When in Lisbon....

Bom dia!
   (That's good day in Portuguese...feeling a theme here?)
  We arrived in Portugal safe and sound on Monday, July 18th. Lisbon is five hours ahead of Eastern time and we arrived at 9 a.m. So, we flew all night and felt like we were up at 4 a.m. A tired start to a good day. Thankfully, the Portuguese love espresso and have plenty of places to get it. And, it's only 1 Euro....about $1.50. Have four or five espressoes and the time change doesn't hardly matter at all.
   On our first day of mission work, we took a few hours in the early part of the day to see some sights. Portugal doesn't really open for business until after 10 a.m., so we had some time to look around. We went to the Palacio Pena, the westernmost point of continental Europe, and the Mouth of Hell.
  The palace was super-cool. It sits on top of a mountain and the walk up was an espresso-killer. Apparently, the royal family used the palace as a reteat. Grandiose is not a strong enough word....
   The westernmost part of continental Europe was cool. Why? Well, as a band, we went to the easternmost point of continental North America a few years ago in Newfoundland. So, we've been to both. I like stuff like that.
  After the continental point, we went to a hospice and played some bluegrass for some sweet, sweet folks. The residents there suffer from a variety of maladies, but Alzheimer's seemed to be a fairly common one. We were blessed to meet and sing for the hospice workers and residents. A wonderful time of Gospel-sharing and fellowship.  We were especially touched by one lady, Elena, who is only 63, but lives in this home.  She suffers from deep depression, and said our visit brought some joy to her day.  We are going back tomorrow for her birthday.
    The "Mouth of Hell" is a grotto that earned its name due to the suicide of a former queen. After her death, others seeking to end their life followed in her footsteps. Now, the area is still hauntingly beautiful and a bit of a tourist trap.
     That pretty much sums up the first day....more to come.