henryandcasper

just got back from crazy week at the inlaws...will post tomorrow and start up with LDC planning. So far, the 2nd looks great (2-me and the hubby) to dine with everyone. There is a slight chance that we may now be heading to the Sesimbra that night but i doubt it, I'll know more tomorrow...

isabel

Nikki - we are staying at the Residencial Florescente(www.residencialflorescente.com/).It got good reviews on Trip Advisor and I like it's location, price seems to be about average for Lisbon (70€ for a double). Looking forward to meeting you too.

lobo_mau

Matt, unless forgot something, the LDC agenda has the following entries:
- 12 June - Festa Santo Antonio with LilyE and DH (meeting Archway Rua Augusta)
- xxx June - Fado in tram 28 with yyy
- 20 or 21 June - coffee in A Brazileira with Namaka (we wait her contact)
- 24 June - LDC with Namaka, DH and children - Gravatas ???
- 2 July - LDC with Henry&Casper (?) + Sarasara, DH and children - Gravatas ???
- 20 July - LDC with Nikki +? and Isabel +?
- 21 Sept - LDC with dwdnyder +?

Matt, in my opinion this schedule is feasible. My availability is 2 LDCs per month, and this is met by the above plan. The number of informal get togethers for coffees or drinks is virtually unlimited

If we had larger groups (>15), we could organize better evenings like we did in Pateo.

Kenderina, LDC is waiting for you. Come on, we are just neighbours. Take the plane and show up...

isabel

lobo - is it possible to do the 18th or 19th instead of July 20. Since we fly out on the 21st, the evening of the 20th we'd probably not want to be out too late. We'll do the 20th if that's the only time that works for the rest of you, but the 18th or 19th would be better.

lobo_mau

Your wishes are my commands but either date is choosen, 18, 19 or 20 July, the next day is a working day, and I don't want to extend LDC too late. Let's say that mid night is my limit.
Anyway my proposal is the following: Since it's more than 1 month in advance, let's keep 18 or 19th opened to see if other fodorites step ahead and join us. If you feel that for some reason we need to set up a defined day or if the first week of July arrives with no further candidates, then we'll define a date

Nikki

Not to worry. I am interested to see how I do in a country where "not too late" means midnight.

lobo_mau

You will do fine.

namaka

good morning all. As I sit here and drink my morning gelao, I am getting more and more excited as I am leaving tomorrow.Yeah!

Won't be long and I will have a fartuda sp? to go with my gelao. Hey, how come no one mentions those? They are my favorite!

kenderina

Lobo,I'm waiting for a friend who is coming with me (his first time in Lisbon !) to put the exact dates, but we will be there on the second fortnight of September for 4 or 5 days You will be the first to know when I'm done with the dates..I will begin to ask questions, LOL
We have a very limited budget this time (he is going to Paris in July and I went to Scotland in May) so we will need help on cheap places to eat as good as possible (good sandwiches, hahaha). I was looking at a hotel called Olissippo Marques de Sa, three stars, looks brand new..at 69 euros/night looks like a good deal for us, what do you think ?

lobo_mau

kenderina, I don't know the Olissipo, but add Ibis Saldanha to your list: http://www.accorhotels.com/accorhote...he_hotel.shtml
It looks great, it's quite new, it's well located (not in the city centre, but close to public transports, metro and bus). In the next block there is a shooping centre with live (free) piano music all afternoons (6 to 7 pm, I think, to be confirmed) and the usual suspects of fast food (sandwiches, pita shoarma, soups, etc...).
If you have open dates, try to come close to 21st September because there are other fodorites in town.

bailey6325

All,

I just posted the first portion of my trip report with some photos. I will continue to add onto it...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

Please let me know if you have any questions - I love reliving the trip!

Jen

Matt_from_England

I get the feeling this will be a summer of trip reports: hurray!

Matt

Matt_from_England

And tonight's L.D.C with Lily and her husband John was most excellent - what a welcome to Lisbon they had with the madness that is Festa Stē Antonio. About a million people partying in the Alfama, took many photos so I'll have to spend some time editing them all down and writing the report sometime in the next few days.

Bed is calling me now, Matthew Matthew...

John_098

Kenderina,

If you're looking for cheap hotels try www.travelocation.com. I travelled all through Europe for 6 months, and booked all my hotels through them. They by far had the best prices. Look for their save rate hotels for the best deals.

Have fun in Lisbon, that was one of my favorite places

-John

lobo_mau

Matt, Mrs G asked me to ask you to have a look at your email before posting the photos...

Barb65

Hi all

Well we returned last night and now it is time to relive the trip in my reports and others. WOW! So much has been added in our time away from the computer.

Matt's report on our LDC evening says it all. What wonderful people and good times, can not say enough how gracious Matt, Liz, Lobo, Gertrude all are. Thank you so much - the concert, the dining and the company were all perfect.

I will work on a report and post it seperately. This may take a few days (between loads of wash!). Unfortunately Jim is the photographer and with over 1500 photos to go through and continued business trips that may take awhile. They are the basic places that can be seen on other reports any way but if there is one specific, different, special photo, I will try to include it.

Barb

Matt_from_England

Barb, glad you got home safely and of course Lizzy and I are delighted that you enjoyed Alfama, dinner and Dulce Pontes - it was a wonderful evening.

I have Jim's email address so now I know you are home I'll send over the images zipped.

Hope to speak soon and I look foward to reading of your adventures,

Best regards to you both,

Matt

dwsnyder

Matt, Lobo, et al:

Traveling and only checking email sporadically. Just confirming - either Sept 20 or 21st is great for us - David and Susan.

Plans are still evolving. Thinking about staying in Santa Comba Dao but can only find reservations for single night (but what a place !).

Talked with person from AutoEurope. Got a reasonable rate for a car - and I can waive the CDW.

David

lobo_mau

If kenderina and friend confirm 20 or 21th September and if there are more fodorites willing to join us we could organize some entertainment in Pateo da Memoria in line with what we did on 27th May.

To keep the costs low (approx 27.5 euros), in an evening with fado performance we must count with 12 ppl minimum. The expected time to return home is midnight.

The expected cost for a diner in Gravatas is 20 euros (no entertainment, just food). If we join at 7:30 pm, by 9:30 pm the diner should be finished.

List of activities as per 14th June:

- xxx June - Fado in tram 28 with yyy
- 15 or 16 June - coffee in A Brazileira with Lily and John (we wait their contact)
- 20 or 21 June - coffee in A Brazileira with Namaka (we wait her contact)
- 24 June - LDC with Namaka, DH and children - Gravatas (?)
- 2 July - LDC with Henry&Casper (?) + Sarasara, DH and children - Gravatas (?)
- 18 or 19 July - LDC with Nikki +? and Isabel +? - Gravatas(?)
- 25 August - LDC with Lobo + Gert + Matt(?) + Lizzy(?)
- 20 or 21 Sept - LDC with David (dwdnyder) + Susan + Kenderina (?) + friend (?) - Páteo da Memória (?)

Nikki

Lobo, I will have three travel companions, a friend of mine and her two children (17 and 21). We haven't decided whether we would all be coming to the get-together, or just me, or just me and my friend. But if it were to become a question of putting together a group to have dinner and hear fado, they would probably be happy to be counted in.