Ourém

Today, we took a small group tour to Fatima and the towns of Nazare and Obidos.
Next to Jerusalem, the area of Fatima is the next most holy place for Catholics. It was a huge place with both an older cathedral and a huge modern cathedral. According to the Catholic religion, this area was where Mary appeared to three shepherd children. The story is that the Virgin Mary first appeared on May 13, 1917, to three shepherd children playing under a tree. She shared three secrets with them. The first secret was a vision of hell and the suffering of sinners, the second a prediction of the end of the Great War and the beginning of another, and the third a vision of the death of the Pope and other religious figures. She told them they needed to pray and she would return again on the 13th of each month for the next six months. The religious area of Fatima consists of a group of   religious buildings and structures with the main building, Our Lady of the Rosary.
Nazare was a cute little beachy town. My friend Grace learned how to fillet the sardines she had for lunch. She was kind enough to share her sardines with all of us. I think we were glad we didn't order them...so many tiny bones, although I guess it's OK to eat them.
Obidos was a cute little historic town. After we got through the city walls, we enjoyed ginja, This cherry liqueur is a famous local drink and is often served in a chocolate cup. It originated with 17th-century monks from the region, who combined Morello cherries and brandy, and drank it as an aperitif or after dinner drink.Les mer