Portugal – January 1997

In January 1997, Joe Begue and I went to the UK for a few days, Finland for a few days and then went to Lisbon, Portugal.  We went from Helsinki to Frankfurt but our next flight leg was cancelled because the plane crew did not show up.  After waiting 4 hours, we were told the flight was cancelled and that we were on our own.  Joe’s luggage did not show up and he had to put in a notice for that.

We then found a flight to Portugal on Air Portugal whose planes have a picture of a chicken or rooster on them.  Chickens do not seem to fly very far!

We made it there and got to do sightseeing around Lisbon.  We drank a lot of Port wine and had dinner one night in a Gastronomia – they butchered, sold and cooked the meat in one store.  Had hundreds of hams and sausages hanging from the roof and walls.  Dinner does not start until 9 or 10.

A highlight of the trip was drinking in the Officer’s Mess of the Portuguese Army.  They started us drinking at about 10 am and presented each of us with a big medallion coin.