Caminho Português Central

August - October 2017

A 48-day adventure by Mike Read more

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48days
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6.4kmiles
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 11, 2017, 8:07pm
- 🌙 17 °C
- Altitude: 69 ft
- Portugal Braga Barcelinhos 41.52708, -8.6241141°31’37” N 8°37’27” W
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Day 14
Barcelos
September 11, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
Beautiful town and so many churches and a nice historic town center. The walk here was short distance but long on time. Dave is in pain from the muscles in his right leg near where he had his knee replaced a few years ago. I walked around town and visited some churches. The main church I visited was Igreja do Senhor Bom Jesus da Cruz (Good Jesus of the Cross) which has its own legend and also has a statue of the Pilgrim Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. This is also the town that is responsible for the Roosters in every Portuguese home.Read more
Joyce Savage Beautiful
9/11/17Reply
Mary Lam I hope Dave's knew feels better soon. What is the story behind the rooster in every Portuguese home?
9/12/17Reply
Mary Lam It sure is and the water looks to be such a deep blue.
9/12/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 12, 2017, 7:13pm
- ⛅ 17 °C
- Altitude: 594 ft
- Portugal Braga Tamel 41.60181, -8.6284941°36’7” N 8°37’43” W
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Day 15
Portela de Tamel
September 12, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Much nicer walk today with very little cobblestones. The rest was a mix of dirt trails and asphalt. Saw very few Pilgrims on the trail but the albergue is over full with many dozen in bunk beds and at least a dozen more sleeping on the floor in the vestibule and common area. There are at least 80 people and Dave and I are the only two from the US and no one else knows much English.

There is a church right outside our window and the bell rings every 15 minutes. It is loud enough that it sounds like it is in our room. I hope it doesn't ring during the night. The date on the church says 1614 though it doesn't look that old. The local baker came by at 6:30. Two-6 inch rolls/loaves of bread (soda bread?) tasted wonderful and cost 15 cents total.Read more
Joyce Savage How was the Octopus? Did it taste good?
9/12/17Reply
Joyce Savage I wouldn't have been that brave!
9/12/17Reply
Joyce Savage They are sure variable in size and color. Neat tho!
9/12/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 13, 2017, 4:27pm
- ☀️ 22 °C
- Altitude: 341 ft
- Portugal Viana do Castelo Navio 41.66802, -8.6247641°40’5” N 8°37’29” W
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Day 16
Vitorino dos Piaes-Casa da Fernanda
September 13, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Interesting walk today with bulls, circus tents, Stevie Wonder the dog, Jao the pig, and Fernanda our host. A friend from the Netherlands told me about Fernanda and Jacinto and their home that is open to Pilgrims. They have a room in the yard with 10 beds for Pilgrims and meals are served around their kitchen table. You must call ahead as they are full every day as the word of their hospitality has traveled far and wide. Food is all cooked by Fernanda and grown in their community garden. We met the bulls along the Camino, the circus tents were set up on an empty lot and we could hear the animals in the trucks as we passed. Fernanda has quite a few small dogs including Stevie who only has one eye and a pet pig that was wandering around the garden. I helped her coral the pig as she didn't know it was loose and it will follow Pilgrims as they pass and it will not be able to find its way home. Stevie and I are already best friends.Read more
Joyce Savage Great Mike! Sounds good you are getting to know the locals. Lucy Terrazas passed this morning at 7am
9/13/17Reply
Joyce Savage That is a bull alright! Hopefully behind a fence.
9/13/17Reply
Joyce Savage Another bull. Both with horns.
9/13/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 14, 2017, 7:23pm
- ☀️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 52 ft
- Portugal Viana do Castelo Ponte de Lima 41.76987, -8.5890741°46’12” N 8°35’21” W
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Day 17
Ponte de Lima
September 14, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Ponte de Lima is the oldest Vila in Portugal founded March 4,1125. Some cobblestones and hills today but not too bad. Started out foggy again but it warmed up after an hour or so. Made it here by 1:00pm and the albergue didn't open until 4:00pm but I didn't want to push on to the next town as it is over 17km away. (10.5 miles) I guess I will have to do laundry tomorrow as it is too late today for it to hang dry. I guess I can't complain as it is only $5 per night. 24 beds in my room tonight. Beautiful Roman Bridge here that the town is named for. Notice the picture of the exercise equipment in the park. There are quite a few parks like that in Portugal and Spain and I do see people using them sometimes.Read more
Joyce Savage Looks like a beautiful little hamlet. Thank you, Michael for the post cards. Love them.
9/15/17Reply
Mary Lam Interesting, kind of looks like art that you can use.
9/15/17Reply
Mary Lam Really pretty, looks like a beautiful day.
9/15/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 17, 2017, 6:40am
- ⛅ 9 °C
- Altitude: 194 ft
- Portugal Viana do Castelo Valença Ribeiro dos Ameais 42.02558, -8.6466342°1’32” N 8°38’48” W
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Day 20
Rubiães
September 17, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
What a tough day walking up mountains on trails full of boulders, then no beds so we slept on the tile floor in the reception area, then no internet. It was good to have a warm dry place to sleep though as it was getting cold outside by 1:00pm. As we were eating dinner, about a kilometer away from the albergue, we started talking with the German lady sitting alone at the next table who was also staying in the albergue. She introduced herself as sybile and when she heard I was from Utah asked if I was Mormon. I responded that I was Catholic and walking for religious reasons as many people who walk are just on holiday. She said she was Anglican and also walking for religious reasons. She sure was shocked when I said Sybile Yates? I know her from the Camino forum and her husband is an Anglican priest. She lives in Santiago de Compostela and has two rooms for Pilgrims. I had no idea she was walking the Camino and was already planning to stay with her in Santiago. It turns out that she is leading a group of Pilgrims on their Camino to Santiago for two weeks and will be there the day before us.Read more
Joyce Savage Yes, being steep & treacherous but beautiful views.
9/17/17Reply
Joyce Savage Very interesting! Thanks for sharing, Michael!
9/17/17Reply
Mary Lam That's neat Michael. I bet that was funny. What are the chances you guys would happen to sit next to each other.
9/17/17Reply
Mike Savage It sure was!
9/18/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 17, 2017, 8:05am
- ⛅ 9 °C
- Altitude: 190 ft
- Portugal Viana do Castelo Valença 42.02543, -8.6462942°1’32” N 8°38’47” W
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Day 20
Valença
September 17, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
It was very cold this morning and I was wearing three shirts as well as my hiking shorts and pants. It did warm up in a couple of hours fortunately. We had planned to go to Tui Spain today but the albergues have been full so we stopped in a less popular spot just two kilometers sooner in Valença Portugal on the south side of the river which is the border of Portugal and Spain. Plenty of room here and Dave's legs need a rest after climbing the mountain yesterday then cobblestones all day today. My legs are very tired and a little sore too but not too bad.

Sybile happened to be at the same albergue as us as the group she is leading is staying in a hotel down the road. She told me there is a Catholic priest in here group who is saying mass tonight at a local church two kilometers away so I am going to mass at Santa Maria Dos Anjos tonight. (Holy Mary of the Angels) Tomorrow we go to Porriño.Read more
Joyce Savage Holy Mary of the Ages? I am guessing! Beautiful
9/17/17Reply
Joyce Savage Wow! Teixeira House! Interesting.
9/17/17Reply
Joyce Savage Well you are pretty close to Spain's border. If I remember correctly that is like a storage barn, right?
9/17/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 17, 2017, 8:13pm
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Altitude: 118 ft
- Spain Galicia Porriño O Porriño 42.16285, -8.6214242°9’46” N 8°37’17” W
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Day 20
O Porriño
September 17, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Mass was very nice last night and was in Portuguese and harder to follow than last time. The priest that was traveling with my friend's group did not show up for mass. They found that he had had a heart attack and passed away in his room. Her group happened to be in O Porriño tonight too so I was able to go to the memorial service they had for him.Read more
Joyce Savage Yay, pigeons eating the left overs which don't look like much! Spain it is!
9/17/17Reply
Joyce Savage That is too bad! You just never know!
9/17/17Reply
Joyce Savage Sort of plain looking church. Looks cold!
9/17/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 18, 2017, 6:42pm
- ☀️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 1,762 ft
- Spain Galicia Cea 42.47534, -7.9855742°28’31” N 7°59’8” W
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Day 21
Ourense to Cea
September 18, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
It is good to be back in Galicia! Portugal is wonderful but I am tired of walking on cobblestones and the albergues are full. We took the train to Ourense this morning and started walking to Santiago. Light rain today but everything is pretty and green with soft trails and lots of shade. So far only 4 of us in the albergue and we only saw two other people on the trail. No internet again tonight.Read more
Joyce Savage Sounds great, Mike!
9/19/17Reply
Mary Lam Oh that's good, a vacant nice place to sleep!
9/19/17Reply
Mary Lam Ah yes, those path do look much softer. That's good!
9/19/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 19, 2017, 4:00pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 2,425 ft
- Spain Galicia Dozón O O 42.56956, -8.0520842°34’10” N 8°3’7” W
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Day 22
Castro Dozón
September 19, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
I am definitely back in Galicia. Cold foggy morning,still very foggy at noon then about 1:00 no fog and immediately very warm. Quite a few towns of 100 people or less today. Typical Albergue for this region with large stark rooms with many bunk beds and communal showers where you have to hold the button in for water to flow and it never really gets warm enough to make it enjoyable. There is the typical laundry tub for washing by hand then hang dry. I was showered and had laundry hanging by 3:30 so if the weather holds out it should be dry by bedtime. Still it is home and for 6 euros a night is a great value. They even have kitchens and sitting areas but no heat or blankets. You normally have to call the hospitalera in this region to have them come unlock the door and they come by around 6pm to collect your money and check your credential to see if you are really a Pilgrim and allowed to use the albergue. Fortunately it was open when we got here today as we have no phone service nor do we speak Gallegos. (Many of the people in Galicia speak Spanish as a second language)Read more
Joyce Savage Seems unusual for there isn't it or do they have trouble with desecrating the church?
9/19/17Reply
Joyce Savage You would think you would this get kind of weather closer to the coast only?
9/19/17Reply
Joyce Savage Is this your friend , Dave?
9/19/17Reply
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Mike Savage Caminho Português Central
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- Sep 19, 2017, 4:09pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 2,408 ft
- Spain Galicia Dozón O O 42.56944, -8.0517942°34’10” N 8°3’6” W
Day 22
Camino Sanabres
September 19, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Just to clarify things. After O Porriño Spain I left the Camino Portugues Central route and took the train to Ourense Spain to walk the Camino Sanabres. I walked the Portuguese Coastal Camino last year and it joins the central route at Redondela which is just above O Porriño so I have already walked into Santiago de Compostela from there.Read more
Joyce Savage Yes, Mike, I am glad you clarified that. Sister Gertrude Ryan passed away and her funeral was yesterday in Ireland
9/19/17Reply
Mary Lam Oh wow Mom. She was a very sweet lady. I remember her fondly.
9/19/17Reply
Patti Henderson Yes, she sure was.
9/19/17Reply
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