard not to talk with excitement when trying to convey our thoughts about Madeira - what a gem. For us, it is the perfect place to settle into our retirement! That's great that you are working towards your retirement also 👍! As for Monique's smile, I don't know how she does it ha ha. She says it's from teaching elementary kids for 29 years! We sure are familiar with the Lido area, we walked it day and night for the first 6 months we lived here! Speaking of fireworks - we already had a glimpse of what's to come from our view. This past Saturday was the first of 4 in a row where the "try-outs" for next New Year's fireworks take place. So Saturday we saw a full try-of the first company, which went on for about 40 minutes. Honestly, it was already better than anywhere else we have seen, for any occasion. Just incredible. And there are still 3 more "try-out" Saturdays to go! Well thanks again for your support and comments - so nice to hear from you. Take care and all the very best to you! Doug & Monique.
👌 Many of us not only think of leaving California as we retire - leaving the USA entirely is also appealing.
Winter wear is one of the funnier things for us too. I used to look out the window to see what people are wearing to decide what to wear, but cant do that anymore or I would be burning up!
Ha ha - Right? Maybe we'll be "acclimatized" by next year and will find ourselves wearing parkas too! 😄
I agree with you about winter weather but I've to say that mainly in south coast. Because in north coast we can find 12-13ºC during the winter nights. Also in montains, and during winter, we can find low temperatures, including ºC negative temperatures.
We believe it. A nice range of weather, and for us nowhere near as extreme as the weather season shifts from where we lived before! So we love it. 😉😀. Cheers!
D & M
- 🇵🇹 Portugal seems nice for expatriates 👌
It sure is! It's a gem! 💎💎
On my way soon 🙏❤️
👍 😃
We are now in Funchal for 2 month vacation. Planing now sell our house in Finland and move here. We are also semi retired at 45 . Having summer hotel in Finland and will keep it until figure out some business in Madeira (probably also hospitality related). Lived 5 years in Italy, I know that if you work as employee, it is so hard to enjoy this paradise.
Greetings!
That's great! Congratulations! Neat that you can compare it to Italy, too. Good luck with everything!!
Great video. Would you guys do an episode on how you handle finances from US to madeira ? For example do you guys do wire transfers of your monthly US dollar amount to a madeira bank account or did you move everything over to portugal? Curious to learn the advanges of your strategy...
Great suggestion! We do wire over as we need to to top up our Portuguese bank. We use Wise. The exchange is really good right now, but really unless exchange rates go severely back the other way, we'll just keep transferring each time we need to top up. Cheers! D & M
😂 the patience... some people from some countries 😂 we are so used to fit 48 hrs into 24 all the time we feel like it's a shock when we are down to 24 hrs...in 24😂 I see myself tapping my foot, trying to zen my mind.. It must feel great to be back to the normal
Yes! I think it will take some time yet for us to unwind from our working lives and the fast pace - but we are sure enjoying working on it! Cheers!
Love your new videos...Love and miss Madeira...Heard a 5.3 earthquake hit on Wednesday ? Did you see any effects?
Thank you! Yes we were shook awake at 4:30 a.m., and lay there for at least 10 seconds more than a little concerned on the 6th floor of our building, as it swayed, squeaked, and rattled in the darkness. Having never experienced an earthquake before in our lives, we were glad when it stopped! But we have not heard of nor seen any damage. 😅
Very informative! I wonder what prompted you guys to make this big move from US to Portugal. What were the deciding factors. You guys look like you are enjoying life.
Thank you so much! I can't even begin to say how much we are enjoying our 2nd Half of Life so far! That's a great question and one we should probably go into in depth in an upcoming video, as others may find they have a similar thought process. Overall though, I suppose it was partly our past travel experiences that made us want to be and about in the world permanently, along with a knack for adventure, new experiences, better cost of living, plus what we felt was the deterioration of N. American societal values. We are LOVING Portugal!
Welcome to Madeira! 😁
Hello there! Thank you very much for the welcome! We love our new home! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Great video. The no dryer maybe the hardest thing to get used to.
Runners? Is that a Portuguese term?
Thank you! We have lots of sun now, so we are getting used to the no-dryer. We don't even think about it anymore. As for "runners".. c'mon.. we thought that was what everyone called them - that's all we've ever known them as! Lol, now we get out into the world and find out the truth 😉😄 ! Cheers!
Hi we have just recently found you on RUclips and have binged watched all your videos they are great just the kind of information we are interested in as we are hoping to move to Madeira too. Can we just ask you a question had you ever been to Madeira before you made the big move ? Looking forward to the next video.
Thank you SO much for the excellent feedback!! That's great that you are thinking of moving here too - you'll love it. We're going to do a video soon on why or how we started our early retirement here on Madeira, but the short answer is no, we had never physically been here before! 😜 Cheers! D & M
Oh that’s good to know you hadn’t been to Madeira before your move as we are exactly the same lol we have been dreaming about it for over two years now. We have just sold our house here in France and are living in rented accommodation until the day comes we can leave. Unfortunately we have to wait until our beautiful boxer dog passes away as he is too old and too many health problems to do the move. Keep up the great videos Alan and Sue.
I really enjoyed watching your video. Everything you said is true but you are still living your honeymoon with Madeira Island. After a while you will notice some things that will shock you but in a negative way. Nothing is perfect but compared to other countries we have many advantages. Come and visit the mainland and don't stay only in the big cities. Portugal is small but has a rich and varied landscape, we are a very welcoming and friendly people and although we have a lot of English speaking population I advise you to start practicing your Portuguese. It is difficult but with persistence you begin to understand and that makes your life easier. Be very happy here in Portugal. A big hug. Greetings from Portugal.
👍😀
Hello and thank you for reaching out! You're not wrong and give very good insights. Of course, nowhere is "perfect," and as long as we understand that, we think it's okay to make comparisons and choices about where we want to be. We can't wait to visit the mainland!! 👍 ❤ What you say about the diversity, the landscape, the people - well, we couldn't have said it better ourselves 🙂
We definitely have plans to start taking in-person Portuguese language classes! We know it will be difficult, but really look forward to the challenge, and the enjoyment of starting to be able to converse with locals in their own language. Thank you SO much for your kind and welcoming words! All the best! D & M
This is the reason why the Madeirans don't like the Portuguese from the mainland, they are typically envious people..
Ola Monique and Doug. Hope you are both doing well. My wife and I are planning on retiring to Portugal soon. We started looking at the Algarve and then Porto. I personally have fallen in love with Madeira. My wife is starting to get on board with the idea of moving to Madeira. We have seen furnished rental apartments on Madeira offer a bit more than the other locations wer are scouting. I do have a few questions, hopefully you can both help. Do you see cost for items larger than the main land, due to shipping to Madeira?? Was the cost of purchasing a car on the island greater than the mainland??
Your budgeting videos have been awesome and since we will be doing the best to keep our lives as minimal as possible Madeira seems to be a good fit for us. Looking to hear from you soon.
Stay safe and God bless you both.
Luis and Nancy
Hello! Thanks for reaching out and for the well-wishes - we really appreciate it. - Congratulations! That's great that you are looking at retiring in Portugal. Sounds like you have followed sort of the same path that led us to Madeira as well! Portugal has so much to offer. We're more than happy to try to answer your questions as best we can. As far comparisons to the mainland, we haven't lived there so we don't want to misspeak, but from all we have learned so far, there are things that are more expensive on Madeira to purchase when compared to the mainland. One for sure is vehicles, which we learned during our car search. Also, there is a shipping cost involved for stores that will ship to Madeira from Lisbon, such as Ikea. As far as groceries, we've heard that items imported from the mainland may be a bit more expensive, but by how much we couldn't say. We can say that groceries are much less expensive than when compared to N. America, so we're quite happy about that! All the best to you both, and good luck! D & M
Also in Finland, it is the norm not to have a dryer, because you don't need one and it is so noisu´y.
Neat! We are definitely getting used to it. Sun & air-dried cloths sure are nice!
Porto has very slippy paths in the city too.
Porto looks beautiful - watch your step! 👍
I can absolutely vouch for the Madeira people being honest. I accidentally left my expensive Sony Powershot camera on a bench in the little park in Funchal. I spent a frantic hour asking a policeman for help. Eventually I spotted a gardener in the park and asked him if he saw my camera and guess what, he said yes and went to get it from a bag he was keeping it in! That convinced me that people here are much more law abiding than many other places.
You are so right! We have friends here who have had the exact same experience on a bus. It's very refreshing, and nice to hear that this sort of honesty and goodwill still exists on this planet 👍 😃 Cheers!
Hi guys, more great info! I look forward to Saturday's and seeing what you're going to talk about next. We are going over to Portugal / Madeira in early may for 4 weeks of recon, hoping to convince my wife to settle on Madeira! Currently live in S. CA. I guess the nice weather is another reason why they don't have need to use a dryer for drying! We look forward to seeing the next installment next Saturday. Thanks again for the great info.
Thank you so much for your comments! You won't want to leave after 4 weeks! Cheers!
In the last 4 years around 20k people have move to Madeira, and most of the people are young people, recently married or single
I’ve heard that dinning out is an exercise in patience as well. Takes hours….
It can be, but in a good way... we are learning to just slow down, enjoy the experience!
I am so happy to hear you two are really happy there! I really enjoyed hearing about all those things. We line dry laundry in Japan (at least when I was raised there) but now I'm used to the US lifestyle, line drying is definitely shocking! But, It's just me, my husband and a cat, i bet it wouldn't be so bad. All the cool things seem to outweigh the "shockings" :) Thank you for another great video!
Hi there!! Yes we are loving it here. For sure the great things outweigh the “ shockers” for us. We are actually enjoying line drying. Our clothes smell fresh and are in good shape! Thank you for your comment. Cheers! M&D
Great video! I do have a couple of questions…If you don’t speak Portuguese, is there a language barrier issue? I know this seems trivial, but I think I would be uncomfortable if I couldn’t communicate with people.😬(I’d feel dumb and embarrassed) Also, how is medical care? Enjoying that second half of life comes with taking care of yourself😉
Thank you so much! And thank you for the questions :) We do not speak Portuguese at all, but plan to take in-person lessons soon. We can tell you there is no uncomfortableness or embarrassment whatsoever. Between the few words we have learned so far, and the fact that many many of the locals either speak English or have a pretty good working knowledge of it, plus the fact that they try so hard to assist and not embarrass you, we have had a great time of it. It's really part of the adventure! So no worries with the language. As far as medical care, our observations, research, and few visits to the hospital (medicals for driver's licenses, etc.) has demonstrated to us what seems to be a pleasant improvement over N. America as far as hospital cleanliness, staffing, and atmosphere. It seems like the ratio of hospital to population here is quite high. We have private healthcare for now, but there is also the public system, it is all quite inexpensive and we feel very impressed and comfortable with it so far. Cheers! D & M
Great video, thank you! I've been researching mainland Portugal, but keep finding my way back to Madeira. My biggest/maybe only concern would be travel to the mainland and then onto other destinations in Europe. I know you've only been there a minute, but do you find permanent living on Madeira a hindrance to exploring the rest of Europe? I want to have a home base (possibly Madeira), but more so want to experience all the European countries and cultures. Thanks again!
There's plenty direct connections to main capitals in Europe. Starting in May, Ryanair will start operating with direct flights, also Azores airlines is making direct flights to US from Madeira
Thank you for reaching out! We are the exact same as you! We love Madeira and are looking to make it our "base" for the exact same reason - European travel, starting with ALL of Portugal! From what I have seen and learned so far, I do not believe it will be a hindrance one bit. The airport is beautiful, easily accessed, and has direct, cheap flights to all over Europe - we can't wait!!
@@luisvasconcelos1053 That's great to hear - appreciate the info!
@@Track_Us_Down Thank you so much! That's amazing to hear; you're definitely further down the road, but we're on the same path. Really looking forward to watching more of your videos and learning more about your life on Madeira and seeing some of your European travels!
Just stumbled across your video. Part of the video footage was in arco da calheta, should I assume you live there? Subscribed.
Greetings! Thank you for subscribing 🙂. We have made our base here in Funchal now, but sure enjoy getting out Calheta way often!
@@Track_Us_Down I heard Calheta is de “Monaco” of Madeira 😀
@@ruinunes8251 Not sure about that, but we’ve had a local lawyer here tell us he believes Funchal in general is angling to go the way of Monaco … who knows what another 10 years will look like!
@@DBBaizCalheta is looking a lot different for the last few years.
Ciao!
Wife and I are retiring in 4 years. I am originally from brasil. We have been to Portugal mainland (my grandfather is from there) and we LOVED it. We are thinking of retiring there. Is there any way I can contact you guys directly? I’d love to ask some more specific questions that may be helpful to us. Thank you and thanks for making this video.
Josh
Hello! That's great to hear you are also well on your way to planning your "Second Half of Life!' You're right - ALL of Portugal has so much to offer, whatever area you like! Please shoot us an email at trackusdown@icloud.com - we don't mind answering whatever we can. Cheers! Doug & Monique.
i live in canada the stupid dryer ruins all my clothes ,the day i can dry my clothes like that all be a happy man
We love the way they dry so fast in the sun, smell so good, and disinfected by the sun!
Hi, I'm planning to move there by next February. I am going to be retiring!! I would love to get in contact with you.
That's great, congratulations! Feel free to shoot us an email at trackusdown@icloud.com! Cheers!
Article 13
(Principle of equality)
1. All citizens possess the same social dignity and are equal before the law.
2. No one may be privileged, favoured, prejudiced, deprived of any right or exempted from any duty for reasons of ancestry, sex, race, language, territory of origin, religion, political or ideological beliefs, education, economic situation, social circumstances or sexual orientation. (CONSTITUTION OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC)
Just found your content a few days ago.. Great videos!!! Are you all finding any language barriers?
Thank you! Not really any language barriers yet that we couldn't overcome, and I don't see that changing. Many of the Portuguese also speak English, or enough that we can understand. They are so friendly and accommodating when trying to help us muddle through something we need to do, or ask about! Take care! D & M
Great video ! So funny as a European to see the things that surprised you 🤣 there is many that are the same in others south country in Europe like france Spain Italy
Thank you! Yes we are learning a new way of life here, and we are enjoying it very much! Cheers!
islands are allways safe places, there no place to run or hide , you have to stay in the island
Sometimes, but not always! Madeira is one exception for sure - incredibly safe and friendly. Cheers!
Madeira já very rich in turist for gorverment is very sever for that evvryone try be quite
🙂
Everywhere people used cellphones
That's the truth these days. Cheers!
And where do you think that habit started with the phone that's right your country
Hi and thanks for reaching out! We meant that piece about the cell phone to highlight how SOCIABLE and CONNECTED the Portuguese seem with each other, even while away from each other - still talking to each other on their cell phones! We really admire that! Apologies if it came across any other way! 😉 😆 Cheers!
Why is there no crime 🤔
They must be doing something right - very honest, nice people here. So refreshing.