Day in North of Portugal

We had a large breakfast at our hotel, Pousada de Santa Marinha, a former monastery founded in 1154, beautifully restored and maintained through the years, and with large scenes of azulejos.  We walked around the gardens, full of camelia trees in full bloom!  We set off for the day by 9:30 a.m.

We visited Bom Jesus, a hilltop pilgrimage site with a double staircase of 1000 steps built in the 18th century. Bom Jesus is surrounded by a large well manicured park, with sculptures, 

fountains and more blooming camelias.

We drove to Ponte de Lima, on the Lima River, which is spanned by a Roman bridge with 27 arches.  We had lunch at Ponte de Lima and wandered the narrow winding streets of the village. 

We drove along the Lima River, on to Viana do Castelo, a small city at the mouth of the Lima River, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.  The Praca da Republica is considered one of Portugal's most handsome squares, with it's Chafariz Fountain.  We walked around the city 

until the breeze chased us away.  It got chilly!

Our last stop of the day was in the historic center of Guimaraes, the city where we are staying for two nights.  We parked near the 10th century Castle of Guimaraes, then walked around the Palace dos Duques, built in the 15th century and today the designated home of the President of Portugal.  Guimaraes is beautifully layed out around various town squares, 

with historic convents and churches, landscaped with blooming flowers. 

Back to our hotel by 7:30 p.m. and a yummy dinner.  A good day in the north of Portugal!

Two Very Long Travel Days

Papa and I got up before 4 a.m. on Tuesday and got to the airport for our 6:55 a.m. flight.  We were tipped off that the day may not go as planned after everyone boarded the plane.  The pilot came on the intercom and said there would be a delay while mechanics added oil to the engine after draining it the night before!  We took off a half hour late, then arrived in Chicago without further incident.  When we got to Chicago, American Airlines representatives informed all passengers that their computer system was down worldwide, so all flights were delayed.  I found flights on Iberia that would have gotten us to our destination earlier, but we opted to stay with American when they announced that our flight to Duesseldorf would depart on time. 

We arrived in Duesseldorf, Germany at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and flew to Palma de Mallorca a couple of hours later.  Once in Mallorca, we went to our gate and waited and waited while departure time came and went.  Air Berlin cancelled our flight to Porto, and said all passengers could wait for the flight the next day, but they would not provide overnight accommodations nor meals.  I ran to the Air Berlin desk and was successful in rebooking on Vueling Airlines, first a flight to Barcelona, then a flight to Lisbon.  I cancelled our car reservation in Porto, Portugal and reserved a car in Lisbon.  We arrived in Lisbon at 9 p.m., 6 hours later than our original reservations would have gotten us to Porto.  We rented a car and were on the road north by 9:30 p.m.  We arrived at our hotel at 2 a.m.!  We were greeted at Pousada de Santa Marinha in Guimaraes, Portugal, by Miguel, with a smile.  So happy to have arrived safely!

Two Days at the Ranch before Leaving Again

I returned to Tucson late on Friday afternoon after our girls weekend in New Jersey, stayed overnight in Tucson, then drove back to the ranch on Saturday afternoon.  Papa was happy to have me home!  The ranch this spring is dry, but warm and beautiful. 

We spent two days packing and taking care of small details.  We'll go to Tucson today and will fly out very early tomorrow morning, to Portugal for 17 days.  We visited Portugal in early January 1994 and vowed to return.  We hope to see much of the country from North to South, plus we are flying to the island of Madeira for three days.   

My Hat

While in Princeton, I bought a new hat.  If you've visited the ranch, you know that I need a new hat!  Colby found my hat and had fun with it.  He was a happy kid with my hat!

Girls Weekend

On April 4, I flew to New Jersey, with sister in law, Mary.  We met my Mom, Audrey, and Lauren at Newark airport and drove to Princeton.  Whitney and Greta met us for dinner and Claire arrived later that night, with Emerson and Colby.  We spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday hanging out together.  We sang "Happy Birthday" over and over.  We threw an early surprise 30th birthday party for Claire and Whitney.  We played ring around the rosie in the yard, over and over and over.  We walked on Princeton's campus, ate lots of croissants from a local bakery, roasted marshmallows and made s'mores, and enjoyed the time with each other.  We stayed in a home built in the 1860's, 

on 2 acres of land, conveniently located, and perfect for our gathering. 

Spring Flowers in Tucson

Papa and I have been in Tucson for a couple of days before I leave for my annual girls weekend, 

this year in New Jersey.  Spring has come to Tucson, with flowers blooming all over.  

I took these photos while on a walk in our neighborhood.

More Spring Flowers

As the air has warmed, there are more spring flowers on the ranch.  

Natural Bridge Discovery

Papa and I hiked yesterday morning, on the far eastern side of the ranch.  It was a perfect morning, temp about 70, no wind, and no clouds.  We sat down on a rock to catch our breath and I saw a natural bridge we had not noticed before, up near the top of the mountain.  Finding natural bridges is always a treat!

Sunrise Under the Moon

This photo was taken at 6:22, as the moon was setting and the sun was rising, casting light on the mountains.  A beautiful morning!

New Backpack for Claire

While Claire was visiting last month, she asked Papa to make her a backpack.  We shopped at a leather store in Tucson, but ultimately had leather at the ranch that Papa used.  We hope she likes it!