Portugal...1st time overseas

Well, apparently the Pages were serious about going to Portugal, because here I sit, in a hotel lobby in Lisbon, Portugal, updating my blog. What dedication I have to this blog!! So, this is my first time ever going overseas and it is already quite the experience.

Here is how Sunday went
5:45 am-Left Myakka City for Tampa Airport
10 am - Flight from Tampa to Charlotte
1 pm - Watch the first quarter of Brett Favre slaying the undefeated Titans
1:55 pm - Flight from Charlotte to Newark, New Jersey
4:00 pm - Watch the last few minutes of Brett Favre still slaying the Titans
6:05 pm - Flight from Newark to Lisbon, Portugal
Monday
6 am - Arrive to Lisbon, Check passports, get driven to our place for the next 6 weeks

So, that was an adventure, with 6 in the troupe, one from Mexico, and two dogs that we just had to bring. Interesting travels.

Now, here is where I left off...
We arrive at our homes, which are in the same lot as the Circus tent. Circo Chen. Good news is I have a room all to myself! Bad news is, its not quite as nice as my cargo back in Myakka City. It is a 8 foot by 12 foot box. With bunk beds, one European electrical outlet, and a rack to hang my wet towel, or clothes or whatever I choose. No heat (although I am supposed to be getting a portable heater tonight) The showers are only about a 20 foot walk, and the toilets 50 feet more.

Ok, surely I am making sound worse than it is. I mean, it definitely makes you grateful for what you have back home! But alot of people are alot worse off than I am.

I have a mall within two blocks that is just massive. And internet there so I can email and talk with my family almost everyday. It also has McDonalds, Bunker King and Pizza Hut!! My first meal in Portugal was a Whopper, Fries and a coke...and people said I would have a hard time adjusting to the food. HA! Shows them! There was a pretty funny moment at Burger King when I was ordering. The total was 4.70 euros. So, I gave the lady a 5. Then, she pointed at the amount due, 4.70, so I pointed at the 5 that I had just given her. It was not working. So, I got out all my little euro coins, and before even trying to look at them, I just stuck out my hand and let the lady pick out the ones she wanted. So, I ended up giving 5.70, and she gave me 1 euro back. I thought it was odd and I laughed, she did not. Apparently, they like giving out exact change here! Learn something new everyday I guess. Now I just need to go study my coins so I know what they are worth!

That is about all of the excitement for the first day in Portugal! Oh, and I woke up today and looked at the time on my computer. It was 10 am. Not bad, plenty of the day to explore or do anything I want. It took me about 2 hours to realize that its 5 pm here...soooooo, still adjusting...