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Portugal Camino
  • Helen Ferguson
  • Helen Ferguson

Portugal Camino

30-päiväinen seikkaillu — Helen Lue lisää
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  • Matkan aloitus
    18. toukokuuta 2024
  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 19

    19. toukokuuta 2024, Englanti ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    After a long, smooth flight, we arrived safely at Gatwick to a glorious, sunny day in London, England. We joined the throngs of confused tourists to navigate our way to the train station. After a few attempts, we triumphantly made it through the turnstile to Gate 4. We enjoyed a crammed ride to downtown London. A last minute decision on our part had us walking to our hotel rather than catching a bus. It turned out to be a great decision as we stumbled across the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Incredible! We had a lovely walk through Hyde Park with a stop at a cafe. We were both exhausted and struggling to lift our feet for the final part of our long, gruelling walk. When we arrived at our hotel, we were both concerned when we realized the walk was only about 3 km. We finished our first day with a delicious dinner at a pub across from Hyde Park, sitting outside on the upstairs patio.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 20

    20. toukokuuta 2024, Englanti ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    A fabulous day exploring London on a Hop On Hop Off bus. While we may not have chosen the best bus company, we certainly saw and enjoyed many sights. The other companies had busses with very few passengers while the one we chose was packed, so much so, we had to stand at times!! Maybe the other busses are empty for a reason?? Regardless we had a fantastic day enjoying London on a glorious sunny day. Some of the highlights include a river cruise on the Thames River, riding the bus over the Tower Bridge, a delicious lunch in Soho, and ice cream while strolling in St. James Park. Our day ended with a scrumptious pub dinner.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    2

    May 21

    21. toukokuuta 2024, Englanti ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today was a typical English day. We started the day with a Full English breakfast (actually we had a half) at a family run cafe. Feeling full of energy and ready to tackle a day of exploring, we set off for a day of visiting museums. We began with a lovely walk through Hyde Park with stops at Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens. A particularly moving moment when we wandered the Sunken Garden that Princess Diana used to enjoy, and saw the monument that her sons commissioned in her honour for what would have been her 60th birthday. From there we encountered some swans and ducks in the pond, and a particularly mischievous swan who tried to steal from my backpack. We enjoyed and learned so much during our tour at the Royal Albert Hall, an incredible feat of engineering and fascinating historical stories were a few of the highlights. We then continued to the Museum of Natural History and the Victoria and Albert Museum, both of these were interesting but didn't hold the same appeal for me. Mother Nature did her part to ensure we experienced a true British day with a downpour to walk back to our hotel. Dinner at the local pub concluded a quintessential British day.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    1

    May 22

    22. toukokuuta 2024, Englanti ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    A day spent exploring stunning landscapes and historical sites while learning about steeped traditions in the Cotswold region. Aptly named to reflect the sheep farming on the gentle, rolling hills. Cots = sheep enclosures, wolds = gentle rolling hills.
    Our first stop was Bibury and a stroll down Arlington Row. These cottages were converted into weavers' cottages in the 1700s. The cottages, river and gorgeous flowers and plants were a treat for the eye in this picturesque, peaceful village.    Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 22

    23. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Our second stop was Burford, which is often referred to as the "gateway" to the Cotswolds . It's a bustling village with many of the medieval buildings housing various art boutiques and cafes. After wandering around the main street, we enjoyed a scrumptious bowl of soup in one of the quaint cafes and took a cream tea to enjoy on the bus.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 23

    23. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    A very early start to our day with our alarms going off at 3:00 am. At 3:30, we left the hotel to make our way to Gatwick Airport for our 6:50 am flight. A surprisingly smooth and quick check in through security gave us time to enjoy breakfast at the airport. We arrived in Porto a few minutes before Mary's flight - perfect timing. A short ride on the metro and we were in the beautiful downtown area of Porto. A day of exploring, a siesta and dinner at a local cafe. We had the traditional dish Francesinha, which was created in the 1950s by a local from Porto. His creation was inspired by the French hot sandwich and includes bread, steak, sausage, cheese, egg, and a beer sauce served with french fries. It's a very heavy meal and one I probably won't eat again but glad to have tried it. We were all absolutely exhausted and thankful to have a comfortable room in the hostel.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 24

    24. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    It was a great feeling to wake up after a luxurious sleep. We had a nice relaxing start to our day before exploring Porto. We meandered throughout narrow cobblestone streets that were lined with colourful buildings. We stumbled upon so many interesting sites including a cemetery, Crystal Palace, gardens, historic monuments and enjoyed listening to live music while sitting in a square at a local cafe. We also tried a traditional cod dish for lunch, in a very authentic Portuguese restaurant. It really was a magical day in Porto and we felt confident because we walked 14 km, surely we are ready for the Camino!Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    1

    May 25

    25. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Today we began the trek to Santiago. It was perfect walking weather and we set off excited and full of energy. The first half of the day was busy as we left the town of Porto with lots of traffic, tourists, cyclists and a few pilgrims dispersed throughout the crowds. The afternoon was much quieter and we enjoyed the stunning views of the ocean on our left all the way. We were all exhausted, when after walking 20 km, we arrived at our accomodation. It was a comfortable albergue with a number of rooms a common kitchen and shared bathrooms. Thankfully, there was a small cafe nearby where we enjoyed a delicious tuna salad for dinner.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    3
    2

    May 26

    26. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    I was treated to a cup of tea in bed prepared for my birthday. We set off early for us, 8:15 for what we thought was going to be a shorter distance - 17 km. Most of our day was walking on beautiful boardwalks along the ocean. There were times the boardwalk disappeared as it was covered in sand, walking in the sand barefoot felt so good! The crashing of the waves became a rhythm for our walking pace, the salt water smell wafting around us and the sea breeze, which at times felt like a sea gale wind, a constant for our day. Our day was longer than we anticipated, about 23 km, but despite being very exhausted, we were so excited to arrive at our luxurious accommodations with our own private bathroom. We had a lovely dinner, prawn pasta and ice cream bars for dessert. Lorelee and Mary treated me like a Camino princess for my birthday. Thanks to them and everyone for the birthday wishes making my birthday a special day.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 27

    27. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Similar to life, the Camino took us on a variety of paths today. We began on the boardwalks along the ocean accompanied by the wind that we have become accustomed to. The ocean boardwalks meanered into an agricultural region with a variety of trees and vegetation bordering the way. Following this, we found ourselves in small villages on cobblestone pathways that became cement sidewalks for a while. After this, we traisped on dirt pathways. At one point, we had to cross an extremely questionable bridge with half of it tarped off for sandblasting. Unfortunately the tarp didn't prevent the sand from entering our mouths, eyes and polishing our exposed skin. The final part of our walk, (when we inadvertently came off the Camino way) we found ourselves on the side of a very busy highway. After a very long day of walking over 20 km, we were extremely happy to arrive at our albergue, Hostel Costa Selvagem in Marinhas. Unfortunately, my bag (that I had shipped from our previous accommodation) didn't make it to the hostel. A night without my bag helped reinforce one of the many lessons learned on the Camino - minimizing can be done, even if only for you one night😁. One of the many highlights today was a real cup of tea, in a teapot at a local cafe. Tea is not easy to find here as they enjoy their coffee.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 28

    28. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We left our hostel at 8:00 to begin what we knew was going to be our first day with elevation changes. The beginning of the way was lovely on narrow, cobble streets with lots of views of the ocean in the near distance. After about an hour of walking, we stopped at a cafe and I tried a coffee. It's going to be much easier if I switch from drinking tea and drink coffee for my time here. I think I can enjoy coffee. It was a gruelling walk after our coffee stop, through agriculture areas, forested paths, and rocky paths with steep hills. For part of our hike through the forest we were following a crystal clear river, the flowing water serenaded us through this stunning path. Similar to life, we got lost and followed the wrong markings, rather than a yellow arrow, we followed a yellow dash which resulted in a few extra steps. Thankfully, Mary felt we were going the wrong way and her hiking wisdom got us back on track. After about 15 km, we finally arrived at a cafe which was a welcome relief to three tired and hungry pilgrims. I enjoyed a scrumptious tuna salad and felt energized for the final 8 km of our day. Our server was a lovely young lady and reminded me of Ruby. We set off on the cobblestones through the town which became dirt pathways after some time. We stopped at an old laundry stone cistern to soak our aching feet in a cold water bath. At the end of our trek, we had to walk across the longest bridge ever with an extremely narrow walkway without a divider between traffic and pedestrians. A welcome reward for our challenging day was arriving at our accomodation, the magnificent Tres Marias' Residence. This building is a historic building with individual suites, very luxurious in comparison to our dorm in the albergue the previous night. We enjoyed some time by the pool before going for a scrumptious dinner at a family run restaurant. For 9 euro, we had soup, bun, chicken dinner and wine. Climbing into a luxurious bed after our long day was heavenly.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    1

    May 29

    29. toukokuuta 2024, Portugali ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    I woke to the bell chimes of the nearby church feeling rested and like royalty in the luxurious bed. We decided to have a slow start and enjoy the glorious residence. We had a "tourist" kind of day, breakfast at a cafe and sight seeing around the city of Viana do Castello, which grew through cod fishing and shipbuilding. At the top of Monte de Santa Luzia is the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the most incredible vistas of the city and surrounding area. We sat for a while enjoying some jazz music that was playing in the background while sipping on a cool refreshing cider taking in the views. We could have walked up, but as we were tourists for the day, we rode the funicular. After wandering around the historic centre and enjoying a meal of the day, soup, bread, pork, potatoes, wine and coffee for 8.50 euro, we decided to leave this beautiful place that's rich in history and emblazoned buildings to make our way to our next stop, Caminha. Due to the fact it was 3:00 pm and our destination was 28 km away, we hailed an Uber for this leg of the journey. Our arrival at our hostel was met with some disappointment, a rather basic dorm type albergue. A wander around the town and some time sitting at a cafe in the square helped cheer us. The streets were busy with locals of all ages preparing for a Religious National holiday taking place on Thursday, Corpus Christi. They create stunning and detailed images made from various materials such as salt, fresh flowers, pine boughs, wood chips and others along the road in anticipation for a procession on Thursday. It was incredible to see people of all ages working together joyfully late into the night and early morning to complete this tradition.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    1

    May 30

    30. toukokuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    After a sleepless night, I arose quietly, so as not to wake my bunk mates, at 5:00 am. This early start to my day gave me time to do a few posts and wander the empty, peaceful streets to enjoy the elaborate Corpus Christi masterpieces lining the roadways. A hearty breakfast that included boiled eggs (rare to find here), fruit, cereals, yogurt, breads, pastries, juice, coffee and tea provided us with good sustenance to begin our 18 km walk. To begin, we took a taxi ferry (a very small boat with 4 of us) across the River Minho which is the natural border between Portugal and Spain. Historically, this river border was a location where many battles were fought between the Portuguese and Spanish but today they enjoy friendly relations with their neighbours. We landed in Spain on a pristine deserted beach and quickly found a beautiful boardwalk along the ocean. This part of the walk to A Guarda was stunning with a number of interesting and beautiful distractions such as hieroglyphics painted on the trees. We enjoyed a rest stop and stocked up on food and water in A Guardia before beginning the long trek of 14 km (no facilities ) to Oia. It was hot with a few climbs on various pathways including road side and forest paths before we arrived in the quaint seaside Hamlet of Oia. Our accomodation here was incredible, La Cala, A Pilgrims Hostel. We had an ocean view from our spacious bedroom and enjoyed the common kitchen/dining room facilities. A delicious dinner of scallops, shrimp and Russian salad at a cafe beside the ocean while taking in a beautiful sunset was a fabulous end to our day.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    May 31

    31. toukokuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    After a restful night with the rhythmic waves lulling us to sleep in our comfortable beds, I awoke refreshed and ready to walk the next stage (19 km). Despite the forecast of hot temperatures in the low 30s, we couldn't bring ourselves to get an early start instead opting to enjoy our plush hostel. Even the discovery of a snake, in the morning, beside my bed didn't dampen our experience. We began our walk alongside the rocky coast which eventually brought us to walking along the highway. We stopped at a cafe for lunch before beginning the climb up Camino Portela. Unfortunately, there isn't a funicular here to carry us to the top. It was very hot, so the forest path up the mountain brought a welcome reprieve from the intense heat of the sun. After about 5 km through the peaceful forest, I was extremely happy to hear music playing somewhere in the distance with the hope of a hamlet very close by. As I suspected, a perfectly placed cafe serving ice cold drinks and snacks brought a sense of relief and much needed rest. Despite the rest, I found the remainder of our walk into Baiona challenging due to the heat and minimal shade along the way. Finally, at 3:30 pm, three very tired and hot pilgrims arrived in Baiona. Due to the extremely long distance of the next stage (26 km) and the intense heat, Lorelee and I decided to catch the bus to Vigo and have a rest day there tomorrow. After an hour bus ride, we enjoyed dinner near the port of Vigo.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 1

    1. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    A wonderful, lazy morning. I stayed in bed until 8:00 am with the luxury of not having to pack up and begin walking. Lorelee and I enjoyed a late breakfast and wandered around the historic center and waterfront area of Vigo. Our friend, Mary, arrived around 4:30 pm after walking about 26 km in 30 degree weather. The architecture in this historic area is magnificent. We enjoyed a scrumptious dinner, tortilla and salad followed by ice cream for dessert. I'm very thankful for a lovely relaxing day and a much needed reprieve from the intense heat.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja
    111

    June 2

    2. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    I awoke feeling rested and energized and ready to tackle the 23 km trek to Arcade. It was early Sunday morning (7:00 am) and the crisp air felt good. A number of groups of young people, we encountered as we walked through the deserted streets of Vigo, appeared to be feeling good as they continued their Saturday night partying. Once we exited the city streets, we were treated to spectacular vistas of the city and the Ilas de Cies and enjoyed tranquil woodland paths as we made our way to Redondela. Upon arriving in Redondela, I was treated to more intricately decorated streets that were prepared for the Corpus Christi procession. I did find a place in the shade to watch the procession that was beginning at 1:00 pm, but after about half an hour, with the temperature rising steadly and the procession not in sight, I decided I better get walking because I still had about 10 km left to walk. After navigating the busy streets leaving Rendonela, I caught up with Lorelee who was resting at a cafe. We enjoyed a drink and some food before continuing on to our final destination. Unbeknownst to us, we had a very steep climb ahead of us. The heat made the climb extremely challenging. Thankfully it was mostly on forest paths with periodic patches of shade and incredible views of the area. We arrived at our accomodation exhausted and with throbbing feet. After some rest time to recover, we went to a nearby cafe beside the water and enjoyed a refreshing drink.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 3

    3. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Unfortunately I didn't sleep well and woke up tired but the throbbing in my feet had subsided. Mary and I set off at 8:00 to a nearby cafe for fuel to make our way to Pontevedra. Leaving Arcade, we crossed Pontesampaio, a historic stone bridge (a significant location during the War of Independence). We enjoyed a lovely morning walk through some forest and along an ancient stone path. My feet were not happy when we arrived in Pontevedra, so I decided to take a bus with Lorelee for the final 10 km to our destination in Combarro. A short 15 minute bus ride should have us in Cambarro by 2:00 pm. With some help from Google maps we made our way to the bus station, thankfully it was shaded. We sat there for a while watching busses come and but it seemed none were heading to Combarro. With the assistance of some locals we realized we were at the incorrect bus station. So in the intense heat we embarked on a search for the correct bus station. We spotted the bus and in our poorly pronounced Spanish asked the driver for Combarro, we heard his reply, " Si, Combarro". We settled into our comfortable seats in the air conditioned comfort of the luxury coach. It was a lovely drive along the coast, and it seemed to be a long way. An hour later, we arrived in the gorgeous seaside town of Combardos. When a Spanish person pronounces, "Combarro and Combardos" they sound the same but are two very different locations. A return trip back on the bus and the helpful bus driver stopped the bus at the side of the road and pointed us in the direction of the bus stop for Combarro. An hour long wait in the blistering heat had us ever so thankful when the bus arrived. We jumped on with Google maps as our companion feeling confident we would be at our albergue within a half hour. However, that was not to be, we missed Combarro and eventually arrived at a bus station hopeful that the bus would be doing the return trip back and we could try once again to get off at Combarro. The bus driver was quick to tell us that he wasn't going back that way and that we should wait for another bus. An hour later, after other busses came and left that were not going to Combarro, the original bus came back. The driver was shocked to see us still there and told us to sit right behind him so he could make sure we got off at Combarro. What should have been a 15 minute trip turned into a 7 hour adventure with us both convinced we shouldn't attempt Amazing Race. Our dear friend, Mary, had a delicious dinner waiting for us when we arrived.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 4

    4. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today we had a short distance to walk, only 10 km, because the path to Armenteira includes a very steep climb (about 450 m over a distance of a few kilometers). Mary and I set off for a local cafe to get our jolt of energy for the way. Our walk began meandering uphill through a small village that eventually transitioned into a lovely forest path. While it was a steady climb, we were both pleasantly surprised with how well we did. On the way, we met a very friendly man who lives in Scotland. We chatted with him a bit as we walked the last few kilometers into Armenteira and he joined us for a cold drink before continuing on his way. He bought us our drinks explaining he's trying to change the perception of the cheap Scottish. Lorelee, Mary and I shared a delicious lunch of tortilla and salads. We arrived at our albergue, a rather basic dorm accommodation with the issuance of a paper mattress cover and pillowcase typical when you pay ten euro for the night. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the monastery and the Pilgrims' Blessing during the evening.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 5

    5. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    The three of us set off with Vilanova Arousal, our destination, 24 km away. This stage of the Camino follows delightful bubbling mountain brooks along the Ruta da Pedra e da Agua and consists of mostly natural pathways. The first 12 km is along one of the longest stretches of pathway in any Camino. After the stunning start stopping every few steps to take photos, our walk took us through villages, vineyards, pine and eucalyptus forests with the final few kilometers alongside golden sandy beaches. All of this made it a magical and most enjoyable walk, probably the most natural beauty of the entire Camino. In the early afternoon we encountered a small church and a few locals invited us in. The church, was built about 50 years ago by a group of volunteers for pilgrims. A member of the original group who built it was there, he is now 98 years old. One of the locals sang a song she composed about the natural beauty of the region and pilgrims. It was a very emotional and beautiful experience. We arrived at our destination tired but extremely joyful after experiencing a fabulous day. To add to our joy, our accomodation had a pool. We joined a group of 5/6 year olds who were enjoying a pool birthday party. While it wasn't a peaceful swim, it was definitely refreshing and welcomed by our weary feet.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 6

    9. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    We are all excited to have a short walking day today. Our journey from Vilanova Arousal to Escravitude begins with a short stroll along a beach boardwalk to the ferry terminal, from there a two hour ferry trip to Pontecesures and finally a 10 km walk to our destination. Unfortunately, our boat reservation is for 1:30 which means most of the walk will be during the heat of the day. However, we were all happy to have a slow start and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our hotel. Before our ferry, I went to a very interesting museum, the former home of Ramón Valle-Inclán (famous Spanish writer) and his family. The house and grounds are beautifully restored and his literary works penned in his own hand are extremely interesting. Wandering through the family home gave a lot of insight into his family's daily life. Our ferry was a treat on a large comfortable outboard motor boat. After many days of seeing the mussel rafts from a distance while we were walking, it was extremely interesting to see them up close and learn about this integral facet of the region's economy and that families own the mussel rafts not large businesses. We then continued on with stops at the 17 cruceiros that are located along the islands and form the unique Maritime River Way of the Cross. Our final part of the day was a combination of pathways and stone walks through hamlets. The heat was intense and a vending machine in one of the hamlets dispensed (after a beating and shaking) ice cold iced tea that gave relief and energy for the final section. We were disappointed when we arrived in Escravitude and realized our albergue is further down the way, another 4 km in the heat. We finally arrived disheveled and hot, shortly after 6 to find out we had two top bunks. The host, Roberto, was very welcoming and soaking our feet in the pool while enjoying a cold beverage felt fantastic! We did some laundry and Lorelee prepared our meal, pasta with tuna, which didn't sound appealing but was delicious 😋. We had a lovely evening sitting outside visiting with two sisters from Australia. They are also from a family of nine with four girls and five boys and the one sister is named Helen and is the same age as me. Another incredible day on the Camino.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 7

    9. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    After a good sleep in an extremely comfortable top bunk bed, I arose at 7:00 to prepare for our departure. The hostel provided a delicious breakfast with many options including cereal, yogurt, toast, pastries, orange juice, coffee, tea etc which we all enjoyed before packing up. With my bag packed and feeling ready for the day, I went to the shoe rack to get my shoes but they weren't there! There was a pair of Hokas that were similar, but a size smaller than mine. It only took me a few seconds to realize that the Camino much dreaded accidental shoe mishap was beginning my day. We had about 16 km to walk and I had no idea of the terrain we would be covering, but I had two options walk in my flip flop sandals or catch the bus. The sandals won and we set off. Thankfully most of our day was in woodland paths and paved streets. The oak, pine and eucalyptus woodlands were a welcome surprise for the senses because I was expecting more pavement and asphalt, as we were so close to the big city of Santiago. We arrived in Santiago around 1:00 pm after enjoying a lovely walk for most of the trek. We were also happy to see Paul along the way and have a chat with him. My feet were feeling the strain of walking without good shoes but it didn't take away from the experience of arriving and feeling so thankful to have had this opportunity. We met Kamla and Joyce in the evening for dinner. My meal was scrumptious - prawns in garlic 😋. The lady who inadvertently took my shoes did return them to me in the evening, so I will be able to walk in my Hokas tomorrow. I find it a strange feeling to arrive in Santiago knowing that I have to get up the next morning and continue walking.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 8

    9. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    My heart wasn't into walking when we set off, and the weather seemed to reflect my mood as it was a gray morning with a few light rain showers. However the sheer natural beauty that engaged all the senses quickly changed that feeling. We walked through enchanted forests, medieval towns and the countryside as the birds sang to us and helped cheer me along the way. Part of the route was very challenging with an extremely steep hill but the distractions of the bird song, the scent of eucalyptus and pine, and natural beauty as far as the eye could see helped mitigate the discomfort. I did stop and treated my throbbing feet to a soak in a cold crystal clear creek which helped propel me to Negreira. We took part in a communal dinner at our albergue that included traditional lentel soup, pasta, bread, wine and dessert. It was the perfect way to end our day that had engaged all the senses magnificently.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 9

    10. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Today we are 27 km from our destination, so I have chosen to take the bus. I would walk part way but due to the isolated region we are in the bus service is limited and it's either walk the entire way, try and get a taxi (which would be expensive) or catch the bus. Our friendly host, Manuel, at our albergue kindly gave us a ride to the bus stop. This is our first attempt at catching the bus after our fiasco on the bus last week, so both Lorelee and myself were a little nervous about how it would go. I found it very interesting eavesdropping on the young couple behind us who were riding the bus because her ankle was in a lot of pain. They were trying so hard to justify their decision to bus rather than walk the remaining distance to Finisterre. It begged the question for me; why, as humans, are we so tough on ourselves and reluctant to practice kindness, especially to ourselves? Thankfully about an hour and a half after boarding the bus, we proudly disembarked in Cee. To our surprise, we wandered around the corner from the station into a large bustling outdoor market. We enjoyed exploring through the numerous stalls with a variety of items such as clothing, shoes, blankets, jewelry, food, and plants. I bought a pair of pants, a shirt, some traditional raisin bread, and cheese. Lorelee purchased a blanket and churros. We were thirsty after all our efforts at the market so we sat in the square at a cafe and sipped a tinto de verano while watching the world go by. A siesta followed by a short stroll to the laundromat and another tinto de verano in the square would complete our rest day.Lue lisää

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  • Helen FergusonPortugal CaminoMatkaaja

    June 10

    11. kesäkuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A much needed rest day. It felt luxurious to not have to pack up and start walking. I went to the restaurant in our hotel to have breakfast and tea and brought a coffee for Lorelee to enjoy in bed. Eventually we made our way out to wander around this seaside town. We enjoyed a coffee at a cafe on the water, strolled along the promenade, explored some of the narrow streets taking in the incredible architecture and had lunch in the square. We joined the locals during siesta time and had a nap. Mary, Kamla and Joyce arrived around 4:30. We had dinner at the same cafe in the square, I had a scrumptious salad. It was a perfect rest day.Lue lisää

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