savvynomadadventures

Alright, time to say a goodbye to the romance of Porto and grab our RESERVED (emphasis necessary) and PAID-FOR rental car. Should be a breeze, right? Yeah, no. Not here, my friends.

We arrive at the rental car agency—let’s just call them “unnamed” for now, because I’m pretty sure they know where I live. I confidently hand over our reservation, passports, and give the young woman a huge smile and say “Olá, bom dia!”

She checks our info, smiles back, and we’re all good… until her eyes widen, sweat trickles down her very wrinkle-free forehead, and she looks like she’s just seen a ghost.

“Mrs. Scholl, umm… there seems to be a problem. We can’t give you this car. You’ve apparently been banned from renting from us… anywhere in the world.”

Wait, what now? Apparently, according to her, I’ve been blacklisted for

“misbehavior, harassment of a rental agent, or maybe a serious accident… it’s hard to tell from the notes. And sorry, no refund, because you booked through a third party.”

Now, I’ve got sweat beading down my very wrinkled forehead and I’m trying not to breathe fire, but I was very close to going full Khaleesi (if you know, you know) in that moment. So, I calmly (ish) ask her, “What are you talking about? I’ve never rented a car from you, and harassment? Not my style.” (Although my spoken words were betraying my thoughts at the moment).

“Sorry, ma’am, you have to email corporate. Oh, in Germany.” Great. Germany.

So, I emailed corporate and we waited… and waited…and waited. Finally, I got a response apologizing profusely, saying it was clearly a glitch in their system and they had no actual reason for the ban. Of course. They’d let the Lisbon team know I wasn’t a felon. After hours of back and forth, it was all cleared up, and we were finally on our way to Aveiro and Évora.

Uggh. Look, I try every single day to be more patient. Truly, I’m working on it. But this? This was lame and took up hours of precious exploring time. And if you are type A like me, the last thing you ever want to hear is ” Calm down” (also, if you know, you know). I also got horrific news from work that day (I will spare you the details but let’s just say it’s the last thing you want to hear while you are thousands of miles away and can’t be there for your team..it was a super bummer, but I won’t get into that here) and though I was trying to enjoy myself and live in the moment, my mind was elsewhere and I had a difficulty time remaining calm and relaxed.

BUT, I practiced my box breathing thanks to the reminder from my oh-so-calm and rational wife, and things eventually sorted themselves out. The wine also helped, it usually does.

After the rental car debacle and managing to finally hit the road, we made it to Aveiro—this charming little town that’s often referred to as the “Venice of Portugal.” It’s full of cute canals, brightly painted boats (called moliceiros, FYI), and an overall vibe that feels both sleepy and vibrant at the same time. The place doesn’t take itself too seriously, which I love, and yet it’s brimming with character.

We decided to hop on one of those moliceiros for a boat ride, and our guide was awesome and knowledgeable. We learned a ton about the towns history and had a lovely afternoon. We relaxed on our little boat with all of the others taking millions of selfies just like us. It is a very “Insta” worthy place.

A few fun facts dropped by our guide:

Did you know that Aveiro used to be a massive salt production hub? The town’s fortunes rose and fell with salt. I love me some salt!

Also, those colorful boats that we were on were originally used to harvest seaweed (called moliço) from the lagoon, which is where they get their name. Now, they’re mostly just for us tourists, but the tradition behind them is pretty cool.

Also, like many Portuguese cities, Aveiro is decked out in azulejos (beautiful hand-painted tiles), but Aveiro is actually home to the largest producer of these iconic tiles in the country! So if you’re obsessed with that dreamy Portuguese tilework, like we are, you’ll love this place.

Aveiro is the capital of Art Nouveau, and as you could imagine, its got a serious Art Nouveau vibe going on. We weren’t exactly sure what that meant, and our guide blew through that part really quick while we weren’t really paying attention, so naturally, we looked it up.

Art Nouveau is an architectural and design movement that emerged in the late 19th century, known for its flowing, organic lines, and natural forms like flowers, plants, and curved structures. It’s all about blending beauty and function, turning everyday items—buildings, furniture, jewelry—into works of art. You’ll recognize it by its intricate detailing, symmetry, and elegant, almost dreamlike quality. Think of it as nature meeting art in a stunning, highly stylized way. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau

But we did notice the beautifully intricate buildings that make you feel like you’re walking through an open-air art gallery.

The town is kind of a perfect blend of laid-back and lively. The pastel-hued buildings, fresh seafood restaurants, and shops selling the freshest ovos moles (try them if you like your desserts sugary and eggy- Me? I’m quite over the pastries at this point, but always worth a try…) give Aveiro this low-key, yet colorful energy. It’s one of those places where you can just stroll, sip some wine, and watch the world float by—literally.

It was perfect for a day of exploring before continuing our journey deeper into Portugal.

Stay tuned for more Portuguese misadventures…but spoiler alert: bed bugs, a sprained ankle, pizza soup, and Codfish and Port wine for breakfast may be on the horizon. (Yes, I gagged).