Yo Soy Un Peregrino!

This was a draft I started and lost so I did the other one before this one. When I found it, I decided to just post it too.

Amazingly, all flight arrangements went as well as or better than expected. The Saturday night flight to Madrid was comfortable and we did get some sleep. The flight to Porto was short and fine. And our luggage (backpacks) made it also. We were picked up right away by the “hotel” for a 20 minute drive to our room. The room is small, but comfortable and efficient. You can’t get to it by car. You have to walk up stairs (maybe 100) to get there. The view from the window is incredible. See pics.

After a short respite, we went out on the town, mainly to go to the Cathedral, a XII century building where will start tomorrow morning. That experience alone was spiritual. And we found the first markers for our start. The symbol for the Camino is the shell. So, as we walk we will be looking for drawings or carvings of a shell pointing the Way. AND we got our first stamp at the Cathedral on our pilgrim passport. So now, I am a Peregrino - a Pilgrim!

We also found a statute of St. James dating back to the 18th (?) century with the shell on his hat and the cross representing St. James.

The rest of the day was spent walking around a beautiful European city that is centuries old, if not a millennia. Got lost. Found and lost again. Took a short nap. Had to use the alarm to make sure we got up for dinner. And are now enjoying dinner at Tapas 65 on Rua de Sao João.

Steps today exceed 17,000.

All in all a perfect start. We are blessed and looking forward to the first full day tomorrow.Read more