PORTUGAL, Beautiful And Grand 9/17-9/23, 2013

Lisbon…land of the great explorers

Rossia District-Lisbon

After seeing the 2011 movie called "The Way", I was instantly inspired to walk The Way.  In this true tale, a 40-something, misunderstood by his Father for his entire lifetime, decides to walk the Way of St. James.  He starts off in Ronciveau St. Jean, France, with his first days spent crossing the Pyrannes Mountains.  He dies, due to sudden weather conditions.  The Father comes to France to identify the body, is so moved to hear of the adventure that his son was on, that he decides to finish The Way for his son.  Its a life-changer for him, and he vicariously comes to understand his son after all the years that have passed in misunderstood Flying Business Class on an overnight flight from Chicago to Lisbon Portugal was sweet perfection.  Carol Allen, my dear friend of 28 years, smiled happily as we started our adventure with wine in the Delta Flight Lounge, a few snacks and taking pictures of our happy faces!  We agreed that our 60's are, indeed, very good years for us and that we are both uniquely happy at this time in our lives.  We boarded our on-time flight, had great service from Nicholas of Paris, starting with mimosas, and laughed our heads off watching "Hangover 3", while we ate great steak dinners and drank copious amounts of red wine before drifting off to sleep for the quiet flight to Paris and then on to Lisbon.  Our daily motto:  to say to each other, all day long, "that was easy"!  And so it went for us in this manner, as we checked in to our Holiday Inn for two days of non-stop exploring of the historical city of Lisbon!

We hit the ground running, jet lag be damned, grabbed a taxi to the historic section of Portugal, originally a trading post for The Romans, followed by 4 centuries of Arab rulers, before Alfonso Henriques  ousted them in 1147.  In the 15th century, it became the main base for the Discoveries", and many of the greatest world explorers, such as Vasco de Gama and Columbus set sail from Lisbon!

We started taking in the breathtaking sites outlined in our Camino de Portugues handbook, our guide to walk "The Camino...The Way of St. James"...but we agreed we would enjoy a week of sightseeing by car before the walk began!

With our "Pilgrim Credencial" in hand, we got our first stamp (the sign of the traveler) at Lisbon Cathedral Se, one of many stunning cathedrals and basilicas in this country.  To say these churches are breathtaking can't begin to describe the immensity of the gilded altar areas, each with their unique design, each with their portrayal of the stations of the cross, their bell towers, and their reverent atmospheres of stillness.  It made me almost wish I was Catholic (kidding).  Our visit included stops at Igriga San Tiago, the Church dedicated to St. James, with the telltale Yellow Arrow on the front of the church, the sign of "The Way" for the travelers on Pilgrimage to Santiago...a sign that we would look forward to seeing as the guideposts for our daily walks.  We also saw the Castle of St. George, the Arco Augusta depicting great world explorers Columbus, Cabral, Magellan and Vasco de Gama.  Even though the earthquake and ensuing tsunami of 1755 leveled Lisbon, destroyed 90% of the buildings and killed a quarter of its population, 2 buildings survived, Jeronimos Monastery, where Vasco de Gama rests.  The Tower of Belem also survived.

Then we slept...trying to adapt to the 5 hour time difference!

9/18:  we enjoyed the Rossio shopping district, although we won't buy anything that we don't wish to carry for hundreds of miles in our backpacks!  On that district is the austere Teatro Nacional de Dona Maria, formerly the site of the Court of the Inquisition in front of which the hanging of heretics and ritual burning of many of Portugal's wise women took place.  I could feel the sadness of this unpleasant spot.  Onward to ride up the antiquated San Justa elevator tower to enjoy the unparalleled
views of spectacular Lisbon.  Who could leave this city without a night of Fado at Velho Pateo de
To be clear, I LOVE AMERICA...it's such a beautiful country, so EASY to move around and to see all of its beauty and to be on familiar ground!  But there remains in me a deep desire to see the rest if the world, to walk the streets of historic countries, to eat the food and drink the wine of the unfamiliar places, without being sure of myself, without knowing the languages, without a definite plan!  This is where the magic can happen!

The Marvelous Traveling Cat…Minerva Luella Sneetches Rides Again…Wisconsin to Michigan

How many cats do you know who ride motorcycles, especially with someone named WildwomanK?  Well I do!

 My Momma loves me very very much.  When I was left on her doorstep in a shoebox, I was only 5 weeks old.  My Momma told me she was planning on going on a big road trip called the Lake Superior Circle, and that if the vet said it was OK, then I could come too.  The Vet said "of course she can ride with you.  She doesn't know that she isn't a motorcycle rider", so we practiced riding and I did really really well.  So off we went!  That was two years ago, and I've ridden over 10,000 miles now and I'm only 2 1/2 years old.  My Momma is a traveler…she calls herself the Gypsy Nomad and our Harley Trike is called the Scarlet Nomad.  We have the same exact birthday, too!  June 11th!

Last summer, we rode from MI all the way to Sturgis for Bike Week.  Oh My.  It was very wild and a lot of people wanted to meet me.  We camped in a tent and made lots of friends of the campers near us and saw many loud bikes with nice people riding them.  

After that, I got to ride to Encinitas, California and spend a couple of months there in the sunshine.  I loved it very much.  And then my Momma and I rode with our friend George from California to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas…and from there Momma and I rode home alone from Austin Texas back     

 to Lakeview, MI.  It was May and it still hailed and rained on us, and the thunderstorms were very scary.  But my Momma always reaches her fingers into my carrier, because I sit on the seat right behind her…she tells me that I am safe with her.

A week ago, my Momma tried to tell me who Frank Lloyd Wright is, and we rode on a very big ferry called the Badger from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI and I got to watch the water swishing by for 4 hours as we crossed Lake Michigan!  Then we rode to Spring Green, WI and my Momma told me I had to stay home while she visited "Taliesin" all by herself, but she told me all about it when she came back to the motel room.  I wish they would let cats go on tours, but

 maybe some day they will.

Next we rode to Milwaukee to see where our Trike engine was built, and I had to stay home again…but I could look out the window of the Iron Horse Hotel and watch my Momma walk to the Harley Davidson Museum from my 4th floor window and get on her tour bus.  I purred and slept while she was gone.  She came home very happy and explained to me that she got to see the first Harley Davidson motorcycles ever made and she got to see where they made her engine.  My Momma even called her Dad to tell him she saw some of the bikes HE used to ride.  She was happy, and that makes me happy too.

 Later that night, my Momma and I read books for awhile, and then we slept in very late because Momma said it was too cold to ride before Noon. I like to sleep late anyway, so we get along very well.  Then we had breakfast and rode back to the Badger Ferry Dock in Manitowoc and boarded that big ship to go back to MI.  I'm glad my Momma put a special furry pad in my cage, because it was very very cold.  I'm also glad I wear a pretty fur calico coat.

I don't know what a "recall" is, but today my Momma said that I got to go to Mt. Pleasant to C&S Sports to have our Harley Trike hydraulic clutch replaced so that we would be safe for our bit 8,000 mile ride we are beginning today.  I got to meet all of the mechanics and everyone was  
                                                                                    happy to see me riding with my Momma every-
                                                                                    where she goes.

When the day is over, and we are in a nice hotel room, it is fun to watch football with my Momma.  She puts on her Raiders shirt, and smiles and cheers for her favorite teams…The Raiders, Bears, Steelers, Packers, and the Rams.

Today we are staying with Momma's friends, Pam and Chris Coughlin in Midland, MI before we start our ride to Canada and Niagara Falls.  My Momma told me that her chaps need fixing before we take off for Maine, and Pam is an expert seamstress.  We will be eating lots and lots of lobster and clam chowder, and my Momma wants extra room in her chaps.  I'm not sure what that means, but I know that I'll find out soon.  Until then, I'm happy to be in a warm cozy house, in a room just for me and Momma and to hear her tell me "I love you, little one".

The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage 9/17/13-Nov.4, 2013

Its the evening before Carol Allen and I take our flight from Chicago to Lisbon Portugal.  We've both weighed our backpacks about 700 times, checked our packing lists and checked them again...and we are almost positive we aren't forgetting whatever we will need for the upcoing pilgrimage walk from Portugal to Santiago, Spain, the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage that many travelers schedule each year. 

One year ago, new friend, Bruce Jones from Long Beach,CA, recommended that I see the movie "The Way".  I did...and I started plotting a way to make this pilgrimage happen in my life.  And of course, what you think about, YOU BRING ABOUT!  It wasn't even hard for me to talk my dear friend, Carol Allen, into going with me.  Thank God her husband, Dave, likes me enough to entrust his precious wife to me for 3 weeks as my walking companion.  Thank God for my friend, George Orr, who believes in my wild ideas and happily helps make them happen.  Thank God for my wild side and for this adventuresome spirit in me that flings me around and around this beautiful world of ours.

So, our backpacks are packed, our tickets are ready, and our minds are racing with the details of this upcoming adventure.  Carol will be with me until Barcelona, and then I'll continue on my own for another 3 weeks, taking in the South of France, including a visit with Thich Nhat Hanh at his Plum Village Community for walking meditations for a week, and then the exploration of Provence from Bordeaux to Nice. 

I hope to post along the way, and share my travels and to have the trip of my lifetime.  I've told several friends recently that,so far, my 60th year has been my favorite year of life!

May the adventure continue!

Helena-Missoula

St. Helena Cathedral

St. Helena Cathedral

Helena Tour Train

Civic Center

New Cowgirl Boots

Helena Museum

White Buffalo

Capitol Building-Helena

Capitol Building-Helena

Largest Charles M. Russell Painting-Senate/Rep. Room

Iron Horse Grill

Missoula

Brennan's Wave

Son Zach and girlfriend Nikki

Gates of the Mountains-Helena

From the sights in Helena (pictured above), including Gates of the Mountains boat tour,  new cowgirl boots (where do I go two-stepping?) to Missoula, where l got to connect with friends, family members who flew in, and neighbors, how lucky can one person be?  From eating peach cobbler from kind neighbors, to dinners on the town, to touring the Smoke Jumpers Facility to the River City Roots Festival in Missoula to the pre-season football games here there and everywhere...life is very very good.

Gates of the Mountain

Site of great loss of firefighters-Gates of the Mountain

Smoke Jumpers Facility-Missoula

Heroes who sew and iron-Smoke Jumpers!

Glacier National Park 8/13

Wow

Logan's Pass

Hanging over the Ledge-Logan's Pass

Lake McDonald Lodge

Lake McDonald

Boat Ride Anyone?

OH MY...What a beautiful stunning "Heaven on Earth"
experience....

This ride on motorcycles with friends Linda McGarvey, who flew out from MI and George Orr from Missoula was unforgettable...first of all we all survived rounding the endless curves with 5,000 foot drop offs, and second we smiled the whole way around (after taking strong medicinal herbs to steady our nerves...Bach Flower Remedies for "known fears").

This ride started out with us heading East to West on the "Going To The Sun Road", and it took the entire day, due to the non-stop curves and pull-outs and chatting with other biker travelers on the road due to lengthy stops for road construction.  We had very nice weather, as you can see from the
"blue-skies smiling at me...nothing but blue skies do I see" pictures.

I couldn't be happier to check another item off my bucket list and to have yelled "woo hoo" through countless curves and canyons.

Two years ago, there was 54 feet of snow in Logan's Pass at The Summit when I tried to do this drive at the end of June 2010.  Now having seen the top of the summit of The Going To The Sun Road this time around, in August, 2013 and the remaining snow from last Winter,  I feel blessed to have been part of the awestruck individuals who stood with their mouths hanging open.  There was the group of Christian bikers from all over the world who rode to Sturgis to minister to the zillions of biker partiers there and then rode on to gasp at the wonders that the hand of God wrought in Glacier National Park.

We ended our day by staying in Coram at The Evergreen Motel, and we all agreed that it was one of the nicer accommodations that we had during this entire trip.  We ate across the street at the Glacier Grill and had fabulous wild-caught salmon and copious amounts of local Black Star Brewery Beer out of Whitefish, MT as well as gallons of rich red wine.  Thats all I remember.  We made fast friends with other travelers from CO and MT, and a good time was had by all.