The various delegations really came together for the first time on December 2nd in Lisbon at the head office of the INFTUR training body where they arrived in succession, usually from Lisbon airport. There to greet them was a small group of teachers and students taking good care both of those arriving via the airport shuttle and of those arriving by their own means.
Refreshments were served to the grateful travellers before their journey to Fundão; next came the inevitable chaotic search for luggage, which was transferred to the luggage compartments of two coaches, and almost all of the participants set off only an hour behind schedule in the direction of Fundão 250 kms away, travelling via the airport to pick up the remaining few arrivals.
L'INFTUR in Lisbon
Welcome refreshments before departure
On this first evening the meal was served in the Santarem hotel school, located half way between Lisbon and Fundão. The delegates were greeted by the director Susana Ruivo and her team, and this welcome meal break was a foretaste of the pleasures that awaited them later in the programme. Beautifully decorated tables in the handsome dining room, a superb buffet, elegant service - in short everything that a hotel school can offer to its guests. There was even a welcome gift placed on each chair! The hungry guests did justice to this magnificent spread and in his speech full of words of friendship, AEHT president Alfonso Benvenuto spoke on behalf of all the delegates in expressing pleasure at this magnificent introduction to Christmas in Europe. After the meal the school's kitchen and service teams were given a well-deserved round of applause by the visitors before they resumed their journey.
the Santarem school
at the end of the meal, applause for the student kitchen and service teams!
AEHT president Alfonso Benvenuto together with Christiane Keller, 'Mother Christmas'
At 9pm, after this welcome repast, off again in the direction of Fundão. Not surprisingly there was complete silence in the coaches; everyone was weary from their journey, and at 11.30pm local time and right on schedule the two coaches stopped in front of the Samasa hotel, the event's base camp, and unloaded the hundred-odd participants who were glad to have arrived safe and sound.
Refreshments were served to the grateful travellers before their journey to Fundão; next came the inevitable chaotic search for luggage, which was transferred to the luggage compartments of two coaches, and almost all of the participants set off only an hour behind schedule in the direction of Fundão 250 kms away, travelling via the airport to pick up the remaining few arrivals.
L'INFTUR in Lisbon
Welcome refreshments before departure
On this first evening the meal was served in the Santarem hotel school, located half way between Lisbon and Fundão. The delegates were greeted by the director Susana Ruivo and her team, and this welcome meal break was a foretaste of the pleasures that awaited them later in the programme. Beautifully decorated tables in the handsome dining room, a superb buffet, elegant service - in short everything that a hotel school can offer to its guests. There was even a welcome gift placed on each chair! The hungry guests did justice to this magnificent spread and in his speech full of words of friendship, AEHT president Alfonso Benvenuto spoke on behalf of all the delegates in expressing pleasure at this magnificent introduction to Christmas in Europe. After the meal the school's kitchen and service teams were given a well-deserved round of applause by the visitors before they resumed their journey.
the Santarem school
at the end of the meal, applause for the student kitchen and service teams!
AEHT president Alfonso Benvenuto together with Christiane Keller, 'Mother Christmas'
At 9pm, after this welcome repast, off again in the direction of Fundão. Not surprisingly there was complete silence in the coaches; everyone was weary from their journey, and at 11.30pm local time and right on schedule the two coaches stopped in front of the Samasa hotel, the event's base camp, and unloaded the hundred-odd participants who were glad to have arrived safe and sound.
