January 4, 2017
Our flight from Miami on Air France included a layover in Paris. A Dutch couple we met while checking in to our flight warned us that the Paris airport could be intimidating, so even though we had two hours between flights, we were just a bit nervous. However, all went well - with a little help from Air France employees. After taking the train to the next terminal and going through security again, we hit a long line at immigration where there was only a single person working. The people behind us in line had already missed their connecting flight. But we did not share that fate and boarded our flight exactly on time - only to sit at the gate for two hours waiting for the fog at the Lisbon airport to clear. We had to stay on the plane in our seats because the plane needed to be ready to fly at any moment.
We arrived in Lisbon on the afternoon of the 4th and checked into our favorite hotel - the Tivoli Lisboa. Much to our surprise, we were escorted to the 9th floor where reception is located while the first 6 floors of the hotel are undergoing a major renovation. But the service remains excellent and we were up-graded to an executive suite. That evening we had dinner at As Velhas, our favorite restaurant, with Brytta Byers - the daughter of Sherris Moireira. Brytta used to spend her after-school hours at the Herald while her mother worked, so we have watched her grow up to the beautiful young woman she is today. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening!
Lisbon is still decked out in its holiday lights and here is the view on Avenida do Liberdade - where our hotel is located.
January 5 - 19, 2017
Vale do Lobo, Almancil, Algarve
After an overnight in Lisbon we're off to Vale do Lobo for two weeks. We used to own a partial share of a villa here and visited almost every year in April/May until our unit was sold in 2013. However, over the years we accumulated "points" for those years we were unable to visit. So we used those points to spend these two weeds in January. Quite a contrast to late spring! Not much traffic and no reservations needed at our favorite restaurants. However, the sun shone every day. With temps in the 50s & 60s, the golfers were out and there were even a few beach walkers - although no swimmers. We had a lovely reunion with Bella, the woman who was our housekeeper for all those years and is again our housekeeper. We also enjoyed reunions with the proprietors of our two favorite restaurants - Iberico and Casa dos Pinheiros.
This trip we took the time to visit the center of Quarteira - a resort town through which we usually drove en route to Villamoura. Now, in the off season, we joined the locals strolling the beach and enjoying a bica and pastry in the local pastaleiria. Even the local grande dames were gathered there every afternoon - just as the Faro ladies have been gathering is a pastalaris there for coffee, a pastry and gossip for over 40 years.
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| Holiday welcome to Vale do Lobo |
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| The beach at Vale do Lobo |
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| Vale do Lobo beach - another view |
As much as we enjoyed the weather and accommodations in Vale do Lobo, we looked forward to returning to the livelier atmosphere of Lisbon and moving into our home for the next few months.
January 19, 2017
Lisbon!
So here we are, moving into 43 Praca Martim Moniz, Apt 5B - our home until April 25. The apartment is exactly as advertised - beautiful view of the castle and the square below. The building is new and the apartment beautifully decorated. According to the maitre 'd of the nearby Hotel Mondial restaurant, this area was formerly a high crime area until a few years ago when Chinese, Indian and Muslim families began moving in. Now it is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood in which we feel very safe. It is also a short walk to all of the major sights of Lisbon, lots of restaurants markets and public transportation.
Today the square is resplendent with red lanterns as preparations are underway to celebrate the Chinese New Year - the year of the rooster. This is especially appropriate in Portugal, whose national symbol is the rooster. After the parade on Saturday, we were entertained by Chinese singing and dancing performances on the large stage at one end of the square. Vendors of various merchandise set up shop all over the square.
Most mornings we see people doing Tai Chi on the square. Between that and the regular comings and goings of the trolleys, we are quite entertained.
The downside is that John has a terrible cold and very bad cough that is keeping him up at night. So we are going to take things easy for a couple of days to let him get better.
To be continued...
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