It's True. Everyone is a Pilgrim.

It's good to be back home!

I've been away for 14 days, joining thirty-nine other individuals on a pilgrimage that took us from Toronto, Canada to Portugal, Spain and France.

Our group left Toronto-Pearson International Airport on the 27th of September and landed on Lisbon (Lisboa), in Portugal on the 28th. Upon landing, a tour guide, Felipa, gave us a city tour of Lisbon, taking us to the beautiful Cathedral, to the many streets that tell of Portugal's colorful political history and to the ocean-river front which boasts of a huge sculpture showing the legendary Portuegese navigators.

From Lisbon, we were driven to the quaint and miraculous town of Fatima, where the Blessed Virgin Mother appeared before three shepherd-children named Lucia de Jesus, and Francisco and Jacinta Marto, on May 13, 1917.

The site of the apparition is now a Basilica. We stayed here for two days, lodging at the Fatima Hotel, a stone's throw away from the Shrine.

Hearing mass at the Chapel of the Apparition is a dream come true for me. Saying the Rosary and participating in the evening procession with hundreds of other faithful in the site where the Blessed Virgin Mother appeared makes one's heart inflamed with love and adoration for the Mother of the Church, and leaves one utterly happy.

From Fatima, our next stop was Santiago de Compostela in Spain. We arrived in this city in the mid-afternoon and was greeted by a mild autumn weather. Here we were met by a male tour guide who immediately took us to a walking tour of the Basilica of St. James (Santiago). The church's courtyard was expansive and we saw pilgrims from other parts of Spain who've walked from their destinations up to Santiago de Compostela, bearing canes.

Some of these pilgrims rested on the church grounds, lying on their backs. There was a lovely fountain behind the Basilica.

St. James was the first apostle of Christ to be killed for his faith. He was beheaded and his remains are buried in the Basilica.

The stay at Santiago de Compostela was brief for the very next morning, we drove to Salamanca.
Salamanca is a magnificent place! Here the heart of the city is the Plaza Mayor, a 15th century courtyard which is presently adorned with open cafes and world class boutiques. Cost of real estate here runs at fifteen hundred Euro per square feet.

When we arrived at Salamanca it was time for lunch, about two in the afternoon. What we discovered and were not prepared for was...the siesta! All the shops and restaurants were closed. Luckily, we found a bakery still open so we purchased a baguette and some drinks and headed back to our Hotel to open a can of tuna.

For the following day, our tour guide brought us to several churches and universities. In Salamanca, the newest churches have been built in the 15th century. Even their Cathedral has two sections, the old and the new.

I love Salamanca because it is so ancient. It breathes history, it breathes the past - when the church was just beginning. It takes one heart to where great novels and love stories have been inspired.

The streets are narrow, and winding and littered with open cafes, curio boutiques and souvenir shops.

On our sixth day, we departed for Madrid, the capital of Espana. Enroute, we stopped at the fortress city of Avila, the birthplace of St. Theresa. Avila is captivating with its smallness and cleanliness and efficiency.

Here, we had free time for lunch, so we dined at a Japanese restaurant, where the waitress is a Japanese girl who only speaks Catalan. For 6.50 Euro, we had two plates, a choice of wine or coffee and dessert.

Coming from Santiago de Compostela and Salamanca, Madrid immediately presents a direct contrast to the two. Madrid is cosmopolitan, has wide streets, open spaces and lots of gardens.
Before Madrid, the capital of Spain had been Toledo. When Madrid was made capital, the aristocrats of Toledo gave up their houses and donated them to the church, and moved to Madrid to be near the King.

Toledo is another fortress-town like Avila. Driving up to it, one would be in awe of the magnificence of its walls looming high and looking all gallant. Rightly so, because the fortress had been built to protect the town from the enemies - the moors. Toledo shows a lot of the moorish infuence - the churches especially. Toledo in the 9th century had been in the hands of the moors. Towards the end of the trip to Toledo, we visited a shop where beautiful swords and jewelry are being handmade until today.

Back in Madrid, we got up early to see the National Palace (the official residence of the King). Security was tight, similar to an airport security, for practical reasons. Because the present King (Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia) has a second residence, the Palace is open to the general public.

The National Palace is where royal functions for visiting foreign dignitaries are held. It boasts of having 2,800 rooms and a capacity to give dinner for 1500 people.

We were shown some of the 2,800 rooms, and were they awesome! Furniture, chandeliers, clocks, mirrors, rugs were beyond description for their oppulence. There was even one room where there was a huge tapestry in which Spain's colonies were included and showed Las Islas Filipinas.

In a little museum, I also saw a crucifix labeled " anonimo Los Filipino." This was probably made or donated by a Filipino.

On Oct. 4, the pilgrimage headed to Zaragoza, another romantic and ancient town of Spain. We were greeted by a happy noise in the plaza as it was the day of the big fiesta. It was lunchtime so we headed to find a restaurant.. and were lucky to locate a cosy one. One group from our pilgrimage who only spoke English had difficulty understanding the Spanish menu and asked for our group's help (eight Filipinos in a group of 40 pilgrims). We happily obliged.

Also in this restaurant, I found San Miguel Beer being served, so I happily ordered one with my lunch of calamares, dry-fried fish and potato fries. That was 8.50 Euros for lucnh and I think 2.50 Euros for my San Mig.

In the Basilica of the Nuestra Senora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar), we found the flag of the Philippines pinned to the wall near the grand altar and underneath the caption, Filipinas, one among the many countries which were colonized by Mother Spain.

In the evening, we headed back to the town plaza for dinner and to participate in the fiesta. But before this, heading to our hotel for a check-in took a lot of effort because the parade was already taking place at around 5 pm. Thousands of people dressed in different colorful scarves and hats, which I think signify different ethnicities, walked and paraded, gulping alcoholic punch, and singing and laughing to the tune of different marching bands (musikos).

Going back to the plaza in the evening, we just walked and even got lost for a while. Our priest, Fr. Tad, had the right to get lost, because of all the merriment happening all around us. Dinner was superb! We had a buffet with lots of selection. Of course there was the famous Spanish paella and the ever present vin rogue. After dinner, we walked with the revellers and stopped to listen to street singers and performers. This was an exciting and beautiful evening to end our tour of Espana.

The next day, we started our journey to France.

Going to Lourdes, France, our able coach driver, Antonio, took us via the Pyreenes Mountain. The trek was exhilarating as one views the Pyreenes majestically towering above farms where cows and horses roam freely. The top of the Pyreenes are capped with snow at this early autumn October. Ski lodges dot the scenery.

Upon arrival at Lourdes, we were greeted by narrow streets, even more treacherous than the ones in Spain. At some intersections, tourist coaches had to give in to one another just to pass by.

Our hotel, Hotel Aneto, was an old structure and sparse. The view though at the balcony was magnificent. Finding a restaurant to have lunch proved to be another challenge as it was already siesta time. Walking and asking around, we met with others in our group and were told that the only ones opened are those at the Hotels, and were only serving those checked-in. Our group of 8 Filipinos asked a souvenir seller who spoke a sputtering of English, and were told to cross two bridges to reach the rows of restaurants and souvenirs which never close for siesta. Two others from our group joined us and we headed to a French resto, and we enjoyed French Pizza, sandwiches, and for me, a French beer and after that, a crepe.

In the late afternoon, our pilgrimage headed to the Lourdes Shrine for a mass at the chapel in the crypt. It was a small cathedral atop the chapel of St. Anne.

After mass, we explored the whole shrine, taking in the Grotto where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared before Bernadette. The statue of the Immaculate Conception stands prominently underneath the massive stones, where pilgrims walk through, touching the stone.

At the front of the cathedral is another statue of the Immaculate Conception. A massive gold-gilded crown adorn the top-frontage of this cathedral, and in the early morn, before sunrise, the lighted crown, presents a mysterious, holy, overpowering sight to the pilgrim.

The next day, we were back at the Lourdes shrine for an early morning mass. Our mass had been re-scheduled at 9:30 am and because of the free time, we headed to the place where pilgrims are given a healing bath. There was a long line up at this hour and we were late as gates had been closed. After mass, instead of going to the Way of the Cross, our Filipino-Canadian group decided to wait in line for the afternoon bath, which was to start at 2pm. We were at the line at 11:30 am, which was already quickly piling up, especially the line for female pilgrims.

Inside the bath were curtained dressing areas. For males, two individuals would be called in, and you will undress with underwear left on. You will then be led into another curtained cubicle, where two male volunteers (hospital workers) will wrap around a loin cloth after you strip, and will lead you into the tub filled with very cold clear water from the miraculous fountain. You will be asked to say your prayers and petition, and will be asked to go to the very front of the stone tub. Holding you at each hand, the two volunteers will then dip your whole body underneath the cold water, leaving your head and face up. After the quick dip, I was given a cold drink from the fount and was presented with an image of the Immaculate Conception, which I kissed. Afterthat, you get dressed up withour wiping the water from your body. Though the water was immensely cold, it dries up quickly and found myself warm as I walked out of the bath, into the open air, where two in my group were already waiting.

After our bath, we went to the Way of the Cross located up a hill, and later joined the procession, for a Healing Mass which took place in a chapel located underneath the street. In the evening was a procession.

You cannot leave Lourdes without taking or drinking water from the many faucets connected to the original fountain. This is where St. Bernadette was told by Our Lady to eat grass and drink water, which during the time of the apparition consisted of muddy water.

St. Bernadette at the time of the apparition was thirteen years old and uneducated. The Bishop, when Bernadette asked that a chapel be built as requested by the "thing," did not believe her. He kept asking her, go ask who she is, and Bernadette kept on telling, she is the "thing." Finally, Bernadette told the Bishop: she is the Immaculate Conception.

Today, St. Bernadette's body lies incorrupted outside the town of Lourdes.

By October 7th, we flew out of the Pau airport to reach our last destination, the city of Paris.

Gay Paris is the city of Napoleon Bonaparte. The ever present Seine river is a landmark, so is the Eiffel Tower, the Louve museum, the Trumph Elysee, and many French bistros and sidewalk cafes. We first visited the cathedral of Notre Dame, then had lunch of crepe.

In the evening we were given a city tour showcasing the city in its lighted splendour - the city of lights - Paris!

In the morning, we visited the Mont Matre Church, where there was a choice of using the overhead elevator car instead of the steep stone stairs, and then, heard mass at the Miraculous Medal church where St. Catherine Lavoure is interred, her body in the same condition as when she was originally buried. In the afternoon, we were back, exploring the city, taking pictures by the Eiffel Tower, and shopping to our hearts' delight. Lunch was at a chinese restaurant inside the Lafayette Galleries (shopping mall). We ordered fried rice and fried seafood noodles. Beside our table was a French lady enjoying her big meal, and who spoke enough English for us to communicate with her. Bon apetit!

Our dinners in Paris were outside our hotel, Florida Hotel. It was actually a restaurant called Buffallo, serving North American cuisine, grilled chicken, steak, grilled salmon, Crevettes (shrimp gambas). I ordered vin rogue for our group the first night, and on our final night, one Chinese lady, served everyone, one round of vin rogue, again.

Au revoir, Paris!

We flew back to Toronto on Thursday, October 9. Our flight left the Charles de Gaulle airport at 11:30 am (French time). It was an eight-hour flight, and we reached Toronto Pearson International Airport at 1:35, EST.

FOOTNOTE:

On our way to Santiago de Compostela, from Lisbon, we stopped for washroom break and snack in a highway eatery, and found in the store a cookie called " Filipinos." It was chocolate covered cookie. I found it again in two other stores, in Spain. I bought some to give away to my sister.