Travel Tips

After my return to Portugal I posted a VT meet in the forum. 5-6 were supposed to appear but... you know... not yet true VT spirit in this corner of the world "where the land ends and the sea begins" ... tere1 comment is more "acidic" than mine (but it's what I think too)
Teresa answered the call -the spirit was in the air, and we had a lip smacking good pizza @ the cozy Pizzaria Pizzarella in Oeiras.
Quem nao esteve, sabe o que perdeu e estara na proxima

Attendees (left to right but there is no way to be wrong... ;-)
me - a2lopes
Teresa - tere1

---

Kitkat was coming to London... and Jenniflower ring the bell... Lots of people from all over come and met and made merry in Pomodorino @ Piccadilly Circus.
We could not chat with everyone so many we were but it was really a Blast Meeting.
Thanks Jen for organising this event. Look forward to the next
Check London21Jan2006's Homepage for details

Attendees (alphabetic)
a2lopes (me :-)
aaaarrgh (Sean)
Acirfa (Donna)
adawn412 (Angela)
alucas (Andrew)
alusru (Ursula)
audrey118 (Audrey)
AussieMadCow (Anita)
Backpackermoose (Elge)
barryg23 (Barry)
Beach_dog (Stace)
Bernishand (Berni)
BluBluBlu (Blu)
BodX (Paul)
bradbrown (Some Guy)
cachaseiro (Claus)
Carmela71 (Carmen)
Dabs (Kristi)
dejavu2gb (Gareth)
Durfun (Darshan)
Fen (Andy)
film (Film)
garry123 (Garry)
GillianMcLaughlin (Gillian)
gingerbird (Carol)
grets (Grete)
haldane (Kay)
hanoun (Hanan)
huggy93 (Huggy)
iris2002 (Iris)
Jenniflower (Jen)
Jessica-b (Jessica)
jetsetterforever
Jo104 (Jo)
JulesH (Julia)
Kaspian (Edward)
keida84 (Kat)
KristaB (Kristina)
Krumlovgirl (Rebecca)
littlesam (Larry)
Lyndahall (Lynda)
Manyana (Amani)
Mariajoy (Maria)
mittnic (Johannes)
mustertal (Margaret)
nhcram (Natalie)
PetraE (Petra)
poons (June)
poupeeAztec (Lizzeth)
Razmatac (Rasmus)
RhineRoll (Winfried)
ricky52 (Ricky )
romina78 (Romina)
RonDace (Ron)
sourbugger (Lord LS)
St_Vincent (Clive)
Stephanie (Stephanie, VT mum)
sue_stone (Sue)
Suet (Sue)
sun-spot (Josie)
TravellingSpirit (Gillian )
vivalasteph (Stephanie)
Waalewiener (Hansi)
Willettsworld (Glyn)
zuriga (June)

---

Back to more "human" scale VT Meetings.
Audrey was visiting Portugal and Josie (which we meet the week before in London) joined for a VT Meeting. Then some habitue and some new Lisbon area VTeers joined and the night was nicely spent.
I wanted them to taste something different from the "usual" bacalhau or sardinhas so decided to go to Alverca Palace aka Casa do Alentejo.
Alverca Palace aka Casa do Alentejo, (Rua das Portas de Santo Antao, 58, Lisboa, close to the Coliseum), is a nice 17th century old palace downtown Lisbon where the food choices are good, and has a "typical" Moorish ambience.
The patio is very nice especially in the summer afternoon.

I think they cherished the short stay in this beautiful country.

Attendees (left to right)
Josie - sun-spot
Andy (Josie's guest)
Chia - (Audrey's guest)
Audrey - audrey118
Teresa - tere1
me - a2lopes
Joao - soulfisher
Xiuling - gone_with_wind

---

Some more "human" scale VT Meetings.
Holger (horscheck) was visiting Portugal in transit to the big Marbella event -the 2nd European VT Meeting.
The day was fantastic (+28ºC...end of April ;-) so I suggest Sabores a Bacalhau (literally Codfish Taste) Restaurant in Parque das Nações ...you can guess why... a choice of +20 different dishes made out of the same fish...(we say in Portugal we have 1001 ways of cooking codfish... so you have to come back Holger. There is 999 more to do ;-)
Time to chat, time to eat end repeat - it was worth...

just in case you need...
Sabores a Bacalhau (Phone +351 218 957 290) is located in Rua da Pimenta - Parque das Nações, close to Vasco da Gama Tower and close to several nice restaurants and bars. A good one to start with a gin tonic is Peter Caf¨¦ Sport, a replica of the famous bar in Faial with the same name.

Attendees (left to right)
me - a2lopes
Holger - horscheck

---

Carmela71 and Beach_dog offered to organise a Euro VT Meeeting in Marbella.
Everything was planned in advance and from Flight Information, Hotels,
Rent a car, Transfers, Buses from airport, Organised Meals and meeting point maps they were indefatigable ....
They even planned the 5th Marbella International Jazz Festival to happen at the same time HAHAHA
Gracias por todo spanish friends.

Check 2nd European VT Meeting Marbella 2006 Homepage for details

Attendees (alphabetic)
a2lopes (Antonio)
alucas (Andrew)
alusru (Ursula)
balfor (Chris)
Beach_dog (Stace)
Bernd_L (Bernd)
cachaseiro (Claus)
Carmela71 (Carmen)
Chrishc (Chris)
Co48 (Co)
Dabs (Kristi)
DAO (DAO)
dila (Diana)
Durfun (Darshan)
eden_teuling (Elizabeth)
elucas (Liz)
Geisha_Girl (Rochelle)
GillianMcLaughlin (Gillian)
haldane (Kay)
hanoun (Hanan)
HORSCHECK (Holger)
Hosell (Manuell)
Igraine (Ingrid)
inguuna (Inguuna)
JessicaB (Jessica)
Kaspian (Edward)
Keida84 (Kat)
Kristara (Janet)
Krumlovgirl (Rebecca)
lina112 (Lina)
LoriPori (Lori)
Mahieu (Els)
manyana (Amani)
MATIM (Ise)
myfanwe (Vicky)
nhcram (Natalie)
Pakistaniguy (Umer)
poons (June)
rebibi (Elisabeth)
ricky52 (Ricky)
saccharinicity (Renee)
sachara (Ali)
salsa_girl (Sandra)
sandysmith (Sandy)
Senoritasmile (Kerry)
sinequanon (Galatea)
SirRichard (Joaquin)
Stephanie (Stephanie)
Suet (Sue)
TravellingSpirit (Gillian)
VincentJJ (Vincent)
Vondutch (Maaike)
Waalewiener (Hansi)
Willy_wonka (Anna)
zweiblumen (Steve)

Willing for next Euro VT Meeting.... Greece 2007

---

My friend Darshan (id Durfun) which I meet the week before in Marbella was traveling in Portugal, and was coming to Lisbon.
So it was nice to gather again around the table and chat for a while.
I sugested Arco do Castelo Restaurant. A small restaurant inside Castelo S. Jorge walls (just across from ramp leading into the castle close to the main entrance), where the taste and aroma of good Goan food are preserved -specialities Dog-fish Ambotic, Stuffed or Curry Prawn, Chicken or Lamb Chacuti, Vindalho, Balchão or Sarapatel.
And the view from the castle is fantastic -downtown Lisbon, Tejo river and the surroundings. And I assure you -the sun setting is great from there.

Attendees (left to right)
Dahyabhai (Darshan's guest)
Darshan - durfun
me - a2lopes

---

Oeiras Festivities (around June 7th) always have moments of music, amusement and traditional Portuguese food...
Me and some of my colleagues since long time ago we always assembled around the table in Oeiras Gardens on this day to eat something very popular in Portugal in these hot almost summer days -sardines with boiled potatoes fresh tomatoes, lettuce, grilled green peppers, cucumber and chopped onions all dressed with olive oil and vinegar (yummy). Along with nice bread and goat cheese, olives... and of course drink some really refreshing sangria.
This year we gather also with some local VTeers. Cheers.

Attendees (left to right)
Xiuling - gone_with_wind
Teresa - tere1
Rute (guest)
Carla (guest)
Filipe (guest)
me - a2lopes

---

After spending 5 years in Portugal my friend Xiuling (gone_with_wind) went back to her homeland after her assignment.
So we proposed to organize a farewell dinner around Oeiras so that she could cherish our gesture after her stay in this beautiful country.
But she managed to do it in another way - because it was coinciding with her birthday she offered to cock some Chinese traditional dishes for us. We couldn't resist.
Xie xie Xiuling and have a pleasant and safe return to China.

Attendees (left to right)
Teresa - tere1
Xiuling - gone_with_wind
me - a2lopes
(other friends joined us but out of VT)

---