Bring your guilders...

Holland... gawd this is a great country.  Everything just works.  Bicycles everywhere. Everybody is environmentally conscious.  But lemme tell you, you better be packing some serious do-re-me.  Damn it's expensive.  An espresso for which I paid 80 cents in Portugal is 3.10 here.  For lunch, I had a bowl of soup and a small squeezed juice for 10.50 Euro. In Portugal that same 10.50 would have bought me two beers, a piece of fish, fries, rice and a small salad.  

Walking around Den Haag is a trip.  Little streets with shops and restaurants - not a panhandler in sight.  People here have money - and they are spending it... so much different than Portugal. 

 I talked to this guy.  I really liked his electric bike.  He said he was 64... I told him it was nice to see some old guys here. He laughed.

Bicycles are the main mode of transportation for getting around the city. I have no idea what they do in the winter. It's very flat, which makes bicycling very easy.  Check out the bicycle parking area below.. what a trip.

Bucket list...

Got up this morning, went to breakfast... what a joke.  A piece of bread and water.  No OJ, no eggs, faaagetaboutit.  Took the shuttle to Schipol, then the train to Den Haag (The Hague).  There I walked to Mauritshuis (pronounced Moritz House) Museum to see the Vermeer painting "The Girl with the Pearl Earring".  I was not disappointed.  It's something I've always wanted to see... what a feast.

When Vermeer painted this, it was not considered all that great.  It originally sold for 2 guilders and 30 cents.  Only later did it become famous... Vermeer's Mona List.  
Anyway, it was quite a thrill to stand a foot from it and study it... the museum opened at 10:00 to say 75 people.  

Not so Rad...

I am staying at the "Park Inn by Radisson" in Schipol, which is the airport in Amsterdam.  I am literally in the middle of nowhere.  Imagine flying into PDX, getting on a shuttle and going to one of those tilt-up warehouse areas on 181st and Airport Way (out towards Gresham).  They have a restaurant in the hotel, which is a cut below Applebee's.  If you want to do ANYTHING, you have to get back on the shuttle and go to Schipol.  Now I understand why it was $236 Americano for two nights.  Sometimes, its just better to pay a little more and go business class.

Things I wished I would have brought...
my cell phone (would have come in handy a few times)
more dental floss (do they even have this shit in Europe... I never saw it)
more toothpaste (ran out early)
two pairs of shorts
a pair of flip flops

I used everything else.

Not so good news...

Below is an email I sent to my Portugal fellow travelers yesterday.

All,

I am in Amsterdam, where it is raining.

I felt I need to pass on some not-so-good news.

It's about Bob.

This morning, around 11:30, I was waiting for the airport shuttle to arrive at the hotel.  A cab pulled up, and in the back seat were Matt and Miriam.  I was so happy to see them, but I could not figure what they were doing in a cab.  Miriam said it had not been a good day.  Most of you know that Bob is Miriam's cousin.  Bob is traveling with Judy. According to Miriam, Bob got VERY sick last night... so sick that he fainted and crashed into a mirror in his hotel room.

This morning he and Judy attempted to fly home.  Apparently, he was so ill he had to de-board the aircraft and was taken to the hospital.  Cristina, Matt and Miriam all met Judy and Bob at the hospital.  Matt and Miriam spent two hours there. Bob was sleeping, so they headed back to the hotel.  They leave tomorrow.

Anyway, I just thought you would want to know about Bob.  If you're the religious type, perhaps you might keep him in your prayers.  If you don't believe in gawd, perhaps just send some good vibes his way.  

Judy - Miriam... would you please keep us informed about Bob.  I hope he is better and this was all just a bad case of "nothing too serious".

Phil

ps... in case you missed it, here was the sign in the lobby this morning.  

It put a smile on my face and partially relieved my postpartum depression.

Thanks Cristina, for being such a trooper and a great teacher.  I learned more than I ever thought.

It turns out the Bob is now out of the hospital... travel insurance really came in handy.  The cause... "Acute Gastrointestinal Symptoms"... food poisioning??? who knows.  Just really glad he's ok.  After traveling with this group, these peeps become your brothers and sisters.

 

You arrive alone... you leave alone

After a night of toasts and hugs and address swapping, we all managed to slog off to bed by 23:00.  Anet, Karen and I had a final beer and closed the bar (we started the tour with two jugs of wine at our first dinner... how fitting).  Most of my fellow travelers had early a.m. flights, which meant they were leaving the hotel from 4-7 a.m.  Way too early for my sorry American ass.
I slept in till 8:30 and had a meager breakfast @ 9:00.  Really did not feel like eating.  Not a soul from the tour was in the breakfast room... just a bunch of englanders and mega germans (the 6'4" female types).  It left me wanting... just one more bus ride, one more life experience conversation, one more laugh.  Instead, I felt like one of those burnouts at Woodstock, scavenging thru the garbage while Jimi played the Star Spangled Banner.
I did see Laurie as I wondered out to the street.  Linda too.  We wished each other safe trips home, as I wandered out of the hotel,  to a nameless street, joining the masses on their way to work... just another face in the crowd.  
So I have an hour and a half to kill.  My shuttle arrives at 11:45 for the trip to OPO, the Porto airport.  A 14:50 flight (how civilized) to AMS, for two nights at near the airport.

Farewell dinner

"life is a series of hellos and goodbyes."
     - Billy Joel

Porto

Spent our last day walking around Porto.  Churches, tiled buildings, lots of art. Frankly, I like the new art.  

 This art is everywhere.  













This is a tile floor in the chamber of commerce building.

Jack fell down...

Arrived Porto this afternoon.  Old, reminds me of Seattle / SF.  Temp is in the 80's.  Hotel room is a crackerjack box, but the a/c works.  Went to a modern art museum, had sandwich for lunch and one of my crowns fell out.  This is like the third time its happened, so I should be ok... but what a pita (pain in the ass).
Tomorrow is a walking tour, farewell dinner and its a wrap.  Spending two nights in Amsterdam.  Then a direct to pdx.
Time is an illusion......

Euro stuff

No trip to Europe is complete unless you visit Roman ruins and churches.  This trip did not disappoint.

Roman Catholicism... still going after all these years... like the energizer bunny.






These Romans knew how to build shit. Think I'll hire one for some patio work, whaddya say!

Fatima

Before I forget... we got the big dose of the Catholic religion... Fatima!

We arrived around 10:30 on Sunday morning.  An international service had begun at 10:00 and would continue until 13:00.  Check out the crowd... probably 6-8k souls... plus they rent knee pads if you want to be a real pilgrim.  

No other comments necessary...

Peace in the valley

It's quiet here in the Douro Valley.  Peaceful. Calm. I'm fifty yards from the river... all I hear are a few cars on the other side of the river.  The vineyard workers are on the slopes... I'm sitting here enjoying a fab breakfast and a pot of hot coffee accompanied by a chalice of steamed milk.  I think when you die, you go to a place like this... just a way station with exceptional service, with hot coffee, steamed milk and some solitude.  
Here's a pic taken moments ago...

We got to sleep in today.  We leave at 09.45, headed to Porto.  Two nights there and it's a wrap.  

Douro Valley...

So you don't like port wine...well, you've probably never had a good one.  So, now I'm in the land of port... the port wine is ok, but the beauty of the place is stunning.  Toured a winery and had a hearty lunch.  Tonight, dinner at the hotel.  They are charging us a $3 corkage fee, so we are going to drink the wines we've been collecting along the way. Could be fun.
One night here, then on to Porto for two nights and its a wrap.  Gonna miss the crew. Gonna miss the adventure.  Gonna miss Europe.  

Back to the country

Took yesterday off - no bus - no nothing.  I just had a Phil day.  Wondered about, read, took a nap.  After a fado concert, Peter and I walked along the river and stopped in an Irish pub.  Peter FORCED me to drink beer... all he did was say - "the beer's on me".  Tom and Cheryl joined us, followed by Anet and Karen... soon the six of us were enjoying sunset on the river in Coimbra... away from the touristic old town.  It was a wonderful end of a relaxing day.
Today we head north to the Duoro Valley, which is the main Portugal wine country.  It's where port is born.  Luncheon at a winery and dinner together. One night stand, followed by two nights in Porto and it's a wrap.  

What's it like...

So, you may be wondering... what's it like?

Well, you see lots of churches and statues and you learn the the difference between an convent and a monastery... convents are in the city, monasteries are in the country - men and women in both.  
You eat lots of fish, but meat is also available.  
You struggle with the language which reads like Spanish but is pronounced like Russian, but lots of Portuguese have a good working knowledge of English.
So, it's like a field trip in high school, only longer.

The biggest surprise has been my fellow travelers. They have ALL turned out to be quite nice.  I have my favorites, but in the end, it does not matter who you sit with at lunch, you will have a good conversation.  No politics, no religion... lots of life experiences, future dreams, regrets, hopes.  It's an intelligent crowd - it's fun, lots of laughs, lots of wine, and there are football scores too.  There is Anet, an Eagles fan from Philly, Gigi who lives in the Pearl, Susan from Dana Point, Peter who is on his tenth RS tour, everybody has got great stories and trunkloads of experiences they are willing to share. I recommend it, especially if you are in the 50-70 year old crowd.

Coimbra

Coimbra is a college town... think Harvard... the university was founded in 1290.  So, we are staying at the Hotel Astoria, in the direct center of town.  So last night, they have the annual ritual of baptizing the freshman, where they are marched to the river for a baptism.  So our tour leader decides to join the parade.  Let me describe that insanity... imagine you are leaving a Blazer game only multiply that by 5.  So, in a space designed for 10 humans, you have 50.  It's cheek to jowl, nuts to butts... add a healthy amount of Super Bock, enough to make the streets like ice and the crowd rather tipsy, now... insert 42 screaming 18 year olds.  I was starting to go Asiatic. You start looking for a side exit, but there are none.  You just grab your wallet and keep inching forward.  Tom and I had the rear, I was sticking close to Susan - our leader was a block ahead.  We inched our way through bad beer breath and sweaty bodies.  Finally, we reached an opening in the crowd, shook off our post traumatic stress, and headed to dinner.  Some enjoyed the experience... i did not.

On the road

Where did I leave off... left the winery, took the bus to Navarre.  It's on the coast... think Cannon Beach with a dash of Seaside.  Rain stopped, humid... every time I return to my room, I jump in the shower.  Two nights there.
Day tripped to Obidios... think disneyland.  Spent my two free hours with Rick and Judy from Whidbey, enjoying Super Bock and black pork.  

 "Black pork" is pork that has acorns and walnuts in its diet.  This piece was like pork belly.  Above it is pureed horse chestnut.

 Judy had the cod.













We finished with "Chocolate Duet"... creme fraiche, chocolate torte and a plate of chocolate.

Wi-fi sux...

We're in Navarre... hotel wi-fi is horrific... i've seen AOL dialup work faster.  Will try again tomorrow on the bus, which has wi-fi

Bac to the farm...

Best night of sleeping... 6 hours of heaven... great breakfast, now we are about to board the bus for a two hour ride to a cork farm.  I will learn more about cork that I ever need to know.  Lunch at the farm, followed by 3.5 hour ride to Navarre.  Gonna be a looonnng day.

Evora

Welcome to Unesco world heritage sight, Evora.  A beautiful little town.  Arrived at 11:00, took a two hour tour, lunch, and now the hotel.  It's called the Mar De AR hotel.  5 star. Wow!  

On the road...

For you travelers, you know what these days are like.  You're up, early in the morning, remembering to pack everything, going thru your mental checklist.  You're sad to be leaving the town to which you have grown accustomed, but anticipating a new adventure. So, here I sit, with 20 minutes to kill, scanning the room to see if I am missing anything.

Last night the group went to a dinner with fado singers.  Think Portuguese blues... usually sung by women, accompanied by a Spanish guitar and a Portuguese 12 string guitar.  The wine was good, the food ok, but the fado singing was surprisingly good.  Especially the second singer, a man in his 60's. His hair was combed straight back, and he reminded me of Joel Grey in Caberet.  So, I just transported myself back into time... back to the late 30's, when Lisbon was a city of international intrigue.  (Portugal never entered WW2).  As one of my mates said... "all we are missing is the cigarette smoke".  The man sang some soulful, mournful songs... the lights were low... candles on every table, and the crowd was respectfully quiet.  It was an experience...

Ok... one last pit stop and then the bus to Evora.
   

Youts...

So we are in the cloister of a church, a quiet religious place... and here is what I saw...

Ya gotta luv it !

Portugal history 102

This morning we boarded a bus and headed to Belam, a cultural area three miles from town.  Christina, our tour guide, gave us a college history course of Portugal in 45 minutes.  It was fascinating.  In 1500, they ruled the seas.  Here's a picture...

Later we went to a large church and cloister.  Next stop was a large art museum... I opted out, choosing to return to my hotel and have lunch at my favorite restaurant Ribadouro.  
We leave Lisbon tomorrow, so I wanted one more afternoon in town.  Tonight is a group dinner and fado singing... it's gonna be a late night.

Woke up...

"Woke up, fell out of bed,
dragged a comb across my head."
     The Beatles - "A Day in the life"

Yeah, that's what I did.  I fell out of bed.  I've got this European pill box twin bed and I was thrashing around and I ended up on the floor after knocking my head on the bed stand, which will definitely wake you up.  Yeah, ok, I had dinner with Peter Lane from KC and yes, we did split a carafe of house red, but christ almighty, I didn't drink THAT much. Curious thing is... as I hit the floor and woke up, my last dream memory was that I was falling out of bed. Ahhh, grasshopper... you learn about reality...

Whipped, like the red-headed...

Started out after breakfast, spending time going over some basics.  We got a 48 Metro pass, which gives us access to all transportation.  Christina, our guide, taught us the basics of the Lisbon subway system.  Much like Paris and London, it will take you about a minute and a half to get it.  
We headed into town, covering some of the ground I had already seen.  This time, however, I got the history.  That REALLY makes a difference.  Then we walked from uptown to downtown, and took a small bus up the other side of town, to an old fort.  The views were fantastic.  Notice the Golden Gate replica, built by the company who built the Bay Bridge in SF.  The Christ the King statue across the bay is a replica of the one in Rio.

For you photo geeks, I set the scene to "Vivid" and dropped two f stops.  Sure makes the sky blue and the tile roofs pop, eh.  This city REALLY reminds me of the Bay Area...

 

We then walked down the hill, through an old neighborhood called Alfama.  We then disbanded.  I grabbed one of my travel mates and we headed back to the hotel.  I stopped for a fish sandwich and a beer.  Went back to the room, knocked out a payroll and took a 40 minute siesta.  Then out to the ATM and an expresso (called a bica).  I'm tiiiirrrrrreeeeeeeddddddd...

RS 101

Met the tour group - 24 travellers.
Not a soul under 45.
Good solid PBS crowd.
Could be fun.
Out to dinner...

Lunch

Just returned from lunch at Ribadouro... here's their website if you are interested - I had the cod and potatoes, see pics on www.  The place is 100 feet from my hotel.

 http://www.cervejariaribadouro.pt/ementa_en.php

Lemme say this about European restaurants - I am totally infatuated with them. Reasons, you ask...

No 1 - "Hi, my name if Duke and I'll be your server tonight"... NOT - go fuck yourself Duke, and your buddy Biff too.  Christ, I don't wanna be your new BFF, just bring me a menu and a beer.  And that's just what they do in Europeland... no small talk, no "how's your day", they just do their job.  

No 2 - they bring the wine / beer pronto.

No 3 - they bring you good food (usually) and they LEAVE YOU ALONE to enjoy the meal. You don't hear "Is everything tasting Greeeaaatt today?"  They ignore you.  If you need something, say ketchup (just JOKING --- nobody's ever heard of that shit here!), you just flag them down.  They are more than happy to help.

No 4 - when everyone is finished, they will clear the plates.  And then you can sit there as long as you want, because this is DINING after all, not just EATING.  If you want to EAT, go to McD's... dining is something that takes time and is there for your enjoyment, not something you do before going to the kid's soccer practice.

No 5 - you have to ask for the check.  You could sit there till 10:00 pm, just talking, maybe having an expresso, discussing your last gynecological exam, or sugar beet futures or the merits of Teflon- it does not matter.  You own the table for the evening.

Anyway... that's my rant for this day.  It's 15:20 and the RS group meets at 17:00, followed by a 18:45 walk and a 19:45 dinner... not sure what to expect, so I will keep my expectations low.  I just hope it's not a cocker spaniel puppy love fest...

ps... tipping, you ask.  what about tipping?  I've vacillated on this subject for years... now I follow Anthony Bourdain's advice... "I tip 20% no matter what country I'm in"... so that's my new mantra.  

Laundry day

My goal on this trip is to never have to visit a laundromat.  Gawd knows that if I can't figure them out in France or Italy, I sure as shit won't be able to in Portugal.  So, that's why they have sinks... and clotheslines.  Speaking of sinks, check out my bathroom sink, complete with stopper and chain.  Wonder if there's a YouTube video out there on how to operate it?  Most times the simplest things are the easiest answer..

What's it really like...

IMHO, its a lot like PDX, only warmer.  It's raining here, but I find a jacket too warm.  I'm totally comfortable in short sleeves.

It's a working town, not pretentious like some big cities.  Its like PDX without the hipsters. There are lots of my people here - you know, the blue hairs.  Only they don't do blue... they're just gray.  People dress casually, it's not a big fashion town like Rome or Paris.

Lots and lots of retirees, on the street, on the bus, slowly walking, some with canes - but they are respected and given leeway... they are visible, unlike Amerika.  Lots of people of different nationalities, old and young.  Remember, Portugal had great explorers - Vasco de Gama, Henry the Navigator... they had many colonies and a lot of those people ended up here.  I think the country is richer for it.

It's gritty, but in a good way. People look you in the eye when you approach.  A smile, a nod, a wink is acknowledged.  People have cell phones, but they're not engrossed in them.  They're TALKING on their phones (what a concept), not texting or checking out KK's latest ass shot.

The sidewalks are all done in mosaic tiles.  I thought they would be slippery, but they seem to be ok, even in the rain.  There are hills here - think SF.  Here's a sample (notice the old lady walking up the hill - a very common sight).

So would I recommend it?
In a heartbeat...

Up and away...

Took a walk after breakfast, heading uptown, wandering up and down, with the sole intent of getting lost.  But alas, I ended up at my favorite train station - Cais do Sodre. More walking, then a bus ride back to the hotel. Art is everywhere.

 You got your modern...

You got your post modern. 

 You got your ideas...








and your got old stuff...

and you got art that even opens your eyes...

It's everywhere - on everything - for everybody to see - me like.