TR: Exchanging to a Rock in the Ocean

[Disney_Mama]

What a start to a vacation. So glad you made it. Can't wait to read more and see more.

 

[LSchrow]

as much as i hate to say it: take your time relating this adventure. you are a great storyteller!
i'm not so patiently waiting to hear and see more

 

[debbieandroo]

That's funny!

P.S.
One of the guys I work with is from Adamsville. Is that anywhere near you?

I'm in Memphis and am so illiterate about my state that I'm not sure where Adamsville is!

Oh, wait - thanks to good old wiki, I found it. I think I've driven through Adamsville a time or two. That really is a pretty part of the state - wish I could say the same about Memphis.

Hope you're diligently working on this TR - the suspense is killing us!

 

[KatMark]

So I have spent the day cleaning so the house is in good shape when we leave for Disney in 12 days, and I've not been on the DIS much. And then I find I missed an update by you.

I would have been sweating in shorts, etc., if I faced that situation with the airlines (and that is beside the regular "sweating" from my fear of flying). I'm glad it all worked out.

The hotel in Lisbon looks beautiful. I'm so glad you got to take a short tour and go to the Museum to enjoy the Van Gogh art.

Anxiously awaiting the next update, Jim.

 

[Doug7856]

Awesome TR!!! Can't wait for the next installment...

 

[Laurabearz]

I am on board for this European adventure!!

 

[DutchsMommy]

Really looking forward to the next installment and how your exchange went.

 

[bonnielynn]

Enjoying your review..

 

[4Pluto]

Lisbon is a bit hard to describe. It really isn't about sights. When you think of Paris you think of the Notre Dame and the Louvre; when you think of Rome you think of the Colesseum and St. Peters. Rick Steves lists the best museum in Lisbon as a collection of greek and egyptian art by some armenian oil tycoon in a mansion turned museum--not quite the same as the great museums of London and Italy.

Lisbon is really more of an atmosphere than a church or museum or palace. It's a good thing, because with 24 hours of jet lagged followed by 8 hours passed out like a rock, I was ready for atmosphere.

Saturday August 27

I really like breakfast. I like pancakes, or danish, or donuts or french toast. Eating breakfast in Portugal is a bit like eating lunch early. There are plates of cheese, baskets of bread and lots and lots of cold cuts (I can't really call then lunch meats if its breakfast, but you pretty much get the idea--salami and its cousins). There is a little cereal along with the fruits and nuts for topping, and there was plenty of fresh fruit, so I settled into a bowl of granola and some orange slices.

The waitress asked what I wanted to drink. I asked for milk. I'm not sure why. I like milk, but that's never a really good menu item anywhere, much less abroad. But just minutes later, she returned with a big steaming cup of milk. Steaming. Steaming hot milk. Even now I haven't figured out whether the Portuguese drink milk hot or whether they thought Americans want their milk steaming hot. Let's chalk that up to miscommunication.

I had a really lazy start to the day, so I wandered out of the hotel and into Rossio Plaza and immediately found a spot to sit and stare at the beautiful blue sky, the splashing fountains and all the red roofed stone buildings surrounding the square:

I don't think I made it more than 50 feet from the entrance to my hotel, but this gives you a good idea of why Lisbon has such a wonderful atmosphere. Lots of fountains, lots of statues and lots of places to sit and people watch.

I showed my pictures to my brother's family this evening. I took a lot of pictures but saved just a fraction of them to a flash drive to show off before dinner, and apparently I really liked this statue because it ended up in about a dozen of my selected pictures leading the family to wonder if I actually ever moved off the bench.

I took a hop on/hop off bus that afternoon to get my bearings. Lisbon is pretty hilly and centered on the river front. The bus took us past tree lined streets, more fountains and more statues until we got to the top of the hill looking back at the City.

From there, we headed to Belem, the part of the City famous for launching the ships that ignited the Age of Exploration. Since I would be visiting one of the first islands discovered by Portuguese explorers, I figured I owed it to myself to see this part of town. Belem is anchored by a monastery, a portion of which is now the maritime museum, with dozens of model ships and paintings and cases with examples of early navigational instruments. The style of architecture is the trademark of 15th century Portugal.

I found a lot of good places to sit out front of the monastery (along with a cart selling ice cream). While I was "cooling off" I watched some girls from a wedding party waiting for their turn to be photographed and couldn't resist taking my own photo.

I caught the last bus back to the center of town, found an outdoor cafe for dinner and then collapsed on the bed for another night's sleep.

 

[4Pluto]

Thanks for sharing.

I agree about the European choices, not many in my opinion and I find that very disappointing.

I am very dependent on public transportation so resorts that are accessible only with a rental car don't fit my travel skills. What I think would be awesome would be a chain of timeshares in each of the big capitals of Europe--Rome, Paris, Berlin. As it was, the best I could find outside of Great Britain was a resort outside Venice, a resort outside Positano, and a resort in Tuscany (which probably requires a car). The rest appeared to be beach or ski resorts.

I don't plan on trading but nice to hear about experiences. Carry on!

What a start to a vacation. So glad you made it. Can't wait to read more and see more.

as much as i hate to say it: take your time relating this adventure.

Thank you all so much for following along. For me, it's a chance to relive the trip all over again.

 

[4Pluto]

So I have spent the day cleaning so the house is in good shape when we leave for Disney in 12 days, and I've not been on the DIS much. And then I find I missed an update by you.

If I do a day or two each night, then I can drag out the fun for me. So I'm grateful for audience.

I am anxious to hear what you think of AKV, so I will be waiting for your TR as well.

 

[KatMark]

If I do a day or two each night, then I can drag out the fun for me. So I'm grateful for audience.

I am anxious to hear what you think of AKV, so I will be waiting for your TR as well.

I will certainly let you know what we think of it and will let you know when I start the TR (and you can post...no one on my threads will bite!).

The fountains and the statues are beautiful in your last update. I especially like the picture of the city from the hill -- breathtaking.

Steaming hot milk???? I don't think so.

 

[4Pluto]

Sunday August 28

The town of Sintra is a short distance from Lisbon, but feels entirely different. It sits in the hills just above the Atlantic Ocean. Moors built castles here to fend off invaders; royalty built palaces here to get away from the heat of the city.

It is really easy to take a suburban train from Lisbon (right off of Rossio Plaza) to Sintra (about 35 minutes). Right at the train station you are met by a public tour bus that runs between the station, the palaces and the moorish castle.

I made it up the steps to the information booth for the national palace, but given the signs warning about all of the steps required for the tour (which is the only way to see inside the palace), I decided instead to head for the Moorish Castle. It too had hundreds of steps, but I could take my sweet time climbing them, and it was such a beautiful day, I was happy to be outdoors (in just a few weeks, Chicago will revert to the blustery, cloudy damp that hangs until the end of Spring).

The National Palace doesn't have great curb appeal:

I think it would take a normal person about 45 minutes to walk to the castle, up the steps and back again. I made an afternoon of it. And no, I didn't actually climb all the way to the top. But I did make it to the top of the walls.

Here is a tower of the castle:

Here is the view down from the wall (the National Palace is in the middle)(and the ocean is at the extreme top of the picture):

I liked this picture. The flag is made up, using arabic characters for the old name of the castle.

I made it back to my hotel, but let's just say that I fell asleep without even bothering to check what time it was in either Chicago or Portugal.

Tomorrow: My last day in Lisbon OR Number 9 on History Channels list of Most Extreme Airports.

 

[4Pluto]

Steaming hot milk???? I don't think so.

Another confession. Right inside the train station is a Starbucks. I'm not much of a coffee drinker and I don't usually go to Starbucks, and I really try not to visit restaurants I can visit at home when I'm on a trip, but I really, really wanted ice in a drink (apparently an American quirk), so I gave into my cravings and got an frapuccino and ate every last bite of ice. If I remember correctly, Starbucks is on your list of Must Haves.

 

[rentayenta]

 

[podsnel]

I am loving your TR!! Can't wait to hear how your RCI stay went-

and WOW- can I just say, you really handled that airline situation SO well- I am glad it all worked out for you.

 

[KatMark]

Here is the view down from the wall (the National Palace is in the middle)(and the ocean is at the extreme top of the picture):

Jim, you take reallly spectacular pictures.

Another confession. Right inside the train station is a Starbucks. I'm not much of a coffee drinker and I don't usually go to Starbucks, and I really try not to visit restaurants I can visit at home when I'm on a trip, but I really, really wanted ice in a drink (apparently an American quirk), so I gave into my cravings and got an frapuccino and ate every last bite of ice. If I remember correctly, Starbucks is on your list of Must Haves.

You remember correctly; I am a huge Starbucks fan (at least three times a day).

And you had my "summer favorite" -- the Frappucino.

 

[ACDSNY]

Hopping on to enjoy the ride to Portugal. Love the pics!

 

[Sammie]

Another confession. Right inside the train station is a Starbucks. I'm not much of a coffee drinker and I don't usually go to Starbucks, and I really try not to visit restaurants I can visit at home when I'm on a trip, but I really, really wanted ice in a drink (apparently an American quirk), so I gave into my cravings and got an frapuccino and ate every last bite of ice. If I remember correctly, Starbucks is on your list of Must Haves.

I understand the craving for ice.

 

[Carl'n'Ellie'sDad]

Thanks for this TR, 4Pluto... I love how you made a vacation of going to you vacation. I'll be sure to keep "watching"...