September 11, 2022
Today was a good day, despite being September 11th. Back home, the smoke from forest fires is thick and so harmful that some people are staying in. I have beautiful clear skies here. So much to be grateful for!
It’s Sunday, so I got up and went to Mass. Okay, I didn’t get the best sleep; it was a noisy Saturday night! I know I didn’t get to sleep until after midnight. When I woke up around 7:00, I set the alarm for 9:30 and went back to sleep. My body has been begging for rest. It is partly because I am letting go of my stress and emotionally recuperating. In addition, I walk like a crazy woman every day. Either way, it is all good. My body feels strong and healthy. The Iberian life is good for me. The “not-teaching high school life” is also good for me.
Mass at the Cathedral was at 11:00, about a ten-minute walk from here. Perfect! I showered, shampooed, and even put on some jewelry and my nicest blouse. I wish I understood more Portuguese because I could tell it was a good sermon. I made out that he was talking about God and peace and that God’s peace was for everyone. The priest was young, about 40, and had a pleasant demeanor. After Mass, in English, he thanked the visitors for coming and wished us a blessed visit in Porto. I could tell he was a good guy!
When Mass ended, the organist kept playing for about 20 minutes, which made touring the cathedral even more special. I’ve been to many cathedrals and churches in Spain, and I can’t say this one was amazing or outstanding; it was just a pleasant visit.
I walked around the plaza, checked out the view, got a few photos, and decided to find that little restaurant with gluten-free breakfast items. It hadn’t been that long since I had eaten breakfast, but I’m always up for a second round of chow!
The gluten-free veggie crepe was interesting, but it could have been better if they had heated it enough to melt the cheese. I didn’t complain, though. It was nice to be in a gluten-safe place.
I realized I hadn’t picked up my tour book pages or a map before leaving the apartment, so I returned after lunch. I did a little yoga and decided that a nap would be a good idea. Just 20 minutes to get recharged.
I then took off to do the upper part of the Rick Steves walking tour. Oh my! I think he had me walking the steepest streets in the city! And there were a couple of detours with all the construction going on. I saw some more plazas and parks and the Clerigos church and tower. Definitely worth the visit! I also went to the Imperial McDonalds; I didn’t order anything, but at least I saw it. Satisfied that I had finished my sightseeing, I stopped at the Pingo Doce before returning to the apartment. I had plans to roast a chicken for dinner and enjoy an afternoon GF beer.
The chicken was pretty fabulous. I added leftover lemon, figs, onion, and olives. I roasted some potato, onion, and the rest of the carrot in a separate pan. It was quite the gourmet dinner, along with last night’s leftover green veggies.
After dinner, I went for a walk down the Santa Catarina. A musician was singing and playing his see-through guitar while wearing a white see-through skirt. He was wearing a man-thong under it; I could see when I walked behind him!
Wandering Shannon 