So Here's Our Vacation Blog...

Breakfast at a local coffee shop / pasteleria where the locals drop in to grab a roll and an expresso, eat and drink at the glass counter in two minutes and leave.  Had fresh squeezed orange juice that’s so popular here - everybody uses machines where you dump a case of oranges in the top and through a glass case watch them automatically get cut in half and squeezed.  Walked down a couple blocks to the top of Avenida da Liberdade, to see the “Estatua del Marqués de Pombal”, the statue of the Marquis of Pombal in the square named after him (it’s actually in the middle of a gigantic roundabout, so it’s not a square - go figure).  Very famous, built 100 years ago as a tribute to the Marquis, who was in power when Baixa was rebuilt after the earthquake / flood / fires in 1755.  Tremendous detail illustrating the many aspects of Portuguese life, and of course with naked women galore.

Then walked down the avenue window shopping.  Marge seemed drawn to certain windows - the ones with expensive items in them!

We saw some other items that we thought might be great for Christmas presents.  Father and son bathing suits...what color do you like, Billy.

And maybe a frilly party dress for Elizabeth from Dolce and Gabbana - who could turn down that gift?!

Last night while we were walking in the dark through the major plaza in the area we saw a group of young adults all dressed in black capes standing in a circle, those in the middle walking in a figure eight and chanting loudly while those around the outside were cheering at certain times.  Seemed like witchcraft or some kind of cult.  Today we saw the same group several times in different areas, still couldn’t figure out what they were doing, but they did look sinister.  Then finally we saw them again in a circle, but this time some of them were sitting on the ground and being humiliated.  That’s when we realized this must have been some kind of college initiation, like hazing!  Funny how you think the worst when you don’t understand the language.

As we walked into Baixa we were confronted by a huge mob of people chanting and waving flags.  Not sure if Portugal was suddenly being overthrown, so we were a bit cautious, but took photos and video of their deafening chanting.  We got around them, continued on, only to see them coming down another street right at us!  Once again we detoured, finally found a place away from the organized chaos for dinner.  I felt sorry for the buskers and street performers, as this mob swept them away!  Turns out Portugal is having an election on Sunday and this was the Partido Socialista party, opposing the Partido Social Democrata, which I think is the president’s party but a minority.  Try to figure out the difference between these two - I like it better when you can tell a Democrat from a Republican after a one minute discussion!

So we finally had our last dinner in Portugal - Paella, of course, and rose, while we sat in the concourse under an umbrella and watched the tourists.  Then on the way back to the apartment to pack we had to stop at the pasteleria for a few pasteis de nata as our final farewell.

We’re supposed to land in Detroit about 8:00 pm, assuming all goes well.  I’ll be in no shape to write an update tomorrow, but will makes sure to put something up Sunday so you know we made it home.  Wish us luck on our flight home!