Well Lisbon was wonderful! I read Lisbon has a population of 500,000 or so. I thnik about 100,000 were in the parade and the rest watching. WHAT A STREET PARTY! St. Anthony is the patron Saint of Lisbon and each of the neighborhoods/burroughs has a team of band, dancing group and hand held floats. Each picks a theme from one of the symbols of Lisbon (fish, Guitar, potted plant, carnation, etc.). The carnation was a favorite as it also harkens back to a bloodless coup at the end of the Salazar regime (1976, I think)when the people stuck carnations into the gun barrels of the soldiers.

Yesterday we had "Cathy's Excellent Adventure." The driver/tour guide she had arranged bungled the reservation and did not show up. When Cathy called they said it would take an hour to get a driver to the ship. Cathy was ever the consumate professional and much cooler than I would have managed. Anyway she politley told them "no thanks." We arranged a tour "on the spot" to Sintra and along the Estoril Coast. It was wonderful!!! Sintra was beautiful and we got in some shopping. A bit of a warning. Some of the "tea towels" and similar we bought in Sintra were half a euro cheaper at the shop on the dock. Sintra had a wider selection though.

Last night was the repeaters reception (420 of 680 pax are repeaters). Today Gretchen and Cheryl will get a tour of the bridge with the Staff Captain, Jean Paul Ravanant. I hope they don't drool on his uniform! His wife and kids are on board this trip. We met his wife (Sara) coming back from the street party in Lisbon. Very nice lady (she's from Tasmania). If you saw the movie "March of the Penguins" Ravanant helped re-supply the French Antarctic Research Station where the film makers were based and has met both of them (as he says, "before they were famous."). For those of you on BLISS she is staying on board through Copenhagen (the kids get off in Honfleur to spend time with Grand Mama). Cheryl and Gretchen already want to find out when he gets his first Regent ship and pre-book a reservation on his first command.

Internet connectivity has been spotty. I know Cathy has had trouble checking her work email. I think Wendy swore of technology for the cruise. As a third party report Wendy, David, Frank, Cathy, Freddie and Patrick all had dinner with the pianist from the PG (Hal - I forget the last name) last evening.

Again, thanks to everyone for your help with research prior to this cruise.

Greg