Lisbon

We finally arrived in Lisbon by late afternoon. Even though it had been a long ride, in fact, a very long ride, I did not feel too tired. After taking a shower, which rejuvenated me, I bought 30 postcards and mailed them to a variety of people back home. Then it was off to see Lisbon at night. At my first stop, I witnessed Fado - a traditional Portuguese music and poetry performance genre, originating in various Lisbon neighbourhoods in the 1820s, although it was much older in reality. The word "fado" means "fate," and the music is known for conveying themes of saudade, a complex mix of nostalgia, longing, and bittersweet sadness.

After seeing the "lights of Lisbon" (Significantly less impressive than Paris), we proceeded to the famous gambling casino at Estoril. During the Second World War, it was reputed to be a gathering point for spies, dispossessed royals, and wartime adventurers. It became an inspiration for Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 novel Casino Royale. Having read about and seen the movie, I was curious about this location. It was OK, but I was glad I went.

By the time I came back from my trip through 'Lisbon at night', I was very tired, but not so tired that I couldn't appreciate the city's beauty and the politeness of its people, who are not always asking for tips. The next day, I visited the Royal Summer Palace at Queluz. This is less grandiose than the one at Sintra, but it is well worth the time and effort to visit.

Also had time to visit the beautiful village of Cascais. Despite its proximity to Lisbon, the centre of Costa do Sol, still retains much of the charm of its past and indeed its present. In my opinion, I found it to be a picturesque and upscale coastal resort town on the Atlantic, just west of Lisbon, known as the "Portuguese Riviera", famous for its sandy beaches, historic charm, vibrant marina, and upscale atmosphere that transitioned from a fishing village to a royal summer retreat. However, I mostly enjoyed exploring its old town with 19th-century villas.

I found Lisbon and its environs charming, and made a note to return to appreciate them more fully.

After a wonderful evening in San Sebastian, we left for Lisbon, accompanied by the Torontonians. Terry was the one who really wanted to go to Lourdes, and I agreed to accompany him, even though I had zero interest in going. Now, there was another 'holy' venue beckoning, the Sanctuary of Fatima - about 1-½ hours north of Lisbon. And, of course, our train would make a stop there.

What happened at Fatima? As the story goes, in 1916, on three separate occasions, three children began reporting apparitions of an angel. They claimed to have witnessed an apparition they later assumed was the Virgin Mary. These visitations culminated in the October 13, 1917, public Miracle of the Sun. The Virgin Mary's apparition allegedly revealed three secrets to the children. Although the Miracle of the Sun marked the children's last claimed apparition, the Fátima region continued to draw pilgrims.

What was the Miracle of the Sun? Apparently, there was a prophecy that the Virgin Mary would appear and perform miracles on that date. Newspapers published testimony from witnesses who claimed to have seen extraordinary solar activity, such as the Sun appearing to "dance" or zig-zag in the sky, advance towards the Earth, or emit multicoloured light and radiant colours. According to these reports, the event lasted approximately ten minutes. I had learned about this at my holier-than-thou Roman Catholic school. I initially believed this stuff, but abandoned my belief in anything 'miraculous' having happened there in my late teens - when I also gave up believing in the divinity of Christ, the virginity of Mary, etc.

There was no way I was going to get out of Fatima! Terry relented, and we set course for Lisbon. Whew!