Lisbon, Cascais & on to Skylark

I reached Lisbon after a short 2 our flight from Heathrow, early in the morning. It was really grand to have had Bern and David send me off so early, especially with the heavy big luggages to lug. I decided to leave my heavier warmer clothing with Bern now that the weather forecast predicts a MUCH warmer change.

Arrival in Lisbon with a greeting from the Immigration officer asking me where I intended to stay. I had no address save for the Marina at Cascais! I explained that I was not intending to stay long as I have a beautiful boat waiting to sail me off to the Med. She finally got the idea that I will be staying on a boat, and hence no address save for the Marina at Cascais.

I immediately went to the trainstation at Lisbon to meet Stephen and Ed. 

A cab ride and a quick drive through the town of Lisbon "don't impress me much".. or so goes the song by Shania Twain. The 25 minutes drive didnot reveal any landmark architecture or object which made me go WOW! or SIGH! I can make this critique and say I am a proud Malaysian... thanks Dr M for KLIA, KLCC, highest flagpole etc.

(Later in 2 days I revisited Lisbon and more of the city in the next blog or so and I had a change of heart).

I met up with the 2 distinguished gentlemen (Stephen & Ed) easily (how many Chinese man with an American man could there be in the trainstain in Lisbon?). They being brought up from a different era, quickly assisted me with my heavy luggage (without any murmur on the size and weight of the accompaniment!). That's why I really adore older men!

The train ride to Cascais was great! Euro3 for one way. The train line ran alongside the coast, and what a view! Blue skies, blue seas and distant sails! I have to pinch myself!

The Marina is within walking distance to the trainstation. It's a very pretty marina with wonderful facilities.
And the yacht Skylark was breathtaking, What a beauty! More later.

London 1st day

Before heading to Lisbon to board Skylark, I have a stopover in London for a few days. MAS flight was delayed for a good 3 hours due to a technical malfunction, and I didn't get to sleep the night the before... that was the start of my holidays. As a friend said, it's a good start - angels watching over me... it could be worse, the flight could have had technical malfunction midflight!

My poor "Aunty Bern" was rather worried - especially when she could not get me on the phone (yes, the battery went flat on arrival).  And the queue at the immigration was unusually long. Took about an hour to clear , by which time I was being paged by information! :-)

Anyways, I am all settled - it has been 2 days - very sunny! I brought the Malaysian sun over to supposedly "wet and cold" London. The first day here (2 Aug) was spent having a lovely Sunday visit to Karl Marx and Douglas Adams and made aquaintance with a few other very interesting characters.