Train and trucks…only interrupted by one bull is today’s Camino. The bull is not killed in Portugués’ bull fights, rather deftly outmaneuver. Olé!
Today’s picks….
Vila Franca de Xira is know for its bull fights and running of bulls through the city.
“Are you Linda?” comes a soft voice. I was overwhelmed to find Christian standing by the river front café. We met June 2014 on the Camino France (Spain). By happenstance our itinerary for the Portugués Camino overlap. All that is missing is his brother Bertrand also from the 2014 Camino. Now we walk.
Living up to its reputation as an unsightly commercial district, the outskirt of Lisbon is dominated by trains, trucks, storage containers, and warehouses. As my eyes constantly roam for way markers, I look for beauty in a sea of commerce.
It’s debatable which is more slipper when wet…black-and-white city stone sidewalks or muddy dirt paths. Muddy dirt paths get the “Slip and Slide” award. It’s certainly the dirtier of the two.
What to expect Camino post-Covid? The Albergue host confirms there are fewer hostels and those open fill daily. A local baker delivers breads, sweets, and cheeses every day to the village. These deliveries are more than a convenience to communities without grocery stores.
For me, beginning the Camino from a kitchen seems befitting. Close to the Rua Augusta Arch is Sé Cathedral, considered the official Camino start for Lisbon. After asking the cathedral usher three times where was the Camino’s way-marker, he escorted me. Figure-background…do you see purple graffiti or the Camino way-marker?
Linda Scandore 