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Musical Chairs in the Geriatric Ward

Early Monday morning Jackie and I checked out of the hotel, and took the Metro, then a bus, to the airport. After a healthy and simple breakfast, we spotted a McDonald's, and in our tired stupor we decided that McFlurries were in order. So McFlurries were had. I will unabashedly admit that our morning has never been so full of smiles! Ice cream and Peanut M&Ms are quite the dynamic duo, a hard combo to beat.

Our flight (which we get on at "last call" because we had been calmly waiting at the wrong gate until we realized our mistake) seemed to last 10 minutes. Getting off the plane, Jackie said she was happy we had only one bus ride to take, instead of having to endure carrying our bags up more stairs in the Metro. We got our bags, found the bus stop, and marveled that we were really in Portugal, a country that, frankly, neither of us knew much about.

The bus arrived and we stored our bags and found poles to grasp. The bus was already full when we boarded it, but it got packed. Before long, it felt like we were in the geriatric ward of a hospital, an overflowing one at that. Jackie and I played a bit of musical chairs, occasionally sitting down only to give up our seats again moments later. Then we played nurse, helping lift an old man out of his seat and situate him with his walking crutches. Then more musical chairs, and then eventually we got off at a stop, the last stop, the wrong stop. The bus driver begrudgingly pointed us in the right direction, and we started off on the narrow cobblestone streets.

— Zoe

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You are reading "Musical Chairs in the Geriatric Ward", an entry posted on 18 July 2009 by Jackie Steves.

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Comments [ top ]

What was the number of that bus, Zoe? I could use a nurse AND a purse. Sounds like you are now in Lisboa? No advice or suggestions to give you except if you walk thru Alfama, be alert as the husbands and wives occasionally have screaming matches with each other on the street and the beggars (at least the one on crutches we encountered at the overview above Alfama)can be aggressive. Ah, and if you happen to walk by the Hotel fluorescente, give my regards to the Smoking Pumpkins who perform just across the street about 1 am.

Posted by: bk - Jul 18, 2009 12:03 PM

What was the number of that bus, Zoe? I could use a nurse AND a purse. Sounds like you are now in Lisboa? No advice or suggestions to give you except if you walk thru Alfama, be alert as the husbands and wives occasionally have screaming matches with each other on the street and the beggars (at least the one on crutches we encountered at the overview above Alfama)can be aggressive. Ah, and if you happen to walk by the Hotel fluorescente, give my regards to the Smoking Pumpkins who perform just across the street about 1 am.

Posted by: bk - Jul 18, 2009 12:04 PM

Wow... off to Portugal. What an adventure you girls are on. I check this blog like a hit TV show. It's awesome what you are doing. Good luck in Portugal!!!

Posted by: Skottoman - Jul 18, 2009 9:41 PM

And don't miss the Gulbenkion Museum in Lisboa. My wife and I enjoyed it very much. Aside from the stunning, well lit exhibits containing artifacts 3-4 thousand years old, the Gulbenkion is serene,well managed and uncrowded. There are two buildings about a block apart each containing different treasures. I thought it was the best thing in Lisboa and better than the Prado, the Louvre, MOMA in NYC and the National Art Museum in Washington, DC. But each to his own. Enjoy the rest of your trip. I'm retiring from blogging. Bill Kester

Posted by: Bill Kester - Jul 19, 2009 3:54 AM

In Lisbon, don't miss 1) The "institute of Port" and 2) the nightlife down under the major bridge.

Posted by: Bob K - Jul 19, 2009 8:33 AM

Welcome to Portugal, girls! Have fun.

Posted by: Donna - Jul 19, 2009 11:31 AM

mcflurries? MCFLURRIES??? are you kidding me? you are in europe, home of the best food ever and you're eating mcflurries??? haha i kid, i kid. honestly, if i were in your shoes i would have likely succumbed to the lure of mickey d's long before you ladies. on a different and slightly less appropriate note, it's not totally fair of you to talk about playing nurse and then not provide any pictures. enjoy lisbon and thanks for the fascinating blog! i want a mcflurry.

Posted by: RudyTown - Jul 20, 2009 7:10 AM

A few comments here. Lisbon is my fave city in all of Europe. Well, that or Paris or Budapest but it really is a great place. I had so much fun there. Went to a mall there, saw a movie at the theatre, port is DELICIOUS and I would drink it every day, and the city and culture of Lisbon is so unique. As for McD's, it's a great break in a trip to go there. I have mentioned on here before that I met a girl in a non touristy part of Paris at McD's, spent the day hanging out with her and seeing things in Paris I would have never seen on my own. There can be an adventure behind every door. No, I am not pushing McD's at all. As a matter of fact, I have not eaten at a McD's here in the US in years. You should never eat there every day but after traveling for a while and eating foreign foods, it's a nice break and you never know what you will find.

Posted by: Jeremy B - Jul 20, 2009 3:29 PM