Quite a few things changed mentally on the airplane ride over to Europe.
Leaving work, my home country and jumping on an airplane to go somewhere
where I donīt know the language or culture seemed like monumental tasks.
In 24 hours, all that has changed. Now itīs just what Iīm doing, which is
good because it puts me beyond a few mental hurdles and letīs me take
things in.
Landing in Paris for just an hour to catch a connecting flight back to Lisbon, I havenīt seen enough to comment on except that there are smaller cars in Europe, the airport is clean, and looks like something out of a sci-fi film with itīs giant round roof and walls that make you feel like you are standing inside a concrete blimp. It was raining there.
I it was raining in Spain too, but after a while, the clouds opened up and I could see the earth below. Small towns live in the crevasse where cotton ball clouds sit. Snow capped points look in some places, the mountains eventually turned into hills and the towns turned into cities.
Over Lisbon, I could see the Atlantic ocean making the outline of Portugal up to Northern Spain. I grabbed my pack and prepared to do battle with the Mac machine, catch the right bus and find accommodation before the effects of jet lag set in. Mission accomplished.
After an hour I also got used to the idea that half the people canīt understand my language and half donīt want to play charades. A smile goes along way though.
More about Lisbon and Sintra the next time I sit down at a public Internet terminal. BTW, communications here seems to be more advanced than in the US. A majority of the people are using cell phones everywhere and Internet access is available in prime locations, such as where I am now, the ground level of a Portuguese telephone company in the center of town.