On the Road Again

People here say that Sagres has always been a mystical place; the ancient Greeks  called it the Land of Serpents.  Took a boat ride out to the Western Atlantic shore.  This huge rock called the Giant, is the last thing the sailors see as they enter the Atlantic.  You can see his face looking to the sky. The cliff above the giant has been a lighthouse for hundreds of years, guiding boats into the Mediterranean.  Today’s St. Vincent Cape lighthouse hurls a beam of 37 miles into the Atlantic , making it the second most powerful in Europe. A ride along the cliffs shows many caves and hideouts for pirates and foes.  There were multiple naval battles between the 14th and 19th centuries in this area.  Everybody wanted control of the Mediterranean. The Portuguese coast is a surfing destination in Europe with massive waves in the winter just North of here.  Sagres today is a small town with surfers, fishermen and some tourists.  It has about 6 surf s...

  The Romans  called  Sagres “The End of the World” because the dragons and sea serpents were obviously just over the horizon. Prince Henry the Navigator came here in the 15th century with his astronomers, navigators and ship builders to study the ocean and plan the conquests in the “Age of Discovery.” He is pointing to Africa, home of the Portuguese’ first colonies. Around this time, they built  a fortress on a wind swept point to protect against invaders and pirates.  The sentinels used these huts to look for trouble. They erected obelisks to claim the land they “discovered.” This one, in the fortress, has the Prince’s coat of arms. The scenery here is dramatic cliffs and sheltered bays. The hotel is located on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean, with views of the Atlantic.  It is definitely in the running for best of the trip. It has interesting art throughout. It’s beautiful and relaxing, so I am staying here until I come home.

Bilbao, a sprawling, modern port city with great facilities is surrounded by hills with a cool funicular to get you to the top. The Guggenheim looks different from the top too. The Nervión River is a focal point for the city with bridges and statues along the banks. The statue honors the sirgueras, rope girls who pulled empty barges. I came here to see the museum, but have been impressed with the outdoor, cafe loving vibe that people of all ages embrace. The cafes and bars serve pinxtos along with the beer and wine. Last night at around 9PM, I was having a beer outside with an American I met at the hotel.   These ladies sat next to us, wished us a good evening, and went back to discussing the events of the day.

 Bilbao, in the Basque region of Northeastern Spain is home to the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. It is by far the coolest building around and very different from the ancient stuff in the beginning of this trip. It’s hard to describe its uniqueness, but here goes.  It has two giant sculptures outside: the puppy, covered in flowers and the Spider. The interior lobby  is equally impressive. The exhibits are large scale, modern and way cool. One room is an AI generated piece, using a large architecture model that does not repeat and that neither these pictures nor any of the others I took reflect how different it is. The use of space allows some interaction. You observe this sculpture from inside where the audio coordinates with the mist. Even the parking lot shows off the architecture. The city is a lot of fun. I walked to the Mercado this morning which reminds me of Lexington Market. And for the olive lovers in the audience, the market did not disappoint.    

 Yesterday I walked up to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and completed the Camiño. I managed to have no injuries or blisters, so I call that a win! I met interesting people, ate good food, drank great wine, walked through countless vineyards and have some funny stories. The walk slowed everything down making it possible, in a totally different way, to appreciate my surroundings, the people I met from all over the world and how unreal it felt sometimes. Thanks for all your encouragement and good wishes   The process worked well too.  Every day a company transported the large backpack on the left to my next hotel.  I carried the small one. The blue boots kept my feet dry in the wet weather and the brown ones kept them cool in the heat.  I used the poles on days with hills. The cathedral is massive. It was built and destroyed a few times in the ninth and tenth centuries, but today’s basic structure was consecrated in 1211. It has a long history, but it has al...

  The Camino goes past this fountain in the city of Pontevedra, where you can see a group of teenagers walking in the background. I stayed in a castle turned into a hotel with a dramatic lobby. The city is surrounded by hills and the walk is mostly along dirt paths, through vineyards with some challenging hills. There are ancient water fountains along the way. Fortunately, it didn’t started pouring buckets of rain, until I reached the hotel.  Last night’s hotel was on top of a hill, next to a turbulent river.  It fed the hotel pool! It is an old mill: the grounds and stone walls are beautiful. Definitely  tied for best hotel so far. And for the musicians in the audience, this guy is playing a Galician gaita,  which sounds like a bagpipe to me.  It is still raining hard, so my walk today was in a taxi.