To Lisbon

We arrived at Dublin airport to chaos. There was a queue of about 300 people to scan the boarding passes prior to joining the queue for security - 50 minutes estimated time to clear!!  So lengthy was the queue that the entrance between boarding pass scanners and security queue had to be closed twice on my watch. I was so concerned at the thought of missing our flight that I omitted to take a photo as proof!! 

 

As usual not all security booths were open in spite of the monstrous queues! What’s new with the DAA - let the passenger wait ....... I have seen security queues lengthy in the past but nothing like today. I have travelled the world and have never experienced an airport so badly run as Dublin - it’s as if the passenger doesn’t matter!!  

When we eventually cleared security, we walked through the Duty Free en route to our plane - which just happened to be at the furthest gate!! En route, we heard constant announcements that masks were mandatory but yet at least 50%  of passengers were not wearing a mask. 

On boarding, the foreign gentleman in front of me was not wearing a mask. The steward asked him to put on his mask. He replied that he hadn’t one and was told that he could not fly. When in his innocence, 

(Ryan Air),  he asked if one could be provided, he was informed that none was available and when he asked if he could go back and purchase one, he was told there was no time. I proceeded to my seat.  I don’t know what the resolution was!! 

At the outset, there are multiple reminders to wear masks and that it must cover your nose but after food was served, mask wearing slipped .... On our descent into Lisbon, the staff came around to remind passengers - there is I believe, unlike Ireland, strict rules on mask wearing  in Portugal. I’ll feel safer there than mask abandoned Ireland. 

We arrived at 19:40, having left at 17:15. Having quitted emigration, we made our way to the airport’s metro station. Within minutes a train arrived and we were quickly whisked to the end of the line where the Azul (Blue line) brought us to Apolónia metro station - the old railway station 59 metres away now converted into a luxury hotel.  Portugal is a poorer country than Ireland yet it has an amazing metro system as we talk and talk, plan and plan but Metro north  is still ‘Pie in the Sky’!! €1.50 from 10km airport ;  €45 taxi fare ( no metro) from Dublin airport. 

It was 21:00 as we arrived at the hotel. It had been raining all day but mercifully it had stopped as we quit the station, on the short walk to the hotel. Having checked in, we were upgraded to a room overlooking the river Tagus. The hotel’s corridors are spectacular as are the rooms. 

We adjourned to the hotel dining room. The kitchen, true to its origins, sports the names and platforms of its former destinations. 

where as it was late, we ordered a main course but were treated to a starter of tuna mayonnaise wrapped in cucumber and topped with cod’s roe together 

                       Note the gold cutlery 

with excellent bread with garlic butter 

The main courses - veal for CC and pork belly with mashed potatoes, rich in butter, together with onions and pears - delicious!!

In fact as there were few in the Dining room,  two chefs  prepared our meals - never before have I had a chef  to solely prepare my meal!! A bottle of Portuguese wine by the famous bottler Dão completed an excellent meal.