First of many

For those who have been suffering withdrawal over the past couple of weeks, or who may be wondering whether this writer has run out of words, fear not: there are more words to be written, and a few pictures to be shared.

I've been away on a recent pilgrimage that took 31 of us to Portugal, Spain and France.  In the next number of posts (which might be put up over a couple of days), I'll try to share some of the pictures and some of the more poignant memories.

Here goes.

Day one found us in Lisbon, the birthplace of Saint Anthony of Padua (believe it; it's true).  In fact it was monks who perfected the recipe for one of the most famous egg tarts in Portugese cuisine.  Yep, you guessed it: our little group had to visit one of the best bakeries, where these tasty treats are sold.

Pastéis di Nata

The pastry shop in question was located just blocks from the monastery where the recipe was created and perfected.  Apparently the monastery is open to visitors, but it wasn`t on the day that we were there.  Instead, we had to be content with pictures taken from the outside, and then with a visit to the local pastry shop.

The Benedictine monastery where the recipe was perfected

To be honest, our tour of Lisbon was a whirlwind experience, somewhat clouded by the fatigue of having travelled overnight from Canada, but this didn't stop us from appreciating some of the artistry of the historic sea port town.

A sidewalk which we passed on the tour in Lisbon

We happened to stop at a traffic light for a few moments, and just beside us was this wonderful example of tile work which has been woven into the sidewalk.  Apparently the entire pathway is interspersed with such intricate tilework - something that we rarely see on this side of the Atlantic, but which is a part of a long history in the capital of Portugal.

One of the sculptures beautifying the harbour of Lisbon.

Thanks to the port of Lisbon, Portugal was able to become one of the richest countries in the world, since all the treasures from the Spanish settlements in the New World had to pass through Lisbon before making their way either into or out of Europe.

After our panoramic tour of Lisbon, we were off to Fatima, but not before being encouraged (and agreeing) to visit Lisbon again.