Porte de Muge

Porte de Muge

Today we have chosen to walk less than the twenty plus miles that our guide book recommends. We are using the Brierley's guide for pilgrims who walk the Camino. He prefaces this guidebook by saying the route through Portugal is for the experienced pilgrim. We are beginning to see why he would make that statement. The distances, though not necessarily hard, are long. Often times there are no  places to stop or stay along the way. We must plan ahead with some provision for those days. We must also be able to navigate without a lot of way-markings. Today we have the option so we have decided to stop in Porte de Muge.

We are feeling refreshed after a good nights sleep and are eager to get back onto the country paths. We have packed some fresh fruit, nuts, and raisins to eat along the way. We have decided to stay in a Quinta which is a traditional farmhouse. The Quintas here are relatively large. They have a large main house and then a variety of apartment style buildings with a large kitchen and dining area for the farm workers. This is a rich agricultural area with a variety of crops but it most notably known for its production of tomatoes. We stop along the way and pick up a few fresh ripe tomatoes to refresh us. They are delicious.

We are pleasantly surprised when we reach the Quinta da Marchanta. There is a note to welcome us pilgrims. Our gracious host Graca is away for the moment but Ernesto, her overseer welcomes us. He gives us a lovely apartment where we feel right at home. After we freshen up and get our laundry on the line we take the bicycles into town where they are expecting us for dinner. We are pleasantly surprised by a light rain and excited to wear our jackets for a moment. We have two choices for dinner and we have decided to have the steak, eggs, and potatoes. This also includes bread, olives, salad, fruit, and drinks. All this for a mere 10E. All the locals are here and we are excited to be with them. Mama has done the cooking, daughter Ana serves us and we are happy in this moment with people we have just met.

We are blessed and we know it. Today we are really appreciative of those blessings. You are also a blessing to us. You are loved...so very much. Buen Camino.

Alverca to Azambuja

Alverca to Azambuja

We get up early today to get a good start on our eighteen mile trek. This has been an arduous day. Not because of the distance or its degree of difficulty but because much of today's walk parallels the busy N-10 and we must traverse through many industrial areas. In 2012 there was significant flooding in this area and so the walkway along the estuary has been altered. At this time this is the recommended route so we follow it northward.

We must maintain our vigilance as we meander through this area and pray not to miss what God would have for us in this unexpected detour. We meet another young man who stops to talk to us. He offers us a cool drink and then encourages us on our pilgrimage. He speaks words to us and we are left amazed that he would know the exact words we needed to hear at that moment. It is as if he knew things about us that we had not even spoken of. We are thankful for this moment in an otherwise hard day. We know we are cared for and not alone.

Tonight we stayed at the Ouro Hotel. We had read it was nice and it was the first place we found as we entered the small town of Azambuja. We washed our laundry and rested a bit before we headed for dinner. We can tell we are out of the city. I ordered a $2.00 glass of wine and got the whole bottle! We ate a delightful meal and were the only ones in the restaurant. People began to enter as we began to leave. We haven't quite got the knack (or the energy right now) for the late night life yet.

We know we care cared for each day. God makes Himself known to us in ways that we know only come from Him. Sometimes things are not as we expect but we know that they are no surprise to our God. We are open to all that He has for us. We think of you.You are loved... Buen Camino.

Inward Journey

As we begin this pilgrimage I have begun to understand the words of John Muir. His quote, "I only went out for a walk...and finally concluded to stay out to sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in" is becoming clearer to me as we walk many hours each day through Portugal.

This pilgrimage is very different for us in many ways. We are different. The course of events over this past year have caused us to look inward as we redefine our lives by His desires for us. Things are not as we expected but exactly as they are supposed to be. What needed change was not necessarily our situations but our perspective about them. So, as we begin our walk we have many hours to contemplate this inward journey.

The miles are long as we leave Lisbon. It certainly isn't as beautiful as crossing the Pyrenees were but in it's own way very moving to our hearts and souls. We are not distracted but what surrounds us but are able to concentrate on what is within us. Each day God gives us the most beautiful encounter and there is no doubt that He has placed that moment to remind us He is with us and we are well cared for. I think He has that message for us everyday but in these moments, alone for miles on end, we just seem to hear it better.

We also have been burdened by the desire to pray for those of you we love. Our hearts our full in doing this. It is beautiful to take the time to do this and we feel very connected to each of you. Our hearts are next to your hearts in these moments.

We continue northward. The way-markings are modestly placed and we have to work hard at navigating the trail but we are exactly where we are supposed to be.

You are loved... Buen Camino.

Lisboa to Alverca

Lisboa to Alverca

We began our trek today with the goal of walking nearly nineteen miles from the capital city of Portugal to the small town of Alverca. While traversing a large city usually presents a challenge, leaving Lisbon is relatively easy as we head down to the mighty estuary of the Rio Tejo. We follow this large river until it meets the more modest Rio Trancao which will lead us inland. We leave one world and are about to enter another.

Once we leave the busyness of Lisbon and are on the quiet pathways we do not see another soul for hours. We are alone on this trail and have not met any one else who is walking this Camino. We are lead to a delightful cafe where we are refreshed with a light lunch and a cool drink by a delightful young man and his grandfather. Their kindness to us in the most unexpected moment will be appreciated more than they will ever know.  It is our reminder that we are cared for and we are not alone on this journey.

We stay at the home of Maria Luz Lourdes Leal who invites us in when she hears we are walking to Fatima/Santiago. She is eighty years old and speaks a combination of Spanish/Italian/Portuguese. Surprisingly enough, we are able to understand each other. As she helps me hand wash our laundry for the day she asks me to pray for her along the way. In Portugal, the Caminho de Fatima is a sacred journey and many people walk it for healing (it coincides with the Camino de Santiago so we are actually walking both routes for a while). She can not walk it at her age and so I tell her we will pray for her as we walk. She wakes up early in the morning to see us off and hugs and kisses us before we go.

We are thinking of you as the hours go by. You come across our hearts and prayers many times during the day. You are loved... Buen Camino.

Lisboa

 Lisboa (as the locals call it) is a delightful city. It is a lovely combination of old and new interwoven together to make a delightful destination. We are staying in the Alfama district which is known as the historical section. Our room is on the fourth floor of a lovely old building and the Palace of Sao Jorge is right across the road. Below us are sidewalk cafes and a delightful Gelateria where we have become hooked on the lemon-basil gelato.

This beautiful port city is the destination of many travelers and today is no exception. We have decided to join the crowds and enjoy all that Lisboa has to offer.

The many sidewalk cafes present the local specialities. Fresh fish is very popular and we are enjoying the many variations they have to have offer. The octopus is wonderful and prepared very differently than in Spain. I have come to love bufata cheese which is similar to mozzarella but much creamier. It is served with a beefsteak tomato and grilled zucchini squash. I have it with every meal.

The nightlife is incredible. The city comes to life after night falls. We went to watch a Fado which is the Portuguese version of Flamenco. Men and women sing mournful songs of yearning, sorrow, and love in a way to connect all those who have had those life experiences. They are accompanied by two twelve string guitars and it is the perfect combination. It is very stirring.

We toured around the city and got a glimpse of the different neighborhoods. It is said that Portugal is built on seven hills and each of those hills house a very different type of neighborhood. One area is the cultural neighborhood which boasts the many cultures in Portugal. Another, the university area, is very modern and the activities in that area take into consideration the preferences of the college crowd. It is a very exciting place to be.

We have registered ourselves as pilgrims and will begin our walk tomorrow. We will leave Lisboa and walk north as we begin our trek to Spain. We are excited for what is ahead. We will think of you and will hold you in our hearts and prayers. You are loved...Buen Camino

Respite in Rota

I am not sure if it is the beauty of the white sand and blue waters, the ease of life here as we meander through this small coastal town in the south of Spain or just its familiarity to us that makes Rota such a place of respite for us. Whatever it is, we have begun the process of letting go and entering the realm of just being.

We take care of business in the mornings and then spend the afternoons walking or riding our bikes into the small town along the shoreline. We met a couple of nuclear physicists on our flight over and so we spend some time with them chatting and enjoying some of the local customs. The seafood is abundant and we are enjoying the many varieties. We are still finding things we have never tried before!

I knew I had begun the transitioning process into sabbatical mode when I noticed a woman walking along the shore. She was nicely dressed and wearing white dress shoes and a sweater. In her hand she had a fishing pole and a white plastic bag. It was beautiful to me and so I asked if I might take her picture. She was joyous at this prospect and quickly combed her hair, took off her sweater and pulled the fish out of the bag. I am reminded in this moment that there is beauty all around me and joy in just living. I don't want to miss any of it.

We have our tickets for Lisbon. We will catch the bus from Rota to Sevilla where we will spend a few hours roaming this beautiful city. In the afternoon we will catch another bus and travel along the coastline of Portugal to Lisbon. We have a pension (a room in a boarding house) in the Alfama district which is also known as the historical district. We will begin our journey from the Cathedral Se which is just down the street from where we will stay.

In every beautiful place and in every beautiful moment we think of you and wish you were here with us. You are loved... 

Buen Camino.

                                                                                       

The Journey Unfurls

 I was writing an email the other morning to family and friends as we prepare to leave for our 2015 sabbatical when I found myself explaining we were about to embark on another journey. I went through the details of leaving, hoping to get a Space A flight out of Travis AFB, heading to the east coast, and then to Portugal where we would begin another 600 mile trek through the Portuguese countryside and ending on the west coast of Spain. Suddenly, I began to feel very excited about our trip. This has been and interesting year and this journey was exactly what was needed.

I began to realize that this was not really another journey but a part of my life journey. Everyplace I have been leads me to everyplace I am going. These sabbaticals are really a part of my life in which I take the time to be reminded that without the hard, ease would not be appreciated, without the mundane the beauty would not be as exquisite, and without leaving the returning would not be as heartwarming.

It has been a memorable year. There were times when I was not so sure we would make this trip. I am glad that we are moving forward. I remember the words  of a favorite quote of mine. Regret for things done can be tempered with time. Regret for the things not done is inconsolable.

So we move forward as this part of our journey unfurls. We will have no regrets as to how this will play out and we leave nothing behind. We are all in. We are at Travis AFB waiting to board a C-5 to McGuire AFB, New Jersey. Our backpacks are on board and we are ready for whatever lies ahead. We are not quite sure about what is next but know that we are excited for this part of our journey and all that God would have for us.

Buen Camino...you are loved.