Ukuwa kokugcina, mina nomyeni wami sase sihanjiswa ePortugal. Enye yezinto ezivelayo ezibonakalayo zokuhambela iLisbon yashiya ukuvakasha esigodini saseZeronikushi eBelene. Endleleni, futhi indlela eya maphakathi ayisondele, umyeni wambuza ukuthi kungani siya lapho. Ngazama ukumtshela ngokwakha kwe-Manuelino, kepha wasusa isandla sakhe futhi wakhohlisa ithuna likaVasco de Gama. Ukutholwa kwendawo kwamadoda amahle kuhlala kusondele kunenjabulo yezokwakha. Isigodlo sezindela sahlasela ekujuleni komphefumlo. Sihamba kakhulu eYurophu, futhi ngesinye isikhathi isiphakamiso sesifikile. Kwabonakala kungenye ibandla, sababona malini. Kepha kunezindawo ezivelele, lapho okudingeka zivakashele kuzo. Ithempeli lesigodlo liyahlaba umxhwele ngobukhulu bayo nengcebo, ukungena kulo, ngendlela, kumahhala.
Ngokunqoba umugqa omncane, sasisentanjeni, futhi sikhokha ama-euro ayi-10 ngokungena, sidluliselwe ezakhiweni zezindela zangaphakathi. Kungenzeka ukuthi ucabangele imicu yamatshe, ukuze isikhathi esinqunyelwe sanele sokuvakashela isigodlo sezindela. Ngaphansi kwengxenye eyodwa nesigamu noma amahora amabili, kubonakala kimi ukuthi akunakwenzeka ukuhlela. Ngendlela, uma uzovakashela ezinye izinto ezikhangayo eBelene, ungathenga amathikithi ahlanganisiwe. Kuzobiza okushibhile futhi kube lula kakhudlwana ngoba akudingeki ume kulayini amahlandla amaningana. Futhi abahambi ngokuphelele abangokomnotho bangafika usuku lwamahhala - ngeSonto lokuqala lenyanga. Izingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka eyi-12 mahhala. Ephuma esigodlweni sezindela, sasizungeza sivela kuzo zonke izinhlangothi, sabe sesihlala esikhathini eside isikhathi eside, sagcwala okubonakalayo.
