Sunday 10 May 2026

Lisbon

The new Lisbon cruiseport is very close to the center of the city, and it takes only about 10 minutes to drive to the VIP Executive Eden Aparthotel on the Praça dos Restauradores, one of several inter-connected large open squares. It is much too early to check in for my free night (again, thanks to American Airlines miles), but I am able to store my luggage before setting out to enjoy my one day here.

The hotel, pictured above, originally opened as a movie theatre in 1937, its art-deco design created by Cassiano Branco and others. The cinema closed in 1989. The interior was completely gutted in 1995, when construction of the new hotel behind the original facade began.

As you recall, Will and I were here in late November of last year, just before the Seabourn Encore began its journey westward across the Atlantic to Bermuda and Miami. The city sprawls across several large hills, but today I remain in the Baixa, the relatively flat center of town.

The extensive Praça dos Restauradores spreads out directly in front of the Eden Hotel (along with other first-clsss hotels), and

leads directly to the Restauradores train station (Falcao e Cunha, 1959).

The upper-level of the station affords a fine view of St George's Castle (11th cent), on a hill above the Aflama historic district.

Just a few steps away from Restauradores is Rossio Square, today the site of a major spring food festival.

Rossio is surrounded on all sides by fancy shops and restaurants; I stop at Nicola for a typical Sunday brunch:

One of Lisbon's chief tourist attractions is also an important part of its transportation system for locals. The Santa Justa elevator (1899), connects the lower Baixa district with the higher ground of Barrio Alta.

Rio Augusta connects Rossio with the Tagus River waterfront. This pedestrians-only thoroughfare is the retail and restaurant center of life in Lisbon. The route ends at the Praça do Comércio, with its grand ceremonial arch.

Before returning to the Eden Hotel to finish preparing for tomorrow's flights to Philadelphia and Phoenix, I stop for dinner at a local Italian restaurant for pizza, salad, and Portuguese beer. As the sky begins to darken--it's almost 10pm--the theatrical lighting of the hotel lights up the Praça dos Restauradores.

Monday 11 May 2026

Lisbon-Philadelphia-Phoenix

Today is a long travel day. Fortunately all the flights are on time and I arrive in Phoenix in the early evening. It is too late to take the shuttle home to Tucson, so I spend the night at the Radisson Phoenix Airport North Hotel. I have been fed so much on the flights that I really don't need dinner before settling in for the night.

My hired car and driver arrive at 7am to take me on the 20-minute ride to the Lisbon Airport, where I arrive with ample time for waiting around. Because the Lisbon Airport needs a major transformation and enlargement, my boarding process is the most interesting part of the trip. My wheelchair attendant gets me through immigration and security very quickly--and no one wants to inspect any of my carry-ons. But the American Airlines plane is parked on the tarmac very far away from the terminal building. Two other wheelchair passengers and I are transferred to a specialized vehicle with a passenger compartment that lifts us up directly to the plane's passenger door, where we are among the last to board. Fortunately my Business Class seat is close to the entrance and there is plenty of room in the overhead compartment for my bag.

The flight is relatively short (Lisbon is at the very west-most point of Europe), just under six hours. Besides the time spent eating the individually-served meal, I manage a three-hour nap in my lie-flat seat. Arriving in Philadelphia just before 2pm, I am whisked through immigration and customs very quickly--in fact, the immigration and customs halls are completely empty except for passengers from my flight, and I am the first one in line. My bags are automatically transferred to my First Class flight to Phoenix, where I am again stuffed with more food.

Tuesday 12 May 2026

Phoenix to Tucson

The hotel's free shuttle gets me to Terminal 4, where I have a reservation on the 11am Groome shuttle to Tucson. The driver is 30 minutes late, with no explanation or apology. In the past the driver would make up lost time with a heavy foot on the gas pedal. But today's driver decides to drive the entire 90-mile trip at least 10 miles below the speed limit, always in the lane with the most bumps and grinds. Needless to say, it is a very uncomfortable drive and we arrive one hour late.

But my friend Anita is there to pick me up for the short ride to Mountain View and my reunion with Will. Tomorrow I will meet all my other friends and begin coming-home chores:  unpacking, sorting and doing laundry, checking finances, etc. 

So this is the final posting from my two-week journey across the Atlantic and return. 

Saturday 9 May 2026

At Sea:  FromTangier to Lisbon

Today is my last full day on board Quest. Although the seas have been a bit rougher than I have experienced on my previous Atlantic crossings, the rocking of the ship has been more an inconvenience than a problem. I don't usually suffer from seasickness, but for the past ten days I have worn my wristbands as a caution against possible nausea.

And most importantly, nothing has interrupted my eating and drinking.

Besides packing and repacking--checking all the drawers, the safe, the walk-in closet, and the shelves in the large bathroom; then re-checking all the drawers, the safe, the walk-in closet, and the shelves in the large bathroom--the highlight of my day is a haircut in the ship's spa and salon.

I enjoy a final martini in the Club Lounge, and two glasses of champagne with dinner in the Restaurant:  coconut-crusted shrimp with pina colada sauce, mesclun salad with endives, veal piccata Milanese and orange soufflé with hot chocolate sauce.

The bar in my suite was supplied with a bottle of Beefeater gin and a bottle of French Champagne at the start of the cruise. I haven't opened either of them, so I decide to stuff the champagne in my suitcase and hope it survives the journey home (it does!).

Suitcases must be placed outside stateroom doors before midnight or passengers will have to carry them off the ship themselves. Everything I need for tonight and tomorrow morning will go in my backpack carry-on. It's lights out at 10pm for me with my alarm set for 6am, when breakfast will be available. All staterooms must be vacated by 8am.

Sunday 10 May 2026

Seabourn Quest Docks in Lisbon

Because the Quest is such a small ship, and because many passengers will be remaining on board for the continuation of the cruise into the Mediterranean, there is no formal disembarkation procedure and no loud announcements. Passengers may leave the ship at their leisure anytime between 7:30 and 9:30am. Since my ride is scheduled for 9:30, I leave the ship at 9. There is a bit of delay at Portuguese immigration (I never did find out why), but I still meet my driver with time to spare.

In the next blog I will provide narrative and photos of my one day in Lisbon.

Friday 8 May 2026

Tangier, Morocco

Here are some photos to go with the previous blog text from Tangier.

Seabourn Quest Prepares to Dock in Tangier Just Before Noon

Cape Spartel Lighthouse at the Northwest Tip of Africa (2015)

]

Cape Spartel, Where the Atlantic Meets the Mediterranean 

Cape Spartel, Where the Atlantic Meets the Mediterranean
 

I Don't Accept the Offered Camel Ride, Since I Had
Already Enjoyed the Bumpy Experience Many Years Ago in Egypt

But I Do Enjoy Getting Close to a Baby Camel

The Mythical Cave Where Hercules Was Punished

(Three Photos Below)

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View of the Harbor and Cruiseport

Lunch at a Local Restaurant

(Four Photos Below)

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Final Stop of the Tour:  Mosque Just Outside Entrance to Cruiseport

Friday 8 May 2026

Tangier, Morocco

This is my third visit to Tangier. The first time I joined a shore excursion that took me along the Rif Mountains to the city of Tetouan, a center of French-Moroccon architecture and the site of a School for the Arts that trains young men and women in traditional crafts and design. The last time, I was on a tour that went to all the scenic highlights of the city, as well as to the nearby town of Azilah. Unfortunately, it rained the whole day and I didn't get to see much of the scenery, although the weather improved when we reached Azilah.

Today the weather is spectularly fine, at last. I had signed up for a bus tour that covers all of the places I missed because of the rain. It turns out, however, that I am the only person on the tour, so I end up in a private van with a personal driver/guide who gives me the deluxe version.

We begin with a long drive through the modern sections of Tangier, beginning with the business and shopping district, where all the streets are lined with the same shops and boutiques one sees in any prosperous modern city. But soon the road climbs rapidly as we approach the neighborhood where wealthy Moroccans and ex-pats have their walled and gated estates. The King has his summer palace here to escape the higher temperatures in Rabat, the national capital.

Farther up, the road comes to a dead end high above the point where the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea meet

--the site of the mythic Pillars of Hercules. There are no pillars here today, but there is a cave associated with the god that one can explore. There is also a lovely lighthouse (designed like a mosque), several restaurants, and spectacular views. When I return to Tucson I will post many photos of the area.

The last part of the tour is the best:  a late lunch in a local restaurant that the guide has chosen. I invite him to join me for the meal, but he excuses himself and leaves me to a humungous amount of Moroccan food, beautifully prepared and elegantly presented. The table is set with several small plates of vegetable appetizers, including a variety of the ubiquitous olives that one finds everywhere in Arabic countries. I start with a Moroccan salad--chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and tomatoes--to which one adds from the various appetizer plates. The main course is chicken tagine, with a large serving of roasted chicken in a hearty sauce. To accompany this I eat lots of delicious fresh-baked bread and drink my new favorite beverage, mint tea (I learned I liked this when Will and I were in Casablanca two years ago). The total cost with generous tip:  $22.

The guide drops me off at the port at 5pm. We arrived in Tangier on schedule at noon and we don't depart until 10pm. The sky is still light, but I'm too full and too tired for more touring, so I head back on board, planning to have a light dinner.

Indeed, after a long welcome nap, I order an excellent cheeseburger and fries from room service, and think about all the things I have to do tomorrow (Saturday) to prepare for disembarkation at 8:45am on Sunday. I have ordered a car to take me to my hotel, located on one of the main squares of central Lisbon. And, of course, I have already made arrangements for a car to the airport early on Monday morning.

Thursday 7 May 2026

Sailing Toward Tangier

The weather has finally taken a turn for the better. The day is still partly cloudy but the temperature has warmed up enough for me to take a few laps around the deck.

Last night’s trivia group dinner was great fun. Eight of us managed to consume large quantities of food and drink. Turned out to be Amanda Pillsbury’s birthday as well. Will and I met her and her husband as we traveled from Rome to Miami last fall. So in addition to my regular dessert (citrus cheesecake with pistachio ice cream), I enjoy a small piece of chocolate birthday cake.

Today begins with blueberry pancakes in the Colonnade and a good long nap afterwards. Lunch involves a tour through the kitchen as we pick out everything we wish to eat. Waiters then take the plates to tables we have selected.

This afternoon I start to think about packing again—which always comes too soon. But this afternoon I receive disembarkation information and luggage tags for leaving the ship in Lisbon on Sunday. Since I have accumulated more than I came with, I am glad that one of my free purchases has been an expandable luggage bag.

Dinner begins with Prosciutto di Parma with Ricotta Flan followed by a Greek salad, strangely without lettuce. The main course is a large NY strip steak served perfectly medium rare. Of course I have just a few glasses of champagne and an indescribable chocolate concoction for dessert.

We don't arrive in Tangier until noon tomorrow (and depart at 10pm). My tour begins at 1pm just outside the entrance to the port. I hope the nice weather continues so I can enjoy the sites of Tangier instead of just sitting on the bus in the rain, as I had to do last year. I will report how the day turns out in the next blog.

 Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Sailing Toward Tangier, Morocco

After a welcome day on land in Ponta Delgada yesterday, the Quest is back at sea and on her way to Tangier. Last night I enjoyed a quiet dinner to myself in the less-dressy Colonnade: another serving of prime beef carpaccio, followed by tasty osso buco, and tiramisu for dessert. My big question: why do contemporary pastry chefs leave out the traditional ladyfinger crusting on tiramisu? I also made two big drinking changes: my first on-board cold Heineken, with my cheeseburger-and-fries late lunch (after being on shore until almost 2pm); a glass of white wine with the carpaccio and a glass of red wine with the osso bucco--a day without champagne!

Tonight I will be having dinner with the other nine members of the trivia team. Even though I am no longer participating, they have kindly invited me to dinner in the Restaurant.

Because most everything is free (after paying the hefty price for the cruise itself, of course), I am having a hard time finding any way to use my $300. spending money. I did have two pair of pants pressed (a major expense at $12!). I didn't have to pay for my ship-to-shore phone call to Will last week because that too was included in my free perks. There is nothing I particularly want in the gift shop--and everything there is outrageously expensive. I will find something, because I can't take the cash home.

I will end this boring blog here. Hopefully, Tangier and Lisbon will be more interesting.

 Monday, 4 May 2026

Heading Toward Ponta Delgada

The skies are clearing and the seas are calming. I learned this morning that the conditions we have been suffering on the Quest have afflicted all ships in the Atlantic, not just the smaller ones. The captain has promised better weather and calmer seas when we approach Ponta Delgata in the Portuguese Azores (Acores in the local lingo).

I have been there twice before and have seen almost the entire island on full-day excursions, from volcanic hotspots to black sand beaches to small towns with colorful architecture. So I will be content to wander the city looking for whatever is new and exciting.

There is not a great deal that is new to report. Yesterday was the final day of Team Trivia, Round One. My team, "The Shipwrecks," came in fifth out of 14 teams--not bad, but not good enough to win a prize. The second round starts today, but I have decided to bow out before my brain becomes fully mush.

The Shipwrecks Trivia Team

Yesterday also offered the once-a-cruise day of fun and games with the officers and crew. In good weather this event is held outside on the pool deck, but high winds and cool temperatures force everything inside.

Pillow-Stuffing Skills

Bag in the Hole Throw 
(Above and Below)

Last night's dinner in the Restaurant began with a thick pumpkin soup and a celeriac and greens salad. The main course was a very spicy General Tso’s Chicken, the first I’ve ever had on a cruise ship. After all that spice, I opt for a sundae with chocolate croutons for dessert.

Saturday, 2 May 2026

At Sea on Seabourn's Quest

Happy Saturday! The skies have cleared and the seas are calm. In fact, today is the first day it is possible to do a good walk on the outside deck. Until now I have been walking all the inside corridors and public areas to get in at least a partial number of my usual steps. The weather is good enough to enjoy lunch on the terrace of the Colonnade—today a minute steak splashed with butter, French fries, and a “medley”—of my own making—of salads.

As most of my readers know, I am very sociable during the day, but at dinner I prefer to have a solo table. However, on this cruise I am kidnapped almost every night by acquaintances to share dinner tables—either with five or six strangers and a crew member, such as Ian, a singer with the Seabourn Six entertainment group (pictured below), or with new friends from my trivia team.

 

I must admit I am enjoying all the company. The highlights of tonight’s dinner are grilled sea bass (although nowhere near as good as the preparation served on Oceania ships), and a magnificent hot pistachio soufflé.

Although it has been a magnificent day, the Captain has warned us that tonight and tomorrow may be particularly rough. It’s almost 11pm and I am ready to tuck myself in. In the next blog, LFLatSea will report on how well I survive.