The smell of olive oil hangs in the air. Olive oil factories with their huge barrels and vats dot the road. Here the people hand-pick the olives.
Morning fog lifts revealing wooded hills. I could not resist the first ripe fig spotted. I reach out and the fig drops to my fingers. Heavenly. Fig Newtons never tasted like this.
The coolest morning yet brought foggy conditions. It added to scenery.
By 10:00am, September’s sun gets my attention. By noon, I’ve added a long sleeve white shirt to keep off the sun and flies. By 1:00pm, I’m taking frequent breaks in the rare patches of shade. By 2:00pm, I hoping to be checked into my accommodation, to be showered, to have clothes washed, and to have eat my first real meal of the day. At the end of the day, a swimming pool to soak my mummy-wrapped toes is a real bonus.
Lisbon’s linear tomato and corn fields are replaced by random planting of olive trees. This haphazard planting brings charm to the orchards. Olive leaves turn and twist silently in the breeze. I strain to listen to the rustling of leaves but it’s absolutely silent.
Fátima and Portugal are synonymous. Following in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II, we went to Fátima. In 1917 the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children. Three Secrets were revealed to to them. Fátima has become a major pilgrimage center.
Fátima Basilica
Today’s lovelies.
Cork is a major export for Portugal. The bark is stripped from the tree.
The Templars fought in the crusades and made a fortune. They became suppressed by the Pope. Many were killed by Philip of France on Friday 13th. Survivors fled to Portugal and were given sanctuary by Don Dinis. He rebranded the Templars as the Order of Christ. Their new insignia had a white band which symbolized purity. This satisfied the Vatican.
Today is Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. The world grieves. When asked “When did you walk the Camino?” My reply will be, “The year Queen Elizabeth died.”
Linda Scandore 