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Camino
  • Laura Allec
  • WendyTravels

Camino

My crazy friend invited me to go on a 164 mile hike with her. Since I’m now retired I said, “of course I’ll go.” Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 3, 2024
    Camino

    LAX

    September 3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Here we go!

  • Camino
    Archway Into the CastleCastle de Sao Jorge2Small and Unique Doorways2Tile work on all the walls1Very narrow roads. Greg could almost touch both sides.Copied after the French Arch of TriumphStreet tiles. These black and white tiles cover the streets. They are supposed to help with humidityDecorations on the walls1Home of The Inquisition in Portugal.2These tiles are meant to look like waves. The building in the background is the Royal theater.2Church next to our Airbnb. Bells ring every quarter hour during the day, but not at night.

    1st day in Lisbon

    September 5, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 66 °F

    View over the Alfama (old and hilly), we have amazing thigh muscles.

  • Camino
    Monastery of St. Jerónimos
    Monument to the Disvories2Pastel de Natas - Portugal is famous for these pastries. The are custard in pastry shell. Delicious.Bulls in marble at the train station outside the arena.2Bull fight arena.1All the performers this evening. There was a lot of pageantry involved.4

    2nd Day in Lisbon

    September 7, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    2nd day started with the Monestary of Jerónimos ,moved on to the monument to the discovery - Vasco de Gama, Magellan, King Manuel 1 who sponsored them, etc. and finished with a Portuguese bull fight. It differs from a Spanish bull fight in that they don’t kill the bull in front of the audience. It is more about a display of horsemanship. There is a matador, but he is not the main performer. The cavaleiro is, and they were very skilled. There was also a group of 8 men called forcados who then wrestled the bull to the ground without anything to protect them.Read more

  • Camino
    1River in Tomar
    Old town area. Such a cute European little town.Altar in the church.Example of Manuelian era architecture.Castle on the hill.

    1st Day in Tomar

    September 7, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    We traveled to Tomar today by train. We’ve started to see the signs in cities for pilgrims of the Camino. Tomar is where the Knights Templar were started. They had a castle and a church on top of a hill, which we toured. It was built in the early 1100’s. For more information about the Knights Templar, go to the link.

    https://www.portugaltravel.org/castle-of-the-kn…    Read more

  • Camino
    The Basilica
    1CrucifixBurial site of the shepherds.13Found these two by the river. Local artists from the area.

    2nd Day in Tomar

    September 8, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Due to unexpected car racing up and down our street late into the night last night, complete with announcer and spectators, we slept in this morning and had a slower start to the day today. Then we headed out to Fatima, the sight where the Virgin Mary purportedly appeared to three shepherd children on the 13th of each month for months, bringing a message that peace will come soon (during WW1). They have built a shrine there, a basilica, and a church. Every month on the 13th, pilgrims come from around Portugal, walking the final steps on their knees. There were plenty of people, even though it wasn’t the 13th. You can read more about this at:

    https://www.bluearmy.com/the-story-of-fatima/    Read more

  • Camino
    3Here we are walking along the top of the aquaduct.
    The aquaduct from below.

    Happy birthday from the road

    Sep 9–12, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Psalms 37:23-25 NIV
    [23] The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; [24] though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. [25] I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

    Waking up in Tomar, en route to Coimbra, and so grateful for 60 years of God's goodness and faithfulness. He has never let me go. All praise!

    Went to see the aquaduct in Tomar this morning before we left for Coimbra. It was built in the late 1500’s to bring water to the convent. It was over 6 km long and was functional for over 300 years.    Read more

  • Camino
    The old part of Coimbra. The university is on top of that hill.
    Steep winding roads up to the university.1In order to level out the road enough to put an outside table, someone rigged up this wedge.Students in their black capes.1The Roman walls under the city.1Some of the carvings found underneath the city.2These heads were done as a project in the city.Fado musician. He is a current student. He played magnificently.2Coimbra guitar.4Oh, to be 20 again!

    Coimbra

    September 10, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 61 °F

    Coimbra is a lovely old university town, Portugal’s Oxford. The old part of town is built on the top of a hill with steep, narrow, winding roads. Students wear black capes, Harry Potter style. It was their Rush week here. They call it Praxe. Freshmen students are led through a series of silly events, with the upper classmen in their cloaks surrounding them and yelling chants. We saw one group wearing pictures of donkeys around their necks; another group was having to randomly number themselves off and if two students spoke at the same time, they had to start over. It is said that J. K. Rowling modeled her idea of Hogwarts after the university here. We toured a museum with well preserved statues and carvings. In the early 100’s bc this area was under Roman rule and the university was built above where a Roman forum was. Below we could see some of those Roman structures. We finished the night with a Fado concert. Fado is a style of Portuguese singing and guitar originally performed by students singing to woo a girl. They use a specific type of guitar. It was really very nice. We weren’t allowed to record but I’m sure you can find some on Google.Read more

  • Camino
    Panoramic View of Porto
    Funny trees in the park4Thirteen Laughing Men Statues.Igrega de Sao Bento.Ceiling in the old prisonFanciest pipe organ I've ever seen1Our tour guide holding the moon.2Bishop Antonio Ferreira GomesTerrace built on top of the buildings to make a park. Tower in the background from a church.Wendy about to get on our Douro River tour.1Lots of fish!Luis 1 Bridge. Built by someone who worked with Gustav Eiffel.

    1st Day in Porto

    September 11, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 72 °F

    Took a walking tour of the city today. The funny looking trees in the park have a story of why they look that way. 1) The park was built near a hospital and the trees sucked up all the illnesses from the sick people 2) They got a virus 3) students collect at the park and drink and the trees absorbed all the alcohol. In that same park are these statues of men laughing - The Thirteen Laughing Men. Then we went to many different churches. There are many in Porto. There’s a lot of gold leaf in these places. Finally we took a river cruise. It was a great day.Read more

  • Camino
    I don't think I want a tour from a company with this name.
    Lello & Irmao Bookstore1Staircase that inspired the Harry Potter staircase at HogwartsStained glass in ceiling at bookstore.Lunch in the park.My rooster friend.1Peacocks in the park.Hanging out with the gulls at the tide pools1Wendy dips her toes in the Atlantic.5Cathedral by night.4Bridge view from the night tour111Laundry on the road.

    2nd Day in Porto

    September 13, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    Today we started at the Lello & Irmao( Lello and Brothers) Bookstore, judged the most beautiful bookstore in the world. J. K. Rowling lived here for a few years and it is these stairs that inspired the moving staircases in Harry Potter. Afterward we had lunch in the park and had friendly bird visitors. The rooster really wanted to steal my sandwich. After lunch we walked along the Atlantic coast and hung out with some sea gulls at the tide pools. In the evening we took the city lights tour. We went to the wrong stop to catch the bus, realized our mistake, called a Bolt car(Uber here) and caught the bus just in time. The bridges are beautiful when all lit up at night. Finished our day with a little laundry.Read more

  • Camino

    1 Day to Camino

    September 14, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Last day in Porto and we start walking tomorrow. After a light breakfast at our lodging, we'll head over to the sé (cathedral) where it starts, get our pilgrim passports stamped, and do a brief devotional together. Wendy picked up some beautiful rocks at the beach yesterday and we each picked one we'll carry to help us focus on what God might be doing in our hearts and lives along the way.Read more

  • Camino
    Greg's start at the cathedral.
    1Wendy's start at the cathedral.Laura's start at the cathedral.Walking along in Porto on our way to Matosinhos.The half marathon runners we encountered.2The wobbly foot bridge we had to walk.Wendy walking along the coast.Statue in Motosinhos that commemorates a storm that killed 72 men here and left 152 orphans.1Laura watching the sunset.

    Day 1 Porto to Motosinhos

    September 15, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    Today we started our Camino. We were a little nervous but anxious to get to this part. We started at the cathedral and got our stamp for our credential, a kind of passport that gets stamped along the way. We did a devotional about the disciples on the road to Emmaus - how they did not recognize Jesus as they were walking along but he revealed himself to them at the breaking of bread. There are devotionals for the whole trip. On our way down to the river we unknowingly started the same day as a half marathon, so there were loads of people to navigate, as well as closed or blocked roads. As we walked along the river, we had to walk on a small metal footbridge since the runners got the road. It wobbled when you walked on it. It was good to get back on solid ground after that bit.

    We thought our first day was to be 6.5 miles, but it was more like 8.0 miles. We arrived in Motosinhos, a beach town, around 1:30. We dropped our packs in the reception area of the guest house since we could not check in until 3:00, went to eat lunch by the beach, got our credential stamped, and checked in. We relaxed for awhile, then went to watch the sunset. It was a beautiful evening. Tomorrow we have a longer day and it is supposed to be hot, so we need an early start to walk while it’s cooler.    Read more

  • Camino
    The Lighthouse.
    221Wendy found her happy place.1222

    Day 2 Matosinhos to Labruge

    September 16, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    Our walk today left the city and walked the coast through small beach towns and fishing villages. We passed a beautiful lighthouse first. Portugal spent quite a bit of money to make the pilgrims’ journey easier by putting in boardwalks the whole way up the coast. Much easier than sand or roadways. Greg and I tried out the backpack transfer service today. I think they forgot us at first but after several frantic emails, our bags arrived at our destination. It seems we’ve worked out all the bugs, so I will definitely use this service. We walked nine miles today, which was much easier without the backpack. We stayed in our first hostel tonight. Since there were three of us, we got to share a bungalow , which she told us gave us privacy. Ha! People kept sticking their heads in the window to see what it was like. There was hardly room to stand for one, much less three. The jury is out whether or not we’ll do this again.Read more

  • Camino
    Some sort of Camino themed creation near the trail.
    Someone's creative camp site.Beautiful sailboat on the sea.1Fishing village.More creative art.Beautiful mosaics on the wall.1The landscape is changing.1Greg said this was his favorite position.11Another aquaduct that brought water to the convent here.2This sculpture was in the middle of a traffic circle. It is dedicated to teaching.1Clamming1Preparing fish for market.2Loved the sunset on the water.1Portuguese sandwiches. Several kinds of meat, cheese, and an egg covered in a spicy gravy. Yum!

    Day 3 Labruge to Povoa de Varzim

    September 17, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    Today we walked eleven miles through beaches, cities, and forests. There are fires near here so it was very smokey today.

    Update: 3 a.m. - fire alarm just went off in the city. After wandering in the street to see why, we learned they were calling firefighters to the blaze slightly northeast of the city (towards where we're walking). Since we left Porto a couple of days ago Portugal has been ablaze. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6eep7zx8poRead more

  • Camino
    The area we walked through today had many farms using old windmills.
    Seaweed being dried and harvested on the beach.We've seen these areas where people can leave something of theirs along the way.Debbie and Dora from Texas.2Wiley Coyote fans somewhere nearby.1Ingrid, Wendy's 3:00 am fire alarm friend.1Some of our stamps from along the way.Farming.This area had names of of deceased people on rocks. Some were names of people and when they traveled2Café con leite and pastel de nata break.

    Day 4 - Varzim to Apúlia

    September 18, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    Some of the devotions we are reading every morning before we walk have shared stories from the Gospels and challenged us with how we are sharing our faith and encouraging others on the Camino. (At least that's Wendy's interpretation currently.)

    Today we began to experience repeated encounters as we walked our last day on the Coastal route. Last night during the city wide fire alarm when Wendy was out on the streets seeing if we needed to evacuate, she ran into a tall lady who was also trying to figure things out.

    Today at mile 5 we stopped for café con leche and natas. Low and behold, here come Debbie and Dora (from Texas) from yesterday, who saved us with an alternate to walking on sand, so we invited them over. As we shared the fire alarm story, the lady at the next table says, "That was me!" and there was the tall lady from the night before.

    Tonight after walking past beautiful sand dunes and people searching for clams and mollusks and old windmills, we were eating dinner and low-and-behold there is our tall friend, who we now know as Ingrid from Utrecht, Netherlands. So we had a cup of tea with her and heard about her journey and how she teaches English to refugees and counsels with astrology.

    God, may You use us to encourage others and share Your love along this Way.    Read more

  • Camino
    Listened to this guy for a long time - he was the Jim Croce/John Denver/Sweet Baby James of Portugal1More dried cod!Mary's heart was piercedMedieval bridge into Barcelos.Live roosters tied to water bottles so they wouldn't get away during market day vThe people of Barcelos love their rooster. This is the jazz version.This is the fado version. He's playing a Coimbra guitar.We thought this one looked a little frazzled.Mechanical version.Saddles and horse gear can be purchased at market.

    Day 5 - Apúlia to Barcelos

    September 19, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    We said good bye to the Coastal Route and Ubered over to the Central Route. This will give us a chance to see the other part of the Camino Portuguese and some of Portugal 's oldest cities.

    We took the day off from walking and hung out in Barcelos (mostly at their GIANT outdoor market, one of the largest in Europe) and at a hotel (hurray! No shared bathroom!).

    The rooster is all over Portugal but the story originated in Barcelos. They looove their rooster! https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/139480#:~….    Read more

  • Camino
    This was a long day. 13+ miles.
    Many water spots like this along the wayCasa de Fernanda. Pilgrimscenjoy some shade, wine and conversation as they arrive.Fernanda serving up the soup.Dinner with Fernanda. They served soup, a chicken dish, rice, and lots of wine.Fernanda and Jacinto with Mike (Aussie) on guitar.1We sand for a long time from Fernanda's book of songs.

    Day 6 Barcelos to Corgo

    September 20, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    13.24 miles today 😵‍💫 as we left Barcelos for the beautiful countryside. Had a little drizzle (good for the fires around here) but we didn't melt. Loooong stretches between places to have breaks (and natas!), and while we saw tons of pelegrinos (pilgrims) there, we had the road to ourselves most of the time.

    Finally made it to our long-awaited destination - Casa da Fernanda - an alburgue/hostel that is one of the most famous of all Camino routes. As soon as we got there her hospitality and welcome enveloped us as we dropped our packs and were offered comfy seats on her patio and chilled white wine. 16 pelegrinos from US, Australia, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany (plus our Portuguese hosts - Fernanda and Jacinto) joined for Rick Steve's favorite word - conviviality.

    We had appetizers on the patio until dinner (and a bunch more alcohol) was served. (Fernanda stepped away for an hour to put her 101 year old neighbor to bed; such a heart!) Then hours more of conversation, laughter, and singing at her extra-large kitchen table, until we all tumbled wearily and happily to bed.

    She sets a high bar for all the other alburgues and is definitely gifted with hospitality and love. One of the trip highlights for sure!    Read more

  • Camino
    Breakfast at Fernanda's. Her husband cooked breakfast for all of us.
    2Passed this church today.Unique mosaic in the tile.Wendy next to the pilgrim statue.Coming into Ponte de Lima felt like coming in on an old Roman road.3This old Roman bridge is from the first century. Hard to believe it's still in use.2Beautiful entry to the city.We walked with our German friend Martin today. Here we are taking a rest.Chestnuts right off the tree.2Grapevines hanging over the trail to give shade.1Martin trying out the grapes. Just for the picture. The farmer was keeping an eye on him.Ponte de Lima is such a cute old town. We enjoyed walking around after dinner.

    Day 7 Corgo to Ponte de Lima

    September 21, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 63 °F

    After being woken up to a chorus of competing roosters in the neighborhood, we sat down to a delicious breakfast cooked by Jacinto. Then we headed out. We have 9+ miles today. We walked through farmland again today. Some of the fields had recently been fertilized. Phew! We walked with our German friend Martin today. He’s a retired police officer. We had a lot of good conversation with him. His English was very good. I (Laura) got a blister yesterday on our long day, so I was trying to take it easier today. Rock and cobblestone roads are hard on the feet.

    Ponte de Lima is the oldest city in Portugal. It was built by the Romans. The bridge was built in the first century. The road into the city felt like an old Roman road. It was a beautiful walk into the city through tall old trees overarching the road. This is a charming medieval town, complete with castle, church, narrow cobblestone streets, and shops.    Read more

  • Camino
    Chestnuts are all over the road this time of year13

    Ponte da Lima to Rubiães (kind of) Wendy

    September 22, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    We left Ponte de Lima over its beautiful part-Roman/part-medieval bridge. The town is the oldest in Portugal, having received its charter from the mother of the first king of Portugal in 1125. Highly recommend it if you are in Northern Portugal for a couple of days.

    It was a quiet day and unfortunately for us most eateries along the way were closed. Yikes! Something we forget about. But right about the time we hit some serious elevation, we ran into Cheryl, from our night at Casa da Fernanda.

    That turned out to be a God thing in more than one way. We had not found any hotels inside Rubeãis so we were staying way out of town. It turns out that Cheryl was staying at an alburgue run by Marlene. Marlene is the sister of Luisa who was renting our hotel! So while we waited for them to come pick us up, he applied us with fresh baked apples and lemon, verbena tea and homemade pancakes. Has people say, " The Camino provides," but I'm pretty sure God had a hand in it today also.    Read more

  • Camino
    The trail went through this tunnel, but we decided to go over the top.
    Ruins near the road.The trail. It looks harmless in this picture.Fields of this purple flower grew near the trail.Waterfall through the trees.Aslan's stone table.1Cheryl.1Cheryl and Laura

    Day 8 Ponte de Lima to Rubeias Laura

    September 22, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    This is Laura’s version of this day. Wendy made this day sound so easy, but today we earned our title of badass. Ponte de Lima is beautiful, but the only way out of the valley is over a mountain. It was Sunday, so everything was closed. No stopping for coffee or food. We walked through some farmland and into forest. There was a mixture of eucalyptus and pine trees. The trail became a real dirt and rock trail and we headed up. It was really quite steep. Wendy charged ahead and I dragged behind. Anyone who has ever hiked with me knows how I hate hills and I slow to a snail’s pace. We ran into Cheryl, a friend from Toronto we met at Fernanda’s. She walked slowly with me for the rest of the day. We walked alongside a river for a bit and continued up. The pictures really don’t do justice to how steep and rocky it was. Cheryl and I would take fifty steps up and take a break to breathe. I was really glad to have hiking poles at this point. Every time we thought we had reached an area that would level out, the trail continued up even more steeply. At one point we passed a tour group going down to an area with a cross. We popped up over the edge and they all started clapping for us. It was encouraging. Wendy was waiting for us at the top next to a sign that said Taxi. We all laughed at that. Heading down, the trail was rocky or had cobblestones. After about another mile, my feet had had it. Cheryl’s knee was bothering her so we decided to call an Uber to come get us. Uber couldn’t find a driver, so Cheryl called Marlene, who ran the place she was staying. She came and found us. She asked where I was staying, and when I told her she laughed and said that was her sister’s place and it was too far away, so we should stay with her. She called her sister to come and get us. Then she fed us warm baked apples and pancakes and lemon verbena tea from leaves in her garden. We hadn’t eaten since the morning, so it was much appreciated. Finally our ride came and we headed to our hotel. I was exhausted and decided to take the next day off.Read more

  • Camino
    1
    Old school watering a fieldFranceshina - a last taste of Portugal1Walking thru Valença within tower wallsLooking over the Minho River into Tui2How to be in 2 countries at once

    Rubiães to Tui

    September 23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    14 miler today through more beautiful farmland until we hit the medieval (with traces of Roman) city of Valença, the last place before we crossed Gustave Eiffel 's bridge into Tui, España.

    Highlight for Wendy was reconnecting with a bunch of the Fernanda gang and walking with the new friends from Australia (Mike and his daughter, Nicki).    Read more

  • Camino
    My store!
    Some of these stones have meaning. Read the info on the next picture.Julia

    Day 10. Rest Day in Tui

    September 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    It was raining today and as soon as we stepped outside Greg started in with “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain" from My Fair Lady. Today was a rest day, so we took a tourist train over to Valenca, on the Portugal side of the river. We wandered around their old walled part of the city. The outside wall was probably 6-7 feet thick. The moat had been turned into the parking lot. There seemed to be a lot of textile shops here. I even found one with my name on it. We didn’t have much time to spend, so I didn’t get to look inside or meet that Laura. On our way back to our hotel, we ran into Julia, another fellow pilgrim from Fernanda’s. That one stay has made friends of us all. I am feeling rested enough to start again tomorrow. We are supposed to get more rain, so we’re leaving very early tomorrow to try to beat the worst of it.Read more

  • Camino
    4Left in the dark this morning, about 7:30 am.
    It's dark out here in the country!2Isn't this forest beautiful?1Ponte de Fevres. Bridge of Fevers.San Telmo, patrón saint of Tui, got sick here suddenly on his way to Santiago. He later died.Starting to sprinkle. 🌧️1Stopped for a snack about two hours in.1Do I look like a Jedi?Our most fashionable rain gear.Glendora High bagpipe players have this guy beat hands down.Just a short video to give you an idea what it's like walking the Camino. Follow the yellow arrows.

    Day 11 Tui to O Perriño

    September 25, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 70 °F

    This morning we started early to try to beat the rain. It was still dark when we left. Many other pilgrims had the same idea. It was very strange walking in the dark. As the sun came up, we could see we were walking through a beautiful forest of oak trees and ferns. At one point, as we neared the place where San Telmo, the patron saint of Tui, suddenly got sick on his way to Santiago (in 1251), dying a short time later, we heard bagpipes playing. Sure enough, around the bend was a random bagpipe player. We all thought he could have had a better repertoire and a kilt.

    We didn’t quite outrun the rain, so on with our most fashionable rain gear. Greg said I looked like a little Jedi, so we used our hiking poles to have a short light saber battle. It wasn’t raining very hard, but it was getting us quite wet. More rain predicted tomorrow. We did ten miles today.    Read more

  • Camino
    What are these little houses???An old Roman roadThis cute puppy had a ring-side seat to watch the pilgrims walk by1Steep hill down (we zig-zagged to save our knees) and a great view of the valleyTraditional pilgrim attire modeled by LauraStream through Redondela1Pierre on the left and Alan on the right.

    Day 12 - Porriño to Redondela

    September 26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Another 10+ mile day with a little hill, beautiful views, and more Camino angels.

    Porriño received THREE INCHES of rain last night, so whereas the day before we were trying to beat it, today we left a little later until the storm abated. And we had beautiful, non-poncho-wearing weather all day!

    Speaking of articles of clothing we didn't wear, after Laura got to the top of the hill, we noticed she was missing her long sleeve shirt she has worn a lot. Dang! So we decided to keep an eye out for any pilgrims that might have picked it up. Not 30' later we meet Alan and Pierre from Toronto and there is the shirt on Pierre's backpack. Pierre and Alan met in college 40+ years ago ( like Wendy and Laura) and turned out to be second cousins.

    Finished the day in a typical midsize Spanish town with dinner and - because we were having withdrawals - gelato. Yum!    Read more

  • Camino
    Our view on the way out of Redondela. It's a great cloud day.
    1Greg told us, "There's a crocodile on the top of that mountain. " Do you see it?We're hiking in a beautiful area.This tree had a unique shape to its branches.1We thought this bridge over the inlet looked like the Golden Gate Bridge.1View from the top looking down into Arcade.This wooden carving of a pilgrim is across the street from our hotel.Another old church.We've seen these icons painted on the sidewalks, but are unsure of what they're for.

    Day 13 Redondela to Arcade

    September 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Today was a shorter day (5 miles), but there was another steep trail to climb through more eucalyptus forest. The view was beautiful from the top. An excellent cloud day. No rain for the most part - only a few sprinkles.

    One thing we’ve noticed in Spain and Portugal is that everything closes for siesta in the early afternoon. Restaurants don’t open back up for dinner until about 4:00 in Portugal, but not until about 7:30 in Spain, which is kind of late for us. Sometimes things are closed when we get into town and it’s a long wait until dinner.

    Scenery reminded me of Chris today. He loved a good cloud day and interesting trees.    Read more

  • Camino
    We walked along by this stream for awhile.
    Medieval bridge out of ArcadeThe steep rocky trail.Steam rising from the fields as the sun came up.The summit. There was a food truck up at the top. Perfect place for him.A slug we saw on the path. Yuck.A small church built in 1614.Simple on the inside.This statue was made off of a picture of famous musicians from Pontevedra. We didn't recognize them.

    Day 14 Arcade to Pontevedra

    September 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    This morning it was cold. 46 degrees when we left at 9:30. It seems Fall is here. Today we had 8 miles to go - over another mountain. The trail was rocky and steep but again through beautiful country. Once the sun came out, you could see the steam rising from the fields, giving them an ethereal look.
    Pontevedra is a more developed town. Tomorrow is a rest day, and we look forward to exploring the city. In the evening, it seems the whole town came out to shop and hang out in the plaza. We saw lots of elderly, babies, some kids on scooters and others playing soccer, even the pets came. There really seemed to be a sense of community here. We thought how different this was from the
    U. S. We don’t have town squares anymore where people gather regularly. We struggled finding anyplace to eat dinner before 8 pm. We need to find a way around this issue. We were really hungry.    Read more

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