Trip Home took several Days

Wednesday July 8 - Time to go home.

We did not have to haste like some other fellow travelers or get up at 2 am to go to the airport. We finished vacating the cabin and had a leisurely breakfast. Taxi came at the ordered time and brought us to Campanha Train station. 

Of course we were a bit early but found a waiting room. 

Those monitors show you closer to the time what platform to train will be to get on. Our time was 9:45 am but when it suddenly showed up on it, it said 9:40 am platform 8 and we felt we needed to hurry a bit. 

Well, I wrote on the bottom of a previous posted blog (Trip Day 13 B) that we had something happen. Before this sounds too scary I better add here that everything is sorted out now and ok. At this point I just say it in a nutshell: When the trip ended and we were leaving the ship on Wednesday, we took a taxi to the train station in Porto to go to Lisbon for a night in a hotel and fly out Thursday. In the station while going to platform 8 James lost his balance and fell backwards on the escalator. It was one of my scariest moment in my life. The escalator was stopped, help came and eventually an ambulance which took us to a hospital.

You might find it strange that I even took photos but I had nothing else to do. Before the ambulance arrived somebody from the station (the man in black) had a first aid kit and bandaged James up as good as he could. Because he had just started the week before we left home on a blood thinner he bled a lot. Sitting still he seemed ok.

Everybody was so kind, helpful and understanding. They loaded me and the luggage also into the ambulance. 

The hospital. 

In the emergency room they bandaged him and took X-rays and a head scan. Nothing bad was detected but Portuguese protocol is that they need to keep you because they only can release you after a second head scan 24 hours after the accident. 

Thursday July 9

Yeah! Good news. Get dressed and get going. He was discharged. We had to get our luggage which was kept in the hospital's police room. I must say that EVRYBODY was so nice and helpful with us. Even those which didn't speak English tried. 

James had to sit a while in the wheelchair in front of the hospital until I managed to get an Uber driver to bring us to Lisbon. I'ts about 200 miles on toll roads. Finally a really nice immigrant from Brazil (Hugo) with an electric car took the job. He didn't speak any English but was very nice and used his smartphone to translate. He told us beforehand that he had to stop halfway to charge up because of the distance and it would take about 20 minutes. That suited us well because we needed something to eat and drink.

Hugo was also very nice. At the hotel (near the airport) he run in to get a wheelchair. Since James could not walk Hugo was very helpful to transfer him from car to chair and wheeled him up the ramp. I had let the hotel know the day before that we would need the room one day later than booked (and paid already) so of course there was a discussion and we had to pay a difference but we found that acceptable. They had a buffet dinner which we tried but neither one of us was very hungry.

Friday July 10

The night in the hotel was a challenge but we managed. I was able to change our flight tickets to one day later too but I was worried because we didn't have any seats assigned and when I wanted to check in online there were none available and I could see a waiting list with many names so we wanted to be at the airport in good time. Breakfast was included in the hotel and we had a little bit but again didn't take much time. 

The hotel shuttle driver was very nice and helpful again. Too other passengers were also very patient until we were situated.

I had requested assistance from the airline and when we arrived at the airport there just happened to be somebody from a wheelchair put in a car and our shuttle driver leaped to catch the 2 assistance persons with the chair. 

Another two people which were kind and helpful. They could not have been any nicer and check-in went well too. That lady said right away that there were no assigned seats and I explained the whole situation. I asked whether an upgrade was possible. Yes, for $599 each. I asked whether flight points could be used and she looked again. Oh yes, no problem. We got wonderful seats in business class. 

Everything from there on seemed now easy. I did not have to worry any more. The assistance people took care of us. Security: skip the waiting line. Passport control: skip the waiting line. Waiting across the gate at a table in a cafe. Skip the lane to be taken into the plane. James gets asked whether he can walk to se seats ... no ... so they transfer him to a wheelchair which fits into airline aisle. 

Landing in Washington Dulles. We had cancelled the connecting flight to Richmond ... except the check-in lady didn't really cancel it. We had some issues with the luggage which had to go on but the assistant helped to sort things out.

Sarah and Caleb were waiting for us at Washinton Dulles and drove us to our house. They had brought James' old wheelchair from a previous accident but had already noticed that rubber pieces were coming off the wheels. 

OMG we really noticed it wherever we wheeled him too in the house. 

Saturday July 11

James and I did ok during the night and during the morning too but I was worried what to do next. Our girls were so worried too. Helen was sorry she was so far and could not come right away but Sarah of course is local. No way I could leave James alone to go food shopping. All day of course I was thinking how to proceed next. James could stand up and sit down with great pain but not really walk. Going to the bathroom was a nightmare. 

During the FIFA England football game I decided he needed to be checked out more HERE (USA), called 911, the ambulance came and took him to Parham Hospital which is a great Orthopedic one (where he had his hip bone fixed about 2 years ago). 

Sarah had asked whether I remembered whether the scan in Portugal was "whole body" and I was pretty sure that it was only the head and the body had been x-raid. 

I got the same question in the emergency room and they took a whole-body scan. This time they found two fractures, one of them being the tailbone but will heal and most likely not need surgery. Because of the blood thinner we had worried about other things and are greatly relieved. So he was admitted. He is in very good hands. 

Sunday

Caleb was gone to a camp but the twins were back and they were very eager to see their Papa. Of course a hug from them made us feel better too.

PT has started and he seems to get better already during the week. Maren saw the next photo and called him "Big Bird" with his yellow socks.

He even feels like playing cards sometimes.

Later in the week they took another scan and decided that he would be a good candidate to have a minimal precidure done to fix the tailbone. Of course I don't know what it is called but it is something with cement/glue. They did that on Friday. On Saturday he was moved from floor 2 to floor 4 which is inhouse therapy. He enjoyed that he was finally allowed to eat pizza.

So, I think I am ending this blog here. Of course all the photos which I took and posted are were James smiled or at least looked ok. There were moments I don't ever want to repeat again. All I can say to all of you: please be careful! Something can happen so fast. One little missed step can change your plans. Be careful on escalators, especially with luggage. Etc. etc.

It is Wednesday today. The last days it was some steps forward, some steps back. I really don't want to get into details. We all have those. But we appreciate all the prayers from our friends and family and even strangers. So many people were and still are so kind and helpful. It restores your believe in humankind. 

THANK YOU, LORD!

Trip Day 16 - Afurada and Porto City Tour

Tuesday July 7

Breakfast as always. The green group was scheduled to leave by bus at 9 am to Afurada. São Pedro da Afurada is a traditional fishing village in Vila Nova de Gaia just south of Porto, located where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Here is a good LINK if you want to know more. I am sorry that we did not have more time there.

We went to the museum first which was quite nice. It must have been a hard and scare time for the families "way back then".

The ancient laundry house was something else. The women used to like it because it was a social meeting place. No husbands allowed or they could not gossip about them. When James and I were walking on the camino we saw those in other villages. 

Back into the bus and over the River Douro into Porto City center. 

Yes, this is the stockmarket and they call the building a palace. Being inside we really thought that it looked like one. 

No question, this seemed the place for very rich people. Nothing but the best material and craftmanship.

Two "family/president" trees, one on each opposite walls. 

The famous bridge made in pennies (well Portuguese coins).

The floors were wood mosaics, different in different rooms.

This room seemed to be the most elaborate, done in the moorish style. 

Even the staircase was elaborate.

A minute of rest waiting for our leader.

Back in the bus and off to the next stop.

We walk to the Sāo Bento (Saint Benedict) railway station which is located in the Historic Centre of Porto. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as a National Monument of Portugal.

I forgot to take a photo of the outside but here is a LINK if you would like to see more.

After that we have the choice to go back with the bus to the ship for lunch or stay in town and use either of two shuttle busses back later. We opt for that, walk a little and find a place for mainly liquid but also a bit lunch.

James orders a sausage not knowing that it actually is a Portuguese burnt sausage, known as Chouriço à Bombeiro, is a traditional flamed appetizer where a cured or smoked pork sausage (chouriço) is grilled over an open fire in a specialized clay dish until deeply charred on the outside and juicy on the inside. Google has lots of YouTube to watch. They prepared it at the table and then he had to twirl/turn it until the flames went out. James enjoyed it.

After feeling refreshed we looked for a ATM for cash to tip the crew and trip leader. After successfully having done that it was time to take the earlier bus to the ship.

Of course walking a little gave us a chance to see more of the town.

With the map on the iphone nothing is a problem. This street was steep uphill though. Look at this door!

We were told that the bus would be in front of the yellow building with the bars on the upper windows. It used to be a prison.  We were a bit early.

Back to the ship over the river again.

I can't remember why I took this photo. I think it was the time of the Farewell Cocktail with Live Music.

The three Trip Leaders had assembled something like a PowerPoint Presentation of this trip, of course with a lot of funny photos. I wished they would have given it to us but of course because of privacy etc etc that is not possible (I guess).

The Farewell Dinner was special too. The appetizer was tiger shrimp stuffed with mushrooms and spinach and crispy cromesqui.

It was followed by Port sorbet.

By now we had so much food that I didn't feel like trying the Octopus stew. It sounded great.

But every Farewell Dinner seems to end with Baked Alaska.

And then one has to "waste" precious time you could have fun to go to the cabin and finish packing. At least we don't have to get up like some at 2 am to catch a flight. We have time to even enjoy breakfast properly.