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Man. From England. Wants to be Português! Read more London, United Kingdom
  • TravelerCamiño Português (last 100km)
    Day 9

    And we are heading home!

    May 11, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    That’s it! All done! Weare on the plane now, heading back to the UK, courtesy of TAP.

    Enforced time offline is a good time to reflect on the trip as a whole and think over what I learnt, how I grew (as a person) and how I have challenged myself.

    So what did I learn? That I can walk multiple days without injury and even the minor niggles are totally manageable. That I enjoy doing very long walks, although I suspect having a certificate at the end to celebrate is, undeniably, a factor!

    Realising that things, especially on the continent, aren’t always what they seem on the surface. So many places we stayed or ate at had such disheveled outsides but incredible interiors, and that growing sense of ‘oh no’ can be dispelled until you’ve really experienced it!

    That I need to listen to my body - I really do get ‘hangry’ and when tired can be very irritable (and irritating) and to acknowledge that and actively addressing it when it happens.

    That Michaela and I can have amazing moments working as a team; those are moments to cherish and hold on to.

    Challenges; oh so many! Keeping a positive mindset even when you have 25km to walk in the driving rain. Pushing the feet one foot in front of another despite the body really wanting a long rest.

    Not a learning point, but this trip has been good confirmation that I still really love Portugal, the people are helpful, funny, enthusiastic and generally so very effervescent. It’s a place that I’ve grown very fond of and I’ll take more effort to learn (and use) the language - thanks for bearing with me Portugal!

    Anyway it’s for now I sign off and say ‘Adeus’, but maybe it would be more appropriate to say ‘Até já’ (see you soon!)

    Beijinhos meus amigos!
    Xxx    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    Day 20

    Days 18-19 - Santiago - Porto - Home

    May 11, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Our bus journey from Santiago to Porto was super smooth and we even managed a snooze. It was lovely to see some of the places we walked through, or nearby, even if it was funny to think that our sometimes 6hr walks were barely a 10 min car journey away.
    Porto was delightful as always! We met up with some internet strangers, who we passed our walking poles along to - may they be of as use to them as they were to us! Strange to think that having completed the walk once already, those poles will now be making their way back to Santiago, supporting someone else. And, of course, that’s what the Camino is all about - paying it forward, supporting people where and when you can.

    So… what did I learn from this trip? I’m still processing some of the things, and I think it will be a little while before it all sinks in, but overall that I should trust myself to do and choose the right thing. That magical coincidences do happen; that we are all connected in small and big ways; that we should be more accepting of ourselves and others M- foibles and all; that I should be prouder of myself and what I can do and where I come from; that tourism does not have to be a curse, it can be a blessing when properly done and is responsible and respectful; that there is happiness and joy to be found in small things and gestures; that the right travelling companion makes all the difference; and that not everything has to be rushed. I am not in hurry. Because if I was, I wouldn’t be walking.
    Ultrea and ¡Buen Camino!    Read more

  • TravelerCamiño Português (last 100km)
    Day 8

    Penultimate day

    May 10, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Leaving from Santiago back to Porto today so we are starting to realise that the walk is done and home is calling. 4 hours on the bus seemed like a drop in the ocean, and it was a little strange to see the places we’d walked past pop up so quickly on the bus route..

    It’s been a brilliant trip, with legs made from steel and walking very firmly planted in our future.

    Before we left Santiago de Compostela we managed to grab some early pics outside the cathedral when no one was around - amazing! We met a German lady, Heike, who had done the Camino 17 times! Crazy, but who knows maybe we’ll be that person taking photos for someone else, and sharing our own Camino stories…

    Once we leave Santiago, we have one last night in Porto to see the sunset and have a few glasses of Super Bock.

    We are also passing on our walking poles to someone else who’s attempting the Camino tomorrow - as they say - ‘the Camino provides’. I hope those poles go on to have a long and fruitful life up and down the coast.

    Beijinhos!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    Day 18

    Day 17 - Santiago de Compostela

    May 9, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Oh, what bliss to be able to have a lie in and no real plans for the day!

    Woke up a little hungover - the sangria last night was delicious - and very glad not to have to do any “real” walking today. However, we still had to do one of the pilgrim must-do chores - wash our clothes! Unbeknownst to me our apartment had a laundry service, but we’d already found a launderette and fancied a wander - all of two streets away! But, it did give us the chance to visit the bakery next door, which didn’t look like a bakery at all, where we had the strangest conversation with the lady serving - the following was all in Spanish by the way:
    Me: oh, this looks interesting- what is it? (points at cake thing)
    Her: it’s cake. (She literally said “cake” in English)
    Me: ok, but what kind of cake?
    Her: it’s cake
    Me: cake?
    Her: that’s what it is “cake” - that’s just what it is called. “Cake”.
    We bought one, along with yummy cheesecake and croissants, but were so full after those we’ve yet to try the “cake”.

    Laundry done and cake bought, we went for a wander around town, I attended the 12 o’clock mass which was packed, hugged an apostole, had lunch, had a tattoo, had a nap, went out again for a walking tour and dinner, went on the ferris wheel, and are now shattered. Our rest, “down” day has seen us do almost 20000 steps!

    It’s a public holiday, so the whole town is out, there are concerts in lots of the squares, and there’s a wonderful vibe all over the place. We will be sad to leave it, but Porto beckons tomorrow. Can’t wait 😊    Read more

  • TravelerCamiño Português (last 100km)
    Day 6

    Day 5: Santiago de Compostela

    May 8, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A very early start this morning to beat the heat - 6am! However we left just as the sun was coming up, and we are greeted with a beautiful pink sky!

    Even at that time in the morning there are plenty of peregrinos (pilgrims) on the road already, but it’s at least a little cooler and the trails less busy.

    The day was marked by watching the Camino waypoint markers’ km displays go down and down, with much excitement as we hit single figures then 5km and before we knew it - we’d done it!

    An amazingly organised system for collecting our certificates of distance (101km for me and 290km total for Michaela) and we are done with the walk!

    It was strangely emotional sitting in the plaza with all the hubbub and noise that you’d expect with so many people around, but yet you felt sort of ‘cocooned’ from the whole thing with a small moment of solace and a huge helping of gratitude. Hard to explain in words but it’s the closest I’ve come to feeling spiritual.

    Now for some well deserved r&r in Santiago before we head back to Porto to catch our flights home.

    Oh and wordle had a little reminder that this is a pilgrimage with today’s word on Wordle … pious!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    Day 17

    Day 16 Padrón to Santiago de Compostela

    May 8, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Ultrea

    An official 290km done, Porto to Santiago de Compostela, arriving on my birthday as planned.

    The day was scheduled to be hot, hot, hot, so with that in mind we set out early. Soon we were joined more and more people as we all excitedly walked to our final destination - Santiago de Compostela. It was one of my nicest days of walking - gently uphill, through little tiny villages and woods. We were lucky enough to get our first stamp of the day at a church that was literally opening as we walked past; I met a lady from Funchal who spotted me from the patch on my backpack; we stopped for coffee/orange juice whenever we could; and soon we were within sight of the cathedral over the hills.

    It was a hard 25km - my ankle held up just long enough for us to make it, and thanks to Paul’s support and my sturdy walking poles, we did it.
    Strangely emotional reaching the city, and had to take a moment when we sat down in the square before going off to collect our credentials. Seems odd to think there is no more walking to do. This is all I’ve been doing since the 22nd April - walking or planning the next day’s walk and now there is nothing.

    Met up with Sasha and Rita for dinner, and turns out that due to it being Ascension Thursday, the whole place is having a party! Clearly they knew we were coming.

    So happy to have done it!
    For the last time ¡Buen Camino!    Read more

  • TravelerCamiño Português (last 100km)
    Day 5

    Day 4: Caldas de Reis to Padrón(ish)

    May 7, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    A slight cheat with us grabbing a well deserved ‘rest’ day which sees us grab a bus to Vilagarcía and another on to Vilanova to catch a boat right back past where we started and nearly all the way to Padrón.

    Today was a good reminder that google doesn’t know where you are or how to get places 100% of the time with it getting bus times absolutely right but the actual bus stops completely wrong…. Some slight panic as we found out we were in the wrong place in Vilagarcia and that the bus stop was back where we’d just come from! Still … it all worked out (even if the bus drivers can ‘skip’ stops if they are late - how does that work in practice??)!

    Then on to an amazing boat ride up the river from the estuary, past mussel farms, cockle patches and a lot of religious crosses; until we get within 2km of Padrón. It might feel like cheating, but pilgrims used the boats a lot and it’s in the official guide as a suitable route so it COUNTS!

    Padrón is very small, very quaint and has no peppers until the summer - a big blow!

    Tomorrow is probably the hardest physical day for me, at 25km ( at least) to Santiago, all uphill and in some warm temperatures (27C). However I am very excited to reach the end of this adventure, and to be there with Michaela as she finishes nearly three solid weeks of walking, over 280km in total. I am very much in awe.

    I continue to be overwhelmed with the sense of camaraderie between fellow walkers; there are small kindnesses and obvious smiles everywhere you look, none more so than here in Padrón where the finish is in sight. It’s a beautiful thing, and maybe that’s what these pilgrimages are really all about, after all. Challenging yourself but also being aware of, and engaged with, the people around you whether you know them or otherwise.

    Besos y Buen Camiño a mis amigos!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    131
    Day 16

    Day 15 - Caldas de Reis to Padrón

    May 7, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Trains, planes and automobiles.
    And boats.
    And, of course, walking.
    I think we just need a donkey to complete the set.

    Up early and headed out of town by bus, after much head scratching because some of the bus stops are not sign posted. People will just be randomly be standing at the side of the road, and that’s where the bus will stop. But, we did it! Bus to Vilagarcia de Arousa, and then bus again to Vilanova de Arousa, for the grand total of €3.10 each.

    Then, we caught a boat up the sea and river to Pontecesures and a short walk into Padrón - ta-dah! If only all our walking days had been so easy. Amazing sunshine again, decent enough apartment, tiniest of tiny towns, walk around to get more stamps and the Predonía (fancy certificate!), and we ended up making sandwiches for dinner because no restaurants were open. The lady at the supermarket counter took a shine to Paul, so we got chorizo for free 😂

    Feeling excited about tomorrow, but also a little anxious. My shin splint is better but not great, and tomorrow we have around 25km ahead of us.
    My ankle feels better when going uphill, and luckily the route is mostly uphill - serendipity strikes again!

    ¡Buen Camino!    Read more

  • TravelerCamiño Português (last 100km)
    Day 4

    Day 3: Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

    May 6, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Sun! Sun! Sun! Glorious Sun! Praise the sun!

    Yes, finally the weather broke and we saw the sky, and more importantly the sun again! It was glorious after multiple days of rain, more rain and rain.

    A trifling 22km today, which was a decent trek through the Galician countryside. Lots of vineyards and beautiful small towns. In fact, it was so glorious we totally didn’t register our only hill of the day (300m ascent) because we were enjoying the sunshine (and the company!) so much :)

    We stopped briefly at a prophetic sign ‘no complaints’ and kept that in mind as we ploughed on our way to Cladas de Reis.

    The hotel for tonight has the most amazing garden (complete with robot grass cutter).

    As a bit of a treat we had a very hot spa pool (it felt like 45deg) and a lovely massage - perfect for many days on the road :). A strange thing though - the spa was an old 40’s (or older) building and felt like it would have been an excellent setting for a horror film!

    The staff were all decked in white suits and the building had loads of long corridors with old wooden fixtures and, frankly, some ceramic things I couldn’t tell you what to do with! Alas, for you dear reader, we didn’t get committed, or electrocuted..

    Tomorrow we end up at Padrón (famous for the peppers) and within spitting distance of Santiago de Compostela (a mere 44km away now!).

    Michaela’s shin is giving her some jip, but we are in no rush, and it seems to be healing quickly, especially after the hot spa!

    Beijinhos, meus amigos!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    Day 15

    Day 14 - Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

    May 6, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Things are always better in the sunshine.

    What a beautiful, beautiful day we had today. I felt almost like a fraud not having to put on a poncho as we started our walk.
    We left Pontevedra earlier than yesterday, with a quick stop for a coffee and orange juice and toast before crossing the river. Pontevedra is a really pretty town, once you ignore the urban, industrial side we came in by. And people were lovely, kindly pointing walkers in the right direction. Maybe it was kindness, or maybe they just want people to be on their way, so that the locals can have their town back to themselves between 9am and 3pm, when people start trickling back in.
    The number of walkers today was astounding. I know at the moment, Santiago is registering about 3000 arrivals per day, so it stands to reason that as we get closer to our goal and paths merge, that the number of walkers will grow. But it’s significant enough that almost 5km out of Pontevedra, as we walked through Alba, a woman pulled her car over and asked if there was an albergue nearby, as there so many pilgrims. I told her that no, these people were all walking from Pontevedra. She was shocked to see so many in one go.
    We compared the pilgrims today to the walkers we see in zombie apocalypse movies - people from various backgrounds, all walking in the same direction, dead eyed with exhaustion sometimes… just repeating “Buen Camino” on a loop, or ¿tiene sello?, having the same conversations with every new person we meet - “where did you start?”, “are you ok?”, “thank god the rain has stopped!”. And when we tired of the small talk, we politely wish them “Buen Camino” and walk a little faster.

    We’ve actually had another lovely day today. There were roads, and forests, and coffee stops, and most importantly there was “us”. I laughed so hard at Paul offering a little prayer (shalom!) as I tied a ribbon to a shrine of sorts, that I had to explain to another walker that we weren’t being disrespectful- it was just a line from a sitcom. He looked at us as if we were crazy.

    On reaching Caldas - a very slow last 5km as I appear to have developed shin splints - we were amazed at how great our accommodation for tonight is. It even has a pool! Not that we used it, because I’d actually booked us in to one of the local thermal pools, followed by a massage. Paul was understandably concerned when he saw the place - looked like some east European sanatorium, where they would beat us with birch branches followed by cold water hose downs!
    The obligatory chemist stop for painkillers, dinner, a quick walk around town, and a beer by the pool, and now we’re in bed and excited about tomorrow. For tomorrow we take a detour and do part of the Camino by boat!!

    To read Paul’s take on the day go to https://findpenguins.com/paulh

    Saw lots of cats and dogs, but none wanted petting.    Read more

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