Trip Day 8 - Lisbon

Monday June 29

This was the day when we were supposed to arrive from the US after flying all night (if we had not gone to England for several days before). So the whole day was a bonus day for us. No plan. Just chilling. Ha-ha, we were rather late having breakfast. There was plenty of food, oh my. But most people must have been already gone.

When we walked out of the hotel going right and right again around the corner I had the feeling that I had been here before. I should have looked at my old blogs when I booked the hotel.

Well, before starting this blog (and actually finishing the previous day blog) we both did actually read blogs about the time we had been here before. We enjoyed it so much. And it emphasized that it was ok to come to the same place several times. Every time it was/is so very different. There is so much to learn.

Here are the links: (if we were there several days you need to keep clicking "newer blog".

2015 - after walking the Camino

2024 - Iberian Voyage with OAT 

Yes, in 2024 OAT (or Grand Circle = same company) we were in exactly the same hotel. When we turned right and walked uphill I knew right away that there was going to be an ALDI and there it was. Of course we went in.

Never seen tomatoes like that before though.

But we were on the way to the University of Lisbon Botanical Garden. 

When we found it we paid the entry fee which was not much but soon were disappointed. It was very promising and gorgeous but not good for us to walk. It was a lot quite steep up and down and very, very uneven with lots of stones and holes in the walkway. And hardly any benches. 

We sat on a bench for a little while contemplating what to do and finally decided that we should attempt this. Too bad. We had a good chat with a lady from Brussels which spoke good English who had the same problem with her friend (who did not speak English) who had the same problem as us. But just sitting there for a while when the ladies were gone and enjoying the piece looking into the trees was uplifting.

We had also made the mistake not taking our waterbottles with us. What had I been thinking? But when we went out through the gate and stopped for a second looking which way to go ... a cross the street was an ice cream place. Yeah! A chair for James while I ordered. Two teenage girls could not have been friendlier. I got two cups with faucet water (besides the two ice creams) and immidiately had to have them refilled. 

We fellt like new people and sat outside. 

We went back the same way we came and stopped at ALDI again. We bought some things we needed including a gigantic bottle of beer and a sandwich and a wrap to share. 

After having had our Aldi lunch we found a suitable table in the lobby and plaid our card game. It was fun.

At 6 pm we were supposed to go to floor 1 for our first introductory meeting. We met our Trip Leader Sara  and after a short intro she took our group on an orientation walk around the block including to show us where the ATM was and tell us which ones are good and which ones are not.

The walk was very similar to 2 years ago and we remembered where we ate etc etc.

We had eaten lunch very late and didn't eat anything else. But we wanted something to drink and watch a FIFA game. Germany against Paraguay. We had a pitcher of sangria which was very refreshing and not much alcohol (good) which came with nuts. 

The game was not very exciting especially since Paraguay shot a goal. We decided to go to our room and to bed. We were tired. 

Yes, it was time to have a good night's sleep. Tomottow the trip really starts. I even set the alarm clock just in case. Breakfast in the hotel is from 7-10:30 am but we are supposed to be in a conference room for a briefing at 8:30 am and sightseeing starts shortly after. We are looking forward to it. A new experience! Sweet dreams!

Trip Day 7 - off to Portugal

Sunday June 28

Packing to leave is always easier because you only have to gather your things. So that was quickly done  but our schedule this morning was a bit tight. 

Windsor has now a shared parish of 4 churches and the combined Sunday service takes place every Sunday just in one of them. This Sunday unfortunately the service was not at St. Stephens where the family always worshipped but at the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist (very close to the castle at top of the town). One of the family friends and his wife was going to pick us up at 9:30 am to bring us with the car there. 

I can't believe that I totally forgot my phone/camera. So unfortunately no photos from the inside. The photo from the outside I "stole" from the internet. 

We were also brought home again which was great because we could finish the packing. Jane had made reservations for the Sunday lunch at the Bexley Arms. That happened often when we were visiting ... lunch there because it was right on the way home.

We skipped dessert because we were running out of time. Windsor Taxi was ordered for 1:30 pm to bring us to Heathrow and was right on time. 

Again I was not very good with taking photos. There is a brief moment on this road where you have a nice view to see Windsor Castle. 

It is always hurry up and wait. We had booked the whole trip with United Airlines but this next part was with TAP Portugal. I had not been able to check-in online, probably not because neither US or British passports are EU passports, since England had left the EU. This means we have to do some sort of registration now. So at the airport went to the TAP counter and a nice lady did it for us. 

Suitecases gone and through security etc we now had nothing else to take care of but wait. Everything had been really fast and easy but one never knows.

Time to take care of a liquid intake. In Heathrow you have to wait in a common area because they never announce the gate number your plane is leaving from until a certain time before.  We wandered around a little. There didn't seem to be a good place without a long line to get in. This was more of a self-serve place but it was very good and suited us just fine.

At 16:25 we were finally seated in the plane. Just before boarding I took a look (don't know why not earlier) and noticed that we did not sit together. No idea how that happened. It would have been ok for the relatively short flight (not quite 3 hours) but the stewardess just insisted of taking care of it. 

I had a window seat now thanks to a lovely young couple who still could sit next to each other but two aisle seats rather then a middle and an aisle. All the days we were at Jane's we heard the planes fly really low over her house. So I know they are flying very low over Windsor right now (depending on the weather) so I was thrilled when I looked out and there was Windsor Castle. Can you see it? And the Longwalk? It made me so happy that I captured these two photos. Ha-ha, I am so easy to please. 

I took the following 3 photos later when I saw we were flying along the coast. Is it Spain? Is it Portugal? Is it Porto where we start our river cruise. 

When we landed I got excited again. We were here in Lisbon twice before. I remember the long red bridge to the right and the Jesus statue just before going over the bridge. You might want to see the Lisbon photos in THIS BLOG from 2024. If you want to see all Lisbon photos from the trip click "newer blogs" when you come to the bottom of each. We did it just now when I was writing this blog and enjoyed it.

Sometimes it was a bumpy flight and the two little children in the row in front of us were very loud and misbehaving and the grandmother next to them not taking proper care of them but otherwise it was good and we landed almost on time. The new situation about passcontrolle was not as bad as it sounded because there was always a person to help us with the machines and we were done in no time. Our suitcases took also a little while to arrive but at least we didn't have to worry about how to get to the hotel. 

When we booked this hotel, making sure that it was the one we were staying with the trip company there we also asked about service from the airport. We were able to arrange something and were met at the airport by Miguel with a sign with our name. He was terrific, very polite and even had bottled water for us in the car. 

Checking in was pleasant too and the room is very nice. After settling we went to the 12th floor bar. We tried to sit outside, took a couple of photos but decided it was more comfortable inside. 

We were so thirsty. More thirsty than hungry.

Since we were not really hungry and the friendly waiter told us that the sandwich is so much and good for sharing, that is what we did. It was delicious. And the fries came the German way with mayonaise. Yeah!

In the bar was also a TV going with a live FIFA game. Canada won at the (almost) last minute. Time to go to bed. Tomorrow we still have a "free" day until 6 pm when we have the first travelers meeting with our trip leader. We will just chill and see what we feel like doing. All is good. We are excited.

Trip Day 6 - back to Windsor

Saturday June 27

We could take it easy this morning because we had booked the bus for 11:30am. We sat outside for breakfast. It was not quite so sweltering hot any more and very pleasant. 

Kate and David also have a little fish pond.

I have to remember these flowers. Alstroemeria! Kate says that they last very long. That would be something for our garden. and vases.

They brought us to the bus stop in Bournemouth. It took just 10 minutes. But just when we arrived an ambulance also did. They picked up an elderly man who had collapsed. He didn't look good at all and was totally out. They didn't seem to hurry which is never a good sign. 

There was a long line when the bus arrived but we had bought also assigned seats for only 2 Pounds each. Jane had said that makes sure that you don't get left behind when the bus is full.

Bye bye, Kate and David. So nice to have had this time together.

The bus took us in about 2 hours to Heathrow terminal 5 bus stop where we just a few steps over waited a bit for bus 703 to Windsor. We paid 3 pounds each to the driver. That part was easy but we didn't recognize at which stop we should get off. We missed the one Jane had told us because you have to be quick to make that decision. Finally we got off at the top of the town because I was really worried that we were getting further away. 

I convinced James that we needed something to drink because it was very hot. That was a very good idea. We found a table with two chairs in the shade at the "Crooked House" and felt so much better having had the refreshment.

Over the 50 years I have been coming to James' hometown I have taken plenty of photos but we didn't have a chance this time to stroll around because of the recordbraking temperatures. We are not as young and fit anymore as we used to be. I just was always happy to be here.

Walking down Peascod Street I realized that we had not have the lunch Kate had fixed for us. There were stalls put up and musicions playing every few steps. This bench was perfect for people watching. I thought the atmosphere was nice. 

I can't remember what we did at Jane's house. Probably getting organized packing our stuff. We had only taking my backpack and a duffle bag for the 2 nights in Christchurch. We had originally planned to take Jane out for Indian food which we all like but none of us was hungry. So we decided to go to the Bexley Arms around the corner for a pint instead. It was very nice to sit outside and chat. Jane knows so many people and is known by many because she is so very active in the church and also was head nurse for many years. 

And then it was time to call it a day. The FIFA match with England started late (because of the time difference to American time) and went to bed shortly after the beginning of the game. 

                                                                Night night.