LISBON ARRIVAL AT HOTEL 12/11/2013

LISBON ARRIVAL AT HOTEL 12/11/2013

After our long journey by air,  we were taken from the airport to our hotel on a famous street in Portugal, Aveneda de Liberdade.  It felt good to know that we did not have to struggle with airports any longer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenida_da_Liberdade_(Lisbon)


Our hotel was really plush and it was a comfort because I knew that if the arthritis discouraged me, I'd have a very fine place to stay and relax.

I have never stayed in a place so electrically well planned.  There were lights for everything, even a small reading light on each side of the bed. 

Shutting out all light for an afternoon nap meant pushing a button and seeing an electric curtain fall and first offer some slits of light as an option, and then make the place totally dark.

The beds were deliciously comfortable.

Breakfast buffet could be had in two places;  we usually chose to go up on roof.  Eggs could be specially ordered from the kitchen and there was a grand selection of all sorts of great food.  We could look out and down to the River Tagus where we would walk. 

There was an annoying snack refrigerator with overpriced snacks.  We ignored them, but I did manage to open a bottle of water that cost 4 euros.  In addition the hotel brought us a tray of tea and coffee and some water in bottles.   There was so much tea I ended taking some along and have it here in Homosassa and I'm sipping a cup as I do my final edit.  Pretty fancy stuff with its cloth bag and little braided thread.

http://www.twgtea.com/teabags.html

In the shower there seemed at first to be only a little sprayer on a cable, but above that was a button that brought in the most delightful deluge of water from far up on the ceiling.  It was perfect.

One morning a waiter recovered some salmon from the garbage can, went out on the terrace, and fed a huge gull who came every day for a handout.  The waiter told us that the gull fought off all other birds for his own luxurious breakfast spot.

Our first night we took a long walk downtown.  We would see some of these sights in the daylight with the walking tour, but I loved seeing it at night.  There were these wonderful Chirstmas lights all along the middle park like area of the street. 



They looked like Christmas bulbs and changed colors.  Last year Portugal had not decorated for Christmas to save money.  This year they did so some decoration.




We exchanged some money at American Express and located a restaurant where we would lunch the following day.  

Our first night we ate in the hotel.  It was a great meal and we had our first taste of Fado music.  Elizabeth just ordered appetizer and Dewey ordered the full dinner that went with the music.  They brought Elizabeth a small plate of each course including dessert but did not charge her the full charge.  Great waiter and introduction of Portugal.