Every journey has an end
Every Sunrise have a sunset.
I will treasure all the moments that has been wrapped with laughters and silly stories .
I keep the love that holds in my heart .
It was fine walking with you side by side hand in hand .
My path is here . An end for a new beginning
I will always hold you close in myheart
Thank you
Goodbye my dear angel I know you are now in a better place . Your smile, naughtiness shall linger through my memories till the moment I meet you somewhere.
Goodbye my dear madame, for the last time I close your curtina just the way you want it .
Till we meet again somewhere… I miss you so much
Step into the charming time capsule of Òbidos, Portugal, where cobblestone streets whisper tales of medieval romance.
As we strolled through its fortified walls, we were whisked away to an era of knights and fair maidens, surrounded by quaint shops offering treasures from yesteryears.
But amidst the historical splendor, one thing stole the show – Ginja de Óbidos! This potent potion, served in chocolate cups, was both tempting and intimidating. With hesitant hearts, we pondered its strength until Mario from Ocean Clover dared us to take the plunge. And oh, how we soared on the wings of cherry-scented bravery!
With giggles and glee, we wandered, sipping on liquid courage, until we found ourselves posing for a picture-perfect moment outside the fort, thanking Ocean Clover for unveiling Portugal’s spirited soul. In the end, Òbidos wasn’t just a town; it was a whimsical journey through time, with a cherry on top!
Nestled in the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira beckons as a paradise for those enchanted by nature’s wonders and seekers of thrilling adventures. For me, it’s always been a dream destination, with its lush landscapes and inviting trails. Positioned about 700 km from Marrakesh, Morocco, this island, despite its proximity to Africa, proudly stands as an autonomous region of Portugal, boasting tropical weather and crystalline blue seas.
Recently, I embarked on a three-day escapade to Madeira with my dear friends Jennifer, Clara, and Ralla, eager to explore its marvels.
Day 1: Discovering Funchal
Our journey kicked off in Funchal, the pulsating heart of Madeira. After dropping off our bags, we dove into the city’s charms. Brunch at Mercado Lavadores fueled us for a leisurely stroll along Rua Santa Maria, the oldest street adorned with captivating door paintings.
The cable car ride treated us to panoramic vistas, including the exhilarating toboggan descent, a timeless Madeiran tradition.
We wrapped up the day with ice cream along Ave. Do Mar, relishing the salty breeze, before indulging in elegance at Reid’s Palace.
Day 2: Chasing Sunrise and Embracing Nature
Rising before dawn, we embarked on a rendezvous with nature.
Our guide whisked us away to witness the breathtaking sunrise from Pico de Aireiro, the island’s second-highest peak. Despite the chilly morning, the radiant sun’s embrace warmed our souls, reinforcing our bond with the natural world.
A hearty camping breakfast prepared by our guide sustained us for an enchanting hike along the Levadas, deepening our reverence for Mother Nature.
Day 3: The Defender Adventure
Our final day dawned with excitement as we embarked on an off-road odyssey with our intrepid guide, Mauricio. From the vertiginous heights of Cabo Girao to the tranquil beauty of Porto Moniz’s volcanic pools, each stop unveiled Madeira’s rugged splendor.
A gastronomic delight awaited us at a local fisherman’s restaurant, where we savored Espada with banana, a culinary revelation.
Our journey culminated in Fanal Forest, a UNESCO-protected sanctuary graced by majestic Laurisilva trees, leaving an indelible imprint on our hearts.
As we bid farewell to Madeira, we knew our adventure had only scratched the surface of its allure. Until we meet again, Madeira, your beauty continues to beckon us with promises of new discoveries and unforgettable experiences.
❤️
Known as the “castle on the cliff,” Reid Palace exudes both elegance and history.
Winston Churchill and Princess Stefanie of Monaco once graced its halls, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. With two main restaurants, William Restaurant and Villa Cipriani, along with a gastro bar and pool terrace for afternoon tea, Reid Palace promises a culinary journey like no other.
Upon our arrival in Madeira, we eagerly booked a table at Villa Cipriani, fully embracing the dress code emailed to us prior.
Excitement filled the air as we stepped into the grandeur of Villa Cipriani’s interior, reminiscent of a scene from a 1950s film.
So enchanting was the atmosphere that we hesitated to even take out our cellphones for a photo, only succumbing to temptation when the exquisite dishes arrived.
Every bite was a heavenly delight, except for Jen’s risotto, which leaned a tad too heavily on the cheesy side.
However, dessert more than made up for any minor misstep, leaving us in awe of the culinary craftsmanship. From the impeccable service to the magnificent flavors, our experience at Reid Palace was nothing short of extraordinary.
We travel to make memories , we travel to experience the elegance that this world can offer
As I reminisce about my first encounter with Mario from Ocean Clover viagens e turismo, I can’t help but marvel at the journey that unfolded since that autumn day in Lisbon. Mario wasn’t just a driver; he became the key to unlocking Portugal’s secrets, one hidden gem at a time.
It all started with a simple airport pickup, but it quickly evolved into a friendship rooted in a shared love for exploration.
A year later, when I returned to Lisbon with a friend, Mario eagerly became our guide, weaving tales of Porto, Aveiros, Sintra, and beyond.
But what truly sets Ocean Clover apart is their commitment to going beyond the beaten path. Mario and his team didn’t just take us to the tourist hotspots; they led us to the soul of Portugal—the secret spots known only to locals and seasoned travelers.
I’ve entrusted Mario with the travel plans of my fellow Peregrinos before our Camino de Santiago de Compostella journey, and each time, Ocean Clover has exceeded expectations.
Just last week, as I reunited with Mario and my friends, I realized why I keep coming back to Ocean Clover. It’s not just about the destinations; it’s about the experience. Mario and his team don’t just show you Portugal; they make you feel it.
So, if you’re ready to uncover the magic of Portugal beyond the Instagram filters, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ocean Clover. Trust me; you won’t regret it.
Warmest regards,
Jee ❤️
Join us on a culinary adventure through the vibrant streets of Lisbon, where hidden treasures await your discovery. Tucked away in the heart of Queijas, amidst the glitz of the city, lies Restaurant Churrasqueira Malagueta – a humble yet enchanting fish haven.
Our journey to this culinary gem was serendipitous, guided by Mario from Ocean Clover- Viagens e Turismo, Lda, who led us off the beaten path to embrace the essence of local life. Stepping into Churrasqueira Malagueta, we were instantly captivated by its unpretentious charm.
The menu, a celebration of simplicity and authenticity, features freshly caught fish expertly grilled to perfection. Each dish tells a tale of the sea, evoking nostalgia for coastal adventures with flavors that dance on the palate.
From the first bite, we were transported to a realm of culinary delight, where every morsel spoke of the chef’s dedication to tradition and the ocean’s bounty.
Notably, the desserts, reminiscent of home (the Philippines), especially the Flan with desiccated coconut caramel sauce, stood out amongst the rest.
Yet, it wasn’t just the food that left its mark; it was the warmth and genuineness of the dining experience. Surrounded by locals engaged in animated conversations, we felt like honorary members of the community, welcomed with open arms and hearty laughter.
As we bid farewell to Restaurant Churrasqueira Malagueta, we carried with us more than just memories of a remarkable meal; we took home a piece of Lisbon’s soul. For those seeking an authentic gastronomic adventure, this charming eatery is a must-visit destination. Contact Ocean Clover for more customize trips and guide http://www.oceanclover.eu
My tears are dried , my wounds have been healed and lessons have been taught .
I smile , walk through the rainbows ,dance to the rhythm of the rain as my heart sing with the melody of the wind .
Out of nowhere there you are standing at the other side of the burning bridge .. There you are extending your hands of friendship..
What now?
You are in the other end singing a melody that we used to sing together ..
My dear my tone , my tune my rhythm has changed .. We couldn’t dance with that music again
I have let go ,I have forgiven , I have learned, and I thank you for standing at the other end .. But I love where I am standing that walking back and holding your hands doesn’t give me the same feeling of trust ..
Maybe one day I will nod and say hello to the friendship that we once have .. maybe ..
❤️
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”
— John Muir
Introduction
It has been weeks since we have finished the walked in Santiago de Compostela . Weeks seems like days and we have our own way of holding on to that special week of ourlives .
REDISCOVERING OURSELVES
Before the Camino we have this pre concieve notion of ourselves . This is manifested with the line of thinking of ” gosh I am old can’t walk that far.” Or the feeling of we have been friends like forever she will never surprise me.
The week that we have walked redefine our limits, our kindness , our friendship , our determination and our patience .
-REDEFINING OUR LIMITS.
This was that moment that some of you hiked up the hills of Sarria or that moment that Beh Sally just walked in the dark bushes of Palas de Rei not wanting to stop , or ate Violy and Tes saying that that they can only walked 5 hrs a day but ended up doing two 21km , or Mader and Ate cing who walked 28 km .. Their Faith redefine their limits and Hope formed our Determination to see the end of the camino .
– Being Kind in a different level
We shared a certain attentiveness to our fellow peregerinos , experiencing the warmth of their testimonies .
We extend our helping hands without any second thoughts it was like the Cuban Lady story .
“It was one of those downhill trail that we have noticed her. She struggle for her steps as she decends. She was walking alone , her group went ahead . A half blind Cuban lady determine to walk her 115 km pilgrimage trial.
I took her cane, hold her hand as we go down one step at a time ..
She said ” thank you for your time and kindness “
No matter what language you are speaking or nationality . We can always understand gratitude and kindness.”
-The Test of Friendship and Patience
For quiet sometime now I have been traveling with friends and we have this anecdote that says ” we will not travel together for more than 3 days or else we will be with each others nerves .”
Traveling with friend is a break or make things especially if you have been confronted with circumstances like fatique , hunger and all that is in between .
Little rifts arises , walk outs and of course the infamous exchange of words .. we were tired at times wet and most of the time hungry. It was the glare of kuya Libs towards kuya Rey during one of those discussions .. its when kuya Libs just walked away and at our first stop Kuya Rey would buy him a water ..then they smiled towards each other
In us , with us is the Love for our Friend ,it is not those clashes that counts it was those undefine reconciliations ,we never knew when or how but we hug and say sorry .. we moved on .
To Conclude
As we continue with our daily lives , we know that we have been formed by thd bug of the camino , Mader bravely walked more than 10,000 a day when it was a struggle before . As Kuya Libs roamed around Boston and NYC with the itch of the Camino in his heart . And I continued to eat nuts and raisens ( typical lunch that kuya Libs and Ate Beth).
As Ate Luz and I have agreed that the camino have strengthen our friendship .
Above all, there is this unspoken bond that has been created in each one of us .
We continue to say “Buen Camino” to each other…let that bug of kindness and love continue to reign in our hearts ..
Till our next journey ❤️
” All our dreams can come true , if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney
Introduction
The Camino Santiago de Compostela was a dream of my Ate Luz . She have been watching the movie The Way. This movie inspired her to do the Camino as her way of saying thank you to all the blessings that has come to her life . A dream, a vow and a promise that has been postponed for years .
Until accidentally my Ate Luz expressed her desire to walk the pilgrimage in Santiago . I told her that I will see what I can and I will do some research and inquiry about it .
A year long planning from the itinerary to the financial budget . October 8 – 23 , 2023 starts the journey of our dream .
Team NYC
Ate Luz have invited some of her friends to join her with this journey . Violy, Tes, Sally, Rey and Ato joined ate Luz . The NYC team left earlier they had a side trip in Lisbon , Porto and a pilgrimage to Fatima . They were accompanied with my good friend Mario of Ocean Clover .
After four wonderful days in Portugal the adventure continues in Madrid where I will join them together with my Tigolits mamas .
Madrid the tigolits version
We have arrived day ahead of ate Luz and friends .It was an evening flight we have arrived late in Madrid on the eve of the 13th of October . The first thing that we did was ate at Jollibee , a famous fastfood chain from the Philippines.
We have also walked around the center of Madrid who was at that time was celebrating the National Holiday the sphere was very vibrant and warm.
The Convergence ( official pre camino meet up)
We woke up early had a sumptous breakfast at our hotel .
Today will be an exciting day , I will meet ate Luz after x years and meet all these wonderful people who were up to this point were my cyber Ate and Kuya.
While waiting for them to arrived , we had a small walk at Santa Lucia and eventually had a sneak peak of the Debod temple .
After this sneak peak , we hurried back to our hotel, that was the plan but then mader , ate Beth and Rosita have decided to go window shopping while I took the cab towards the airport.
After almost 2 hrs of waiting Ate Luz and co have finally arrived. A quick checked in and get to know …we started our Madrid exploration …
First stop was of course Mercado SanMiguel , then Beh Sally bought us some bubble tea . We tried to visit the Secret Nuns cookies of Madid but unfortunately the cloistered nun was closed till October 17.
Later tonight we will have our tapa dinner while watching the flamenco show .
Flamenco Experience
Flamence is a very expressive dance and this is one of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage .
We have arrived a little bit late but we haven’t missed a lot yet . The food was good so was the wine . Everyone was awed by the intensity of the dance.
An hour long intensive foot work that will simply takes your breath away .
We ended our convergence day with a high note .
Tomorrow will be our day trip to Toledo and Segovia.
TOLEDO, SEGOVIA AND ALL IN BETWEENS
Toledo city, old town Segovia and its Aquaduct were declared as a UNESCO World heritage due to its beautiful monuments .
It was a guided tour and the soon to be pilgrims of Santiago de compostela savored the sights of these ancient city . I will discuss this experience with another blog .
It was challenging day since we have experienced pickpocketing upclose and personal when our dear Kuya Rey realizes that his pouch was stolen along with his passport..
“I HAVE PREPARED FOR THIS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR ” – Kuya Rey
These were the words that kuya Rey said when he realized that his passport was stolen and that he would not be on time for our flight for Santiago .
Both Kuya Libs and myself did the possibilities since giving up was not in our vocabulary .. The three of us did the necessary steps while I did with google’s help search for other means that Kuya Rey can arrive in Sarria after filing for an emergency passport .
As the saying goes if there is a will there will always be a way .
October 16 , 4pm Kuya Rey accompanied by Kuya Libs arrived in Sarria and was ready for the start of our Camino.
CAMINO STARTS HERE
We arrived at Santiago de Compostela airport waited for our taxi to take us to our starting point Sarria. This will be the walk of faith , friendship and gratitude .
We did the Camino the French way starting in Sarria , this is the last leg for the Camino the French way . We will walk a total of 115 kilometers ( 100 km walking is the minimum kilometers needed to be considered as a pilgrim, while 200 kilometers if you will do it with the bike).
I will shun myself from discussing the weather or the technicalities of the terrain for each one of us have walked with a certain purpose.
This walk is not only a journey of appreciation of the scenic towns or the chase of those iconic stamps that will be exchanged with the pilgrimage certificate at the end of this walk, it is more than the elevation and this distance that we have walked .
This a journey that we part take with full of reflection . Every step or climb that ate Luz , Violy , Tes ,Beth , Sally ,Cing , Mads and Kuya Rey and Libs are full of purpose may it gratiutde or simply adventure but for sure it has been done with faith .
Faith will defy everything , it is the root of Hope to overcome any obstacles.
It was like when Ate Sally or Ate Luz walked in the rainy evening from Sarria _ Portomarin .. The conviction to finish the day walk was so huge that no matter what the weather circumstance was we keep on going .
It praying for everyone ‘s safety when unforeseen events pops up . That stormy evening when we were ( Kuya Libs, Ate Beth and myself) the only ones who arrived dry in Palas de Rei and everyone was still out in the rain .. My heart was in panic as I tried to keep my cool , trying to locate ate Luz and Mader , while running out in the rain trying to meet others who were having a hard time finding the hotel. The Camino speaks of being kind and taking care of those who are in need .. this was when Kuya Libs told me to asked everyone who came late to choose the food as we will order them and take them back to the hotel . It was when the hotel receptionist offered to drive us to the resto and take us back to the hotel .
The Camino is full of warm stories from the half blind Cuban woman who did her walk alone .
To our very own Kuya Rey who refuses to give in to the pain but instead focus on finishing the last 21 kms .
It mirrors Love and Friendship as I have seen how kuya Libs took care with Kuya Rey , how he would talk to him, tease him when he thinks he is already at the edge of giving up or in pain or How mader would hold kuya Rey’s hands to assist him . The patience that Ate Luz shows when the situation ask for it .
And above all it teaches us to be humble towards nature and towards each other . To try to speak with kindness even if we are tired . To be understanding of each others situation ..
The Ten of us have different testimonies about the Camino de Santiago but there is one thing that we have in common .. We are grateful for the chance that was given us to be able to walk such an epic route .
To witness the Botafumeiro and adore the exquisite beauty of Santiago de Compostela .
This was a walk of gratitude , friendship , brotherhood and sisterhood .
To everyone who made this journey a very colourful one ; and as we continue our Life’s walk always remember to say “Buen Camino” .
Rowena
Santiago de Compostela 2023
special thanks to : Mario Rui Macedo for a wonderful tour in Lisbon, Porto and Fatima ( Ocean Clover -Viagens e Turismo , http://www.oceanclover.eu )
Ylena Conesa of Santiago Ways ( http://www.SantiagoWays.com) for a very nice arrangement up to the smallest details ; it made our walk more enjoyable .
jee426 