April 1, 2025 – Going Home Day – Lisbon, Portugal – Partly Cloudy – 70s

Slept on an off knowing how early we have to get up. Not sure what happened to my wakeup call. I went down for breakfast around 5:45 AM (it was still dark outside)

– all the food was there (the server I saw looked tired – understandable) and it was not very crowded.  I had my usual tasty breakfast.  Ellen came down a little later.  We were all set to go just before 7:00 AM – we turned in our keys and waited outside for the shuttle.  It came in a few minutes and we were at LIS Terminal 1 around 7:15 AM or so.  We found our way into the terminal and asked several people where Delta was located.  The check in and luggage drop off process is the same we have experienced in Europe in the past: A huge open area with every airline represented – long lines and no kiosks.  We did find the Delta area and got in line. Our line was not that long and we did check our bags through to Chicago but, in order to clear customs, we would have to retrieve them at JFK and then hand them back to baggage folks to put the on our flight to ORD.  It was a pain the last time we did this but maybe it has been streamlined since then. 

With our bags taken care of, we started out search for our gate.  Today we are flying DL0273 located at Gate 42 and the flight is ON TIME (per the information board).  We then located Security (no Precheck at LIS) and literally walked a couple of thousand steps serpentine fashion until we got to the actual scanners.  At the same time, other people were in similar lines in other areas near us.  It all depended on what passport you were carrying – EU in one line and US and others in another and then into the long pre-scan line.  It was a pain.  Once we got to the end, the security personal were very efficient the containers come out on a conveyor belt and you put your stuff in one (there are two lanes of bags) and they then get scanned slowly and you picked them up at the end of the line.  The process does move pretty quickly because security personal are helping get the carry on bags into the plastic containers (taking the passengers out of the loop since they are the weakest link).  By the time we were done, I could see why you have to be at the airport three hours before flight time. 

Once past Security, we followed the signage to Gate 42. That journey, although many steps worth took us through a very nice mall area and food area.  One of the more interesting stores was “The Fantastic World of the Portuguese Sardine”, a store completed focused on sardines.  

They had a very intriguing wall made of sardine cans with dates going back to the forties.  There was information on what happened in each year on the can.  Very colorful, too.  Never seen anything like this.

We found Gate 42 with a little time to spare.  There was a plane there but it wasn’t ours. Our plane is an A330-900 and this was a much smaller Airbus and it was not in Delta Livery.  I checked the information at the desk and this was the place and we were still on time to board at 9:05 AM (it’s a big plane and takes about an hour to get everyone on and settled).  It was pretty packed at our gate so we moved to a nearby gate to put some airspace between us and other people. 

Boarding announcements started about 9:00 AM.  After pre-boarding, the real boarding started but went relatively fast – there were two agents checking passports again and scanning boarding passes.  Our big Airbus was still not at the gate.  We went through the jetway and then not into a plane but down the stairs to a waiting area to catch a bus (like Heathrow). The bus took us a short distance and dropped us on the tarmac right next to our plane – a fantastic bonus for me and I took a couple of pictures (I was afraid someone who tell me to stop).  

The last time I boarded or disembarked a real jet (not a tiny prop) on the tarmac was in Reykjavík, Iceland.  We climbed up a staircase in the rear of the plane since that was where our seats were (boarding was happening at both ends of the plane).  

We found our seats, 43A and 43B – 8000 SkyMiles each – and settled in (the configuration is 2-4-2 so the two seats are desirable for this 8 hour flight to JFK). The seats are comfortable. Just hoping that the people behind us are not kickers.

The pilot set the flaps and slats and we were ready to go.

The plane pushed on time (around 10 AM) and took off shortly afterwards.  The climb out was smooth

 and soon the plane broke through the layer of low clouds.

The flight headed straight across the Atlantic Ocean (not flying along the geodesic this time). Not much to see on the plane’s flight tracker and the Wi-Fi wasn’t working so I couldn’t bring up another tracker app.  On this flight, we had asked for kosher meals as well, and this time out, we got something that wasn’t too bad.  The entrée was turkey goulash – nice chunks of turkey in a pretty good sauce along with a side of couscous.  I ate all of it. There was also some kind of marinated veggie thing and a chocolate brownie.  The whole thing was pretty good, actually – much better than the fish we had on the incoming flight.  We didn’t need any backup pasta this time around. 

The flight was pretty smooth – a couple of times the seat belt sign went on but not for long.  As the plane got closer to the US East Coast, the pilot came on and said that we should expect a rough approach and landing.  He said that there would be no snack service and asked the flight attendants to put away the carts and buckle up in their jump seats.  Outside, everything looked peaceful – no dark clouds.

I was tracking the flight on the plane’s tracker 

and waited for the plane to start bouncing around.  It turned out that there was not a single bump on approach or landing – everything was perfectly smooth.  We were on approach to JFK around 12:30 PM local time – right on schedule.  I had only landed at JFK at night so I got a chance to see what was around the airport – actually not much.

The plane taxied over to the gate.  Once off the plane, we started another cross country hike to baggage claim.  We found out bags and then handed them back to baggage personnel manning the conveyor belts who perform some kind of customs magic and put them on your connecting flight.  The signage at JFK was informative and made the whole process pretty easy.  Our luggage was on its way to ORD and we were on our way to our next flight.

The terminal for our connecting flight was another bit of a walk and we were getting hungry.  I had this pica for a Micky D’s Filet of Fish so I got into a long line at a less than desirable looking restaurant and ordered a fish sandwich and coke ($9.23).  Ellen decided to order a milk shake that we shared (the line had gone down a lot).

We were in a lower level terminal because our flight, DL4807, was on a CRJ900, which needed a jetway that was a little closer to the ground.  The waiting area looked brand new and because all the planes out of that terminal were small, it was not that crowded.  We found a seat and waiting for our departure, which was at 3:50 PM with boarding starting about 30 minutes before.  In fact, when we got to our gate, the previous flight was still there and was just about to depart.  Our plane did get there a bit late and so our boarding was delayed about 30 minutes.

The CRJ is a twin engine aircraft (engines in the back) similar to a small MD80.  It is a 2 and 2 configuration so it seems roomy.  We are in seats 10A and 10B, which cost us 2000 SkyMiles.  When we got to the gate to board, the agent said our boarding passes were wrong – when I started to show concern, she told me we were “upgraded” and were now in 8A and 8B (in the same section – how is that an upgrade).  The seats were OK and roomier than on bigger jets.  There were two flight attendants and a pilot that I could actually understand – a plus.

The takeoff was smooth and I got a nice picture of the Manhattan skyline.

The rest of the flight was uneventful – I did get a Mr. and Mrs. P Bloody Mary cocktail mix along with some pretzels – just enough.

We landed pretty close to schedule around 5:40 PM and our bags came off the carousel in a reasonable time.

I called for a cab – I thought we were in Terminal 2 but we were actually in Terminal 5.  I cancelled the first order and re-ordered and got the same cab.  That's the process, I guess.

Our taxi came as indicated on the app (the same cab number that I had cancelled) and in about 40 minutes we were back in our castle on the lake.

A totally wonderful cruise and post cruise stay in Lisbon. 

Glad to be home, though, and very happy that we were both able to take another long trip successfully.

March 31, 2025 – Post Cruise Day 2 – Lisbon, Portugal – Partly Cloudy – 70s

The room was indeed quiet – no earplugs required.

I went down around 6:30 AM for another wonderful breakfast – this time out I tried the sunny side up eggs (they were good with the automatic pancakes) – (the number of pancakes you order is controlled by a wave of your hand in front of the apparatus (pretty cool).  The pancakes, themselves are pretty good.  Again, Ellen came down later and I had some of their fresh bread with some more coffee.  All good.

Our destination today is the Bairro Alto (“Upper Neighborhood or District”).  The Bairro had a complex history of construction in the 1400s and 1500s. The area consists of narrow streets built on the hilly terrain of Lisbon. 

There are buildings still standing from the 17^th century but there are also many restaurants, parks, and bars.  The neighborhood had a sketchy history but Lisbon has put money into cleaning up the neighborhood. Bars used to be open all night but now they need to close at 3 AM due to noise restrictions.  The area is safe but we always never allow anyone close to us (pickpockets) and secure our valuables in non pickable places (in our zippered combo pants).  No fancy jewelry or cameras, either. 

We made the decision that we would use Ubers to get around today – the trains are OK but I want to save my steps for the area and the train route to Bairro Alto is not as straight forward and simple as that to Rato and takes a bit longer (more than 45 minutes). 

We have taken Ubers in foreign countries before but not in Europe or in big European cities like Lisbon.  Using the Uber app, I requested a ride from Melia Lisboa to Bairro Alto. We would be picked up in front of the Hotel is just a few minutes by Andreia (in a gray Mazda, I think) in the “Green Ride Uber” Category.  We were picked up right on time by Andreia (a grown woman not a kid like we find a lot in the States) who spoke almost no English but got us through the rush hour traffic to our destination safely.  The car was comfortable. The ride costs $13.00 (E9.99 plus E2.00 tip) and took 26 minutes. What was nice was that she had pre-written texts indicating she was on her way. 

She dropped us off on a major street (only two lanes but major for this area). The side streets were typical of the narrow passageways of the Bairro.

I checked out Google Maps to see where we were.  Up the hill a little ways was an overlook, Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara and its associated Garden.  We decided to go there first – maybe even find something local food to try.  It was only a few uphill blocks to the Miraduoro.  There are two levels to the Garden.  There are food booths but nothing that would work for us.  There was also a pretty impressive fountain.

The top level, where we went first had benches with some shade.  

We settled in on the top level and spent some time listening to a guitarist and enjoyed the view, which was spectacular. There is a 180 degree view of Lisbon (Avenida da Liberdade and all the way from the April 25 Monument to the Vasco de Gama Bridge on the Tagus).  You can also see the Castel de Sao Jorge. There were lots of teenagers about – mostly eating take away that they got from the several food vendors at the Miradouro.  I took a lot of pictures and a nice panorama shot.  The air temp was perfect and the benches comfortable enough. There was a tile on the pavement that gave away the year the garden was opened – 1876.

We went down to the lower level, 

features some grassy areas (that could use some care), an interesting fountain – called the “Fountain of the Guardians” tucked into an alcove. 

It is more of a decorative structure and resembles a grotto.  The garden area was lined with several statues – I tried to identify them but their inscription had weathered away.  One of them was supposed to be Vasco De Gama but I couldn’t tell. There was no shade on the lower level so we didn’t stay as long.  I took lots of pictures.

We started walking down the hill North of Bairro Alto – this time looking for something to eat.   There were a lot of motorcycles parked alongside the buildings.

As we went along, we stopped at a large park in the “Royal Prince” neighborhood named for the area Praça do Príncipe Real.  The park is home to a huge umbrella shaped 150 year old Cypress Tree that is supported by a cage like structure so it is safe to sit under. 

Not too far from the tree is a Monumento de Homenagem às Vítimas de Homofobia. The monument depicts a closet with cutout male and female figures. 

There was a restaurant at the far end of the park and we actually sat down and checked out the menu. There were too many smokers there so we couldn't stay - I did take advantage of the facilities.

We came across a small middle eastern restaurant called the Kebab Hut, which had reasonable prices and atmosphere (there were only three or four tables).  The people were friendly so we got the last available table in the back up the stairs but near a fan.  We ordered two falafel sandwiches (combo with fries) and a can of Coke Free – it came to a total of $14.10.  

The falafel was really fresh and good (crispy falafels) – the pita was soft and the tahina sauce tasty.  The fries, which came in a huge pile, had just come out of the fryer.  It was a good meal and worth the price.  The place was a little tight but the fan kept the air moving and the atmosphere was authentic.  Not only that, but the people preparing the food all wore gloves (one of my requirements not always met).  Ellen took home part of her meal – I finished mine.

We kept going down the hill – across the street was an interesting building I identified as the Palmela Palace.  

What caught my attention were the two figures in front – I thought they represented Athena (a book in hand) and Hephaestus (Vulcan) (hammer in hand).  Some of my interest came from the fact that Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth was also fashioned by Hephaestus and divinely transformed by Athena and other Goddesses.  I could not find any information on the statues (some sources said they were two women – didn’t look like that to me).  The Palmela Palace itself in a very impressive structure – it took two years to build and was finished in 1794.  It started off as a private residence but today is the home of Portugal’s Attorney General (since 1980). 

We continued down the R. da Escola Politecnica, passed by the Thai Spa we visited yesterday and got to Lago de Rato (the street the Synagogue was on).  Basically, we had gone full circle.  The Rato Metro Station was across the street but it was getting to be rush hour and we decided not to mess with the trains. 

Instead I called for an Uber.  He had our location but I texted the driver and told him to meet us in front of Rodas, a restaurant on Rato – this would give him a place to pull over.  He said OK.  I tracked the car’s progress and got a good feeling for how the traffic patterns flow around the area.  It took the Uber a little while to get there.  Our car this time was a white Tesla Model 3 driven by Jose (who did speak a little English).  The pickup was perfect and it took about 25 minutes to get to the hotel.  The car was comfortable with the exception of the huge sunroof which was most of the roof of the car – too much sun on the passengers.  The ride came to E7.91 including an E1.00 tip ($9.66).  It would have been a much less comfortable experience on the Metro.

I confirmed our flights for tomorrow on my phone.  Our flight is at 10:00 AM so we have to be at LIS at 7:00 AM to allow enough time to go through all the lines (mostly security) so that we will be able to board on time. 

We didn’t unpack much so we are pretty much ready to go in the morning.  The shuttle runs continuously and the breakfast opens at 4:30 AM.  Shouldn’t be a problem.

Ellen had her falafel for dinner and I found something to eat in the food goody bag.

I requested a wakeup call from the Front Desk for 5:30 AM so we could get to the airport and start the three hour window.

The room is still quiet and the toilet has been behaving.