Coimbra & Lisbon - Sue and Rose get into trouble

Despite the rain the day starts off well. The train trip to Lisbon is uneventful but finding accommodation when we arrive proves to be a bit tricky. I think we had all been expecting to just hop off the train and have offers of fabulous accommodation presented to us. But no it is a holiday weekend in Spain and Brazil, which has bought lots of tourists to Lisbon and just about everything is booked out. The tourist office manages to find us accommodation a little way out of town near Campo Pequno metro station. It is very expensive and a bit souless and as Sue says "We could be in Melbourne."


It is still raining and we are all a bit depressed. We have piles of dirty washing and Alan and I head out to find a laundromat. Sue and Rose go off towards town to look at alternative accommodation.


Alan and I return even more depressed - no laundromat. Sue and Rose return glad to be alive. Their little outing attracts a police force (well 8 policemen) and a fire brigade after they get trapped in a very small lift with two young spaniards.

We all need to retire to our rooms to be glum for a while before going out for dinner to a restaurant recommended by the hotel receptionist. We trudge up the street in the pouring rain to find Restaurant oFunil. It is a bit glam (Michelin rated) and we are all still in our dirty and wet clothes. The restaurant ends up being a fabulous end to an otherwise bad day.


Over to Sue:


"We go straight into the main course. I spy duck breast on the menu and decide to go with this, as does Lee. The breast is quite rare, sliced and glazed with a cream balsamic sauce and served with an aubergine gratin. It doesn't disappoint us. Alan and Rose choose lamb cutlets served on a bed of cornmeal crumbs with asparagus and a mint jus. They too are very happy. We wash the excellent meal down with a bottle of red, a Vila Regia 2007 from the Douro region. Alan has the white from the same vineyard. Dessert is equally as splendid. Rose and Alan's chocolate mousse is served with an orange sauce and cat's tongue wafers. I take a risk and choose a ricotto cheese with sweet pumpkin sauce, which is seasoned with nutmeg. It is delicious. Lee airs on the safe side with a creme brulee. We finish the excellent meal with coffee. The service is extremely attentive and the whole meal comes to 94 euros."

Longing to do our washing