Mum will be really excited now. Her eldest son is on the intercity train from Lisbon to Albufeira, travelling first class through the Portuguese countryside. First of all crossing the Rio Tejo over a large and long suspension bridge and getting a totally different perspective on Lisbon.
The flight to Lisbon was uneventful, well as uneventful as flights can be with whoever was flying the plane getting us to Lisbon at our expected landing time. Suitcases appeared at the carrousel and happy travellers left the airport to go where ever they were going. Well, except about 30 of us, that is. Having heard the announcement over the tannoy, I ran to grab a tiket, not wanting to wait in the anticipated queue.
The woman behind the counter spoke almost perfect English and was very apologetic that my suitcase had been left at Schiphol and should arrive sometime the next day. "Of course I can sell you a taxi voucher said the woman behind the woman behind the counter at the Tourismo de Lisboa. However, for €3.50 you can get the Aerobus to Restauradores. There you will see a green kiosk at the square and your hotel is just behind the kiosk, about a 100m walk.
I thought he was asking me if I wanted cock!!! In the middle of the shopping street of all places. Did I mishear him? No, I didn´t. He also offered me hash. I suppose one would have to be stoned to have sex with him. The rather chunky number wearinig the pink t-shirt caught my eye as I was eating dinner on the terrass. Everytime he looked at me he would rub his nose and make positive nods with his head. I thought my luck was in, even though I hadn't finished dinner. He hung around for a few minutes and then started to walk down the narrow street. He didn't walk very far, stopped and looked over his shoulder at me and again rubbed his nose. Very quickly he moved on and stopped 2 restaurants away from where I was and started to do the same with someone else.
Shortly afterwards a taller and slimmer guy was standing in the same place as the chunky number and doing exactly the same thing with his head and rubbing his nose. He didn't stay for long and moved away. I wondered if the 2 guys were prostitutes. Curiously I asked the waiter (who earlier on had called me senora as he put the plate of brushetta in front of me). I was wrong. They were, according to the waiter, drug dealers who sold fake drugs.
The woman was right about the Aerobus and the distance to the hotel. Once I saw the green kiosk I crossed the road heading for it and wasn't sure where to go from there. A few steps further forward and a not too steep street for Lisbon standards I saw a green light and the name Rossio.
By the next morning once I had showered I checked with reception and my suitcase still hadn't arrived. So, after breakfast I went in search of the elusive Bairro Alto and would go to a shopping centre to get a few more t-shirts in case my bag wouldn't arrive till later that day. I had already bought a cheap t-shirt the previous evening as I didn't want to be wearing the same sweaty long sleeved shirt I had been travelling in the previous day.
The flight to Lisbon was uneventful, well as uneventful as flights can be with whoever was flying the plane getting us to Lisbon at our expected landing time. Suitcases appeared at the carrousel and happy travellers left the airport to go where ever they were going. Well, except about 30 of us, that is. Having heard the announcement over the tannoy, I ran to grab a tiket, not wanting to wait in the anticipated queue.
The woman behind the counter spoke almost perfect English and was very apologetic that my suitcase had been left at Schiphol and should arrive sometime the next day. "Of course I can sell you a taxi voucher said the woman behind the woman behind the counter at the Tourismo de Lisboa. However, for €3.50 you can get the Aerobus to Restauradores. There you will see a green kiosk at the square and your hotel is just behind the kiosk, about a 100m walk.
I thought he was asking me if I wanted cock!!! In the middle of the shopping street of all places. Did I mishear him? No, I didn´t. He also offered me hash. I suppose one would have to be stoned to have sex with him. The rather chunky number wearinig the pink t-shirt caught my eye as I was eating dinner on the terrass. Everytime he looked at me he would rub his nose and make positive nods with his head. I thought my luck was in, even though I hadn't finished dinner. He hung around for a few minutes and then started to walk down the narrow street. He didn't walk very far, stopped and looked over his shoulder at me and again rubbed his nose. Very quickly he moved on and stopped 2 restaurants away from where I was and started to do the same with someone else.
Shortly afterwards a taller and slimmer guy was standing in the same place as the chunky number and doing exactly the same thing with his head and rubbing his nose. He didn't stay for long and moved away. I wondered if the 2 guys were prostitutes. Curiously I asked the waiter (who earlier on had called me senora as he put the plate of brushetta in front of me). I was wrong. They were, according to the waiter, drug dealers who sold fake drugs.
The woman was right about the Aerobus and the distance to the hotel. Once I saw the green kiosk I crossed the road heading for it and wasn't sure where to go from there. A few steps further forward and a not too steep street for Lisbon standards I saw a green light and the name Rossio.
By the next morning once I had showered I checked with reception and my suitcase still hadn't arrived. So, after breakfast I went in search of the elusive Bairro Alto and would go to a shopping centre to get a few more t-shirts in case my bag wouldn't arrive till later that day. I had already bought a cheap t-shirt the previous evening as I didn't want to be wearing the same sweaty long sleeved shirt I had been travelling in the previous day.
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