Overnight at Pinchoa, I think the spelling is correct but it doesnt matter because Portuguese pronunciation is full of hard sounds, eow, tricks and traps. As long as I have my 2 words and then expresso and nata (those delicious Portuguese custard tarts) I will be OK.
Again the Burcher muesli was absent at breakfast so I had to make do with orange juice and sparkling wine. Well after 2 of those I was over it but evidently someone with more influence than me must have asked for some because muesli suddenly appeared. So after 2 sparkling, some muesli, a pancake, 2 small croissants and coffee it was time to make Lee her breakfast. I thought she may like a sparkling start to her day as well and because I knew she wouldnt want to drink alone I made myself one as well. Wrong she didnt even want to look at one! So after 4 champagne cocktails for breakfast I was well and truly ready for our early tour to the Mateus Palace. Fascinating place, the family obviously has a relationship with the wine label but the palace no longer does. Out the
back they still pick grapes and the crates still bear their name but not much more happens there. The palace is a grand house filled with arti facts from all around the world. I thoroughly enjoyed the house and tour which was liberally punctuated with facts and statistics. Lee loved the gardens which were intricately trimmed to within an inch of their lives. There are a couple of shots of someones topiary work and apparently they even have curved ladders to assist them but I couldnt find anyone who knew where they were. The excursion was about 3 hours or so which is perfect and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
Back for lunch and an explanation of the embarkation process. No surprises especially for us as we need to be going just prior to 9 oclock. Some dont fly out until 8 oclock that evening so their arrangements are a little more complex.
Theres nothing on the daily bulletin about this afternoon so the pace on board is even more cruisee than usual. Evening sees cocktails so Ill have to wear my good but as long as I have my snazzy paisley pants it wont matter what else I
mast has just been lowered and the upper deck shade put down but we are permitted to stay as long as we are seated or reclining. Strange as at the moment there are more people on deck than Ive seen at any other time despite the fact its a little cloudy and again a little windy. The rail line has had a steam train doing a run. I think because its Sunday it runs.
Just heard that in an hour or so its also tea time in the lounge. Not exactly sure what that means but Ill bet you theres food involved. The cruise director announced yesterday that there had about the laundry service. Well everyone was quite aghast thinking the staff do a great job here until she went on to say that people their clothes were shrinking. The laundry service for us is washing undies in the shower and hanging them on our window sill. We may be OK soon as we have more pairs of undies than days left.
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