* cababarant *

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Blogging Batalha

Okay this is my first time trying to blog from my mobile phone... So hope it works! I think I have to rely on Kyle for the first post, but that's okay.

We got into Lisbon yesterday (me, my sister Trish and our kids) and went straight to rent our car to head up to Batalha in the north. I was distracted while trying to figure out how to get our insurance covered by my Visa card - the guys next to me had a bigger problem; they drove all the way from Paris, and the guy at the counter was telling them they had to return the car in France only. Doh! Anyway, we got ours without a hitch, thank goodness, and headed out. The first thing I noticed is that the Portuguese drive like maniacs and that the road builders are obsessed with 6-street roundabouts, just to make things more stressful.

Batalha is a charming little town about 20 minutes from Fatima (where we were headed for our Catholic pilgrimage). It's near the A1, a major freeway, but is only reachable by a subsequent 15-minute drive over a winding mountain road, roadsickness be damned. We're staying at the Casa do Oteiro, one of the cuter (yet cheaper!) hotels I've ever stayed at.

The language barrier is a bit of a problem in these parts- English is not the strong suit of residents of a town only accessible by determined tourists and tour buses by the winding road. They give you the international "would you learn a word already" eye roll when you open your mouth and English comes out.

We went to the Fatima Sanctuary and will be back there tomorrow for their 13th of the month celebration (the apparition of Mary appeared on the 13th of the month.) It's fascinating - especially all the pilgrims walking on their knees to the chapel. The sanctuary feels sacred, but is surrounded by a commercial town built up around it. I'm glad we're not staying there and it makes Batalha seem that much more charming.

After Fatima, we did another "pilgrimage": the Pilgrimage of Pork. Mealhada is a town famous for its roasted piglets called leitao, so we knew we had to do the hour drive north to feast.

Guess what: it tastes just like lechon, the ultimate Filipino party food. But hey, I live in Europe where lechon is hard to come by - unlike Seattle where it just means a trip to Beacon Hill, 15 minutes from my house. The leitao was really good, but it's a long drive for some lechon!

posted by sheryl | 9:30 AM |

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