The Stone Site

Walking the Camino is a very down to earth thing. With a car or even a bicycle you can easily hide away and you pass people so easily and without seeing them. That’s not possible during the Camino since you walk quite slowly and you need to stop quite often. So take a look at this picture and I will tell about what happened today.

After a long walk we stopped to get a coffee and rest our feet at a nice table outside a local Café. Sitting there barefoot, an old lady appeared. Its perhaps not the best manners sitting foot-naked, so we thought that she was going to straighten us up! But, she started to kindly talk to us – in Portugués, a language that is completely incomprehensible for us!!

So I tried as kindly as possible explain about our difficulties to understand her, like ‘no comprende’ and ‘don’t understand’, I think I even tried to say it in german! But that didn’t help, she talked and talked and gave us the story of her life. By gestures we understood that she had got some issues with her foot and probably cancer of the size of a little egg in her throat. And then there was something about Spain a couple of times… So we tried to listen and nod our heads and when possible, and again trying to kindly remind her, that we don’t have the faintest clue about what she was saying. But that didn’t stop our lady, she only stoped when saying hello to people passing by or people exchanging words and greetings with her. She seemed to know almost everyone and now she also wanted to tell us what had happened to her the latest fifty years.

Without upsetting her, nodding at the wrong place etc she ended the conversation and went into the Café. Three minutes later the waitress, (to whom I half an hour before had proven my absolute and complete lack of skills in Portugues by ordering Sandwiches and a Café latte in broken English-Spanish-English), came out with two Cafe Expresso for us on the behalf of the old Lady!!!

And the old lady went away with one of her friends just passing by. And there we sat as confused as perhaps you might be too. But that’s the life of the Camino; you meet, see and talk to people. And if you are lucky you may understand what they say and if not you better just listen – all people have a story to tell especially if it’s in Portugues!

We couldn’t prolong it any more, so early this morning we took off. Walking through a city waking up is so nice, especially if you don’t need to go to work and instead could enjoy the city silence!

Walking out from Lisbon is of course walking out from new as well as old industrial building areas. But I like it, you can almost smell the sardines from the old factories … Then, suddenly some new fine concrete buildings a-raise and reach the Skye;

But then again there are some very old ones too

This is the castle of Pirescoxe – don’t know what kind of Castle it is, but it’s very free to enter and that’s always nice!

So what’s the achievement of today? According to my Fitbit watch, it was a quick and easy walk. I don’t fully agree, but walking without full impact from the sun made it a bit smoother…. wonder where the Stairs came from (31)? Must have been sleeping during that part. 223 active minutes – quite unfair, feels like I have been walking at least for eight hours or so. Perhaps Fitbit recons my coffee breaks?? And I must admit, they have been a few of them during the day…

Another Camino step taken; the Compostela Passport acquired at the starting point; Lisbon Cathedral! However this year we bought a nice protection for it – made by cork. It looks so nice, doesn’t it?

Didn’t have any idea what to expect from Lisbon so we have just been floating around. A nice street, lots of people moving and we move along with them. Perhaps as life itself should be sometimes, calm down and let’s see what’s happen. Sorry to say I’m not so good at it at home slaving in the trenches, but as soon there is some fine weather and good wine I improve;

The morrow morning it’s time to take the first steps, just fooling around in the city rendered about 16,917 steps – but tomorrow it’s for real…

Finally and at last we have arrived at a sunny Lisbon. And it’s not without any nervousness, I’m stilled worried a bit about the preparation. But what could go wrong? Well, luggage for example! This year I was last man standing without any luggage when arriving at the airport… Until my wife, who already got her luggage, spotted a sign telling that special luggage may be find at a complete other place in the building. And there it was

So what did I bring that could scare children away? I don’t know but obviously this is a very scary sack!

Lisbon seems to be a very find town – and I think I got one of the “must take pictures” of the city (and I’m not talking about my wife..). There is something special with these houses In the background, I think, but I can’t remember what it was…

It’s a bit late already, but let’s see if we can find some nice fado places….

Time has passed so quickly, much, much faster than last year, so tomorrow is time for take off!! And know it’s time to do the packing, but also prioritize what to bring with me. All these choices. Some are quite easy – coke or washing powder?

Flux or Fingers?

It’s an easy choice; who want’s to smell like a soap opera when it’s burning hot outside who can resist a cold code an a fine finger – carrying the fridge could be a bit of a challenge, but everything comes with a price. However then there are choices that aren’t that simple. For example; flute or “korkskruv” as we say in Sweden – that’s not an easy one.

So packing for the Camino is like life itself and all the choices that have to be done. Some you do just to live the life as a soap opera but some you should just do because it’s just so enjoyable (and making the fortune of your dentist)!