The first walk

Our first day walking a beautiful boardwalk entirely along the Portuguese coast. It was warm, but windy and the waves were out of this world. There was a surfing event in Porto as we exited the city.Read more
Our first day walking a beautiful boardwalk entirely along the Portuguese coast. It was warm, but windy and the waves were out of this world. There was a surfing event in Porto as we exited the city. 17km to break in our knees and backs, passing through charming, tiny fishing villages and ending in Vila Cha for the night. We went for a beach walk after yet more beer and olives. Moments after the peaceful beach picture below, I was soaked by a humongous wave, necessitating after dinner laundry.Read more
“It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.”—-Eckhart Tolle
Made it from Vairao to Pedra Furada. Last night I had the best sleep on the whole Camino trip so far at the monastery. It was hard to leave such a calm, serene, place…but I must keep moving forward.
The walk today was lovely it went through wooded paths, country roads, and rolling landscapes. Some may ask “what do you think about when walking alone?” The answer is everything and nothing. I try to consciously do more of the nothing because I want to be fully present and take in all the beauty I’m surrounded by.
Took lots of pics and to some of you it may look like more of the same, but I find beauty in each whether it is an old door, a decaying building, or the beautiful countryside. I wonder what lies behind the doors? Who once lived in the decaying buildings, what was their life like, what happened? And so on
Today I ran into Laurent who Arlene and I had met on our second day out of Lisbon. Like Arlene he had met his spouse and friends in Porto to finish the Camino with them. It was nice to meet his family.
Met several pilgrims on the road and when I stopped at a cafe for lunch a pilgrim from Germany came in and asked to sit with me. He spoke very little English, but we managed. He had started in Porto and had just come from the Coastal route. We were then joined by a young girl from the Netherlands. There seems to be quite a number of Dutch walking the Camino
Tonight I am staying at Casa de Maria; a small private room with private bath. It cannot compare to the monastery, but at least it is private. I think for dinner since I had lunch at the cafe that I will just eat the ham and cheese sandwich I bought this morning and go to bed early.
Boa noite e que a paz esteja com você. (Good night and peace be with you)Read more
It was a long day but it didn’t feel as hard as yesterday. Weather was fantastic. Sunny, temperature below 20, and sometimes a good breeze. There were fewer cobblestones and and there was more shade. And it finally felt like we had made it to the countryside.
Today’s featured pilgrims: Louise from South Africa, who is a kinesiologist (I teach in a kinesiology department and I can’t say I know any actual kinesiologists!); Miriam from Germany, with her carved and decorated walking stick; the two Polish sisters and their friend, all of whom walk very fast; the Canadian woman from Alberta, who walks while her husband follows by bike. There was a brief cameo by Niko from Holland, and a quick check via what’s app by Yuning and Florence, whom I will see again tomorrow. Lots of people passing by anytime you stop. But it doesn’t feel overwhelming ( she writes in her quiet private room). And there were two good long stops. One in a crowded bakery where the staff were very nice despite being run off their feet. Every second person came in to buy a fancy cake for Easter, the kind with shiny tops. One of the polish sisters found a €50 note on the floor! Stop #2 was in a kind of depressing taberna around 2:00. The place picked up when the men who’d been playing soccer across the road came in for post game drinks. They were super friendly.
The day also featured chapels and churches decorated for Easter, a gazillion cats, 2 men riding horses, one of them ( the men) dressed in some kind of nineteenth century outfit, a huge walking group, a pond full of frogs, and a dog who got itself tangled in a vine - on its own driveway- and then could not get out. I asked a woman to stop and then she rang the doorbell of the house several times ( this was before 8 am on a Sunday) until a woman put her head out the window. There were also many scruffy brown sheep and at least 100 male cyclists, most in groups, out for their Sunday morning rides. Do women not ride bicycles ? It’s too weird. The two women cyclist that I did see were travelling with a man who was pulling a baby carrier that was a holding big golden retriever. He, the dog, was wearing a vest with his (boy) name on it, but I can’t remember what it was. Those 4 were on their way to Santiago.
It was a good day for wildflowers and also for the ubiquitous calla lily. They have been everywhere since Porto but today you really got the sense of how invasive they are. Same deal with the big huge yellow angel trumpet flowers ( I think).
I am staying in a room 1.3 km past the medieval bridge. It seemed like a good idea when I booked it. I knew it was not right on the Camino, but I clearly did not register how far away it was. It’s fine and my feet made it here. It’s very simple. Some kind of old residence. Things laid out for breakfast. $35 for the single room. It was a day to eat the food I’ve been carrying around.
All the next days are short. Tomorrow I’ve booked in at a place that has communal dinners, O Ninho. I have not done that camino thing in ages!Read more
Long day on cobblestones! This was a mixed day of walking. Some boring roads, some great views, every so often a little bit of dirt, lots of cafés, and many many cobblestones. It was supposed to rain, but it didn’t. I think the highest the temperature got was about 18 or 19, but to someone who was walking in snow a few days ago, that felt very hot.
Saw lots of people today. Probably a dozen people walked by while I was having coffee in Vilarinho. Leap-frogged with Niko from Holland. And then a few others - Joe and Joan from Ireland, Florence from Hong Kong and her friend Yuning from Taiwan. There were lots of breaks - one for coffee, one for a pesto sandwich, one for some kind of fizzy juice and a salty snack. Beer before coming up to the room.
Part of today felt very rural but even in the small places there were still a lot of cars. When they drive fast on the cobblestones (which is often), it sounds like a jet. I am up for a bit more quiet tomorrow.
Cool little park with found object art display and poems and a rooster, which is a thing for Barcelos.
Lots of draped crosses, which I assume is an Easter thing??? At one church they were putting out palm fronds, and they had not just draped the crosses, but they had also wrapped purple cloth around the outdoor lights too. What’s that about?
Walking into Barcelinos you go under a highway, alongside a big cloverleaf. Something was very wrong. Cars were backed up in every direction not moving. Motorcycle police. People getting out of their cars to look. There must’ve been an accident. The car chaos was something! Hard not to think that walking was the better choice.
I have my annual not terrible blister. I’ll wear sandals tomorrow.
I’m staying in a private room in a house owned by a hotel. It’s almost like an albergue. There is a big shared kitchen. A few people cooked. I went out for excellent tapas and a very good glass of wine instead. Hung out with them for a little while when I got back.
Longer day tomorrow. I’m hoping for a bit of dirt!Read more
Traveler Hallo Mary Louise, happy walking! Debi and I started this part North along the coast as Debi feared the hard cobblestones surface, we crossed over to the route you are taking between Viano de Castelo and Ponte de Lima. But that info is too late for you now. I wish you happy days in a popping out spring. I will follow your adventures through your blogs. Something that we in 2007 couldnot fanthom on our first camino, and neither you on yours years before. Grtz G
Woke up to sunshine. On route by 830am, walked through town onto the coastal route. Today's scenery was more boardwalks with a little bit of forest. We ended walking through a beautiful coastal town. 16 miles and 40,000 steps!Read more
Had a great start to the day.
I passed a man chatting with 2 women and he offered a fresh hot bun to me. So many kind offerings here🥰
I dropped my raincoat and a lady stopped to pick it up for me😥♥️
I keep seeing this guy from Poland, in his seventies and nearly deaf. He was in our room tonight. He had boxes of prayers on cards in all sorts of languages....and he gave out chocolates♥️ He enjoyed some of my coffee this am. One of the lenses from his glasses went missing.....he curses a lot in Polish😂
Walked beside the beach for a long way then switched to boardwalks. After awhile it grew a bit tiresome. I felt trapped as there was no way you could climb out and even if you did.... We were in brush.
The rain turned into being hot and humid in the afternoon.
Delightful Hostel!!
So far I have met the most pilgrims from the USA. Michigan, Louisiana, Utah ( they had an 8 month old daughter, Washington State.... A lot of Germans and French. Also Lithuania and Russia.Read more
Woke up at 5. Very excited to get going.
All set to have breakfast but found the kitchen locked until 7:30. I sat on the stairs and ate trail mix.
Raining outside so was ready for it.
Didn't see many pilgrims today. Very long and tedious in places.
Cosy hostel.Read more
Wenn einen das Matrial nicht ärgern würde, wäre die Tour nur halb so spannend.
Doch beginnen wir mit den gestrigen Kopf-stein-pflaster-nach-wehen.
Nach dem Durchrütteln der Kronjuwelen plante ich die heurige Tour solange um, bis ich bei Komoot nur noch 5,6 km des mir vorher nicht so bewußten Scheißkopfsteinpflasters vor mir hatte. Um dem Regen auszuweichen, jagte ich eine ehemalige, sehr gut geteerte Bahnstrecke ins Landesinnere. Ich hoffte, am günstigsten Punkt nach Fao abzubiegen.
Katharina und Alex hatten leider den Regen dort gelassen! Ich zog meine wasserdichte Hose und Jacke über. Los ging.
Doch was waren das für Feldwege?
Ihr ahnt es, KOPFSTEINPFLASTER!
Die Landstraßen zwischen den Dörfern? KOPFSTEINPFLASTER!
Jeder Dorfweg?
KOPFSTEINPFLASTER!
Um den Schmerzen am Allerwertesten in dem zunehmenden Regen zu entkommen, erhöhte ich die Trittfrequenz. Dennoch war schneller zu sein, als 16-17 km kaum möglich! Und dann? Ein unbekanntes reißendes Geräusch von hinten!
Hatte ich mir doch extra für diese Reise ein nach ökologischen und recycelten Gesichtspunkten hergestellte, neue Gepäckträgertasche zugelegt. Als Rucksack eine ganze Nummer bequemer und von einem jungen Startupunternehmen! Die Beurteilungen im Internet. Wow. Vermutlich hatte aber auch keiner 30 km Kopfsteinpflaster am 1. Tag und dann fast 6 km am nächsten Tag in den Extrembelastungsbereich gebracht.
Mit meinem aus Gynzeiten stammenden Kofferverstärkungs, -erkennungs und -verschlussband half ich mir aus.
In Fao war es bei dem Regen undenkbar, an Sportgeschäften zu suchen. Auf der anderen Flusseite (Rio Cavado), die Stadt hieß Eposende, nein genauer Esposende, entschied ich mich um. Ich folgte nicht mehr dem Eurovelo 1. Dieser hatte wie die Stadt selbst, viel zu viel aus solchen bucklig behauenen Steinen.
Das Ziel hieß danach: Viana do Castelo. Netter Name, nette Stadt am Rio Lima. Laut Google sollte es dort ein Sportfachgeschäft geben. Aber irgendwie begegneten mir vor dem Ort so seltsame Dinge:
Erst eine riesige Kirche mit einem gemeinen, steilen Keuzgang auf der gegenüberliegenden Straßenseite. Der Camino führte daran vorbei, durch ein Wäldchen hindurch und an dessen Ende saß eine schwarzhaarige, tätowierte Frau in einem Waldweg auf einem Eimer. Sie war leicht und luftig (bei dem Nieselregen?) gekleidet und während ich mich verwundert nach einem Wohnwagen oder Kleinbus umsah. Solche, wie wir sie im Westerwald früher kannten. Deren Bewohnerinnen mußte ich, als "Hilfsgesundheitsamtgynäkologe", alle 4 Wochen einen "Bockschein" ausstellen. Keine 100 m entfernt, dann eine Roma und Sintisiedlung? Naja dachte ich, bei den Caminopilgern...
In Viana do Castelo begann der Markt. Überall Eier, Osterhasen, und und und. Das große Sportgeschäft beim Bahnhof war geschlossen. Mir wurde gesagt, es sei jetzt 6 km vor der Stadt! Da war ich hergekommen! Also dorthin. Um nicht den ganzen Weg zurück zu müssen, sollte ich gleich nach der Brücke links, laut Google.
Machte ich.
Was empfing mich nach der Bahnunterführung? KOPFSTEINPFLASTER!
Ok. Ich biss mich durch und erreichte das Geschäft. Nix Tasche.
Diesmal radelte ich ohne Google, sondern meinem Orientierungssinn folgend, die große Straße zurück. 50 m vor der Abbiegung zur Bahnunterführung sah ich ein Fahrradreparaturgeschäft. Hilfsbereit sahen man dort den Schaden an, zuckte mit den Schultern und beschrieb mir neben einem Hotel in der Stadt versteckt, einen Laden. Einen Laden, an dem ich mit Sicherheit vorbei gekommen war!
Inzwischen hatte sich die Stadt gefüllt Es gab Straßensperrungen und Umleitungen. Ich suchte den kürzesten Weg an Ordungskräften vorbei und betrat den Laden. Freundlich und hilfsbereit präsentierte der Herr dort mir eine, nein zwei Taschen, die miteinander verbunden waren. Genial, gutes Material, aber wieder nichts für mich!
Jetzt habe ich den morgigen Tag nach Pontevedra in Spanien umgestellt. Erst geht's nach Vigo zu Decathlon! Vigo ist jedem Fußballfan ein Begriff, da die eine Stadionseite aus einem Felsen besteht. Der schaut beim Spielen zu.
Bis Vila Praia de Ancora quieckte mein Garminnavi bei jeder Abzweigung, um mich auf den Eurovelo 1 zu locken. Ein Blick rüber, KOPFSTEINPFLASTER!
So nutzte ich, die Breite der Strasse und ja Patricia, die Autos und LKWs rauschten an einem vorbei, aber zwischen Altenkirchen und Hachenburg ist es 100mal gefährlicher.weil auch ohne Absicherung, Der Platz neben der Fahrspur ist breit wie ein Standstreifen.
Ab Moledo und noch mehr ab Caminha war sowohl der Fahrradweg geil, als auch die Gegend durch den Rio Minõ, dem Grenzfluß zwischen Portugal und Spanien. Er fließt dort ins Meer. Oft dachte ich, so sieht es an Rhein und Mosel aus.
Neben meinen Eindrücken heute, muss ich bestimmt irgendwann einen Footprint "Skuriles" machen, und die bescheuersten Erfahrungen niederschreiben. Sonst gehen sie verloren.Read more
Traveler Oh Mann, so langsam hast du dann aber auch alles durch, was so schief gehen kann. Ich drücke die Daumen, dass du im Decathlon fündig wirst….und uns war nicht klar, dass wir dich vor Kopfsteinpflaster warnen mussten 😅🙈
Ich bin wieder in der nächsten Unterkunft angekommen. Nach Barcelos haben wir es geschafft. Das sind nur knapp 16km aber wir haben für morgen eine berühmte Unterkunft vor gebucht, die rund 31km entfernt ist, also teilen wir die Kilometer auf die 2 Tage auf.
Es tut wieder alles ein bisschen weh und die Sonne brutzelt. Ich habe schon Sonnenbrand und um noch mehr zu vermeiden laufe ich in langen Klamotten und Kappe durch die Gegend.
Die Route heute war deutlich schöner als gestern. Viel mehr Natur, Wald und Wasser und weniger Straße.
Mehrere neue Bekannte aus der gestrigen Unterkunft sind heute auch da. Zwei Italiener, die ein Pizzarestaurant auf Sardinien besitzen und eine Malaysianerin. Sie wird uns heute Abend auch bekochen, nachdem wir ihr gestern Abend von unseren Nudeln mit Pesto abgegeben haben.
Die Nächte sind sehr kurz. Es gibt einige laute Schnarcher und um 5-6 Uhr morgens stehen die ersten auf und packen ihr Zeit zusammen. Da ist ruhiges weiterschlafen nicht möglich.
Wir haben jetzt die ersten 50-60 Kilometer geschafft. 196 sind es noch bis Santiago.Read more
The day I've been waiting for....walking the coastal route to Santiago. Walking out of our hotel there was a light drizzle, enough we all put on our ponchos. We arrived at the Cathedral just before 9am to receive our first stamp for our credentials. Due to construction and a late start we walked to the bus stop and rode to Matosinhos. We enjoyed a beautiful day walking along the boardwalks on the Atlantic coast. 40,000 steps and 18 miles.Read more
Traveler Gorgeous! Glad to hear the first walk went well!
Traveler Thank you
Traveler
I see the humongous wave coming in the distance.
Traveler I was surprised and soaked 🤣