Portugal has statues honoring individuals who were colonizers. Like Kolkata's Victorian Memorial, these statues and memorials always seem a bit out of place. A few words about Portugal's colonizing history, some examples of Portugal's visual remembrance of that past, and a few judgments about that past. Some scholars claim that Portugal became the first European …
Continue reading 225. Portugal Remembering Its Colonial Past
I've finished the Camino Portuguese. Along with Mary, I've toured the Porto region and visited Fatima. We've returned to Lisbon before our flight. A wonderful city! Especially after I don't have to walk anymore! Lisbon sits on several hills overlooking the Tagus River. Only a few miles away, the river empties into the Atlantic. It …
Fatima is one of the most important sites for older, conservative Roman Catholics. Fatima's history begins in the early twentieth century. From a historical point of view, Fatima is dissimilar to Guadalupe, whose events occurred in 1531; yet Fatima is similar to Lourdes whose events occurred in 11 February 1858. Neither Lourdes nor Fatima occur …
Finistera and Muxia. The "End of the World" to the ancient Europeans. Whether the earth was flat or a globe, Finistera and Muxia were the end of Europe. Whatever else lay to the west, it wasn't an extension of Europe, an extension of their world. At Finistera, the marker reads "Km 0.000." The iconic lighthouse …
Continue reading 222. The End of the World: Finisterre and Muxia
The food in Portugal is wonderful. Fish. Seafood. Salads. Desserts. It is gooood. I'm not a foodie; I don't have exceptional tastes. However, I do enjoy trying some different dishes. Let your mouth water over some of these dishes. And, even if I don't eat, I'm reminded of food.
I enjoy gardening. At our Atlanta home, I love our flowers, the daffodils, tulips, and trilliums, the Georgia asters, astilbes, and foam flowers, the anemones, the turtleheads bishop caps, and Jacob's Ladder. Because we have an almost completely shade garden, I love the dozens of ferns and hostas. I love the shrubs such as the …
Continue reading 220. Observing and Enjoying the Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees
I am in Santiago de Compostela! Arrivals are always bittersweet. I have a feeling of accomplishment. I know that my days of bandaging my blisters, wondering where I'll stop for a break, worrying about rain or cold weather have ended. I know that I'll miss seeing sites for the first time, eating new dishes, and …
I enjoy the high art of churches and cathedrals. At times, I find it a bit "over-the-top", especially some of the baroque features. However, I have grown to appreciate both the art and the devotion of those making that art. I also enjoy popular art. This art abounds in the later stages of the Camino …
Walking allows one to experience so much. I loved the walk from Porto to the Portuguese-Spanish border More places to see. The sea has shaped the life of Portugal. A fisherman waiting. An older fisherman preparing? Enjoying the sea rather than working the sea. The trail veered inland occasionally. Everyday I saw evidence of covid's …
Continue reading 217. Northern Portugal: Meeting People, Seeing Places, Noticing Culture
I never know who I'm going to meet. I inevitably find fascinating people. In a way, I find everybody is fascinating if I give them time to disclose themselves! I meet Min while I'm having coffee. Min is an older woman hiker, currently walking by herself. As a Vietnamese boat refugee decades ago, she has …
Journeys: Explorations in Body, Mind, and Spirit 