On Wednesday May 8 willl be traveling to Lisbon in Portugal to start an adventure with my friend that will take us 500 miles along the way of St James to Santiago in Northern Spain. Traci will fly in from the UK on May 9 and after spending the next day exploring Lisbon we will start our walk on Saturday May 11. We hope you will follow our antics and share our experience as we make this wonderful journey. Pilgrims walk the Camino for many reasons, it’s a personal journey that isn’t so much about becoming anything, maybe it’s about unbecoming everything so that you can the person you are meant to be, come with us or don’t come with us, the choice is yours…… Buen Camino
Miles and miles of walking, I’m on my third pair of waking shoes
The Orange Trail,FL
Next stop Lisbon
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Travel Day
Orlando - Newark- Lisbon thanks United
This made me laugh out loud, talk about wild wee’s in the woods ……. Who the hell thinks ‘I know let’s give people that peeing on the woods experience’ it’s as if they knew, well done Newark airport this was a great training experience 🤣😂hilarious
Manchester - Lisbon thanks Tap
Random Taxi ride video, she made it to the hotel safe and sound 😜
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Day 1 -Lisbon, Portugal
We both made it safely to Lisbon, travel was pretty straight forward and the flight delays seem like a distant memory already…… so excited for our adventures to begin.
Today was a day spent exploring the city, always a challenge when you really need to limit the walking and keep off your feet, mission accomplished with the help of our new friend Nina and her Tuk Tuk, this was so much fun. Lisbon is a beautiful city, full of the loveliest people, interesting history and rich culture!
Nina Barbosa
@by.me.nina a free spirit who has chosen to live life over practicing law, talented underwater photographer and an expert Tuk Tuk tour guide it was our lucky day when we met you.
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Navigating the streets of Lisbon was so much fun.
We started at the Se Lisbon Cathedral and visited the old city and the highest point.
Tuk Tuk convoy video
It’s the only way to travel ….
This will be where our journey begins tomorrow, built in 1147 and one of the oldest buildings in the city having survived all sorts including earthquakes. It’s here we get our Camino passports stamped and our walk begins.
At Vincent’s Cathedral
Fun fact: St Vincent is the patron Saint of Lisbon, ledgend has it that the church killed him for asking too many questions and sent his dead body out to see but it was escorted and watched over by two black crows, when his body was pushed over board it floated back ashore and the Spanish believe that anything that washes ashore is good so the king made him a saint and his statue stands with the two birds on his shoulder and a boat on his arms.
At Vincent’s Cathedral
…. Has the worlds biggest organ, apparently 😳
Cobbled streets
The Pantheon
…… a memorial that takes a long time to build, about 400 years bit sooo like applying for planning permission from the local council then 😵💫 there was a joke in there somewhere but we don’t remember it 🤦♀️
Lisbon Trams
The Tejo River
The highest point in Lisbon
St James the apostle
We will follow the Way of St James …..
The highest point in Lisbon
Commercial square video
For all of you who have sat through the whistle stop tour of Lisbon, here comes the fun part, we have met some amazing people today including these students raising money for their science program. So, anyone one that’s seen me in a dance class at the gym you know this isn’t my thing, but I tried 🤣😂🤣😂
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Today ended with us having dinner and going to pack our bags for tomorrow, Buen Camino
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Day 1 - Lisbon to Santa Iria
Started out well, as we navigated our way out of Lisbon following the River Tejo for most of the way.
Anyway, something new today we are going to tell our story through videos and pictures below, which pretty much sums up our day 🤦♀️
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The official starting point of the Camino is the Church of Santiago then passing the Se Cathedral where we got our Camino Passports Stamped
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So excited to be on our way ……
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That will teach us for being glib …. The Camino Gods weren’t letting us get away with that one!
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We did eventually find our way to the hotel about 2 hours later 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Oh well, day 1 in the books and looking forward to tomorrow …… Buen Camino 🇪🇸
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Day 2 - Santa Iria to Vila Franca de Xira
So today went so much better than yesterday primarily because there were plenty of way markers in all the right places NOT like yesterday 🤦♀️ it’s become some sort of hike/scavenger hunt.
We walked from Santa Iria to Vila Franca de Xira. Again following the River for much of the walk before turning inland slightly and walking dirt tracks and gravel roads. We always seem to have the rail tracks to the one side and the river to the other. Now we were in farmland once again looking for signs. We used our walking poles much more today, it’s a good look isn’t it.
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We are most definately walking the road less traveled so far only having met 5 other pelegino’s at this stage, it’s like we are the only nutters here. \240
Weather couldn’t be more perfect, in the 70’s with lovely breezes, especially closer to the water. FYI Traci hasn’t worn her umbrella hat yet, don’t panic I will capture that on video!!!!
Leaving messages in case there is someone else out there …….
We stopped in small place called Alverca, with the best cake shop ever AND yet another cheese and ham toasted sandwich 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
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The Camino signs have been excellent today, we love it when there are two on the same post that don’t really tell you where to go at all.
Rural paths
The grass is taller than Traci 😜
As we all know Traci loves her garden and enjoys talking to them!
As we walk we come across the strangest things in the middle of nowhere, so any opportunity for a selfie and we’re in.
Finally we arrive in Vila Franca de Xira via a beautiful public garden ……. More flowers for Traci to stop and talk to.
Tonight’s accommodation
It’s like Widow Twankies Laundry 💦
So it’s dinner and bed before we get up and do it all again tomorrow …. boa noite 😘
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Day 3- Today we walked from Vila Franca De Xira to Azambuja
Today started out on gravel tracks and we even had a few sprinkles of rain 💦☂️ but sadly not quite enough for Traci to wear her hat umbrella!
We came across some Camino stones it’s a tradition to leave your mark so that those that follow behind will know you passed by, in the past it would help guide the way but these days it’s considered more of a spiritual opportunity to leave anything that’s troubling you behind.
We left a stone and a heart bracelet with the hope that someone else will pick it up and wear on their Camino.
Farmland and gravel tracks
It was around 10 KM in today that we got a little lost BUT our navigation skills have improved and we defiantly ended up taking the road less traveled to get back on track …… we felt like Camino ninjas that day 😃 but once again we had peaked too soon …….
We pretty much followed the rail tracks on a dry dusty gravel road, not as easy as you’d think to walk on as you feet tend to slip backwards every step.
Today marked Traci’s first ‘tree wee’ so it seemed only right to capture the moment 🤣😂🤣😂
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I hadn’t realized that Traci was videoing me but it’s ok o got her back 😜
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Eventually we came to two small rivers and the only way to cross was on a small path over a railway bridge, we had been watching trainings whistling past at 100 miles an hour all day so this was not going to be good if a train cam, needless to say it’s the fastest I’ve seen Traci move since we’ve been here 🤦♀️
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That got our adrenaline pumping, the good news is we made it to Azambuja, nice little town where they were putting up the rails and gates in the Main Street for the running of the bulls on May 27.
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Day 10 - Condeixa A Nova to Coimbra
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Day 11 - \240Coimbra to Mealhada
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@#ChardyFL Good luck
@#chardy84 Good Luck Ladies 🍀
@#nikkichard Best of luck to you and Traci! We’ll be following you ❤️
@#johnkusak Good luck both
@#kathrynrubert Have an amazing walk- Happy walking and cheers to you both. I will be following and rooting for you on your journey.
@#Mandyk Have an amazing time!!
@#andywade Good luck ladies 👍