Day 1 - Porto to La Bruge

Beautiful day! Beautiful weather! The sun was out, but the wind, a steady breeze into your face, kept it comfortable if not cool. A little bit of a late start, but we needed the sleep.

As mentioned, we worked our way back to the Cathedral and then wound our way to the coast going down, down, down, hundreds of steps and narrow streets.

It was really very interesting seeing the city wake-up as we walked north. About two hours in we came across a nice cafe overlooking the Rio Douro and had coffee and breakfast. We missed our breakfast at the hotel because we left too early. I didn’t feel so much like a tourist as I did an observer. It’s easier to do when your only goal is to walk all day. I see a lot more.

As we left the city we started walking on an incredible boardwalk that goes along the coast for miles and miles. It really made for a great walk on wood all day long. Better than sand or rocks. The Portugal coast is beautiful in many areas and the people take advantage of it by how they have structured their life around it.

We stopped for a late lunch - beer and a salmon wrap at a restaurant on the beach. We have begun to meet our fellow Pilgrims and trade the traditional hello of “Bom Camino” each time we see them.

The day finished at La Bruge at my first albergue. We are in an old school house with a room of about a dozen bunk beds. Dinner was on the coast, of course.

Finished the day with over 41,000 steps and 15.9 miles.

Tomorrow an early start for sure!

Bom Camino!Read more