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Published: October 1st 2014
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I'm back on the road...and I guess the next 10 weeks will be pretty insane in regard of discoveries....but you know me.....I could as well say the next 10 years...
It was first back to school in Bangkok end of August, and I enjoyed three weeks at home. It's fun to actually feel a little on holidays, while at home...taking the time to slow down...and obviously also to plan the next adventures...
Than came a fun week in the South of Congo, followed by another fun week in Kinshasa...no entries on those...I don't go out much with my camera...and it's mainly business. Well, Kinshasa taught me something this time...took less than 5 minutes...but I was very close from a kidnapping by fake policemen....as a friend told me...after I told him the story..."you are lucky you know what you are doing around"...will tell that story, maybe another day...but I guess it is way more intense to discover Africa...when you are not hiding in the luxury of a SUV...
So what am I doing in Lisbon...well...that too is linked to Kinshasa. Back in May, I won at the Kinshasa Golf Open a return ticket
in business class to Europe with Brussels Airlines...to be used before December. Living in Bangkok...with a schedule planned months ahead due mainly to school holidays...that was a challenge. And I was not going to turn down a ticket with free champagne that would cost me at the end just 150usd. So here I am, for 3 days in Europe...before coming back to Africa before the week-end even start!
So how does it work? Well...I took the Brussels Airlines map to find out which city I hadn't been yet...ok, I haven't been to Hannover...but...no thanks...It's kind of interesting that Lisbon is one of the last European capitals I haven't visited...neither Bratislava for that matter...but Lisbon it was going to be! As a guy who has had the chance to visit few places around the world...isn't Lisbon the mother of all trip? One of these places, if not the place where everything started...
I have flown once over the last twenty years with Brussels Airlines, aka SN Airlines, aka Sabena...and that one and only European one way flight...ended up being 4 hours delayed. Kinshasa to Brussels is in a brand new A330...the starter is even created
by a guy I know... small world! Ready for a fun one, they serve a VS Cognac in Business...come on...really! In Asia, they don't even sell VS....You have VSOP in economy, and mainly XO in business...so I just stay with the bubbles...
Brussels Airport...8am on a Monday morning...why do I have the feeling I made the right decision to move to Asia 18 years ago...and you know what, when I see the atmosphere here...I'm not even ready to come back to settle here...not tomorrow...not next year... Don't worry, there is always worst...try any of Paris airports! Let's not even speak of what they call a flight of 150 minutes in business class in Europe...I live in Asia!
I landed at 1pm in Lisbon airport...Didn't do much homework...yes, sometimes it does happen...I knew I wanted to take the tram 28...that I had to visit Belem...that my hotel was next to a stop of the Aero bus, and that everything would have to fit in 24 hours...regardless of the fact that I had just spent the night in a plane... or rather two of them!
My hotel gave me a nice place to
crash, with what should qualify as one of the best view of Lisboa! The concierge made sure that in 5 minutes, I had a plan...I jump in a hot bath, changed...and run into the action!
My sincere apologies to the people of Lisboa. Your city worth way more than a marathon of 24 hours. I saw a lot...but I could have kept running for three days in a row. My frustations after those 24 hours...no time to see the inside of all those churches...no time to queue for the Mosterio dos Jeronimos...no time to visit the Martime Museum. And let be honest, if I do my homework tomorrow, the list of frustrations will grow...fast!
But look at the pictures, and if you know the city, you'll know that my feet suffered...that I saw a lot...and at the end of the day, this is just a starter...Lisboa, I will be back...one day! I'm writing this 130km away from Lisboa, enjoying a cigar...in a truly gorgeous place, actually fitted for the Kings...at least for Joao II it was! Another crazy day, another crazy experience...another early bed time tonight...
The next 10 weeks will
be insane...trust me...and it's only the beginning...you only live once, better be good!
And in Lisboa...I did enjoy tram 28, tram 15, St George (Joao) Castle, visiting the Tower of Belem...and walking miles around....before finishing with some sardines...
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Jetting around the world
Lookin good