*PORTUGAL* - Anyone been with baby?

[Caron]

Desperately need info concerning travelling with baby to & around Portugal - particularly Lisbon.
Any help greatly appreciated :-)

[Yorkiegirl]

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[cupcakes]

Hi Caron - we went to the Algarve last May when my ds was almost 4 and my dd 15 months. I thought it was wonderful, really lovely. We didn't see any golf courses! Just wonderful countryside and lovely, lovely people.
We were staying with English friends who helped us a lot (and we were only there for a week!) but we did self cater.
We used the Dodot nappies and in our opinion thought they were the same as Pampers (the packaging is very similar). Anyhow, they were very good. My dd was eating meals with us by then so we didn't look for much babyfood although there was some available. The supermarkets were very good. There were lots of baby accessories and we ended up buying some things that we couldn't find in England!
We didn't get to Lisbon. Apparently the drive from the south is quite hectic as there are only a couple of roads in over bridges (so we were told). We considered taking the train but never got round to it I'm afraid!
Anyhow, we found it a really child friendly place and would definitely go back again whilst the children are young. I hope all goes well with the family and you have a great time.

[Caron]

Hi Yorkiegirl,

Was hoping to chat with you... we are leaving tommorrow (still nervous about certain things).

Any info you have on public transport & in particular carseats would be great. Do you know if Huggies are available - I know of Dodots, wondering if they are the same. Rang Huggies, but not helpful at all.

Found out you can put bub into a taxi without carseat but nervous about doing so as drivers in Lisbon are pretty mad

What is the general hospitality like where kids are concerned?

Do you know of any companies that hire baby gear?

Hope to catch you before I go (29th)

[Yorkiegirl]

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[Caron]

Thanks heymissy,

You've given me a bit of a boost cause I was feeling very low about all the unanswered questions & travelling with a baby who had a very rough start in life with multiple medical probs.

I guess Spain would be like Portugal, very family orientated. I've rented an apartment for the 8 weeks & it has absolutely everything (even a cot). I'm mainly worried about public transport and taxi's. Stroller friendly and taxi's with baby carseats.

Thanks again

[heymissy]

Hi Caron

Not sure how helpful this will be but here it goes... a friend of mine went to the Algarve with her 9 year old and said it was marvellous - she wished she had taken her 1 year old at the time as everything she would have needed was easily obtainable. I recently got back from Marbella with my dd and dp. I go often as I have friends who live there and this was my first visit with our new baby. They had everything - pampers, hipp baby foods, sterilising tablets - the lot. In Spain family is everything - they will do anything to accomodate you and your children, I would think this attitude is the same in Portugal given its proximity - though if you stay in a hotel hot water for making baby milk is a pain if there is no kettle in the room (often isn't in spanish hotels) - take a thermus flask and get the kitchen staff to fill it up for you!!

[Caron]

I planned the holiday out of defiance I guess as my partner is one stubborn man :O

He has not sent photos of ds to his family nor has his family ever called to congratulate us on his birth or recent 1st birthday... nothing infact.

Our relationship is not healthy & I'm tired, rundown & stressed - need a holiday & change of scene.

His family are in central Portugal, I've not had any contact with them so don't know what they will be like. Grandmother of ds is apparently excited about seeing ds.

I'm very independent so I'm determined to enjoy this holiday regardless of dp's family

[Caron]

I've heard the Algarve can be complacent with tourists during peak tourism times.

I guess I'm lucky because I know a few locals in Lisbon from a previous trip & I've rented an apartment in the business district for 8 weeks as a base rather than hotels. Only prob is they don't have kids so not able to help with info.

Its a shame you didn't experience the Portuguese culture while there... but the Algarve has been spoilt by the grab for tourist dollars. There's a limit to how many golf courses, swimming pools & hotels you can stomach during a holiday!!!!!

Lisbon is indeed different, there is so much to see & do & the locals are fantastic (as I experienced - but I was travelling alone).

I will look at the website - thanks

[alexsmum]

caron, i'm sure you will find that dp's family will help you a lot with the baby and getting around won't they?

[alexsmum]

i can't honestly remember about the nappies, but know that they were standard disposables of the type we use here and they didn't leak.
As I said they did have lots of fruity babyfood in jars so no problem there.
Racking my brain trying to remember more...we did take ds on the bus in his pushchair, so I would imagine in the city it will be similar or better.

What a flight!! Why aren't you going at same time as your partner? Will your 12 year old be able to help you?

[Caron]

Tammybear & Gingerbear - thanks, will try to catch Yorkiegirl before I leave (29th Nov).

Alexsmum... I know about the laws there...same as Oz which is good safety wise.

As I'm going before my partner I will not be hiring a car as I can't drive so relying on metro & buses.

My ds does eat everything but I generally mix cereal with the canned fruit for breakie.

Which nappies did you use - were they similar to huggies with the gel inside?

Adventurous is an understatement - its been a nightmare planning this trip. My partner is Portuguese & we are introducing our son for the first time to his family. Me as well, I have not met them so I'm pretty nervous.

Not looking forward to the flights - KLM & Malaysian 32hrs in total including 3hrs transit in KL & 5hrs in Amsterdam.

[alexsmum]

got to say where we where, the attitudes were pretty indifferent.It was other brits who made a fuss of the baby, but then it was a very touristy area and they were probably sick of us all.
Basing our decision purely on the area we went to, we wouldn't go again.Just because there was nothing to do apart from the beach and the swimming pool.No culture!! just lots of golf courses and hotels!
But Lisbon of course will be completely different.
Have you tried the website babygoes2.co.uk?

[alexsmum]

can't help on the transport questions i'm afraid.I do know its the law that children 4 and under have to be strapped into a car seat and when we hired a car they were provided.
There were lots of fruity baby foods for sale and lots of packet type baby cereals.Didn't see any brands we knew like huggies but the local brands were fine.If baby is 14 months then surely you will able to give him/her proper fruit to eat? And stuff that you have ? The restaraunts we went to were happy to provide an extra dish so we could give babs stuff off our plate.
I don't think you are mad, just incredibly adventurous!!! do you mind me asking why you are going?

[Caron]

Alexsmum... any tips would help, thanks.

How was the general service & attitudes you received from people over there? Friendly or indifferent?

[Caron]

Thanks guys... need info on public transport, buying carseats, taxis & if they have carseats in them, babyfood types - especially the fruit ones & cereals, nappies (use huggies here).

Transport... can you a stroller directly onto a bus/metro train?

Going by myself for 8 weeks with 12yr old daughter & 14mth baby (arrgghhh) Am I mad?

[alexsmum]

Went to portugal with ds2 aged 10months.Not Lisbon though, just the algarve.
Pretty ok.Can't get hold of babyfoods like hipp or anything and the local baby foods involve lots of fish and veal.
some restaraunts had highchairs,some didn't.
what kind of things do you need to know?

[Gingerbear]

Yorkiegirl went there in September (not Lisbon though)

[tammybear]

hi caron, sorry cant be of any help but i saw your other thread too, and hope someone can help you.