We are all just visitors here.I'm not great at playing tourist, but our hostess at the Lisbon Story Guesthouse described a week's worth of must-sees in the nearby city of Sintra. With one day left before heading home, I chose two venues, and we hopped on a morning train stuffed with tourists. Great people-watching! Upon arrival in Sintra we were encouraged to get on a bus which would shuttle us around to various popular locations. Why? So we wouldn't waste time walking! Ha! The crowd jostled their way to the line at the bus stop. (Moo!) Russ and I peeled off and happily hiked through near empty streets and beautiful wooded trails past the ancient Castle of the Moors to the top of the hill, where the Palacio da Pena sat, in all its opulent glory. There, we shuffled through room after room of amazingly intricate and ornate finery along with many, many other folks. Was it worth the entrance fee? Probably, but after an hour or so I'd had enough. We bypassed the cafe and gift shop and wound our way downhill through lovely gardens of fountains and pools with black swans.
Tired and satisfied, we skipped site #2, the Quinta da Regaleira, and took a mellow, late afternoon train back to Lisbon. Perhaps if we return to Portugal, we will take on another tourist destination. Most likely, we will wander, roam and explore.The most intriguing experiences reveal themselves to me when I'm not absolutely sure where I'm going, or how to get there.
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Fala Ingles?Having completed just 17 of the 30 European Portuguese lessons I purchased from Pimsleur, I felt tentative about my first foray into a country where English is not commonly spoken. We've gotten through, so far, with lots of gesturing and only several awkward moments. A couple of times, I was complemented on my ability to speak the language, and my pronunciation. Other times, I received blank stares or confused looks. Before I return to Portugal, I intend to be fluent. The prospect of chatting with the elders here is incentive, in and of itself. We met trekkers from all over Europe while we were in towns or on the coastal route, but none from the US or from Portugal. (In fact, we haven't yet met anyone at all from America.) They all spoke English to some degree, and we swapped trail tales. Actually, I enjoyed that we saw a total of three fellow hikers on the Merchant's Trail itself. Almost entirely, it was Russ and I and the trail. Our new friend Susanna declared this route "boring"compared to the Fishermen's Trail, with it's rocky cliffs and ocean vistas. But I prefer terra firma to sand, and the solitude.
Oh, Susanna! From Amsterdam, she set out to tackle the entire network of trails, despite the debilitating effects of MS. Alone. I'm duly impressed. Even more so by how she listened to her body and spirit and knew when to quit. We met her on the trail just north of Odeciexe, and we've been lucky to happen upon her in every village since. Except Porto Covo. There, I was just wondering why we hadn't spotted her yet when two Dutch hikers hailed us from their street-side table at a cafe. "Susanna says Hello!", was their message. I hope we get to see her one more time, in Lisboa! RejuvenationThe incessant soft roar of the surf, a hike along the cliffs, all the veggies we could eat, and unbelievable sunsets....... These are what I enjoyed most about our time in Porto Covo.
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Gail Creeksong is a Certified CranioSacral and Massage Therapist.
Gail enjoys sharing the power of conscious touch with students and clients. She celebrates our natural capacity for wellness and alignment in her private practice. ArchivesCategories |