Daily Word Count: 2,675
Cumulative Words Written: 10,811
Total Words Discarded: 2,375
Total Chapters Drafted: Four
Time Spent Writing Today: 5 hours
Want to know one of the most common questions I get, either from readers or at speaking engagements?
Are you going to walk the Appalachian Trail next?
My answer is always a resounding NO. But I’d definitely do the Camino de Santiago someday if MTM could walk it with me.
The Camino is a series of ancient pilgrimage and trading routes that lead to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Multiple footpaths cross from France through Spain. Every year, thousands of pilgrims walk the various routes, crisscross through bustling cities and pin-dot villages, and finish at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
But I never realized Portugal has it own series of paths, known as the Portuguese Way.
The Central Portuguese Way goes through Messejana!
The Camino way-finding image is a gold sunbeam and arrow on a dark blue background (pictured first in this post.) I saw this one outside Gary’s Bar while rambling through a roundabout. Being me, I took off the way it pointed without food or water, determined to see where it led IMMEDIATELY.
Of course, it was all uphill!
I stopped to rest, I mean, to snap a photo of this laundry en route to the top.
Moorish influence is visible everywhere in Messejana.
Many buildings sport these curved chimneys with dome caps. Portuguese tile-making and adobe-style architecture were also gifts from the Moors.
Even though Messejana is high desert, parts are very colorful. I stopped again to catch my breath and snapped this riot of flowers.
This isn’t *quite* the Portuguese Camino, but I’m close.
I don’t know how well I’d do on a trek like this one. I followed a side path that runs along the border of town. Predictably, I wound up climbing a very steep hill through tall grass and nettles to find the Camino. The whole scratchy, stinging route, I wondered whether Portugal has snakes…….
OF COURSE THE CAMINO WINDS PAST THE TOWN CHURCH. DUH.
I didn’t go that way, but I eventually found the Camino. I’m standing on the Portuguese Way in the picture above. Curious about the signpost, I took off through knee-high grass and nettles. Again.
The Camino signpost is visible from all over town.
I spent most of this week wondering what it was. Fitting I’d visit on a Sunday. And rather than list distances, the next points of interest are carved into the wood. (Yeah, I’d definitely be lost the whole time without MTM!)
No wonder MTM wasn’t very excited when I texted him earlier. I announced, “I think I’m going to get up early one morning and hike to the next point of interest!”
I can see him now. Dropping the phone. Putting his head in his hands. And sighing, “She’ll NEVER find it.”
Well, I’ll show him. 🙂
4 Comments
Decent word count. And the hikes are fine.
Thanks!
You go Andra and when you get back to the Dallas area we would like to invite you to the East Dallas Rotary Club and tell about your adventure
That’s great, Paul! I’d love to.
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