Egg tarts and Flowers. Portugal plus Chelsea.

[craven morehead]

Dialled in for this TR

 

[AIRwin]

Dialled in for this TR

No need to mute...

 

[drron]

Now we went with Book the Cook as nothing on the menu appealed to Mrsdrron. So she had chicken with a macadamia nut crust whilst I had the stir fried lamb with coughin and leek sauce with chilli and boy was it spicy.
So to the pictures. First my wine. I went with the Chateau Pay la Tour red. The FA thought I should also have a third glass of champagne. A mind reader. Next pic is the smoked duck entree which was nice.




I went for the cheese plate. A bit ordinary. The port was good though.



We decided to have the refreshment before land as it would be around 11pm QLD time when we arrived at the CP so would rather go straight to bed rather than go out for dinner. So Mrsdrron had the pasta and I the Nasi Goreng which was good.



The other details in the next post. This post was delayed because I had uploaded the photos at the gate in SIN but EK boarded early so had to leave it. Of course my technology problems intervened being unable to charge my iPhone. I went to upload this post when we got to the HGI FRA but the photos had disappeared but now Sunday morning and using my travel computer and the uploads were there.

 

[Easy Tiger]

From 28/3 to 21/5 onboard the Silver Moon.

Wowzaz! What a cruise! Enjoy

 

[Disco]

Tuned in with interest! We will be in Porto and Douro Valley in June.
Sounds like you have nailed your back to backs Cruises with so little repetitive Ports

 

[drron]

Also following with interest because also visiting Portugal in September (snap @Flyfrequently) and not only for the Portugese tarts.

You mea there are other reasons to visit Portugal apart from the tarts.

 

[BriarFlyer]

You mea there are other reasons to visit Portugal apart from the tarts.

Let me have a think about that...

 

[NoName]

That cheese plate looks a bit sad. Rest of the food looks good though!

 

[Disco]

Ditto @henleybeach, Porto in September.

 

[Disco]

Ditto @henleybeach, Porto in September.

Take some Valium for the terrifying experience of driving over the bridge at Pinhão neat Vintage hotel (excellent hotel) when there’s a truck coming the other way at speed. Maybe go to Six Senses resort for lunch/dinner. Great place.

ps: two hour river cruise from wharf in front of hotel is v good.
Port tour near hotel
Symington Family Estates interesting
and Quinta das Carvalhas offers vineyard tours by the agronomist. Very good.

 

[drron]

So now that I have a phone that is charging it’s back to the TR.
I actually find the regional A350 better for a day flight. The seats just fit my contour better now.

The FA serving me was an older gentleman who obviously was very experienced. We got on really well.
I started out watching 2 movies. First was the Forgiven with Ralph Fiennes. OK but I am glad I didn’t have to pay to see it.
Next an Irish film. The Banshees of Inisherin. All you can say about it was that it made you realise why there are so many Irish jokes.

Nothing else in the movie selection I wanted to watch so one of the Japanese docos I like on Hokkaido. Fortunately an episode I hadn’t seen on Spring.

Finally I decided to watch an American food show The Big Brunch. The compère who was also a judge was a Canadian whose claim to fame was he was the face of climatology juice ads in Canada. One of the other judges was Will Guidara a former co owner of 11 Madison Avenue. He was a very good judge. I enjoyed the show so watched the first 3 episodes which took us up to 20 minutes before landing.

No lines at Immigration so a little wait at the carousel but we’re able to go before many had got there.
We had come in at Teminal 2 so the train to Terminal 3. A quick checkin and once again upgraded to a pool view king room.
Basically straight to bed with the alarm set for 0530.

 

[drron]

We woke before the alarm went off so showered, checked out and went to Terminal 2 to the EK check in. About 40 minutes before it opened. However a fellow turned up to the information desk in front of the check in. So we went over. Was wearing a Dnata badge but he was very good.

The first problem was getting my QFF number in the booking as we had already decided that today we were having our first EK flight followed by our last. He had the same problem as me with the system not accepting my number. He first thought I had the wrong number so I bought it up on the QF app and showed him. So he tapped a lot on the screen and finally got the number in the booking.

Next was the problem with seats a couple of rows apart which on manage my booking said couldn’t be changed. Mrsdrron then bought up her recently fractured shoulder as to why we needed to be together. He said straight away it was a full flight but when he brought up the seat map he said excuse me I have to talk to someone about this.
He went over to an older woman in a EK uniform who nodded as soon as he had finished talking. Came back to us and printed out BPs for 6D and E. Mrsdrron’s BP had lounge access on the bottom.

Walked around to bag drop and our bag came up for the second time as 23.1 kg. Next off to the lounge.

 

[AIRwin]

went to Terminal 2 to the EK check in

T1?

 

[drron]

Sorry the delay got me confused with our arrival on Friday night and departure on Saturday morning.
Plus a senior moment.

 

[AIRwin]

Sorry the delay got me confused with our arrival on Friday night and departure on Saturday morning.
Plus a senior moment.

They are all connected anyway (except T4 and the future T5)

 

[drron]

So now it was lounge time. The QF F lounge out of the question as it doesn’t open until 1500_ So the EK lounge it was. No problem obviously with Mrsdrron’s BP. Turned out that we were the first ones in.



So a view of the cactus garden or the runway.



Naturally the runway won.ended up seeing 2 SQ 380s land one after another.

 

[drron]

The food selection in the lounge that morning.


Turkey bacon? No thanks.






I just had some noodles, mushrooms and tomatoes.
The sparkling wine was out but we passed.

 

[drron]

EK 349. SIN - DXB. B777 300ER.
Scheduled 1010. Arrival 1350.
Push back- 1540. Take off- 1622.
Landed - 1354. At gate - 1357.

The seat inJ.



So the menu and wine list.





On being seated a glass of Moët was soon in my hand.

 

[drron]

The food. Some olives instead of nuts with my post take off champagne.


For entrees Mrsdrron had the mezzo plate but wasn’t to her liking. I had the salmon which was good.



Mrsdrron had the chicken for mains but she lucked out again as overcooked and dry. I had the spicy prawns which were nice but with far too much rice.



I had the French red.


For dessert Mrsdrron had the cheesecake and I Athens cheese platter. Much nicer than the SQ offering the day before.



Then I was offered an extra dessert and accepted it.

 

[Major]

I hope you intend to try some great Vintage Ports during your time in Portugal.