The 1.5 mil was spread a little wider than Lisbon city! We were completely invaded by Spanish kids in particular, not just on the day the Pope came here to Cascais (we did manage to see him driving past, albeit in a disappointingly ordinary vehicle) but also for days before and after. It was insane here.... they were everywhere, singing, chanting... Honestly it was a little creepy at night. 😆
We live in Benfica so not in the heart of Lisbon. Our neighborhood certainly had an uptick in people but not so crazy. We live in a condominium with a Dominos Pizza below us (one of those food sponsors you mentioned) it certainly had an uptick in business and trash. Grateful not to be flying out today, Monday. Can you imagine being in the hoards there?
We stayed clear of the core and didn’t care to see the Pope, but we bought t shirts.😂
Looking forward to your after take. Tim and Eddie from Oklahoma City, Portugal residence 17 months.
Well I know what song will be in my head all day. Thanks! 😂
Yeah I cannot imagine trying to fly out of here today. That would be nuts. We were on a train Saturday going past the parque das nações area. We passed what looked like an enormous football complex, dozens of fields with viewing towers and thousands of port-o-potties. It was filled with pilgrims watching the action on big screens. Most of them are leaving in the next 24-38 hours. Wow.
We are regretting that we didn't buy t-shirts. We had opportunities but it never occurred to us. Ah well. Next time. 😂
We are situated down the street from the Lidl that is across from El Corte Ingles. (Have you seen the barriers Lidl set up at their doors to control crowds? Smart!) I have enjoyed watching the progress as I walk from our place to my gym located at Ed7. The huge blue stage makes me pause every time and shake my head in wonder. The full orchestra there has been a wonder to my wife who loves to head over there to listen to them practice. We even wandered down through the park last night to get Pope cookies at a bakery. The kids leaving the school near us, this retired teacher has noticed, seem to be behaving and just having fun so far. I hope that things continue to go well and that it doesn't tax the average citizen too much. We are enjoying the novelty of it all though we are escaping to Braga for a few days. 😁. I hope you guys do well during all this!
Thank you for the report! I hope all continues to be well for you. We are experiencing much the same; it has been a very pleasant surprise. Enjoy Braga! We love it up there!
Greetings from Amarelo Land! I have been thinking about you two and wondering how you are dealing with WYDweek being in the thick of the Red Zone. Now I know.
I enjoyed the post and hope banana bread is had during what could be communion. I wish I had been given a bit of banana bread for communion.
Amarelo Land is pretty dang quiet, except traffic. On our walk to shop at Amoreiras, traffic was hideous. Ugh. Back ups a go go. So glad our SEF appointments were yesterday.
Some stores and restaurants are open but the hood is way less busy. Loads of parking spaces! The quietness reminds me of San Francisco, my former home, during a holiday.
I'm very happy I will not be in Lisbon for this occasion. I wish you well and look forward to updates. This post was very informative and enlightening.
A) The city's population didn't triple, it quadrupled (went up by 300% so you will have 400%.
B) 1.5 million Catholic youth, what could go wrong? Just don't remind them that there were fewer Crusaders than that 700 yesrs ago or that the Iberian peninsula was conquered by the Moors 1300 years ago! (No, not Moops; that was a typo!).
B) yeah, we're in the "what could wrong" mindset as well. Interestingly, though, there have been more than 25 of these events and they're aren't a lot of reports of Things Going Badly so we'll see. All's quiet here so far but there's plenty of time for it to go off the rails. One of my favorite quotes from all the stuff I read was an official acknowledging there could be delays. He said, "We’re not talking about a Metallica concert, people here are traveling with a different spirit, and logistical hiccups are treated as just that. If a group of pilgrims runs into a delay, what will they do? They’ll sit on the floor and sing.”
Oh, please be careful and stay out of big crowds. Sounds like the type of thing that could spawn some dangerous behavior (not by you two). let me know how it goes. I'll be glad when it is over. I love the idea of international film festivals in Lisbon and the book fair. My kind of activities. Enjoy your PB and bananas!
Thanks, Aunt Phyllis. I actually don't think it will be that bad. One of my favorite quotes from all the stuff I read was an official acknowledging there could be delays. He said, "We’re not talking about a Metallica concert, people here are traveling with a different spirit, and logistical hiccups are treated as just that. If a group of pilgrims runs into a delay, what will they do? They’ll sit on the floor and sing.”
While this will definitely prove to be an interesting week for you, I am hoping the next few weeks are not equally interesting. Now that Lisbon has been (ahem) blessed by the Pope, can it be eliminated from future blessings?
That's a good question. I don't know that there's a "formula" per se for choosing locations for these events but my suspicion is they would want to spread them around geographically. And since they're only once every three years it's likely to be a while before it returns. Unless the next Pope really loves Lisbon then who knows.
Oh, this is going to be good! So glad I have a front row seat from 3,159 miles away!
I'd make some popcorn but our bags are too big for the microwave 😆.
So I've read.😂
What a coincidence! We've written about that! 😆
Can’t wait to hear the rest of this saga!
Neither can we! 😆
The 1.5 mil was spread a little wider than Lisbon city! We were completely invaded by Spanish kids in particular, not just on the day the Pope came here to Cascais (we did manage to see him driving past, albeit in a disappointingly ordinary vehicle) but also for days before and after. It was insane here.... they were everywhere, singing, chanting... Honestly it was a little creepy at night. 😆
Well we survived just like Gloria Gaynor!
We live in Benfica so not in the heart of Lisbon. Our neighborhood certainly had an uptick in people but not so crazy. We live in a condominium with a Dominos Pizza below us (one of those food sponsors you mentioned) it certainly had an uptick in business and trash. Grateful not to be flying out today, Monday. Can you imagine being in the hoards there?
We stayed clear of the core and didn’t care to see the Pope, but we bought t shirts.😂
Looking forward to your after take. Tim and Eddie from Oklahoma City, Portugal residence 17 months.
Well I know what song will be in my head all day. Thanks! 😂
Yeah I cannot imagine trying to fly out of here today. That would be nuts. We were on a train Saturday going past the parque das nações area. We passed what looked like an enormous football complex, dozens of fields with viewing towers and thousands of port-o-potties. It was filled with pilgrims watching the action on big screens. Most of them are leaving in the next 24-38 hours. Wow.
We are regretting that we didn't buy t-shirts. We had opportunities but it never occurred to us. Ah well. Next time. 😂
Wow! This aught to be a good one! 😁
We are situated down the street from the Lidl that is across from El Corte Ingles. (Have you seen the barriers Lidl set up at their doors to control crowds? Smart!) I have enjoyed watching the progress as I walk from our place to my gym located at Ed7. The huge blue stage makes me pause every time and shake my head in wonder. The full orchestra there has been a wonder to my wife who loves to head over there to listen to them practice. We even wandered down through the park last night to get Pope cookies at a bakery. The kids leaving the school near us, this retired teacher has noticed, seem to be behaving and just having fun so far. I hope that things continue to go well and that it doesn't tax the average citizen too much. We are enjoying the novelty of it all though we are escaping to Braga for a few days. 😁. I hope you guys do well during all this!
Thank you for the report! I hope all continues to be well for you. We are experiencing much the same; it has been a very pleasant surprise. Enjoy Braga! We love it up there!
Greetings from Amarelo Land! I have been thinking about you two and wondering how you are dealing with WYDweek being in the thick of the Red Zone. Now I know.
I enjoyed the post and hope banana bread is had during what could be communion. I wish I had been given a bit of banana bread for communion.
Amarelo Land is pretty dang quiet, except traffic. On our walk to shop at Amoreiras, traffic was hideous. Ugh. Back ups a go go. So glad our SEF appointments were yesterday.
Some stores and restaurants are open but the hood is way less busy. Loads of parking spaces! The quietness reminds me of San Francisco, my former home, during a holiday.
Howdy! Glad it sounds like generally good news in Amarelo Land. It's actually quite nice here. Not nearly what we were expecting.
We emulate Monty Python and "Run away! Run away!"
I am in awe of your courage in sheltering in place. I know we would have fled the city for a less crowded destination.
We're hunkerers, not fleers :-D.
I am hopeful that fruit is going to get you by. I'd say stock up like you are preparing for a winter storm, but your refrigerator is too small.
Oh we've filled the fridge, too. But it wasn't large enough to make a worthy photo.
All I know is every native Portuguese I know has said we're probably all gonna die this week.
So... may the odds be ever in your favor.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy the last of our canned goods and bottled water.
If you need to seek higher ground, come this way.
Ugh. We have to come in for two appointments that did not cancel. Should be interesting to see how that will work with roads and transit closed
Good luck! Depending on exactly where you're going and when, you might have zero problems.
I'm very happy I will not be in Lisbon for this occasion. I wish you well and look forward to updates. This post was very informative and enlightening.
Thanks for the well wishes. Glad you liked the post. Thanks for following along!
A) The city's population didn't triple, it quadrupled (went up by 300% so you will have 400%.
B) 1.5 million Catholic youth, what could go wrong? Just don't remind them that there were fewer Crusaders than that 700 yesrs ago or that the Iberian peninsula was conquered by the Moors 1300 years ago! (No, not Moops; that was a typo!).
A) you're right. Math is hard.
B) yeah, we're in the "what could wrong" mindset as well. Interestingly, though, there have been more than 25 of these events and they're aren't a lot of reports of Things Going Badly so we'll see. All's quiet here so far but there's plenty of time for it to go off the rails. One of my favorite quotes from all the stuff I read was an official acknowledging there could be delays. He said, "We’re not talking about a Metallica concert, people here are traveling with a different spirit, and logistical hiccups are treated as just that. If a group of pilgrims runs into a delay, what will they do? They’ll sit on the floor and sing.”
Oh, please be careful and stay out of big crowds. Sounds like the type of thing that could spawn some dangerous behavior (not by you two). let me know how it goes. I'll be glad when it is over. I love the idea of international film festivals in Lisbon and the book fair. My kind of activities. Enjoy your PB and bananas!
Thanks, Aunt Phyllis. I actually don't think it will be that bad. One of my favorite quotes from all the stuff I read was an official acknowledging there could be delays. He said, "We’re not talking about a Metallica concert, people here are traveling with a different spirit, and logistical hiccups are treated as just that. If a group of pilgrims runs into a delay, what will they do? They’ll sit on the floor and sing.”
That’s true, and in harmony. Fourteen thousand of them stopped here in little Coimbra for a week
While this will definitely prove to be an interesting week for you, I am hoping the next few weeks are not equally interesting. Now that Lisbon has been (ahem) blessed by the Pope, can it be eliminated from future blessings?
That's a good question. I don't know that there's a "formula" per se for choosing locations for these events but my suspicion is they would want to spread them around geographically. And since they're only once every three years it's likely to be a while before it returns. Unless the next Pope really loves Lisbon then who knows.