September 5, 2023: Lisbon to Cochrane

September 5, 2023

This was a day like other going-home days in that there was a lot of going home.

I was well up before the sound of Alex's alarm checking out the city from the balcony for the last time on this trip. It was a bit misty out with thick clouds whipping across the sky and everything was wet so that noise I heard in the night was definitely rain.

From our hotel balcony looking down to the Alameda park and south toward the downtown area. -- Lisbon, Portugal

From our baclony, a view of the AS Lisboa and what appears to be a pation on the roof. -- Lisbon, Portugal

Looking north from our hotel balcony to Arreiro. We were supposed to head that way for supper last night but we weren't really hungry. -- Lisbon, Portugal

Alex recently awake on our last morning in Portugal. -- Lisbon, Portugal

I went to check out then we assembled our heavy gear to make our way to the elevator and out to the Metro staircase. There is an elevator but we would still ned to struggle with the bags in the misty morning so we gritted our teeth and carried the bags down the double flight of stairs and made our way to the red line from Alameda to the airport.

Once oriented we found our way to the check-in gates where - ahhhhh - we handed over the bikes, not to be seen again until Timmins. We hoped. Security was quick then awau we went to the TAP Portugal lounge which was new to me. Not wholly unlike the Priority Pass lounge we were able to get a few things for breakfast, including pasteis de nata!

Our plane tickets included entry to the TAP Air Portugal and Star Alliance lounge. We might have had some pasteis de nata as part of our breakfast. -- Lisbon, Portugal

In the distance is our Air Canada A300-330 to which we would have to take a bus. -- Lisbon, Portugal

Not wanting to get caught in passport control to leave the EU, we headed over early enough and went to our gate to await boarding which wasn't soon after. There was a full plane and there were some people on stand-by but I don't know if the ever got on to the plane. Like our arrival to Lisbon, there was a bus to take us out to the plane which was across the tarmac. Again, not sure why this is, unless Air Canada only wants to pay for some terminal slots. No biggie.

Nestled into our pods, I spent most of the flight eating and reading my latest Wilbur Smith novel (I am reading them in calendar order so I am encountering a gradual progression of the characters through the generations. Food was great, the flight went quickly and soon we were coming to YUL Montreal, ahead of schedule, even though we had left almost an hour late from LIS Lisbon.

Par for the day, once we had gone through customs at YUL (very quick and no crowds, unlike YYZ Pearson) we headed to the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge for a tiny bite and a rehydrating drink and then it was off to our second flight, this time from YUL to YYZ. Then yes, over to a lounge but this time the Air Canada Cafe which was really nice. Here we sat for almost three hours until it was time to board our third and last flight from YYZ to YTS Timmins on the Dash 8. Something I have not seen in years, the plane was not full and when the baggage cart went up to load, it was laughingly empty. I saw two of our bags but had not noticed the third, though I was hoping I had simply not seen it.

The flight left early and got into YTS even earlier than that and as we entered the terminal there were Mom and Dad (aka Grandma and Grandpa) to greet us and carry us on our final leg of this amazing trip with my little boy (not so little!).

Today's ride: 2 km (1 miles)
Total: 281 km (175 miles)

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