Preretreat jitters & a nice hotel

The windmills of Portugal were really cool to see up close.  There were probably 20 of them to explore & the view from the top of the hill they were located on over looked the village of Povoa.  Every single day has been warm & sunny & this day was no exception.  I walked around for a while, talking to my people & praying for people that needed praying for.  It was so serene & peaceful, but life goes on & so must I.

When I finally pulled into Tabua, it was almost four o’clock in the afternoon.  I had booked into Luna Hotel de Tabua & when I drove up, it certainly wasn’t what I expected at all.  A sprawling modern hotel with a mid-century modern vibe to it, the desk clerk greeted me warmly with decent English & a genuine smile.  The hotel far surpassed any place I’ve stayed so far…in ambience & service.  I was stunned this gem was situated in this small town, miles from any major center.  I dumped my bags & hit the hotel bar up STAT.

The retreat leaders were picking me up the following day & there were some prerequisites they had asked that I follow through with; on the days leading up to the retreat, I was to not consume any coffee, meat, dairy or alcohol. Haha.  Anyway, I figured at my age, why cut myself off early from the things I most enjoy.  I sat up at the hotel bar, ordered a beer & chatted with the staff.  The hotel wasn’t completely dead, with people coming in & out…probably business people & I quickly made friends with some of the other guests.

When I finally called it a night, I started to get apprehensive.  What was I thinking booking this 10 day retreat?  What if the people sucked?  Was anyone else going be there besides the hosts?  Who else would book a retreat in Portugal at the end of November in such a remote region?  NO COFFEE?  Argh!  I finally fell asleep.

That’s it for me for 10 days people!  No phone!  No communication with the outside world!  Wish me luck & I’ll report back when I’m out!

Love you all!