Arriving at Lisbon airport, which is pretty new, we were taken off the plane and put onto buses – then driven on about 4 laps of the airport, before seemingly ending up at a door to the terminal which was right by the plane we had just got off! Why people even bother building new airports without those airbridge things, I have no idea, maybe they want to keep dozens of bus drivers in useful employment.
The meeting I want to was in Parque das Nacoes, a very modern part of Lisbon, right on the riverfront. As it was around 30 degrees outside, there was a great opportunity to go for a wander and soak up some early summer sun. The riverfront area in Parque das Nacoes has shopping centres, restaurants, bars, hotels, and all sorts of other leisure activities, and there is some fantastic architecture on show. This picture shows the main shopping centre and train station, with some pretty decent modern architecture there too.
That was about all I saw during the day trip, although there was time at the airport on the way home, to be thoroughly disturbed by the Portuguese liking for Jose Mourinho. I had already experienced the unhealthy passion for Queen - you hear a Queen song on Portuguese radio about every five minutes, which makes taxi rides especially upsetting. But, on getting through security at the airport, I was quite disgusted by the sports shop which seemed to be a Mourinho shrine - only tempered by a corner devoted to Cristiano Ronaldo. Most un-called-for, and a grim reminder of the dangers of national pride.
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