Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. Benjamin Franklin

This post is a day late with good reason.  I enjoyed the wine with dinner last night more than usual, or perhaps it was the company that made it so easy for the bottomless wine to slide down to my tummy so easily.  Nonetheless it was not possible to post last night.  Yesterday was a long time in the bus from Lisbon to Porto with a couple of gas station rest stops on the highway and a lovely stop in Fatima.   The tour guide had incredible knowledge of Fatima and its history which even twelve years of catholic school and four years at a Jesuit college had not prepared me for.

Fatima itself was underwhelming.  I am not sure what I expected but I wanted to be moved emotionally or spiritually and I was not. It all seemed very commercial.

Fatima Cathedral

There were stands selling giant candles, and anything else one wanted to purchase.  The Blessed Mother was behind a giant plastic case which made it impossible to capture a good picture of her.

The Blessed Mother

I was not struck dead in Fatima which would not have surprised me if it happened.  There were tourists who had pilgrimage there after having their wish granted who crawled in their knees on a path for what looked to be a quarter of a mile in the blazing sun to pay back for a wish that was granted.   For me to destroy my knees it would have to be a hell of a which.  We looked at the graves of the three children of Fatima, everything was very touristy, and had a lovely lunch and journeyed on to the ship where we finally settled in.  It is unseasonably warm here and I brought many layers of winter clothing but I will not complain about the heat when it is in the forties back home.

That’s it for now.  Hopefully a better post later!!