Late last Thursday night Abby and Rob and girls arrived from Lisbon. We were waiting and parked our car on the street so that they would have a parking place as they are hard to find late at night. I heard them coming as their loud kid voices echoed up the halls of our building. I was greeted by a huge smile from GG and hugs all around. We got everyone settled for the night in two bedrooms and they settled right down. I bought slippers for all the girls and Abby and they thought it was a nice jesture until they walked across the tile floor barefooted. They were a necessity. GG kept hers on all the time. She even learned that the little doggies had to be looking at each other to be on the right feet.
We had a wonderful week despite dads ˋGPS from hell´ We visited Loulé castle and the outdoor market. We went to two flea markets (Gypsey Market) We visited the beach and one day it was a bit cold and the other it was warm. We went on a long boat ride up the coast of Portugal and took a small boat into some sea caves. Dad and Rob and Ava and Charlotte took a jeep ride up to see the cork trees and various other flora and fauna. They had lunch there andwere taught lots of interesting facts. meanwhile, Abby and I went shopping for our newest family member Brynn (or Brynnlee not positive which it is) Anyway we shopped all the cute little shops in Loulé as I wanted to send something back with Abby so Tara will get it sooner than the Portuguese Post office thinks is prudent. Then we packed and went to Lisbon to stay in a house owned by the new Presidente of the District. It was a nice house but like all portuguese homes it was very cold. But we only slept there. We took a double deck bus around the city and then a tram up to the castle. Can I just say the view was spectacular - there is sometinng about looking down on rooftops with water in the distance. Our visit was not without some real adventures: We got all ready to take the jeep adventure walked to the market to be picked up by the company and when they were late we didn´t think too much of it cause it is Portugal and they are always late. But finally we called and found out we were two days early and that was the day we took the boat trip. So we went early to the beach ,since we were all ready, to play on the beach before the trip. We had lunch at a cafe right on the beach and went back to drive to the boat but Robs car wouldn´t start. Phone calls, phone calls. Finally the boat company sent a van to pick us up cause seven of us couldn´t fit in our car. At the end of the day the Rental company towed Robs car and he went with them to get a new one. And told him if it was his fault he would have to pay for it.
The day we went to the flea market Abby looked up a good restaurant with great reviews right on the beach. We drove and drove and the road kept getting more and more like a farm road but we finally found it. Closed for the Winter. On our Lisbon trip our GPS took us to a storage facility and had us driving around and around four long lines of buildings. So Rob and Abby looked the address up on Google Maps. The roads were rough with lots of narrow streets and didn´t look anything like a gated community but Portugal is kind of like that so we kept driving and finally we came to the end of a farmers road, wet, and not much space to turn around. Dad had a flashlight so we found where the dropoff was and they guided each other and pushed each others cars until we got out of there and Dad called Presidente Silva in Norway and he guided Abby to the house. Whew. Last adventure of the week was Dad getting pick pocketed. We were waiting for thge tram and dad walked away from me to read a sign. He had buttoned his back pocket for safety. People behind me started pushing and someone handed dad his coinpurse (front pocket) then a few minutes later someone handed him his wallet and told him he dropped it. Dad carries his money in his money clip which the coin purse was on top of whew! And none of his credit cards or anythingwas missing from his wallet. They were so slick. I was watching and he was being careful but we got distracted by the coin purse and they were able to unbutton his pocket and get his wallet with me standing behind him. When we got on the bus there was a sign that said "Beware of Pick pockets"
When we got home dadgot out his travel pouch that you wear aroundyour neck and said next timeheis goingto sew a fake wallet into his pants and punch anyone who tries to get it.
Weºre sure going to miss those little munchkins and especially Abby and Rob but we will be forever grateful we had them to fill our hearts again. Now we will probably be able to make it the rest of the time. But anyone else who wants to could visit. No hotels All the rice and beans you can eat. just sayin´
