Ponta Delgada, Portugal</h1> <article> <h1>Ponta Delgada, Portugal</h1> <p>Fri, 15 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> Day 12: Journey Home The epilogue for this blog will be short. Journeys home are never exciting. They are to be tolerated and endured. Fortunately by booking our own flights home we were able to pick times that minimized the impact on the body. We were able to get a good nights sleep, a hot shower, a full bfeakfast and a leisurely pack before we left for the airport. I had booked tickets on the airport express bus that had a stop 2 blocks from our hotel. That short walk would be one of 3 opportunities to breathe fresh air in the next 20 hours. Arriving at Barcelona’s terminal 2 for our first flight at the recommended 3 hours prior we found the SATA check-in desk shuttered. The staff arrived over the next hour and didn't start accepting passengers for an hour. We were able to drop all three of our bags and set off for security and our gate. The lines moved well through security and, after the obligatory walk through the duty free, we had 90 minutes before our flight. I sat at our gate and watched another flight arrive and leave before the SATA flight arrived at the gate. Fortunately the flight was not full and we had the middle seat empty. SATA (Azores Airline) was more impressive than Air Portugal (TAP) with wider seats, more legroom and better boarding. The 3 hour 40 minute flight to Ponta Delgada passed quickly and we even got a lunch and cold drink. The only down side was the person who had the whole row behind us coughed sneezed, snored and farted the whole way. Every time we hit turbulence the stewardess had to wake him and ask him to put on his seatbelt which prompted a new round of sneezing, coughing, snoring and farting. She also warned him that he could not drink his own alcohol he brought. We planned our trip to have a 1 hour layover in Ponta Delgada in the Azores. Our flight from Barcelona was 20 minutes late so we just had time to walk offf that plane and go into the terminal to get our passport stamped. I had time to use the washroom but the ladies line, as usually, was long and Marilyn had to board and use the washroom onboard. Walking out to our flight we saw rain over the ocean and smelled the sea air. The flight to Toronto was full so no chance to spread out. Luckily, we had a tailwind that saw us arrive an hour early. In Ponta Delgada I was able to see that Carl noticed the early arrival and left earlier to pick us up. Completing the ArriveCAN customs declaration online before leaving made the customs check a breeze. Even our bags were on the carousel quickly. By the time we got to breathe fresh air again Carl was there to pick us up. The drive to Hamilton was smooth and after while driving home to Vineland I ordered a pizza. After a couple of slices and a beer it was off to bed at 10:00. Even though I was up 20 hours my circaidian clock still woke us at 4:00am. This gave us a chance to unpack and start laundry and me to write this final blog entry. Looking back over the entries and pictures I am satisfied with the trip. It provided awesome opportunities to learn more about Portugal and Spain. <p><br/>Rain over the ocean at Ponta Delgada</p><p><br/>Marilyn saying “What, another flight already?”</p> </article> <article> <h1>Olesa de Montserrat, Spain</h1> <p>Thu, 14 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0100</p> Day 11: Monserrat and Flamenco Our last full day in Barcelona started early as we grabbed a quick breakfast at 7:00AM and took a cab to the bus station to meet our Julia Travel tour group. At 8:00 we met our guide Nuvia and set off by bus north to Montserrat. The morning rush hour had some slow spots as we moved north and into the hills surrounding the city. After an hour as we approached Montserrat we got our first glimpse of the mountains at Montserrat. Morning dew had condensed into clouds that filled the valleys and as we climbed up we could not see the mountain very well. Nuvia explained that this mountain range was formed by water from a sea millions of years ago. The rocks are a collection of smaller rocks that have been moulded and shaped by the water of the sea. Gaudi’s use of curves was insipred by his study of these mountains. We were dropped at the bottom of the incline rail line for the 20 minute trip to the top. This railline uses cogs to drive the train up the mountain on a third rail between the 2 rails. The trains run like a funicular so as one train climbs on a single track a second train comes down on a single track. Gravity aids the propulsion up the steep incline. The two trains meet halfway up and the single track splits like a zipper to allow the trains to pass and then converges to a single track again. It was eeire moving through the clouds as we climbed to see views above the clouds. Arriving at Monserrat Nuvia explained the history of this mountain top community. The legend has it that angels used a golden saw to cut the mountain top to resemble a saw-toothed throne for Mary. “Mont” is Catalan for mountain and “serrat” is Catalan for saw. The monastery in Montserrat has been in existence since 1025 so next year it celebrates its millenium! The monastery is proudly Catalan and the monks will only respond if spoken to in Catalan. The monastery has only been successfully invaded twice in the thousand year history. Nuria shared how Genral Franco who was the dictator during the Spanish civil war in the 1930’s declared that only Spanish could be spoken and forbade Catalans from learning or speaking their language under punishment of death. The monastery was the only place the language survived and after the civil war it helped to re-establish the Catalan language and culture. The basilica is built next to the mountain and from the exterior cannot be appreciated. The inner courtyard is the only place to see the intricate exterior carvings. The courtyard also contains a center spot that is rumoured to provide significant energy to anyone standing on it. Inside the church is the shrine to the Black Madonna which is high above the altar. Pilgrims that believe if you say a prayer for a miracle and touch the orb in her hand, it will be granted. Also, in her other hand is a pine cone that if touched increases a woman’s fertility so Nuvia warned us to be careful. The other local tradition is for the monks to make liquers that are only available for sale in Montserrat. Our ticket included a tasting of 4 varieties: herbs, hazelnut, walnut and cinnamon and creme brule. They were delicious. After some time exploring, taking pictures and having lunch we set off back down the mountain by bus. The undulating road gave us many great vistas on the way down. After an hour we were back in Barcelona. We explored the nearby Arc de Triompf. This brick arch was built for the 1888 Universal Exhibition and served as a gateway to Parc de la Ciutadella. After a quick metro ride we returned to our hotel to begin the preparation for our long trip home tomorrow. When buying our metro tickets we had to cancel the existing screen on the ticket kiosk. Doing so made the kiosk spit out about 45 euros in coins! We decided to use our winfall to buy tickets to a Flamenco show and dinner this evening. Maybe there is something to the Black Madonna! Our last day dew to a close with a metro ride to Placa Catalunya and a stroll down La Ramblas to the Los Torantos Flamenco show on Placa Reial. The show featured a guitarist whose skill was phenomenal, a vocalist and a female and male dancer. Our front row seats gave us a perfect vantage point to see their dancing skills. Flamenco dancing is very flamboyant with loud food stamping, clapping and rapid foot work. Following the 40 minute show we went next door for a tapas dinner with a glass of cava. The tapas (small plates) featured bread with olive oil and crushed tomatoes, crochets, garlic shrimp, fried calamari, fried potatoes, chorizo sausage and meatballs. We finished the meal with a cappucino for me and a Marilyn enjoyed a rich hot chocolate complete topped with whipped cream. We digested our meal while strolling back up La Ramblas drinking in the atmosphere. Reaching Praca Catalunya we opted for a short cab ride home. An enjoyable end to our time in Barcelona. <p><br/>Climbing Montserrat on the cog train</p><p><br/>View of the monastery and the mountains</p><p><br/>View down the incline rail line to see cloudsin the valley below</p><p><br/>Entrance to the monastery</p><p><br/>View of the mountains from monastery plaza</p><p><br/>Chapel in the basilica</p><p><br/>Black Madonna shrine</p><p><br/>Ceiling above the shrine</p><p><br/>Choir loft for the world famous Montserrat boys choir</p><p><br/>Votive candles for pilgrim intentions</p><p><br/>The basilica entrance from the inner courtyard</p><p><br/>Marilyn looks for energy from the center of the courtyard</p><p><br/>Interior of basilica showing the black madonna shrine in the middle</p><p><br/>Statue of the founding monk</p><p><br/>Liquers produced exclusively at the monastery</p><p><br/>Views of the mountains after clouds are gone</p><p><br/>View of the valley far below</p><p><br/>Dwight satisfied by being in the mountains again</p><p><br/>Arc de Triompf</p><p><br/>Flamenco dancing at Tarantos</p> </article> <article> <h1>Barcelona, Spain</h1> <p>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0100</p> </article> <article> <h1>Barcelona, Spain</h1> <p>Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0100</p> </article> <article> <h1>Barcelona, Spain</h1> <p>Mon, 11 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0100</p> Day 8:Journey to Barcelona Spain I try to meet exercise goals each day to maintain my health. My Apple watch has goals for 30 minutes of exercise and 500 calories burned each day. With a flight from Lisbon to Barcelona I was doubtful of meeting my goals. Going through Lisbon and Barcelona airports in one day met both goals. We got picked up at 6:00AM for a 9:00AM flight. The drive to the airport only took 15 minutes but that was the only speedy part of the process. Lisbon airport is huge. We had to walk to get to the Air Portugal bag drop and Gina’s advice was bang on. She told us the machines for bag drop never work right. I was able to only get a boarding pass but not a luggage tag. Marilyn couldn’t even get a boarding pass. Attendants are few and many people like us needed help. We managed to get a nice young man to get our boarding passes and luggage tags and off we went to the next step. After a long walk we encountered kiosks to scan your boarding pass and then a long weave that led eventually to security. We got through security and thought we were home free. After another long walk we found an information board that showed no flights had gates announced. Apparently they do not announce gates until 55 minutes before the flight leaves. If that is the case, why do they ask you to arrive 3 hours prior! We found a waiting area, ordered a coffee to go with our bagged breakfast since we left before breakfast was served at the hotel. When they announced the gate we set off expecting a short walk. Our gate was a 15 minute walk away and when we got there we could board right away. Excited, we checked in 30 minutes before the flight happy to get on board early. Our hopes were dashed as the early checkin led you to a bus that drove you across half the airport to get to the plane. Passengers could climb stairs at either end of the aircraft to board. This sounds like a great idea until people start meeting in the narrow aisle going in opposite directions. I’ll never again complain about how much walking Pearson has. Arriving at Barcelona was much easier. The only hitch was our bags were delayed 30 minutes due to an injury suffered by a baggage handler. Marilyn had gone out to meet our transfer driver during the delay so once we had our bags we were off. The driver was very pleasant and despite his limited English we had a nice conversation. Our first Barcelona hotel is the small 4 star Derby Hotel which has locations in Londan, Paris and Barcelona. The checkin was smooth and the bellman even took our bags to our room. Since the weather was sunny and 20C with rain forecast starting Tuesday, we set off right away to orient ourselves by riding the Hop On Hop Off bus tour. We hopped of in the hills to get some pictures and in the downtown core to experience the energy of the city. Returning to the hotel we decided to have a tapas (small plates) dinner at the restuarant across the street. We shared garden salad, cod fritters, ox-tail stew, cold potato salad with garlic and shrimp. We washed it down with a local beer and vino tinto (red wine). The food was delicious and really hot the spot. After a short walk around the neighbourhood we returned to the hotel. <p><br/>Barcelona bull ring converted to a shopping mall</p><p><br/>Barcelona Olympic Stadium</p><p><br/>Cable car to the top of the mountain in Barcelona</p><p><br/>Barcelona harbour</p><p><br/>Barcelona views including Tibidabo mountain</p><p><br/>A glimpse of Sagrada Familia cathedral</p><p><br/>Cruise ships viewed on the way down</p><p><br/>Customs house by the harbour</p><p><br/>Columbus column</p><p><br/>Palm lined city streets</p><p><br/>Marina crammed with yachts</p><p><br/>Barcelona main square Placa de Catalunya</p><p><br/>Casa Batlo designed by Gaudi</p><p><br/>Relaxing with my hotel slippers after a long day</p> </article> <article> <h1>Lisbon, Portugal</h1> <p>Sun, 10 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> </article> <article> <h1>Porto, Portugal</h1> <p>Sat, 09 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> </article> <article> <h1>Porto, Portugal</h1> <p>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> </article> <article> <h1>Fátima, Portugal</h1> <p>Thu, 07 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> </article> <article> <h1>Sintra, Portugal</h1> <p>Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> </article> <article> <h1>Lisbon, Portugal</h1> <p>Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> Day 2: Tour of Lisbon After breakfast at the hotel the group gathered in the lobby to meet our Exoticca tour guide at 9:00. At 8:45 the bus arrived but the driver would not allow the group to board until the guide arrived. At 9:15 a flustered Gina arrived and apologized for being late. She commutes from Sintra and the train was late. We were introduced to our driver for the week, Sergio, and set off through Lisbon traffic. Gina gave us some pointers about Lisbon such as be careful which ATMs to use to avoid exhoribitant fees, and a brief history of Lisbon. Arriving in the old town near the Tagus River we started in Alfama which is Arabic for fountains since the fishing village settled here had fountains. Lisbon is the second oldest city after Athens. Settled by Phoenicians from the eastern Mediterranean it has a long history of conquest seeing the city ruled by Phoenicians, Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Spaniards. Portugal became independent from Spain in 1960’s. The golden age for Portugal was during the 15th and 16th centuries when Portuguese explorers like DeGama and Magellan sailed the globe for trade with colonies in Africa, Brazil, India (Goa) and China (Macao). From Belem (Area of Lisbon named after Bethlehem) trade ships brought spices, gold and riches from the all over the globe. The king collected a 5% tax on all goods so Lisbon and Portugal thrived. In the rain we walked the Alfama neighbouhood’s steep narrow cobblestone streets. The Arab influence could be plainly seen in the architecture. We did a tour of the gothic Lisbon Cathedral. It featured a narrow dark nave and beautiful rose window. This was the church that St Anthony of Padua was baptized in. Afterwards the sun came out and we walked to the Praco de Commercio on the river. This area was built after the major earthquake of 1755 devastated 80% of the city. We were left to explore the open sqaure that is framed on the north side by an arch and features many open area cafes. After a pizza and beer lunch in one of these cafes Marilyn was able to get a SIM card installed by a helpful attendant at the Vodaphone store. We celebrated with a coffee and pastry. Meeting the group again we left by bus to explore the Belem area closer the the mouth of the river. This area had minimal damage by the 1755 earthquake and featured three monuments to visit. First up was Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (St Jerome Monastery). It was inspired by Vasco da Gama’s voyages to India and was built by King Manuel in the 1500’s. It features the tombs for King Manuel and da Gama. Next was Torre de Belem (Belem Tower). There were originally towers on both banks of the river with cannons to protect the prosperous harbour from pirates and other invaders but the earthquake destroyed the south bank tower. Arriving at the last moument Gina surpised us with some freshly made Portuguese tarts from Pasteis de Belem the original bakery of this national treat. Padrao dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) is a large monument on the river bank honouring the Portuguese explorers since Henry the Navigator in 1500 was the last stop on this action packed day. After a bus ride through rush hour we had a rest and made dinner plans. We decided on Pano de Boca which was a short walk away. Again our luck was good as we were the only patrons in a very modern restuarant with an interesting menu. Marilyn had black sabrefish on carmelized banana with boiled potatoes and salad accompanied with a Cuba libre. Dwight had Picanha (sirloin tip) sliced thin and grilled with frites, rice and black beans garnished with a deep fried banana accompanied by the 9 ounce house red wine. This meal was delicious and a bargain at 40 euros ($60 CAD) and no tip! <p><br/>Alfama map</p><p><br/>Narrow streets in Alfama</p><p><br/>Steep narrow stairs</p><p><br/>Church nave</p><p><br/>Rose window</p><p><br/>Jeweled monstrance</p><p><br/>Lisbon Cathedral</p><p><br/>Historic tram 28</p><p><br/>Praca de Comercio</p><p><br/>Colonade view</p><p><br/>Marilyn contemplates lunch</p><p><br/>Elevator to avoid climbing hills</p><p><br/>St Jerome Monastery</p><p><br/>Altar at St Jeromes</p><p><br/>De Gama Tomb</p><p><br/>Pasteis de Belem</p><p><br/>Dwight enjoys his tart</p><p><br/>Belem tower</p><p><br/>Belem Tower</p><p><br/>Monument to Discoveries and cruise ship</p><p><br/>Monument to Discoveries and bridge</p><p><br/>Ginja (cherry liquer) in a chocolate cup</p> </article> <article> <h1>Lisbon</h1> <p>Mon, 04 Nov 2024 19:50:00 +0000</p> Day 1: Arrival in Lisbon Portugal After an overnight flight cramped like a sardine in a can, seated in front of a family with 2 bored small boys, we arrived bleary eyed before dawn at the Lisbon airport. The process of clearing customs and getting bags was perfunctory and led us out to meet the Exoticca representative. Once there were 4 bleary passengers, the rep drove us through the early dawn light to Novotel Lisbon arriving just after 7:00AM. Check-in was a breeze, and since we arrived in time for the buffet breakfast, we dropped our bags in our room and ate a hearty breakfast. Returning to our room we got 4 hours sleep and awoke to feel like a human again. The room is very modern with a comfortable bed and nice big bathroom. Unfortunately, the climate controls are cryptic and after a call to the desk and a visit from a polite young man, we had it figured out. The rain from tropical storm Patty has begun so we decided to stay in our room and get our eSIMs activated for our phones. The ads for these companies lead you to believe that it is easy and painless. Unfortunately, the reality is a series of attempts and emails to tech support before arriving at the one combination of toggled switches that you didn’t try that works. As I write this my device is working but Marilyn is still chatting with tech support. Fingers crossed they find the one arcane combination soon. After a frustrating couple of hours with tech support we took a break to go get an early dinner. In Europe most dinners are between 8:00 to 10:00 pm. Just north of the hotel is a nice neighbourhood of cafes and restaurants. The journey there was a short walk across rainy cobblestone sidewalks . We stumbled upon a traditional Portugueserestaurant “A Carvoira” on Rua Basilio Teles. (https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g189158-d5981384-Reviews-A_Carvoaria-Lisbon_Lisbon_District_Central_Portugal.html) We arrived just before the staff took a break before the eveningrush and had a communal meal at the long table next to us. We placed our orders for Acorda de Gambas (Bread Stew Prawns) for me an fried Bacalhau (Cod) with potatoes and veggies for Marilyn. We washed it down with a half liter of house white wine. The food arrived just before the staff had their break and meal. After enjoying the meal and having a relaxing chat, we ordered desserts. Marilyn had a frozen tarte whisky an I had a tarte de limao (lemon tart) with an americano coffee. Coffee here is never served with cream. A bit of sugar is all you get! Another strange custom is the meal does not require a tip. After our meal we walked back and stopped at a local food market to buy some juice box sized milk for Marilyn and some hand fruit for both of us while we are out tomorrow. It only cost 1.61 euros! Back at the hotel I wrote this blog entry and Marilyn decided to give up on the eSIM and get a refund. Tomorrow we will buy her a SIM for a local provider. The goal is to stay up until 22:00 (10:00 PM). <p><br/>View from our hotel window</p><p><br/>Marilyn fighting with the eSIM</p><p><br/>Marilyn’s Bacalhau (fried cod)</p><p><br/>Dwight’s Acorda de Gambas (Bread Stew Prawns)</p><p><br/>Marilyn’s Tarte Whisky</p><p><br/>Dwight’s Tarte de Limao (Lemon Tart) with Americano Coffee</p> </article> </main></body></html>