Pilgrimage to Italy/Padre Pio 11/2022

 10/31/2022

One week to takeoff to Italy to start the Padre Pio Pilgrimage.

Florence, Assisi, Birthplace of Padre Pio, Sorrento, Pompei, Rome

Stay tuned....

A stop over in Munich

A rainy windy morning caused flight delays from Porto to Munich.  Hence we missed our connecting flight and had to spend the night in Munich and start home again the next day.  Lufthansa took care of us but we never saw anything else of Munich.
The airport there is new, efficient and BIG.
Each wing had its own tax free shopping mall and dozens of inviting places to eat.
Our plane was waiting for us and our next window views were Charlotte,  NC.  Frank and Jean picked us up and Monday I will drive home.  The end of a memorable adventure!  Thanks Mona❤

Harry Potter from Porto?

The author of the Harry Potter series taught at the univ in Porto for 2 years prior to creating her novels.  A 7th year architecture student gave us some insights followed by a visit to a famous bookstore.
The students designed a student wardrobe the would be functional and affordable.  Now it is only worn for special function.
A cape was worn over the arm by freshmen but as the students participated in class or clubs  they earned patches much like scouts in the u.s.  upper classmen wore the cloak over their shoulder to display their affiliations or achievements.  At one time any group of 3 or more seen after 7 pm was considered to be plotting anarchy and could be arrested.  Now the cape was worn wrapped around the student up to his chin which would on a dark street make him invisible.  Sound familiar?
Joa led a Q & A session over coffee and chocolate in front of a popular student cafe.
Since the publication of H.P. a local bookstore has become a big tourist attraction.   See why?  Tickets for 5 euro are now needed to enter and the lines are longer than for any important site. A cable car ride was included.

Photos from Braga

Although we took the funicular to the top and walked down, I will put photos from bottom to top ending with funicular.

Lunch in a convent and a shrine visit

Lunch was hosted in a convent that used to be a school but with declining enrollment now houses 42 Franciscan brothers who are studying or working their thesis.  A brothet ftom Timor shared lunch with us.  He will return to his home mother house when he finishes his studies.
In fog and mist we visit the shrine of Bom Jesus do Monte.  Created in the 1700s the site consists of stairways up through woods pausing at small chapels each depicting one chapter from the passion of Christ.  Coming out of the quiet forest a series of zigzag stairs continue upward interspersed by landings with meditative themes.  Finally at the top...the church.  Luckily the oldest working funicular in europe also goes up and saved us many steps.

Three buildings in Porto

A city guide pointed out many interesting things in the old town.  The wealth and powet of the rising middle class was shown off in the Stock Market Palace which was never a palace and only a stock market for 5 years.  Built by merchant guilds the size and elegance of the building left no doubt of their position.  The parquet floors were intricate and there was even a room decorated in the Muslim motif.
The train station also attested to the importance of trade and travel.  The hall wad covered in tiles illustrating the history of Portugal.  The tile production involved many steps and the scenes were quite detailed.
Of course the church could not be outdone so a very austere church was elaboately recovered with gold and 3 dimensional figures like a play going on above the main alter.
Lots more but will only include the blue cat painted on the wall of the smallest street.
And the day had just begun.

Old and new

Porto is an interesting combination of old and new.  A trolley car is common.  The old city walls included in new buildings.  The river walk/wharf houses above, traditional tile covered houses.  Even the sink in the little river front restaurant is old

and then our modern hotel just opened in January .