Hello Tiago,I hope you are home with your real family and can enjoy some well earned time off.I write a Blog of my trips and thought you might like to have a look at some stage to see the effect that Portugal has on your overseas 'family'.I will probably complete writing up the last day and add photos etc tonight.( Please ignore ... or laugh at ... the comments telling me to 'marry the tour director!' Just my daughter having fun with me!)And , onc...

Packed.Had breakfast. Walked up the hill to look down over that magnificent vista towards the water.And then caught a taxi to the Hotel Do Chiado.This is magnificent!Lovely people on reception.We chatted and chatted and they upgraded my room to one with a castle view and view over Lisbon, down to the water.Then if I turn left ....There's the Santa Costa Elevator!I'm in 614.Shot up to the 7th floor to the rooftop bar.Wow!What views!(Same as my room really ...

Hmmm ....This is not good. ( There went the nap.)Went to draw the drapes ...Stepped outside for a quick look ...The bed was turned down and everything ...And, bang!Hmmm ...I'm sure there is a way out of this without drawing attention to yourself.Hmmmm ....Nope.Doesn't look like it.Two beautiful French doors locked as tightly as you would want.Except I was on the wrong side.On the balcony.Six floors up.And you know how in movies people clamour and climb fr...

Onward again.Stopped for lunch in the amazing seaside town of Nazare.White sand stretched for as far as the eye could see, down to the most amazingly blue sea.I wandered along the path right next to the sand.And what was amazing here were all the colourful striped tents on the sand.Beach Boxes!There seemed to be hundreds of them.Tiago said that you just hire one for the day.You can change in there.Keep your belongings etc.And you had your day on the beach.They lo...

Another great day.Safely back in Lisbon.Farewell dinner.Great night.Said goodbye again to people I had never met 12 days ago.I had thought that when someone stood up and made a speech to thank Tiago and Manuel (our driver) at the Farewell Dinner tonight that I would say a few words as well.So I am enjoying the dinner.Coffee time comes.Tiago and Manuel are sitting slightly separate to us on a table for two.No one was making any move to start speeches ...So I thoug...