Spain and Portugal

September 16 - October 4, 2014

On My Own

I moved uptown to the Marque de Pombal Hotel for the next three nights. The area seemed more cosmopolitan with many designer shops. I didn't spend enough time there to get a good feel of the neighborhood. The hotel was nice, the service was wonderful and my room was very quiet. Unfortunately, I found the buffet breakfast lacking in variety.

My friend Doug met me at the hotel shortly after I check in. We had worked together from 1986 until around 1990 and formed a lasting friendship. Around 2003 he moved from Southern California to Portugal where he is now retired.

We met friends of his for a traditional Portuguese lunch at Cantinho da Amizade in the Baixa neighborhood of Lisbon. Then Doug drove me around the city a bit and we ended in an area called The Oriente. We walked along a promenade by the sea and eventually stopped for a beverage and to chat a while. This area is filled with modern highrise residential and office buildings, a shopping mall and restaurants. It reminded me of Century City in Los Angeles. We had dinner at an Italian Restaurant on the top floor of a shopping mall. I had a curry chicken risotto -- it very good and a nice change from the food I had been eating while on tour. While planning my trip Doug recommended I stay in one of this area's many hotels as it's close to the airport. I should have listened to him.

The Oriente Train Station

Me and Doug