Visiting Fatima and on to Porto

We were all up early to make sure we had time for showers in the single bathroom before we needed to leave to catch the bus. Nancy and Janet hadn't slept well, and were up at an ungodly hour. Since we were all ready by 7:30, we headed over to the station to find something to eat. We found breakfast at a coffee shop at the train/bus station (I think we had our first taste of the famous Portuguese custard tarts here - Pasteis de Nata) and took the 9:00 bus to Fatima, arriving at about 10:30. We were able to leave our luggage at the bus station for a few euros each.

We headed out, following the small crowd, to see the shrine to the Blessed Virgin. Candles of all sizes were sold at souvenir shops, and also wax replicas of body parts, all to throw into big fireplaces.

These candles are about 5 feet tall

Wax heads, among other wax body parts

Janet holds a wax arm

Fireplace where worshipers throw their candles or wax body parts

People stood in a very long line to add their candles, along with their prayers, to the fire. We heard somewhere that the melted wax was re-used to make more candles or body parts. A nod to conservation, I guess.

Also, some believers walked on their knees across the plaza to the basilica to honor Mary.

Crossing the gigantic plaza on their knees

Oddly, the little shrine to the sainted children had electric votive candles that lit up when you inserted money.

Shrine to the sainted children who experienced the visitation of Mary

We went to the museum, and watched a film explaining what had happened to qualify this as a holy place. Part of the museum was a display of gold objects given in gratitude to the Blessed Mother for answering prayers. There were hundreds of gold objects, spread over a few rooms - jewelry, candlesticks, medals and other ornaments. No photos were allowed.

We had lunch in a small sandwich shop and caught the bus to Porto.

We arrived in Porto and found our apartment, O Quarto Direito, near the School of Music, the Casa da Musica, in the Boavista neighborhood. First order of business, a glass of port to welcome us to our home for 9 days.

Nancy and Janet drinking port in Porto!

Pam, Gail and Kathy

The view is from our terrace, of the rooftops in the neighborhood.




We had dinner at a restaurant in the neighborhood. The housekeeper, Marianna, and her 10-year-old son, Pedro, live in the apartment with us.

Pam, Gail, Marianna, Pedro, Janet and Kathy

Marianna said the restaurant was good, so we tried it. Chicken and ribs, grilled, were a bit dry, but the meal was very reasonable at about 58 euros. And, we'd been served some hors d'oeuvres that we didn't order, to the tune of almost 13 euros. They included fish paste stuffed turnovers, salmon paste stuffed dumplings, spicy sausage stuffed puff pastry, olives and bread. We'll have to be aware of this in other restaurants. We took leftovers home. Nancy even poured the leftover wine from a carafe we'd ordered into her empty water bottle to take home.
We all slept a little better, knowing we didn't have to get up early tomorrow.