I'll be standing at the edge of the earth hoping that one day...

Portugal extended Lent Escapade...

In a surreal moment, Blessid Union of Soul's "Standing at the edge of the earth'' is playing in my head as I was staring at the North Atlantic Ocean in front of me...I was in fact standing among the edges of the earth - this time in Cabo da Roca in Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal...This place is 'known to the Romans as Promontorium Magnum and during the Age of Sail as the Rock of Lisbon. The 16th century Portuguese poet Luis de Camoes described Cabo da Roca as the place 'where the land ends and the sea begins' (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_da_Roca)

I felt like crying, overwhelmed with joy that I am in fact so blessed to be able to experience one of the best years in my life. Moments like these just affirm how the 'universe indeed conspires to make it happen' and that there is a Greater Force working that is both extremely wonderful and terrifying at the same time.

'We are standing directly parallel to the USA and this point is specifically opposite Washington DC...' explained our guide.

I never dreamt one day I will be in Portugal...not that it was something I do not wish for but it is more like, there are some things you think is hardly possible that you don't bother dreaming of it at all...I could make a list of these things that I think I would have dreamt of going or doing if I had a chance...But right now, being in Portugal is definitely taken off this list...After spending Good Friday to Easter Sunday in Spain (considering the sentimentality of my religion tracing its history to this country) I was then off to Portugal for the next few days. I know of course that while the history of the Philippine's reflect that we have been colonized by Spain, it was actually a Portuguese that headed that fleet that went to our country in the 15th century. Magellan. The name that was...

Of good hearted strangers and (unofficial) sign languages...
I arrived in Lisbon at 6AM and immediately traced the metro line that would lead me to my CS host in Oeiras it was quite a distance from the center but I did not mind the travel because it allowed me to view the seaside where most of the tourist spots where located like the Tore de Belem, that monument of the sea discoverers and just the island across the bridge stands a similar structure of Brazil's Christ the Redeemer...I was looking at these tourist spots through the window in the train and was trying to wipe the fog in the glass when someone handed me a tissue. An old man, sitting beside me was smiling while he offered a clean tissue for me to wipe the window. He started talking in Portuguese and I was very apologetic that I don't know the language. I had a map in my hand and he pointed (I guessed wondering where I was going) so I pointed the stop where I intended to get off. He then pointed where he was getting off because he pointed himself first and then another point in the map. Later he seemed to be antsy and wanted to say something important to me pointing at the map. He was signing no and pointed to my destination. So I figured I might have hopped on to the wrong train.

Referring to the train map, my point of origin is Cais do Sodre and I was going to Oeiras. The old man was stopping at Alges which is three stops before my stop. There are two lines from Cais do Sodre to Cascais (endpoint). One of which does not stop in Oeiras and goes directly to Cascais, just my luck, this was the line I eventually got in which got the old man worried. I was actually wondering why he did not got off in Alges and I later realized we were past the Oeiras stop and the train stopped at the next station only which was Carcavelos. I understood then that the two lines where alternating stops. So the old man got off with me in Carcavelos and he pointed me to the train that would go back to Oeiras, actually, he went with me to the train to Oeiras, I thought of course because he too was going back to Alges.While we waited for our train, he muttered the word Filipina and I was surprised that it was too specific. He tried explaining that he has a restaurant in Cais de Sodre and has a Filipina working for him. I was really thankful at this point to have an angel and it was really amazing as all this was happening with us only deciphering sign languages (not even the official sign languages) haha anyway, I was finally in my stop and the old man went off with me again, gave me his number and said to call if in case I needed help. I gave him a hug (thankful so much for the effort despite the language barrier) and saw him walk in the other side again for his train. In my mind, my gosh I ought to be the one helping this man in a cane! I proceed to the roadside and saw three ladies in a public garden sweeping and chatting. I approached them to ask for the directions of the address and pointed my paper to avoid conversing in Portugues aside from the common greetings...Again just my luck! one of the ladies was just heading that way and accompanied me there (unofficial sign languages). She helped me carry my bag which was difficult to roll in a pebbled laid garden road. It was about 300 meters walk. She seemed to know everyone in the area because she was waving and speaking at them as we passed by a small shoe maker's place, a not-so-fancy restaurant (just like our carenderia in the Philippines). She called someone who was a caretaker of the building and pointed me to the direction. I thanked her and tried to hand in 5euro bill which she declined. I gave her a hug and went inside the building. It was almost 10am and I was already tired with the trip. I tried to ring the doorbell and no one answered so I figured I can go back to the carenderia-like shop and grab something to eat. I was lucky to be able to find an outlet, plugged in my laptop, charged my phone in time for the host to call and tell me that her daughter will be waiting at the house for me since she was still at work. I stayed for 3 nights at Renata and Adriana's home. Renata took me to a party with friends. I took the sightseeing tours with Leny and Hazel to Sintra which led us to that side trip in Cabo da Roca. We went to Fatima on Saturday. I met Leny and Hazel there because I took the hour bus an hour later than them. I was jokingly telling Leny my Manana Habit seem to have worked in this place. I was just feeling too at home I was not in a hurry for everything. haha Anyway, I was just so happy to be in Fatima. It was like an informal pilgrimage for me as I am a devotee of the Lady of Lourdes. Later that evening, Leny and Hazel proceed to Porto while I went back to Lisbon for my plane in the morning.

I can imagine going back here someday I told myself...especially the Cabo point...until then that song in my head plays again...'I'll be standing at the edge of the earth, hoping that one day...''