March 2024. Lisbon.
Just back from a great week in Portugal which means a) hundreds of holiday snaps, b) blog views will fall by a third, c) loads of words will miss the lttr “e”.
What’s been happening while I’ve been away ? As we left Lisbon last night,
just after I had to switch to Aeroplane mode, Luton were 3-0 up at Bournemouth and about to jump out of the relegation places, and Princess Kate’s support for Swale CAMRA’s motion for oversized glasses had been sensationally withdrawn or something.
Our trip starts last Wednesday evening at lovely Luton Mid Stay car park,
which has been moved 350 yards west due to the minor obliteration of the Short Stay last October.
One consequence of that inferno is that the electronic number plate readers (along with ruinous spiders) have been temporarily removed. If I’d known that in advance I wouldn’t have been so stressed about arriving at Luton two (2) hours before my booked slot,. even after the e-mail confirming a 2 hour grace period (but both ends ?). Approaching middle age I seem to get anxious about smaller things. Discuss.
Anyway, Portugal, an unsung country of 10 million west of Spain which punches above its weight in football and sardines, a potent combination.
Our first visit since 1998, a time when booking old-fashioned hotels meant making dozens of international calls. And people say the internet is A Bad Thing.
A fifth flight in a year with Hungarian cheapos Wizz Air,
who seem to charge you £20 to fly anywhere in Europe, unless you’re a football fan whose fixture at Benfica was only confirmed a month ago, which means Rangers fans were obliged to shell out ten times that for the privilege of sitting next to Mrs RM and a further £30 for their in-flight entertainment (whisky).
Mrs RM enjoyed telling the Glaswegians how little we’d paid for the flights, and our overnight room at the Star Inn 2 minutes walk from the arrivals lounge was also a good deal. Mainly because of the free biscuits, can of Sagres and three (3) pillows.
Ooh, John Wayne. Any excuse…
retiredmartin 
Been to Portugal, loved it, the people are so friendly.
When Mrs B had her Cake Empire, she was commissioned to make a dirty great cake for Wizz Air to celebrate them starting to fly out of Bristol Airport. Got paid handsomely for it.
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Wizz Air have been great for us (so far). Efficient, comfortable, cheap.
And Portugal was great.
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I’ve followed Luton Town for many years, but this season I’ve only seen them play live once. I’ve seen TV feeds in the pub, I’ve followed them in the Guardian (newspaper and online text service) and the BBC on both radio (when allowed) and text – sometimes on my phone while watching a grass roots game.
But I’ve never before had to read Martin’s blog to find out the result.
Go on, what happened in the second half?
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In the second half? Nothing, nothing at all.
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Phew.
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You were grass roots last season weren’t you, Will. Now it’s all Tiki Taka and VAR.
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We sailed into Lisbon on the wings of a storm, last October. It was our final port of call, on last autumn’s Mediterranean cruise, and the weather was still blowing a gale when we left the ship. Somewhat different to my first visit, back in 1970, although I also arrived in the city by boat.
Nice place and nice people, and worthy of a longer stay, as long as it’s stopped raining.
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I remember that post now Paul !
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I prefer Porto. But not port, obvs.
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Porto was great, but not quite my favourite of the 4 cities we visited.
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I prefer it to Lisbon, I haven’t been anywhere else. The Alentejo region would be next on my list.
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