Bring Your Own Seashell (BYOS)
Today was my first full day in Lisbon. At the top of my list was a 45-minute walk down to the Se Cathedral. That is the traditional starting point for the Portuguese Camino that starts in Lisbon. I'm on the long route. Most travelers do the section that goes from Porto to Santiago.
The check-in here, in Lisbon, is very different from the more formal process I experienced in St. Jean Pied de Port. Unlike the last Camino, this time there was really no registration, no questionnaire, no listing of your name in a register. At the cathedral it was simply a matter of going to a desk, where a nice young lady named Sarah would either stamp your credentials, or sell you a pre-stamped version for two euro.
Although the tour company set me up with a credential booklet, I purchased two of the credentials. There was no way that one credential book could accommodate two stamps per day for the entire journey. I asked Sarah where I could obtain a new seashell to attach to my backpack as I made the walk. She replied that there have not been any seashells for sale in Lisbon for several months. So if you're starting your Camino in Lisbon, BYOS – bring your own seashell.
On the way to the cathedral, I followed the instruction of Google maps and passed through several different districts. Along the way there were trolley tracks on most major roads. As the trolley would pass, it always seemed to be full. When I arrived at one of the central squares, it became obvious why. My guesstimate is that each trolley could hold a maximum of 30 passengers. The line I saw waiting for the most popular trolley was hundreds of people long. While it's a very popular tourist attraction, many local residents use the trolley to actually navigate the city.
I left the cathedral and walked down toward the river. There is a broad walkway that runs along the water. Off in the distance was the famous red bridge, the Ponte 25 de Abril. I walked in that direction for about a quarter mile and then entered the Arco da Rua Augusta, a stone triumphal arch bordering one of the many plazas in the city.
Shortly after crossing that plaza, I saw my first super-sized superhero. This was in a very busy tourist shopping district, where I found my H&M store. There were a couple of things I needed to pick up, and few places offer the variety and pricing of an H&M store. This isn't an endorsement. It's just that they are ubiquitous everywhere I've been in Europe.
Given the disorienting stone work in the plaza around the corner, I’m glad I visited this area before I had my lunch and beverages.
On a side street, I saw my first funicular. It was full and covered with graffiti. The presence of all the trolleys across town gives the city a solid, old European feel. It definitely helps the city hold onto its unique flavor.
By the time I got back to the hotel I'd already put in more than 11 miles for the day. It was time to grab a shower and a nap. Both were very refreshing as the day had begun to warm up. It was in the upper 60s when I set out, and approaching 80 degrees by 11:30 in the morning.
One of the benefits of being in the airline industry for over three decades is the network available to you for getting information about cities around the world. It is generally a truism that if you have not been to a city, one of your co-workers has. That’s why I headed off for a restaurant called O Cubo. If a restaurant is recommended by a crew member, you can assume it will be good food and not expensive. That turned out to be very true in this case. It is a small mom-and-pop business and I arrived about 2 p.m. Most of the workers were having their lunch as I sat at the counter.
My Portuguese is getting better every day. Keep in mind that I had no Portuguese when I arrived yesterday. I have learned a few phrases, but not enough to order food. Luckily, they had an English menu. I ordered the salmon with a beer. The food was excellent.
The proprietor spoke a little more English than I did Portuguese. I used Google translate on my phone to tell him that I was there because it had been recommended by other aircrew members. He was very pleased and brought out two bottles filled with red liquid. One was homemade wine and the other was homemade port. He was very generous and kind, sharing that with me. When I expressed how much I appreciated it and how delicious it was, he beamed with pride. After drinking the beer and the wine and the port, I might have been doing a little beaming of my own. Lunch cost about $14.
On the way to and from the restaurant, I passed the beautiful Miradouro Parque Eduardo VII that rolled down from the top of the hill and afforded a view all the way to the water.
My last errand for the day included a stop at a hardware store, where I purchased a roll of duct tape. It's not glamorous, but based on stories from other pilgrims it is an item you should have along, in the event that your shoe blows out while hiking somewhere remote. To minimize the space it would take up in my pack, I wrapped the tape around my trekking poles to have a ready supply available if needed. This was a tip from Scott, the Tucson, AZ-based anesthesiologist I met on the last Camino.
Tomorrow is my last full day in Lisbon. There are a couple of museums I plan to visit and some more meals I'm looking forward to enjoying.