Satellite
Show on map
  • Day 3

    Cross a bridge, lose an hour

    March 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    What a lovely day; blue skies and sunshine. The scenery of northern Portugal is splendid.

    The bus left fashionably late but made decent time through Braga (where 30 years ago) we queued to see the mummified archbishop - he’s probably still there, I can’t see that they would have got rid of him. You wouldn’t want one in the front room; but if you’ve got one I expect it’s hard to part with). In not entirely Christian fashion the then Archbishop’s Secretary got me hoofed out of my hotel room for drying my smalls in his Grace’s line of sight. My room was opposite his office as luck would have it.

    Road signs on the way bring back memories: Ponte de Barca (Mrs Gómez’ B&B where I got locked out having stayed too late at the fiesta); Ponte de Lima (ox carts with solid wheels at the market); Viana (mozzie bites the size of dinner plates) and Caldas de Geres (where having stayed in a cockroach infested hostal in the middle of nowhere we left pre-dawn leaving my favourite (but probably cursed - c.f. Braga, above) pair of underpants behind.)

    Arrived in Valença in full sun. Somewhat against the run of play; I’m on foot and on a Camino route. Let’s see what we can find for lunch. Gastrobar Fronteira seems appropriate.

    Well I’m not entirely sure what the menu del dia consisted of (and I have just eaten it); something fishy followed by something porky. Washed down with a ‘Super Bock’ served in an Estrella Galicia glass - that’s the frontier for you. With a coffee €8.50

    Now the bridge (photo) and 3-2-1 I can communicate again! On the downside the price of beer just went up.

    First stork of the season (photo)

    Tui is a fine town; wide streets with modern facilities and an interesting medieval area. Mine hosts for two nights are messers Pensión La Corredera; a spacious old place on the Main Street. Same price as a 3* including breakfast in Porto; but it’s good enough.

    Had a walk round the Cathedral and sat in the sunny cloisters (photo). I do like a bit of topiary.

    Very helpful tourist info office. They gave me a Xunta de Galicia guide to the Camino Portuguese which contains what purports to be a pilgrim passport (specifically not referred to as a credencial) with stage by stage descriptions and space for sellos.

    So; the plan. The bag stays here tomorrow and - if I can find one - I’ll taxi back 15k or so into Portugal and have a nice stroll back. If that’s not possible there appeared to be a big fortification on the Portuguese side which deserves exploration and in Tui, according to the TI there are churches and convents aplenty; including one selling dulces. I’ll go there more in hope than expectation as convent baking’s not much to write home about in my experience.
    Read more