Monday, September 30, 2024 After enjoying a hearty breakfast at the hotel buffet, we met up with John and Nancy, along with our fellow Smithsonian Journey adventurers, in the hotel lobby. We then boarded a large, modern tour bus parked alongside the hotel. Jane and I quickly claimed the front […]

Sunday, September 29, 2024 Today, our Smithsonian Journeys tour, Portrait of Portugal, began. After a lovely Dom Pedro breakfast buffet, we 43 tourers met in the lobby and then, were bused to our first stop, the Jeronimos (or Hieronymites) Monastery near the Tagus River. This 16th century monastery was orginally

Saturday, September 28, 2024 Nancy and John had arranged this morning’s activity before our departure from the U.S., a food tour of Libson organized by Devour Tours. We were eager to participate by walking around several Lisbon neighborhoods and sampling victuals at seven local family-owned eateries while also devouring a

Friday, September 27, 2024 Nancy had arranged today’s adventure before departing the U.S., a visit to the town of Evora with a stop at a cork production facility along the way. While preparing to leave, Jane and I enjoyed a nice morning view of Lisbon from our room window and

Thursday, September 26, 2024 Today, we left Madrid for Lisbon, Portugal. We woke up early, tidied up the apartment, and John arranged for a Bolt ride that picked us up on the Santa de Ana Plaza and took us to Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD). The traffic was heavy but we arrived

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Today, we ventured from Madrid to the popular town of Segovia via public transportation. We started by walking to the nearest metro station, Sol, where John purchased tickets via a kiosk. An attendant helped him purchase a discounted package of 10 tickets (we used four each

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 This morning, after having issues trying to purchase tickets online for the Prado Musuem (Museo Nacional del Prado), we decided to just walk there (about 12 mintues) to purchase tickets. At the ticket office window, I decided to purchase a “guide book” with my ticket. It

Monday, September 23, 2024 This morning was the first unregimented day of our trip so we slept relatively late and relaxed with coffee and a leisurely breakfast while we enjoyed the nice rental apartment and the sounds and sights from the plaza below us. John and Nancy had arranged to

Sunday, September 22, 2024 This morning, our phone alarm clocks jolted us from a deep sleep at 4 am. We scrambled around showering, dressing, and doing our final packing in order to leave our packed luggage in the hallway outside our room at 4:45 am for pickup.  We proceeded to

Saturday, September 21, 2024 Today was a busy last day of our stay in Basque country. Our tour bus departed for the hour-long southwesterly trip to Tolosa at 8:30 am. After disembarking in Tolosa, we walked across Oria River on a bridge to meet our local guide in front of

Friday, September 20, 2024 This morning our tour bus left for the 1.5-hour ride to Pamplona at 8:30 am. The ride started through mountainous terrain of the Pyrenees and after entering the province and Chartered Community of Navarre, we made a quick stop. Because the skies were overcast and a

Thursday, September 19, 2024 After breakfast today, our bus departed at 8:30 am. Charles, the guide who led us through French Basque country during our previous visit, joined us and narrated for the hour-long ride to our first stop. After entering France and riding along the coast for awhile, we

Wednesday, September 18 2024 This morning, after our buffet breakfast in the Parador restaurant, the tour group met in Arma Plaza and walked (or took the elevator) down the hill to board the bus for an 8:30 am departure.  Mustering for Departure Once we disembarked from the 1.5-hour ride to

Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Today, after a nice buffet breakfast in the Parador restaurant, with passports in hand, we headed to the bus. Rather than taking the elevator with the full tour group, our group of four walked down a ramp and stairs to the street below. King John peruses

Monday, September 16, 2024 This morning after a buffet breakfast, the tour group gathered around the long table in the Social Salon where Cameron (Dr. Watson) gave a presentation entitled The Land of Basque in Space and Time. Cameron introduced his lecture by provokingly stating that “Basque is a country