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Camino Portuguese
  • Mark McKinnon
Sep – Oct 2023

Camino Portuguese

A 28-day adventure by Mark Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 11, 2023
    Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    3

    Lisbon Day 1

    September 12, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Well finally arrived in Lisbon at around 9:30 this morning after a 30 hour trip.
    Nice warm sunny day spent walking around the city, up around the castle. Big crowds with a couple of huge cruise ships in the harbour.
    Had dinner at a nice little family run restaurant up behind the hotel (My Story Hotel, Rossio)    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    1

    Lisbon day 2

    September 13, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Another warm, sunny day spent sightseeing. Caught the No 28 tram 🚊 from the start through the narrow, streets near the castle to the end of the line, then back.
    In the afternoon we organised train tickets and accommodation for our start of the Camino tomorrow. Had dinner at the same restaurant as last night and had a nice walk back to the hotel through the busy streets.Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    11

    Camino Day 1

    September 14, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Albergaria-a-Velha to Albergaria-a-Nova. 6km!

    Got up early to pack our backpacks ready for the start of our Camino today. Thought we'd done well keeping our packs to 7kg, but they seemed a lot heavier once we had everything in them 😳
    Got the 9:30 train North to Aveiro then a bus to Albergaria-a-Velha, around 60km South of Porto, which is where we started walking. It was around 2:30 when we started, and around 30C so we only did 6km! Oh well, gotta start somewhere. It wasn't a bad walk, half of it through Eucalyptus plantations, so pretty similar to home.
    We are in our first albergue (hostel) but have a nice double room. Walked into "town" and had a huge 3 course meal for €12 each - nothing fancy but very nice 👍.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    1

    Camino Day 2

    September 15, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Albergaria-a-Nova to Oliveira de Azemeis 14km
    We are planning to do a few stages of 15km or so for the first few days to get used to the walking routine. We weren't able to train as much as last time and there is a Camino saying "start like an old person, finish like a young person" so hopefully that plan works. There aren't as many places to stay between Lisbon and Porto, so options are a bit limited. We started walking around 7. Met and chatted to a Portuguese fella for a while until we reached the first cafe for some morning tea, then walked by ourselves the rest of the way. Not too many other walkers around, but a few big groups of cyclists. The highlight of the day was walking through the old part of a historic village.
    We'd booked into a fancy hotel for the night for a pilgrim price of €70, and arrived a bit after 1pm, so an early finish. Had a look around town and just back after dinner.
    Forecast isn't great for the next few days, so looks like we're in for some rain 😳. Booked a B&B for tomorrow night.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Walked day 3

    September 17, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Just stopped for a break in a little bakery after walking in the rain for the last 6km.
    Yesterday wasn't too bad weather wise. Had a nice breakfast at the hotel and got away around 9, cloudy but not raining. Started raining just as we stopped at San Jaoa de Madeira (John the Baptist) so we had lunch and stayed for a couple of hours, waiting for the rain to stop. Stopped in a church a little further along to get out of the rain again. We'd booked a B&B for the night which had a bar attached. The two dinner options were meat or fish. We got the fish, which we realised afterwards comes with potato and veges, whereas the meat dishes, which we have been having, come with rice and chips. Apparently that's traditional Portuguese. Since Lisbon not many people have spoken English, so we're never really sure what we're going to get, or how much it costs, until afterwards. Last night dinner was huge, had main meal first then soup, plus wine for €7 each!Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Walking Day 4

    September 17, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    Malaposta (Residential Solar) to Grijo Albergue.
    Another short stage. We got away a bit late, I woke up with a headache and the weather was terrible, raining and windy. It rained pretty steadily until we stopped for morning tea, then mostly dry until we reached Grijo.
    I had left behind somewhere a walking pole and went back a km or so to look for it. Unfortunately didn't find it, and in the meantime an Australian pilgrim got ahead of us and got to the albergue just before us. He took the last room with two beds, and we are in a room with six beds. Missed it by that much! There are now (5:13pm) two Canadians also in the room. So our first night in a dorm style albergue with bunk beds. Tomorrow about 17km to Porto.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    1

    Walking Day 5 - Porto

    September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Grijo to Porto. 20kms

    Ended up getting a stupid migraine yesterday afternoon, so didn't have a great sleep. So we didn't get away until 9 and took it pretty easy most of the day. None of the forecast rain eventuated and it ended up a great day for walking.
    Got a stamp for our credentials at the cathedral and had a look around before walking to our fancy hotel. Sightseeing day in Porto tomorrow.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    1

    Sightseeing in Porto

    September 19, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Went through our packs this morning to lighten the load a bit and posted 2kg of gear back home.
    Spent the day looking around Porto, and like Lisbon, Porto is a very hilly city. So even though a lot of the sites are fairly close, you do walk up and down some very steep hills.
    Also like Lisbon, Porto has a very good public transport system, and we caught the metro 🚇 the 2km into town and back.
    In the morning we had a ride on the tourist "Magic Train" and in the afternoon a 50 minute 6 Bridge cruise along the Douro River, which was very nice.
    We're booked in to a nice local place for dinner, where we ate last night. Tonight I'm trying the Porto local speciality, which looks a bit like a fancy steak and sausage sandwich covered in a tomato sauce!
    Start walking again tomorrow, heading up the coast for a day before heading inland for the central route.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    2

    Walking Day 6,

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Porto to Vila Do Conde 23km
    Had a nice breakfast at the fancy hotel then caught the metro to the coast at Matosinhos, and started the 22km walk North at 10am, following the coast to Vila Do Conde. The weather was pretty good for walking, a bit overcast and Southerly winds. It was flat all the way, with a lot of it on boardwalks.
    We got to the Municipal albergue at 4, but it was full, after opening at 3. One of the hospitaleroes suggested a unit with a double room for 50€, which seemed a bit overpriced but we took it. It's not too bad, and is right across the road from a restaurant where we had dinner. It was a bit better than last night's dinner, where they forgot to give me chips and we spilt my beer 😳.
    Looking like a few showers tomorrow, but we've booked a casa rural (B&B) for the night.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    12

    Walk to Pedra Furada

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We got back from dinner and Lynn noticed that the bathroom door was closed, and the undies which we had hanging on a line weren't there. Not long afterwards a woman knocked on the door and said that she'd moved the undies to a clothesline, and that someone was sleeping in the unit next door, which had a locked door off the kitchen (well that's what we thought she said, speaking Portuguese 🤔). Just after going to bed we heard someone opening the door with a key, and a couple who'd been at the restaurant walked in! Turns out we just had one of the two rooms, not the whole unit.
    Anyway, next morning was cool and overcast, but we just missed the overnight rain. The walk cut across from the Coastal route through to the Central route and was a nice walk once we got through the outskirts of town, through mainly cornfields and Eucalypt forests. We chatted with a Dutch woman for the last few km's to Arcos, where we had lunch.
    We got to Casa de Maria around 3:30. The bedroom was huge, and we chatted to and then had dinner with the two other peregrinos, Christopher from Liverpool and Susana from East Germany. Dinner was good and we met the owner, Antonio, who features in the Brierley guide.
    We were thinking of walking 31km tomorrow, but decided to do two short days instead.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    1

    Day 12, Walk to Barcelos

    September 22, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Supermercado dinner tonight. Just waiting for the beer to cool down 🍺.
    Another short day, only around 13km, leaves us with 18km tomorrow to Casa Fernanda.
    Got to Barcelos around 11 and had a slow look around. Very nice town. Had some lunch then made our way to the accommodation, which is a bit sterile. Would've preferred to go a bit further but then tomorrow would be a very short stage.
    Two things we've noticed is that every cafe/bar/restaurant has a TV on, with either crappy game shows or news/sport - 99% soccer. The other thing is nobody seems to know how to make a cup of tea. Obviously no one drinks it here.
    Short stage tomorrow.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    2

    Day 13. Walk to Casa Fernanda

    September 23, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Started walking at 8 today, and it was a beautiful morning. Thought we'd get into the routine of walking for an hour or two, then stop at a cafe for breakfast. We didn't realise that cafes were few and far between, so all we had before getting to our albergue at 2 was a coffee and small cake. Apart from that it was a nice walk, with a few hills.
    The albergue, Casa Fernanda, is known as one of the best on the Portuguese Camino, and has been really nice. We all sat around on lounge chairs in the shade chatting for a while, then Fernanda brought out wine, then cooked some snacks. Dinner was ready at around 7 and was really good, heaps of food, more wine and port afterwards. We had a bit of a sing along with an old American bloke playing guitar. We sat near a Scottish fella and his son, who had turned up late with his other son. The albergue was full but they were allowed to pitch their tent in the yard, which they were very grateful for. They were nice fellas.
    So Casa Fernanda lived up to it's reputation and it was a really nice day and night 👍    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Day 14. Walk to Pont de Lima

    September 24, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Had a pretty good sleep in the 10 bed albergue, although we were right next to the bathroom, with thin walls 😳. Had a nice breakfast then began walking at around 8. It was another beautiful day for walking, with hardly a cloud in the sky. It was also probably the nicest day walking so far, and we kept passing and chatting to people from the night before, so the morning went pretty quickly and we arrived at Pont de Lima at around 1pm, not realising that the albergue didn't open until 3. So we placed our packs in line against the wall and went back over the bridge into the old town.
    We had a look around and had lunch then headed back a bit before 3. I counted around 25 backpacks lined up by then. We were 4th and 5th in line so got beds 4 and 5. Unfortunately the room they filled up first was the worst of 3, the others having balconies and nice views, and ours more like a big loft. Lying in bed now and it's hot and stuffy, for some reason most Europeans don't seem to like sleeping with a door or window open.
    We went back into town and went to the 7 o'clock Mass, which was obviously in Portuguese, but the priest gave a very nice pilgrims' blessing afterwards. We then had dinner at a restaurant and chatted to a pommie fella Jules, who's in our dorm.
    Off to Rubiaes tomorrow.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    11

    Walk to Rubiaes

    September 25, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Our last full day in Portugal and another hot, sunny day after a beautiful cool morning. Didn't have a great sleep in the hot, stuffy 5€ municipal albergue. Only walked about 18km but there was a steep 5k climb in the middle and we were glad to get to the albergue, which is the nicest one we've been in yet. Lynn was keen to book a private albergue and we were glad we did after the not so great night last night. Hopefully there's enough food for dinner because people keep walking in and pressuring the hospitalero to let them stay, even though it is full.
    As happens on a Camino, we keep bumping into the same people during the day and end up staying in the same place as some.
    Off to Valenca then over the Minho River into Spain tomorrow.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Adios Portugal, Hola Spain!

    September 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Rubiaes (Portugal) to Tui (Spain)
    Another short 18km stage today from Portugal into Spain. Had a nice communal meal last night and a good sleep in the Frida Kahlo room. Nice walk with a cool, foggy start, but it did warm up to the mid 20's and was fairly humid, so glad to get to across the bridge over the river Minho into Tui. In a nice albergue, but not a private room. 5 beds but only one other fella, a cyclist who is already asleep, so hopefully won't be a bad night.
    Had a walk around town, and as usual bumped into a few of the peregrinos we have been seeing for the last few days. Already noticed less pavers on the road and footpath, so hopefully be a bit smoother walking, although it hasn't been as bad as people make out.
    Looking like another warm, sunny day coming up.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Tui to Porrino

    September 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    First time we were up and out walking before sunrise, but it was still around 8 o'clock. Spain is 1 hour ahead of Portugal.
    It was nice walking through the old part of town while it was foggy and not yet light. It stayed foggy for a couple of hours and it was a nice walk mainly on dirt tracks through forests, crossing a few Roman bridges out in the middle of nowhere.
    Staying in a double room at the Pension Maracaibo, which is on the main shopping/restaurant street. Went for a walk down the street after dinner and bumped into the Scottish lads and a few of the other travelling circus of peregrinos we keep catching up with.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    112111

    Porrino to Redondela

    September 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Got off to another early start for the 18k or so to Redondela. Nothing much out of the ordinary, a bit of groundhog day... get up early, start walking, stop for coffee and something to eat, walk a bit more, maybe stop for something else to eat, look for the albergue, check in, have a shower, then have a look around town, and usually have a chat to some of the people we have met. Spain seems to have more of a siesta than Portugal, and most shops close at 2:30 until 4:30, so you have to eat early or late. We noticed last night that a lot of people seem to have a big meal for lunch, and something smaller for dinner. So today we changed it up and decided to have the menu del day for lunch, which was entree, main, drink, coffee and bread for 12€. Then went to a couple of bars across the street from the albergue and had some wine and tapas for dinner. Seemed to work pretty well. People just sit around chatting having a wine, beer or coffee and something small to eat. Then at around 9:30 it all quietens down again.
    The Scottish lads are in our albergue tonight, so Lynn has been having a good chat with them.
    Tomorrow we're off to Pontevedra, where the two routes seperate, so it will be the last time we will see a lot of the people we have met.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    11

    Redondela to Pontevedra

    September 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Took a couple of unnecessary dtours today so ended up being around 25km, rather than the advertised 19k. As yesterday, a bit of a groundhog day Early start, well, early-ish start, a bit after 8, but still darkish because sunrise isn't until around 8:30. Foggy morning again and a nice but hilly walk through towns and a lot through forests - once again a lot of Eucalyptus.
    I have picked up a bit of a foot injury, according to Dr Google it's an extensor tendon (on top of the foot and up towards the ankle) strain. Had it now for a bit over 2 days. Hurts a bit early on then it's not too bad. Lynn is still going strong 👍.
    Pontevedra has a nice centre with a big square and narrow streets going off in every direction. We had a look around and said g'day to the Scottish fellas and a few others, probably for the last time. Went to the pilgrims Mass at 7:30 then had some dinner. There was actually too much choice so it took a while to find somewhere.
    Start the Espiritual Variante tomorrow    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Pontevedra to Armenteira - Variante Espi

    September 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Tough day today. Woke up with a stupid migraine, so it took a while to get going. Finally left around 10, still feeling a little off colour, but thought we'd take it easy and see how we went. Unfortunately it wasn't a good day to start late, with a long, hilly stage and 32C forecast.
    So we got going, and took it slowly and we took an alternative route called the Variante Espiritual which veers off to the East of the other route towards the coast. It takes 3 days as opposed to 2 on the traditional route and they meet up in Padron, 25km from Santiago.
    It was a hard slog, hot and not much shade and most of the day we seemed to be going uphill, and a lot of that very steeply. We finally made it to the village at around 5:45, had a drink then had another 500m to the albergue. Then had to walk there and back to the cafe for dinner! It was supposed to be a 21km day, but 25km were clocked up on the app.
    Most of the people we have met have taken the traditional route, but we met two of the couples, one American, one Danish, at dinner, and will probably bump into them the next couple of days.
    Supposed to be an easier day tomorrow, so looking forward to that.

    p.s. at an old church we stopped at a wedding was about to start so we stayed for about half an hour to see the bride arrive.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler
    1

    Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa

    October 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Another hot night in the albergue with all the windows closed as usual, although didn't have a bad sleep and woke up when the lights were turned on at 7:30.
    Got away just after sunrise at about 8:30 and it was a really nice walk alongside a stream in the shade, a lot like in the Blue Mountains, for the first few km's.
    It was a 25km walk, but not nearly as hard as yesterday and the temp was in the mid 20's, unlike yesterday's 30's.
    It's funny how the brain works. Yesterday with the headache, my foot didn't hurt at all. Today without the headache, my foot was sore again, although not as sore as the other day.
    Got to the hotel around 4, then went for a swim at a beach that reminded us of Shoal Bay.
    Up early tomorrow for the 30km boat trip to Padron ⛵    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Boat trip to Padron

    October 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Writing this post at 2:40 in the afternoon, waiting for the San Antonio Monastery at Herbon, near Padron, to open.
    We left the hotel at around 8 and walked the 10 minutes down to the dock to catch the 8:30 boat to Padron. It was a cool and cloudy morning, but luckily no rain as it was a smallish, open boat and we would've been soaked if it had rained. The trip took about 1:15 and covered over 30km, so it was a lot easier than walking all day.
    It worked out well because we had some seafood with dinner last night, and it didn't agree with Lynn's stomach, so she didn't have a great sleep and is pretty tired today.
    We said goodbye to a few more people then had a look around Padron, and walked the 3k to the Monastery albergue. Padron is only 25k from Santiago, and some people are walking there straight away, but we had a couple of extra days and have an albergue booked tomorrow night about 10k from Santiago.
    So a very easy day today, 15k tomorrow then 10k into Santiago on Wednesday morning.
    p.s. Just noticed a small blister on the top of the second toe on my left foot! Don't know how long it's been there but we've only walked a few km's today 🤔    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Walk to Milladoiro

    October 3, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Well not long to go now. Only a 7km walk in the morning to Santiago de Compostela, so should get there fairly early then try and get to the noon Pilgrims' Mass.
    A very nice night in the Monastery albergue last night, and met some nice people at the communal dinner, including German sisters, a Turkish/American woman, a Kiwi teacher and two of three Swedish twin brothers. Dinner was very nice, just salad and soup, but the hospi's were very hospitable 🤔. The night could have been better, but we went to a half hour Mass at the Monastery church, and a blessing afterwards which was nice, but then a volunteer took about an hour, using Google translate, to tell us about the life of St Anthony and then give us a tour of the Monastery. Would've been nice to just sit around and relax for a while before dinner.
    Today was a bit cool and cloudy, nice weather for walking. We met an Australian couple from Melbourne and chatted to them on and off all day. Also chatted to Derya, the Turkish/American, a few times.
    Got to the albergue around 3 or 4. It's pretty good, with sheets and towels and a nice kitchen and common area. There's a cafe next door so we might just get a hamburger or something for dinner.
    Last night in bunk beds! and as pilgrims! so Santiago tomorrow morning and then we'll be tourists for a couple of days 😔    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Santiago de Compostela!

    October 4, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    We're here! After a short 7km day starting at 8:10, we walked into the Cathedral at 9:35. There are I think four entrance doors to the Cathedral, and coming from Portugal traditionally you enter from the South door, so that is what we did. We didn't know that there was a 9:30am Pilgrims' Mass, and the security would only let you in at that time if you're going to the Mass, so we thought we may as well go in. We were glad we did because it was a short Mass, and afterwards the botafumeiro (large incense burner) was swung, which is always good to see.
    We then got our Compostelas from the pilgrim office and had a bit of a walk around. Most of the people we had met over the last few weeks had arrived a day or two before, so had already gone home. We did catch up with a few people we had met over the last week or so, which is nice, and had lunch with Derya.
    Had a look in the Cathedral, then got tapas for dinner, after having a big lunch.
    Tomorrow we have an easy day around Santiago, then to the hotel next to the airport tomorrow night.

    Well our Camino Portuguese is over! As last time it's a bit sad to finish, but we're looking forward to getting home. Some days are good, some not so good, but it is a simple life for a few weeks, and we really like that. And you meet some nice people from all over the world.    Read more

  • Mark McKinnonCamino PortugueseTraveler

    Last day in Spain

    Oct 5–7, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    The holiday is over now. In the hotel room trying to get sorted for the 6:30am flight to Paris tomorrow.
    Had a good night in the San Martin Pinario Albergue, although took a while to get to sleep. Nice breakfast, where we chatted to the Swedish fellas.
    Had another look in the Cathedral then went to a Mass an Australian fella, who is volunteering at a Pilgrim support place, invited us to.
    We had the Pilgrims' menu lunch at the hotel and once again chatted with the Swedish fellas!
    We went to the Cathedral museum and then did a guided tour, which was really good because you go up onto the roof of the Cathedral for nearly an hour, and the views were fantastic. Probably would've been better if the tour wasn't solely in Spanish! Nevertheless it was a nice way to finish our Camino.

    A few things we noticed.
    There were a lot of Germans and Americans. Also a fair few Dutch and Danish.
    We didn't meet many Australians until the last few days.
    Not that many people spoke English outside of the cities.
    Not many 4WDs, and most cars were manual.
    Meals can be confusing because certain foods are only served at certain times of the day.
    The pastries were better in Portugal.
    Water isn't served with meals, but wine is, and people drink beer in the morning, but generally only one or two.
    Spain has the siesta from 2-4. The cafes and bars re-open and get really busy around 8, then quieten right down again around 9:30.    Read more

    Trip end
    October 8, 2023
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