So I headed out at around 9.30 today with the intention of starting the process of getting my Portuguese residency certificate - or Certificado de Residencia as they say here in Portugal, although they probably don't spell it that way.
I started off in the local Junta in Val de Prazeres, and the very nice woman there asked me to go check in the municipal centre of Fundao (where I'd need to go to finally get the form) what documents I needed, given the Brexit situation.
So off I went to Fundao, after I'd made a bread and pastry delivery back home - seriously, the bread here is some GOOD SHIT! And don't even get me started on the pastries, those custard things, OH YES!
Bread.
Fundao is about 15KM from Vale de P, but up and down a mountain - seriously, plenty 'third gear' corners on that route, and only about one K where you can get it into fifth, so it takes about 20 minutes to get between towns.
I actually had to stop off half way to eat my custard tart thing, whatever they're called, I couldn't hold on any longer!
On arrival to Fundao I went to what I thought was the right building and enquired what documents I needed, which sounded like a right hassle - two Portuguese witnesses, a letter from my landlord and Passport, drove back to Val de P, only to find I'd gone to the wrong place, drove back to Fundao immediately, found the right building, which was kind of weird as it was a small building which kind of looked like a school gymnasium.
Anyway, after waiting for five minutes, someone finally came and clarified that all I needed was my NIF number and passport and an address certificate from the Junta at Val de P, then I could return to Fundao later that day and get my residency certificate issued, oh and 15 Euros, FINE!
So I drove back to Val de P, managed to get there before lunch, showed the very nice woman my passport, and my address (on an email I had on my phone, no hard proof required) and she gave me this very official looking local certificate.
By now it was 12.45 and so I headed home for lunch, and found a nice plastic document wallet to put my NIF and local residency certificates in - to give the impression that I take this paper documentation lark seriously, rather than what I actually think, which is that it's completely socially retarded in the online age. But when in Rome...
I then headed back out around 14.15 - I figured the '14.00 PM start' for the municipality centre in Fundao wasn't realistic, so I left it a bit later, and later still when I realised I only had 10 EU in my pocket (lots more in the car of course) so had to go find a cash machine.
Anyway, I finally got back to Fundao govt central at around 15.30, told the receptionist that 'Eu tenho um certificado residencia' which she understood, probably more because she recognised me from a few hours ago rather than due to my Portuguese, but then told me 'Segunda Fereria' excuse spelling - which I actually know means 'Monday' - or 'second day' as they call it here.
Turns out I was almost right about the long lunch on Fridays in Portugal, but rather than lasting an hour longer than publicised, it's actually more like two and a half days longer!
I did a bit of shopping seeing as I was in Fundao, and after that it was around 16.30 by the time I got in!
Oh well, at least I've had a day off line and that mountain drive to Fundao and back has gone from being a bit terrifying to a bit fun since I've done it another three times!
And I've advanced the residency cause, and with any luck I can get it done and dusted by 10.00 a.m Monday morning!