It is 43° F and raining. Any other time and place, that would be a perfect excuse to stay at home and stay warm. However, being here, that’s really not an option. Today I can sleep late, but tomorrow they are going to kick me out come rain or shine. Though nuanced with gray clouds, the perfectly blue sky is still out there. Time to go enjoy it and live a life. FYI: cod stew makes for some very wild dreams.
Flashback to trip to Lisbon… I washed clothes last night and with great apprehension, I felt them today. No hairdryer required.
I have spent the day walking around. It rained most of the morning and part of the afternoon but the sun is trying to come out now. I prayed my rosary at a beautiful church, and then had a delicious lunch at Comme à la Maison. Very quaint little restaurant. Five stars in my book.
Afterwards I made my way up the hill a short ways to the pilgrims office. Had to wait in line for about half an hour, but it was a cheerful place. As large group from South Korea in front of me. Everyone was quite excited.
I then made my way indoors…
And there it is. My first stamp.
Each day on the Camino, a pilgrim must receive a stamp in their “Credencial del Peregrino” as proof they have been there. it is the pilgrims passport. Note to self: don’t lose it!
I’m going to be still and quiet for the rest of the day. Tomorrow morning I start walking. My first stop isn’t too far and not that difficult—Valcarlos— about 7 miles. It will be one of my shorter days, but Thursday is all uphill. There is no need to worry about that today though. 
Please comment below. When I return, we’ll combine some of your journal entries with mine and produce a printed journal of our adventure.
WEEK ONE PROMPT
Walking the Camino de Santiago is about letting go and relying on God’s grace and the kindness of others. “The Camino provides” is a common expression for those on the way. How do you turn your life over to God’s grace and the kindness of others? In what ways do you not only receive grace and kindness but also express it toward others?
I’ll be on sabbatical from April 1st through July 8th, with 60 days walking the Camino de Santiago. During this time, I’ll be journaling and blogging, and I invite you to join in the conversation. On Sunday evening each week–beginning Easter Sunday–I’ll post a journal prompt on my blog. I will need to approve your first comment, but afterward, you will be free to comment as you like.
Please comment below. When I return, we’ll combine some of your journal entries with mine and produce a printed journal of our adventure.
WEEK ONE PROMPT
Today, we celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord. Through this great act of love, how will you live into this new life that has been offered to you?
I began my travels at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. I arrived at the VRBO twenty-eight hours later. I’m pretty sure day one would have gone much better if I had been able to sleep on any of the three flights, but as it was… barely a wink.
My first flight was delayed by an hour, but that was OK. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why they had be go to Salt Lake City and then to Rome, instead of flying east, but as it turns out… we’ll just call it providence. Last I heard, because of the winter storm “bomb”, there were over 1,400 flights cancelled. Salt Lake had to wait for a plane to arrive, but otherwise, I flew over all the mess below. Here’s a shot flying over the Rockies and then another of Mormon Central as I landed in Salt Lake. (I can never get good pics looking out a plane window.)
After a few hours, I caught the flight to Rome, which was a little over nine hours. Not much to report there. Listened to a book, watched a movie, and stared into space (while trying to sleep.) I looked for the Eiffel Tower as I was flying into Rome, but maybe it’s not lit up at 1 a.m. Maybe you can find in the photo below.
I searched for some M&Ms while in Rome, but it appears to be an M&M free zone, so I had to settle for some of the finest chocolate I’ve ever put in my mouth. When in the Rome airport, if you need something to cheer you up a bit, I can highly recommend this. You won’t be disappointed.
After another short delay due to weather, it was time for the final leg of the travels. Below is you’ll see the coastline of Portugal and a quick shot I took of the Cristo Rei. I’ll take the ferry across the Tagus River and see it proper… probably a day trip. Look at the clouds rolling over… so pretty.
And then there was Lisbon…
For the next two hours, I thought I had made a terrible mistake by trying this on my own. I got seriously lost. Fortunately I was not conscripted by the Russain army.
I’m not sure if it is Google Maps not working well here or cellular data not so good, either way… I took the right subway out of the airport, but then missed the connecting stop. I did not know there was a connecting stop, so I rode awhile. I apparently looked lost because a very kind lady told me it was the end of the line. I said, “Thank you,” and got off instead of riding back and starting again. I thought, ‘Hey. Google Maps will get me where I need to go.’ It did not.
I wandered for about an hour and a half trying to figure things out. I called my carrier, attempting to get data working. I ended up aimlessly walking about. Keep in mind that I’m on about twenty-six hours and no sleep and haven’t had anything to eat in quite some time. I could not reach my host (he actually had emailed me instructions, but… yep… no data!)
I eventually found a policeman—he did not speak English, and I did not see a name badge that I recognized, but if I gave him a name, it would be Angel. I explained my situation, and he listened. I showed him the hotel name where I was to meet my host. I asked/mimed if he could walk, and he said, “No.” The wrong train had gotten me about six miles from where I was supposed to be. Ugh. He was trying to direct me back to the proper subway, but my only word was, “Taxi.” Angel walked me to a main street, flagged me a cab, told the driver where I needed to go, and stayed until I was off. Thank you, Angel.
Fifteen minutes later, I was deposited in front of the meeting place, and twenty minutes later, I met my host, Andre Fonesca. Andre has hooked me up with a fantastic apartment and helped me to learn how to get around. He has provided maps, places to see, etc. I don’t have access to Google Maps, but Andre gave me great confidence to head out and see this beautiful city. It isn’t all that difficult to get around once you’ve got the lay of the land, and if all else fails, I’ll call a cab and be set.
Last night, I slept thirteen hours. At some point, a young couple got into it for a bit, but they didn’t bother me. It was cool, and then it started to rain. With the windows open, it doesn’t get much better.
Andre told me that the cruise ships arrive in the mornings and drive around with about fifteen busloads of folks, so it is best to go to some of the more popular places after lunch. That works for me because I really want to see this city at night. They have such amazing lights throughout.
For now, I’m signing off, but I will update you all this evening. With my trusty map, I’m headed out…
The Queen was always a big help while I was writing. Full of inspiration and love bites to keep we awake. Crazy Cat!
I typed the date and realized that I should probably be journaling about the events of this day twenty-one years ago, but no… there’s been so much of that. Time to find peace even in the horror of it all. Instead, I checked back and saw that it was June 3, 2022, of my last journal entry, and I needed to catch up. (I’ll be off and on with this, so don’t expect one all the time.)
What’ve I been up to? Writing. Writing. Writing. I have finished the third draft of The Marble Finger: a Father Anthony Savel Mystery. What a remarkable process writing a book can be. It seems that every waking moment and available thinking space in the mind can be consumed with something entirely fictitious. I wrapped it up on Saturday, but all those characters are still chatting away in my head, wanting to go off on some new adventure–which, by the way, I’m already plotting… Salt Lake City. A long way from Wisconsin, but… no. No. No. That will have to wait for another time. Must finish up the Finger first. It is presently in the hands of five beta readers. Once they blow holes in it and I attempt to patch them up with bubble gum and ostrich feathers, I’ll get it out. The original deadline was December 1st, but I believe I will be several weeks ahead. Keep you posted–of course, I will! I want to sell a few copies! But… back to that bit where they want to keep chatting.
I’ve been so involved with it for so many weeks now that I’m finding it hard to let go and not want to go back and fiddle with it a bit, to be involved with them and have them fill the mind. That is one of the great aspects of writing: they take over. They do their things and say what they’ve got to say, and you are at their mercy. OH! That does remind me of a movie: Magic. I don’t know that I ever saw it, but I remember it. The movie poster! Such great rhymes 🙄…
Abracadabra, I sit on his knee.
Presto chango, and now he is me.
Hocus pocus, we take her to bed.
Magic is fun; we’re dead.
I promise you it is certainly not all that bad! It is just that the process is very consuming, regardless of whether or not the end result is any good. Anyhow…
I’ll be working on the grammar of The Golden Fistula and reissuing it a few weeks before the Finger comes out. Of the criticism that I received on Fistula via Amazon, it was the grammar. I’ve no idea what to do with any of it, but now I’ve got people who do. haha. I’ve also got new cover art coming for Fistula. The same artist will be doing Finger and the label for the new wine that is currently fermenting: Isabella. Can you say, “Some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”
Preach the Gospel. Write books. Make wine. Hmmm… I haven’t painted for a while.
I arrived back in Oklahoma late in the evening on Tuesday and have been processing all that I was able to see and do while in Italy (Florence/Rome). It was my first time out of the country (other than Canada and I don’t really count that one), so it took me a few days there just to get past the initial travel jitters. Afterward, I settled in and enjoyed it all. Funny, in all the pics and photos that I posted and that generated the most comments, etc, it was The Hat that generated the greatest conversation.
I do like the hat and it has now found a prominent home in my house. A great reminder of a wonderful experience.
I haven’t decided where I’ll go next, although the church has a pilgrimage to Israel in the works for next year, I’m thinking I would really like to visit Sweden/Norway. Not sure why other than to go up to the northern parts of those countries to try and see the trolls (an excellent documentary on the trolls can be found here.) There’s also India and that has been pulling at me for a long time.
For now, I’m working on getting back to normal. Nothing bad on the jetlag issue, but I have been waiting on the plumber to show up for the last three days to fix a leaky main leading into the house. Yep. You can go on vacation for as long as you like but the pipes are still going to break and the world is going to continue to revolve, and that’s OK too. I’ll be back at it for real on Monday but for now, I’m going to continue in vaca mode, which included bottling up the new vintage: Lucrezia (as in Borgia).
A very tasty, bright, and light, Chardonnay.
Finally, this morning, The Queen knocked over half a cup of coffee onto the book/manuscript I’ve been trying to write for the last couple of years: The Marble Finger (the second of the Fr. Anthony Savel mysteries). I figure that it was her way of telling me to get on with it or get it off the desk so that she’ll have more room to lay down. It is time. Actually, it is past time: let the murdering begin!
The Magi made a clandestine visit and we listened for the drummer.
This is a picture of St. Anthony in Torment by Michelangelo with a watercolor overlay.
Then you realized your rainbow was full of demons….
I’ve been doing the “dry” January, which has turned out to be a semi-arid environment with the occasional shower. It has been good and I have dropped more than a few pounds. It is good.
I’ve been reading more than usual, but when you have a 1,200 page book, it takes more than a few days to get through it. Yes… The Stand. There truly is not a more remarkable book outside of the Good Book. And whether he admits it or not, S. King knows more about God, the devil, Holy Scripture, and everything else in between than most of us folks who run around in fancy robes (or skinny jeans) on Sunday mornings. You can’t paint the picture unless you’ve seen the original…. no what I mean? Yes. Yes you do.
The Priest work is going well. It is good to hide behind my robes, but I’m guessing most can see the hypocrite in the shadows. It is the reason for the failure. My friend Brennan ( what a great name) says that Jesus comes along side each of us and says, I know your whole life story. I know every skeleton in your closet. I know every moment of sin, shame, dishonesty and degraded love that has darkened your past. Right now I know your shallow faith, your feeble prayer life, your inconsistent discipleship.
Funny I can never remember the rest of it.
I should just go to sleep now and wake up…. later.
Life is good. Yes it is.
Ah… The Queen. Her Majesty is a Royal…. um… yes… Hinney! LOL. She has her moments, but it is a delight to come home from the day and find her waiting for the scrub under the chin. She is Rain, but she lives into her “title”.
There are many thoughts and so many things to say, but they seem to wander off on their own and find other places to germinate….
Do you ever just not want to go to bed because it is the first time in many days that you have the opportunity to think, write, paint, dance, listen, etc.? There are days that this is the way we roll around here. I’ll stay up too late and listen to tunes, paint goofy pictures, think of writing, pray (yes, I do that), wonder who I would be if I let go of control, and then sleep…
…. No more—and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to. ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep— To sleep—perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub! For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause—there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of disprized love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death The undiscover’d country, from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?
Tired.
… but still………… let’s stay awake for another hour or so.
Candle in a Cave 