...My experience was colored by a very difficult time getting a cab at the
pier to take me up to the castle, and an impossible time getting a cab to
take me anywhere from the castle... Apparently there is no enforcement of
laws in Lisbon that require a cab to take you where you want to go.

Cab drivers certainly can be a bit "crazy-making", can't they? I don't know
much [oh, let's be honest here, I know nothing] about Lisbon's taxi laws.
They [drivers] undoubtedly pay no attention to them anyhow... kind of like
NYC cabbies. Trying to get a Manhattan cabbie to take you into Brooklyn can
be maddening. (I do, by the way [and it's way too complicated a story to get
into here] have reason to know that certain "contracts" [presumably, even
verbal ones] there are only considered binding if in Portuguese.}

I do recall the most annoying place, for me, to get a cab being around the
train station... and, on the off-chance one is successful, a direct route to
one's destination is unlikely.

My experiences with cab drivers at many ports have frequently been less than
satisfactory. Let's face it, they know you're at their mercy, and that there
are other, probably more gullible, potential fares lining up right behind
you.

Mila


"Howie" wrote in message
...
Of course you know much more about Portugal than I do, Nina. And I
would harly use my one day visit to Lisbon as a basis for making broad
generalizations. My experience was colored by a very difficult time
getting a cab at the pier to take me up to the castle, and an impossible
time getting a cab to take me anywhere from the castle. All of the
drivers were only interested in taking folks on a full day tour.
Apparently there is no enforcement of laws in Lisbon that require a cab
to take you where you want to go.

Howie

BTC/TAK on ACK wrote:
the... Azores... seemed young, friendly, and hip.
My personal experience with folks in Lisbon, was not at all
pleasant...


I agree with your take on the Azores... but I notice you specify
"young". I
was, in fact, a bit surprised by how "hip" the young folk seem [are?].
But,
on getting just the tiniest bit into "local" territory [even just as far
as
that fantastic produce market, or shops not geared to tourists] the
not-so-young folks seem more "formal".

I've had really wonderful times in Lisbon, but I can imagine it feeling
less
than "welcoming". I have the advantage of speaking practically no
Portuguese... and slaughtering the pronunciation of the little I dare
try. I
think the fact that, by Portuguese standards, Lisbon is a big city, it
has
some of that "big city attitude". I found enjoying their goofing on my
dreadful attempts at using their language was a great ice-breaker... and
usually resulted in their speaking back to me in more than fair English.
In
fact, I was totally taken back recently, when visiting after not having
been
to Lisbon in several years. I used to go to the same coffee shop every
morning during a month long visit a while back. The owner used to take
particular pleasure in making me order in Portuguese, then teasing me
[in
fine English] in how silly I sounded. I went by for a coffee during my
last
visit, and she [still there!] remarked that she wasn't surprised I still
hadn't learned a think about the language. I was very touched to be
remembered after such a long time. I also had the dubious pleasure of
having
to use a city clinic [having developed pneumonia] during a visit there.
I
was very impressed by how kind and helpful everyone was... even to
finding
an English speaking doctor to see me. I have a hard time imagining that
happening in any major city here.

It also is a good idea to remember that they are, as a group, very "well
informed" people [notice that you rarely see anyone sitting alone in a
cafe
without their nose stuck in a newspaper], have strong opinions, and,
like
most Europeans, know waaaay more about our politics than we know about
theirs. I usually played "dumb" [not all that much of a stretch, I
guess],
and never left a conversation without having learned something.

I hope you'll give Lisbon another try... I've found myself most welcome
there, by the way, in the kinds of places the fewest number of tourists
venture.

Mila


"Howie" wrote in message
...

BTC/TAK on ACK wrote:


...my dentist told me... the people on Madeira... were very cold.


I'd be more inclined to say or "formal", which can, of course, seem

"cold",

but is an essentially different mind-set. My experience in Portuguese
influenced cultures has been the "reserved" style of the locals, and

their

use of "old-fashioned manners" [especially in public] can be charming.

It

takes a little time to get used to... especially for those of us used
to

the

more "gregarious" American style.

Mila

Yes, on Madiera, the locals did seem rather "old-fashioned", but that
was not the case in that Azores, which seemed young, friendly, and hip.
My personal experience with folks in Lisbon, was not at all pleasant,
but there is really no way to generalize from one brief visit to a big

city.

Howie



"strawberry icecream" wrote in message
...


Howie wrote in
:



strawberry icecream wrote:

the best areas seem to be Magnetic island off western australia..and
Madeira island off Portugal.

Been to Madeira. It is really lovely, but kind of dull.

Howie, I am glad that you said that...my dentist told me, a few weeks
ago, that he didn't like the people on Madeira.

He has been all over the world....but said that the folks on Madeira
were very cold.






But I always loved the idea of southern CA.

Weather is near perfect, but earthquakes and high prices are real
downside.

very true.

The west coast is so expensive compared to the east coast of the usa.

Funny enough, any tv travel program here in the UK, or magazine,
ALWAYS
focuses on Florida.

And so many folks here are taken in.

Whewwww.....I would hate to be living in that heat and humidity.