Europe with my kids - OMG we are in Lisbon!
Jun 9th, 2010, 12:22 PM
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Europe with my kids - OMG we are in Lisbon!
I'm sooo tired I can't elaborate too much, but I didn't lose my head just because its attached to my body, I can't find an envelope (I hope I left at home with all our 600 Euros) and I believe I lost my brand new headphones 
I can't begin to explain how accident driven our trip started. Since the moment we left the home to getting to DIA and about a mile from the entrance the truck stalled one hour before our departure, I was lucky enough that I drove it while it was shutting down to the 1st line, almost to the shoulder where a DIA security truck was, we ended up being towed, made it on time 5 mins to spare.
We got to Chicago about 1:30pm after a very bumpy fly, nothing to what we would experience later. It was so cold and rainy that after wasting about 1 hr looking for the train to go to Dwtwn we were advised not to go to The Loop because it was miserable about 50F and we were wearing Summer clothes! We decided to kill the time at the cold terminal seeing the rain fall and learning about what a huge disaster the spill is (the only thing CNN would go over for 4 hrs).
We left Chicago about 8:30pm, fly already delayed due to weather in Boston and what a shaky departure, we were all wondering if the airplane was going to come apart in pieces! Finally once we thought the fly was going smooth enough to relax after dinner the dance started, the plane literally shook the whole trip to Madrid. It was miserable, so Turbulent that Mia who was sitting watching "Alice in Wonderland" said "Mom this is crazy"!.
In regard of Iberia, its not bad. We were seated in row 8, 8H aisle right in front of the big screen and I was behind on 9H and 9G, 9H aisle diagonal out from 8H, so I had tons of leg room, but who could slept with all the turbulence and the cold.
The arrival in Madrid wasn't any better, rainy, cold and cloudy. We stayed at the airport for about 2 hrs, where I literally took apart my carry-on once I realized the envelope with all my Euros wasn't with me nor my headphones that I remember getting out of it in the plane to Chicago.
We flew another Iberia plane to Lisbon (where I just put my mask and slept through all the turbulence, Yes more of it), very nice smooth 6 seats plane, tons of leg room!
We made it to Lisbon after a very fast landing, I couldn't believe how fast the Pilot took the runway and was able to break. The landing view was Fantastic! this is such a beautiful country!
Tonight its 9 pm, only 2 pm in Denver and I went shopping with Mia to the train station where there is a little grocery store and you'll see the pics of where we are staying, cozy little apartment on 3rd floor, with some stairs "Not for the faint of heart" as they are so steep and the steps so tiny!
Tomorrow we will just walk around. I'm debating on going out just with my daughter to have dinner, my Son who hurt his back in Denver 3 weeks ago is dead sleeping upstairs.
This apartment is great, has internet, cable, DVDs to watch, books to swap, drinks, a nice little view of the River, centrally located in Amalfa and the people noise is a delight.
My cell is not working, it was in Spain, and I need to get a new adapter for my plugs as Portugal doesn't use the middle leg, or ground one so I have to get one for my laptop.
I will start my blog with some new pictures that I took to post.
I can't begin to explain how accident driven our trip started. Since the moment we left the home to getting to DIA and about a mile from the entrance the truck stalled one hour before our departure, I was lucky enough that I drove it while it was shutting down to the 1st line, almost to the shoulder where a DIA security truck was, we ended up being towed, made it on time 5 mins to spare.
We got to Chicago about 1:30pm after a very bumpy fly, nothing to what we would experience later. It was so cold and rainy that after wasting about 1 hr looking for the train to go to Dwtwn we were advised not to go to The Loop because it was miserable about 50F and we were wearing Summer clothes! We decided to kill the time at the cold terminal seeing the rain fall and learning about what a huge disaster the spill is (the only thing CNN would go over for 4 hrs).
We left Chicago about 8:30pm, fly already delayed due to weather in Boston and what a shaky departure, we were all wondering if the airplane was going to come apart in pieces! Finally once we thought the fly was going smooth enough to relax after dinner the dance started, the plane literally shook the whole trip to Madrid. It was miserable, so Turbulent that Mia who was sitting watching "Alice in Wonderland" said "Mom this is crazy"!.
In regard of Iberia, its not bad. We were seated in row 8, 8H aisle right in front of the big screen and I was behind on 9H and 9G, 9H aisle diagonal out from 8H, so I had tons of leg room, but who could slept with all the turbulence and the cold.
The arrival in Madrid wasn't any better, rainy, cold and cloudy. We stayed at the airport for about 2 hrs, where I literally took apart my carry-on once I realized the envelope with all my Euros wasn't with me nor my headphones that I remember getting out of it in the plane to Chicago.
We flew another Iberia plane to Lisbon (where I just put my mask and slept through all the turbulence, Yes more of it), very nice smooth 6 seats plane, tons of leg room!
We made it to Lisbon after a very fast landing, I couldn't believe how fast the Pilot took the runway and was able to break. The landing view was Fantastic! this is such a beautiful country!
Tonight its 9 pm, only 2 pm in Denver and I went shopping with Mia to the train station where there is a little grocery store and you'll see the pics of where we are staying, cozy little apartment on 3rd floor, with some stairs "Not for the faint of heart" as they are so steep and the steps so tiny!
Tomorrow we will just walk around. I'm debating on going out just with my daughter to have dinner, my Son who hurt his back in Denver 3 weeks ago is dead sleeping upstairs.
This apartment is great, has internet, cable, DVDs to watch, books to swap, drinks, a nice little view of the River, centrally located in Amalfa and the people noise is a delight.
My cell is not working, it was in Spain, and I need to get a new adapter for my plugs as Portugal doesn't use the middle leg, or ground one so I have to get one for my laptop.
I will start my blog with some new pictures that I took to post.
Jun 9th, 2010, 12:25 PM
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Pray tell what kind of transportation plans you decided on - a railpass or point to point? Referring to lenghty discussions you had on that point.
Cheers and IMO do not miss the short trip to Sintra and its fairy-tale castle you kids should love.
Cheers and IMO do not miss the short trip to Sintra and its fairy-tale castle you kids should love.
Jun 9th, 2010, 02:25 PM
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Hi, Pookymimi: Well, one way to look at it is that you got your bad luck at the beginning and now it'll be smooth sailing from here on out. (Think positive and get some rest.) Hope you have a great time! I know you've been really planning hard for this the last few weeks and the benefits of that should pay off as you go along. Looking forward to hearing all about it!
Jun 10th, 2010, 05:32 AM
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It's rained all morning, torrential. It's almost 2 pm and 7am in Denver and we are going to adventure to a second hand shop there is in downtown. We need umbrellas and maybe some jeans. As suggested I left all winter clothes at home and we only have some summer pants and I'm wearing the only yoga pants that I wore in the plane.
The sun is picking out, so I think this is the time to go to adventure. I'm very jetlaged, I got up at 9am - about 1 am Denver and I went back to sleep
The sun is picking out, so I think this is the time to go to adventure. I'm very jetlaged, I got up at 9am - about 1 am Denver and I went back to sleep
Jun 10th, 2010, 07:45 AM
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Pookymimi,
Hope you have a great trip with your children. Are you using a moneybelt to protect your valuables?
Good luck to you! I will be in Spain & Portugal with my husband in Sept. & Oct. I will eagerly read your reports.
Marsh
Hope you have a great trip with your children. Are you using a moneybelt to protect your valuables?
Good luck to you! I will be in Spain & Portugal with my husband in Sept. & Oct. I will eagerly read your reports.
Marsh
Jun 10th, 2010, 08:50 AM
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Hello pookymimi, I have been thinking of you and wanted to say hello! Rain, doesn't Portugal know it is not suppose to rain in June?
You did have a bumpy start so I sure hope that the rest of your time is smooth sailing. And of course I also hope you left your 600euro at home! I imagine you all are getting ready for dinner about now. Good wishes to you and your children.
You did have a bumpy start so I sure hope that the rest of your time is smooth sailing. And of course I also hope you left your 600euro at home! I imagine you all are getting ready for dinner about now. Good wishes to you and your children.
Aug 18th, 2010, 10:02 AM
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Here are some of the pics of Portugal. I'm little by little uploading the pics, kids permitting. Thankfully School starts next week.
http://s970.photobucket.com/albums/a...ymimi/Portugal
http://s970.photobucket.com/albums/a...ymimi/Portugal
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