April 10-15
GIBRALTAR
Spain
Portugal
The saga continues. But mundane tasks still control our lives. Example: When we left Morocco we really needed to wash our clothes. Hotel laundry services are so expensive we could just as well buy new things. So, we turned our tub in Gibraltar into a washing machine and used grape-stomping techniques for the "agitation". Fun to do. Fun to watch. Especially the "Spin Cycle".
We also had snags. Getting off the ferry after crossing the Straits of Gibralter, we were nearly out of cash, since our Debit Card would not work in ATM's in Morocco due to rampant fraud, and our card had been eaten by a machine in Casablanca. Card was recovered in Marrakech a week later after much effort on our tour guide's part. We made it to Gibralter with about $3.00 to spare which we gave as a tip to the ferry helpers. Then, no car rentals on Sunday in a British territory. No matter. We just took a walk up Gibraltar and then taxied to a nearby city in Spain on Monday where we found "Europcar", which gave us a car that became a real friend.
The Rock of Gibraltar from our hotel balcony.
Got attacked by a monkey on our walk.
Lookout view of our hotel (and the airport runway) from the Rock.
A piece of the Southern coast of Spain
Cadiz, Spain - oldest European city. Fun to walk its narrow streets.
We drive across the border into Portugal.
Algarve coast, Portugal.
Beautiful.
Expensive.
But a popular coastal retreat.
At our fine restaurant, we were seated at a linen covered table set with bread, butter, cheese, liver pate' and an appetizer. We ordered, we dined. We were shocked when we got separate charges for the bread, butter, cheese, pate' and appetizer. We almost told the waiter he forgot to charge us for rental on the forks, and for use of the napkins.
The road then led to the southwest corner of Portugal, where a rocky cliff marks the place where the ocean goes west and south--the corner of Portugal, pictured below.
Driving into Lisbon was an experience. Our room in the old city was almost not accessible. And addresses are mostly "theoretical". Night time made it more difficult. After getting to the general area of our "hotel" on winding, steep, narrow cobblestone streets, we talked with 6 people to try to find the place: a motor cyclist, a taxi driver, a maitre d, a waiter, a bar keeper, a policeman. Then the checkin was 38 steps up a tower on a spiral staircase and past a security door. The room was then down 15 steps, down a hall, and up several more steps. But the place was inexpensive and had a spectacular view.
View of Lisbon from the Castle
Lisbon Castle steps (our hotel is connected near the base of this staircase). This castle was fun to explore. It is a formidable structure.
Palace Square - Lisbon (Our Hotel and the Castle are on the tree covered hill to the right)
Terrace with a view - Lisbon. Enjoyed the city an extra day while we waited for our mission call to be FedEx's to us. Finally, we discovered the paperwork had been "returned to sender". So we checked out and drove back to Spain via Seville....3 minutes before the FedEx truck arrived with our package. In Seville, we caught an early flight the next morning to Naples, Italy, since Palermo, Sicily tickets were too expensive.
We love you and miss you. Lane & Carolyn
