The Last Post...

Saturday, June 16. Sunny and hot.

Fellette was in bed at 8:00 last night and slept through till 4:00  [Eight hours!]

I was in bed at 8:30, restless and awake and up at 11:00. I went back to bed at 1:00 and awoke with Fellette at 4:00. [4 1/2 hours]

I should mention that my cold is absolutely atrocious, my stomach aches from coughing which is seconds away from happening at any time, in or outside, sitting, lying, standing or bending over. Very, very, very annoying. I now carry a plastic bag around for used tissues along with a carton of Kleenex!

At 4:00 AM we unpacked, did the laundry and sorted most that had to be sorted then had breakfast. Fellette was outside gardening around 8:00. I needed a darn nap before I could muster the strength to go outside!

I am taking 'Dayquil' and will do 'Nyquil' tonight and it is better when the medication is at its peak but I can tell when it is wearing off. I am not looking forward to bed tonight because of the hacking. I will sleep in the basement until this thing subsides.

So, know you likely know my mood!

**  **  **

Let us pretend yesterday did not happen and get on with today! Great day regarding the weather for sure. The garden was about as perfect as it could be but needed some TLC which it got this morning. Tomatoes were tidied up as were the onions, parsnips, peas, cabbages and a few other veggies that grew wonderfully while we were away.

While I was in the house feeling sorry for myself this afternoon, Fellette trimmed the wisteria and grapes back. Where does she get the energy? 

I did take care of the slug situation this afternoon in the strawberries. I make little houses covering bait to lure them inside the upside-down margarine containers and they die in peace and quiet inside this bait chamber. That was my accomplishment and contribution to our garden today. Oh yes, we trimmed some decaying branches off an apple tree today. Nice to get a chain saw going for a few moments.

The cabbage patch.

Too bad we cannot eat the outer leaves. I suppose that true cabbage lovers would 

make cabbage rolls with them.

The potatoes, I planted them deep and they soon made there own shade 

so I never did hoe them.

The tomatoes are quite vigorous this year, more so than usual.

Fellette this afternoon trimming the wisteria.

**  **  **

That is it folks, the Portuguese holiday is over  and our Daily Grind has resumed. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Great trip, one of the better short ones. 

We do have another trip planned in mid-August. [My cold should be gone by then!] We Fly to Moscow, get on the Trans-Siberian-Railway that goes across Russia, Siberia, Mongolia and ends in  Beijing, China. It has been on my bucket list for about 65 years and I figured we should do it while we still still have the ability to do these stupid things. Fellette has no objection to what will be an adventure vacation, so... 

I will notify you at the time if you want to try and follow us. What are the chances of having Internet in remote areas of Siberia, seriously!

Great to be Home...

Friday, June 15. Sunny, in both Lisbon and Langley.

It has been a very long day for us. We walked in the door at home exactly 23 hours after we got up in Lisbon. That is a very long time to be without a decent sleep.

Delighted to see the garden in such good shape, as we found out when touring it with a nice cup of tea.

I am far too tired to do a proper blog but I may give a recap of the day, tomorrow. Time is now 7:40 and we are heading for bed!

Just so nice to see again.

The clematis need tying up again.

This clematis was just starting to bloom when we left.

They seem to be doing just fine without us! Hmmmm.

Ahhhh, It's Over...

Thursday, June 14. Sunny.

We will start our homeward journey when you were sound asleep: Before midnight Thursday Vancouver time. My next blog will be from Vancouver, Friday Night, Lord Willing: If I can stay awake!

**  **  **

Our last day was uneventful. Fellette and most of the others went on a lengthy bus tour to a town in the hills called Sintra. It was, no doubt be 'One of the highlights of the trip!' Only because I choose not to go! I have felt a tickle in my throat for a day or so and this morning I did not feel like sitting in a bus full of people sniffling and sneezing. If I do indeed have a cold, it will last for two weeks. I did not want that fact to be my parting 'Gift' to people we have met so, I had a nice, quiet day, and I did end up walking for about 2 1/2 hours before getting back to the hotel where I met Fellette minutes after 3:00.

**  **  **

This has been a great trip for both of us. We knew not a soul when we came to Madrid two weeks ago. We met some lovely people, most younger but only by 10 or 15 years. 

Another nice thing was that our Cruise Manager has been with us since day one in Madrid, and, on the ship, the ships guides accompanied us each day. It is nice to have that continuity with leaders or guides.

The hotels in Madrid and here in Lisbon were both five-star, in the true sense of the word. Big cities are not our thing as you may know, but when in a big city, why not stay at the best! 

We found eating out was easy, rather inexpensive by other European countries and North American standards as well. The wines, beers and other beverages were also modest in price. This trip was a far cry from my days in 1960 when we never did make it to Portugal. Heck, I spent more on tea and a snack this afternoon than I would have spent in two days in Spain, including petrol and the hostel cost!

As far as local people are concerned, the Portuguese are, in my opinion, happier and easier to deal with, although more Spanish folks spoke English than Portuguese.

We had a wonderful lat evening at an Argentinan restaurant where we each had a steak. Great way to end the trip. As we were leaving, a group of about 12 Ukrainians came to eat, with their guide. Nice to see as the world is changing so fast.


The following were taken by Fellette today...

The Palace of Pena at Sintra. Formerly a Monastery.

'Recuperated' in 1842 by the King and Queen of Portugal.

It looks like a Fairy Tale Palace for sure.

Early history noted.

Lots of visitors for sure. It is about an hour's ride from Lisbon.

All of above were taken by Fellette on her excursion today.

**  ** **

 Below were from my iPhone on my long walks today...

Typical street scene, taken on my morning walk to the Farmacia!

On the way back. Looking down to the River, the Atlantic is a few kilometres to the right.

**  **  **

I left this one in just to show you how darn hard it is to do the blog every day when travelling. The computer certainly does not like strange places. This photo somehow got mixed in with my photos today!

About 1952[?]: We were living at 1907 Laburnum Drive in Kerrisdale. Left to right: Doug, [17], Dad, Graham, [6], holding our dog *Snibor and Mom. Good times!

[Sinbor is Robins spelt backwards!]

Just our day in pictures...

Wednesday, June 13. Sunny.

Great sleep, great weather, great city for pictures on such a day.

First, I hope you will forgive me for not giving you detailed information on the history of every building we see, or trying to be a history or geography teacher. I am at the state now that I do not really care to listen because my mind is so full of things that our guides have told us, I have just shut down my mind. In particular, churches, cathedrals, Basilicas, Presidential Palaces, City Halls, King and Queens Palaces etc., etc., etc.

Being here again brought back memories of spending the better part of the day exploring around the monuments to the early navigators with Jim and Gail a few years ago. Later that night we sailed out past them again, toasting with a glass of wine, never expecting to see them again, and here we are. Never say never!

Today, some of the 85 photos I took, most unedited, you will see exactly what we saw, some of them from a moving bus!

The world carries on...

Jacaranda Trees. Lovely, just like Africa and Australia.

MacDonald's, good Capuchinos and clean toilets.

Riverside smoothies!

'Wine With a View', from a parked wine-van.

But look, on her iPhone!

On the Banks of the Tagus, just like the Seine, or Rhone, or Danube, or False Creek...

"Wine With a View" Van. Buy a wine, they give you a chair.

This was once in the river when built in the 1500's!

This is really one of the most impressive monuments in the world.

It is a tribute to the early Portuguese explorers.

 

So impressive, here is the other side.

A N R B C...

Tuesday, June 12. Sunny.

What does ANRBC mean?    "Another Really Big Church!"

There is a rail strike in Portugal today, [of course]. So, we were bused to Lisbon, from Porto, at the end of the cruise. It is not by any means a long drive and it is on excellent highways in a very comfortable bus. We stopped for lunch in a lovely town called Fatima. Sound familiar? it should.

Fatima is where the virgin Mary is alleged to have appeared several times in the spring and summer of 1917. I am fully aware of the existence of Fatima and the importance of it to people of the Catholic Faith. I however was not aware of how BIG a thing it is. The whole town/city of Fatima is rather impressive but the area around the two huge Basilicas are jaw-dropping. I will let the photos try and illustrate the scope of the place.

The smell of burning candles permeates the air for hundreds of yards up wind from the place they are lit. People are walking in with handfuls, no, armfuls of them. Each about 15 inches tall. Some are walking in with FIVE FOOT HIGH candles. I did not feel comfortable photographing these people.

There was one lady on her knees moving along the 600 yard marble walkway to the original Basilica, others in wheel chairs, walkers, etc. A bit moving to see it I must say.

We had a quiet lunch in a little cafe off to the side before boarding the buses to continue for another hour ride to Lisbon where we were greeted by sunshine and our Five Star Intercontinental Hotel. 

Good to be here and, to some degree on our own!

After getting organized we went for a short Orientation Walk around the area around 6:30, lead by our Cruise Manager. It is a good thing to do in a strange city. After that we decided to have a dinner at a Brazilian BBQ house where the main course is MEAT, and lots of it. Of course we ate in moderation. Great food and good company with a new friend from Atlanta.

Good day today.

Three sleeps here, and then home, flying early Friday Morning!

Sorting the luggage to be put on the bus.

Gift shop at a pit stop.

The Basilica at Fatima.

The Basilica is at the end of a massive square. Not the white marble path 

that pilgrims walk, or crawl, dow.

This lady is near the end of her ordeal. Impressive.

Looks like Rome!

The tower.

Inside, simple, neat, clean, quiet.

Heading for the lunch spot.

Available all over the area.

Our elegant lunch spot, soup for Fellette, veal for Doug.

And now for something completely different...

A massive, no-waiting urinal. The secret is to use the ones at either end as if you don't you get to examine the urine of people on your left or right. Sorry girls, a fact of life inside a mens room! 

The view from our lovely room.