Thomas journals

 Valentine's Day is quite well advertised in Porto, in many shops and restaurants, as a Day of Love.   About 9:30 we took metro to the João de Jesus stop at the El Corte Ingles department store for some shopping then meetup with expats in the restaurant: about 15 men at one table, and 25 women at another table!  I met Ron, who started the group–I added my number to his whatsapp group.  Also there was Bob and Victor, from church.  A nice mix of newbies and old-time expats, discussing visas, property, and general topics.   Barb met with the women.   At noon we took the 903 bus many many stops west to Arabbiada Shopping Mall, for the long walk down narrow streets to the riverfront village of Afurada.  We found the FCPorto Afurada restaurant!  Cooking fresh fish over charcoal stoves outdoors – dourada and salmon, beer and wine and salad and bread, totaling $40.  Afurada is very picturesque fishing village, but completely remote from pub...

11oct22 story of Covid: I flew to Des Moines for a mini-reunion of Thomas cousins; flew back on Monday the 3rd.  I did not wear a mask.  Evidently I should have worn a mask, as I later came down with Covid.  The infection could come from anywhere, typically airborne virus shed by someone in the communicable phase of the disease.   Throughout my airport and flight experience was quite calm and uneventful, so my guess is the most likely vector for the virus was the deplaning time – people are really eager to get out,  they are talking, pressing close together, straining to grab bags from the overhead compartment and coordinate with their partners, thus breathing heavily.  Very few people wore a mask.  I do not remember anyone coughing or sniffling or breathing heavily around me, but that deplaning process is always rather hectic.  I did not press to go quickly, but I did not want to delay my windowside seatmate, so I joined the crowd.  As...

 Notes on passport issues, written 08July22, after our trip to QRO airport: July 2022, from our personal experience: Warning/advice for tourists entering Mexico:  When answering the question, “How long will you stay in Mexico?” add lots of extra days – answer “120 days” or even “180 days”. (The maximum number possible is 180 days, but the passport officer now has broad discretion.)  T he passport officer will grant you that specific number of days to be in country. That's all, no extensions. Up until recently, a tourist visa for US citizens was automatically 180 days. But now it is defined by the admitting passport official; they note a specific amount on your  Forma Migratoria Múltiple  paper that you must return later to the official when you exit the country.  There is apparently no way to change that form, the  FMM .  However, you can “lose” your  FMM  and buy a new one at the airport office of  Migración , for about USD30 each....

  Medellín the city of eternal spring The last week of May we spent in Medellín Colombia, at my insistence, after hearing so many nice things about the climate, the food, the safe surroundings, the great exchange rate.   We reserved an airbnb relatively close to the metro, in a recommended neighborhood…but probably should have stayed in a quieter area.  The view was wonderful, but it also looked out over a public square and several night clubs.  The climate is so perfect you don't really need cooling or heating – but open windows bring noise as well as breezes.   I loved the city, the vibrancy, the climate, the excellent public transportation and plentiful Uber service.    A highlight of our visit was a cable car ride up the neighboring hill (going from 6500feet to 8000 feet altitude!), to a huge public park and botanical garden.   Barbara was a bit afeared of the crowds and beggars downtown, as well as the echoes of the cartel batt...

  My impression, after our six weeks:   Prices in France, compared to US, from much cheaper to more expensive than US: Notably less expensive:  wine quality bread & pastries public transport Slightly less: groceries restaurants (sales tax + tip are included!) lodging More expensive: imports from US gasoline price is double! Travel details: Our time in France, from 21feb-09mar, 20mar-08apr: We were gone 48 days (just shy of 7 weeks); 4 travel days + 9 days in Doha = 35 days mostly in France = 5 weeks in France. 11 beds/Nights: 1 Toulouse; 10 Beauville; 5 Pompertuzat; 1 Doha Holiday Inn; 10 Doha; 1 Heathrow; 4 Montpellier; 2 Hasparren; 5 Bordeaux;  4 Limoges; 3 Versailles Costs?  Total spent 22feb-09april = $6000 Doha: we spent total $500 while there CovidTests for: $90Doha + $40US France: Plane tickets between US & France were points, plus about $300 for taxes. Lodging: HolidayInns on points; + $1200airbnb + $450Versailles Transport: $500trains + $15...

  Freezing outside, literally.   We bundle up at noon and walk to La Cuisine de la Croître ,  the gourmet restaurant next to the old Bishop's castle... They offer a tasting menu today, 48euros each for three (official) courses.  Actually received 6 sets, all photographed by Barb: beginning chips, amuse-bouche of hummous, entrée of very-soft-slow-boiled (64degrees for 1 hour!) egg in special sauce, main plate of lamb confit surrounded by seasonal vegetables+polenta, then dessert: galette of mango-rhubarb plus pineapple sorbet with dried pear slice, then financier + mango jelly cube.  Two full glasses of 3 types of great wine (I appreciated that the sommelier selected them for us, appropriate for each dish, and gave us the last two halves as credit for one:  white Languedoc Pays de l'Or, then spicy red  CotesDuRhone with the lamb, then sweet Gros Manseng (my favorite, an unusual white) for the dessert. Walk around the corner to Le Musée de la Résist...

  A 11heures, je vois sur la chaine FranceInfo, le meeting de Marine LePen <<La France Qu'on M!>>  Je comprends un moitié des phrases, surtout les phrases typiques des politiques.  <<Nous sommes prets! Notre projet est ambitieux. Il est moderne, il est nationale, pour la France.  Avec un état protecteur.   Des prédateurs en bas, comme les prédateur en haut! Nos filieres en peril.  C'est vous que payer la fraude!  Une immigration anarchique. A l'étranger que vient de nous, respecter nos lois!  Le peuple francais est un peuple généreux et amicale, mais  c'est en eux de décide qui peut rester, que peut etre francais.  ...  Nous voulons un France en paix.  Nous en avons le courage, la volonté.  Notre économie sera protégé, enfin.  Des choix philosophiques. Avec nous, léconomie restera au service des gens.  Les couts de confinements, la politique sanitaire, cette pénurie appliqué sur nos société....