Each time I have a city break it turns out to be a walking holiday. This morning I decided to visit the beach at Carcavelos, about 10 minutes due south of here. It is February, yet many surfers were out in their wet suits, others were jogging on the sandy beach or along the concrete promenade below the main coast road.
A City On A Hill Cannot Be Hid
I Had A Ticket To Ride
So, today I learned a) how to buy a train ticket, b) how to ride the train, c) how to buy a metro ticket, d) how to change lines on the Lisbon metro, e) how to ask directions. The last item was the most frequent because f) I didn’t learn how to read the Lisbon tourist map. As they say in Welsh, I was just twp.
In Lisbon They Do Big
The walk from the plane to immigration yesterday felt very much like being imprisoned in a long twisted high corridor with all sight of external things shut off by patterned glass and drawn curtains. It wasn’t a good first impression, but it was big – as were all the public spaces I saw in the airport.
Lisbon
A first – I am in Lisbon, Portugal. Flying out from London Gatwick on Easyjet was fine, though their policy of “free-fight for seats” reveals interesting aspects of human nature, especially mine.
The promised taxi driver was waiting, my suitcase was in good order, so we drove out to where
Ain’t Going Nowhere, No How, No Way
Snow, December, Worthing, south coast of England, a little enclave sheltered from the harsher weather on the northern side of the Downs. Except this year this town was suddenly under 10-12 inches of snow. Most came down through the night, down straight enough to form vertical edges on roofs, garden furniture and even telephone lines. Then came a night and day of rain that washed all of it away. Now the temperatures are very low and frost makes things white again.
Not a time for travelling, as many have found across the U.K. and Europe. So, no way do I travel far these days.
7 December 2010