Numero do Utente
Cool! We got our Numeros do Utentes, our "user numbers" for the Portugal
health care system. After all the doom and gloom of the Reddit comments
about obtaining these numbers, it was actually perfectly easy and quick.

First we asked Google's AI how to do it, and it was entirely wrong,
directing us to a place across the park from us. However the guard
at the door there knew her stuff and sent us to the correct location
(which I'd found mention of before) on the other side of Luisa Todi.

(Luisa Todi was an 18th century singer and actress for whom a long
narrow east-west park in the heart of the city is named.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu%C3%ADsa_Todi

Her park is just south of Praca do Bocage, named for the 18th century 
poet Manuel Barbosa du Bocage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Maria_Barbosa_du_Bocage

not to be mistaken for the 19th-century naturalist Jose Barbosa du Bocage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Vicente_Barbosa_du_Bocage

for whom several species are named. 

I live in a town named for poets and and singers and no wonder I like it here.)

We got there about 8:30 where the guard by the door managed to inform us that
a) the numbers weren't given out until 10 a.m. and b) we needed to bring a
utility bill with our names on it in addition to everything else to prove
we were living here. She did all this in Portuguese and I'm pleased to say
that I managed to muddle my way through the conversation and understand her
instructions.

We had 90 minutes, so we strolled back across Luisa Todi to O Melhor Croissant
Da Minha Rua (The Honey Croissant on My Street)

https://omelhorcroissantdaminharua.com/

Where we had a nice little breakfast, then went home and printed out a couple
of utility invoices and headed back.

We got back at 9:50 and the guard had us wait, then printed out our tickets
for the Number service for us and promptly at 10:00 we got called up to the
desk. We handed over our paperwork, watched while the clerk did his thing,
and left by 10:15 with our numbers printed out (cards will arrive in the mail
in the future.)

In both places the guards positioned by the door acted as very competent
receptionists and the second one in particular was very helpful and kind.

Piece of cake!

Since we were on that end of town we went to the local fish market (the
Livramento) and got a couple of salmon steaks caught this morning, which 
will make for a nice dinner. I've got Portuguese class tomorrow morning, 
so I'm going to continue my studies for the rest of the day. 

But getting our numbers was a big milestone accomplished! All this walking
about was MUCH easier to do in the cool, overcast weather as contrasted with
the blistering heat of August.