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Paul H
Paul H

Paul H

Man. From England. Wants to be Português! Read more🇬🇧London
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  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    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

    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

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    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 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

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    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 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

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    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
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    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

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    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 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

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    Day 2: Redondela to Pontevedra

    May 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain.

    Second day walking and we cracked out more than 20km today, passing the beautiful medieval town of ‘Arcade’ (no 80’s driving machines or pinball tables; sorry!) and on to Pontevedra.

    It’s a strange observation that the caminho way seems to bring you utterly horrible ways into towns with the industrial and medium density housing on the edge of the town being underwhelming. However, the centre of town is historic, beautiful and for my post arrival wander around town also … sunny! (We shan’t mention it too loudly, but it would be nice if it stayed!!).

    Michaela has booked us into a hostel tonight, and it’s a dorm with 22 people in it tonight for us! It’s kinda lovely sharing camaraderie with follow walkers, and we’ve met some really cool people.. but the queue for the machines is kinda annoying!

    So far I’m very impressed though, it’s clean, relatively quiet and very modern!

    A longer day tomorrow onwards to Caldas de Reis, which is a spa town, and we have various activities booked to keep spirits high!

    Ciao!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    1

    Day 13 - Redondela to Pontevedra

    May 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    I know the saying “only mad dogs and Englishmen” usually refers to being out in hot weather, but I’m sure it also applies to the inclement, pour down, soaked to the bone weather we had today. When we looked out the window this morning, it looked like a drizzle, and then it came down harder. And harder. And harder. So, ponchos on, caps on to save ourselves from the waterboarding ahead, we took to the road.

    Ok, let’s be honest - it was a difficult day. But in a good way, in that, yes there were hills, and paths that became rivers, and not enough cafes to stop at, but none of it was insurmountable. It was what it was. And we did a grand job of it. We laughed, talked, sometimes said nothing, kissed on bridges, held hands, chatted to other walkers (why do they insist on talking politics???), and we made it to Pontevedra. Tonight we are staying in a hostel (Paul’s first), and we had a lovely dinner, even if the waiter forgot to put half our order through, and we had ice cream on the way back, and now I’m tucked up in my top bunk bed with Paul below, and I feel “good tired”.

    We met one cat.    Read more

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    Day 1: Vigo to Redondela

    May 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Made it through Day 1 of walking! The rain was utterly relentless today.. but we were prepared .. a visit to Decathlon yesterday meant we had ponchos to make our day very much protected from the rain, and we were so thankful for them!

    It turns out rain in Spain doesn’t always fall on the plain!

    The walk itself was fabulous, a real mix of town, road and wilderness - always something to look at!

    We covered around 20k total distance through woods and up some very steep hills, but the kilometres and miles just fell away.

    An amazingly well timed coffee stop saved any ‘wildflower surveys’ and served some well needed empanadas!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    1

    Day 12 - Vigo to Redondela

    May 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Aaaaaaaand we’re off!

    Paul’s first walking day and it rained aaaaaaall day - so glad we were able to pick up a couple of ponchos at decathlon yesterday. Even if Paul’s was too short, so it barely covered him below mid thigh 😂

    We took the official route out of Vigo, as we really wanted to take a picture by the 100km marker, but couldn’t find it. We went from 102km in Vigo, and the next marker we saw was 96km 🤷🏻‍♀️ still, a fantastic, if tiring, walk through residential areas (bakeries every 200m it seemed), then uphills and amazing, flat forest walking until we reached Redondela. Descents are sometimes harder than ascents!

    I outdid myself by booking a lovely two bed apartment on the river, just outside of town so for tonight we have our own little home. Very different from tomorrow’s hostel, which will be Paul’s first.

    A massive dinner (yes, octopus again!) and amazing wine at €2.50 a glass has made me very happy and sleepy. Amazing to have Paul’s company for today’s walk- I’d really missed laughing like that.

    Tomorrow, Pontevedra!    Read more

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    The night before: Vigo

    May 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Well, I’m finally here! The Vueling flight was brilliant (well done IAG!) and La Coruña airport tiny by LGW or LHR standards, but means you can speed through and get to see your loved ones quicker!

    We are now ready to start the last 100km of the Camino Português! Michaela confidently tells me that as long as you do the last 100km, it counts (and you get a certificate), and I’ll take that!

    Vigo itself has turned out to be an absolutely delightful ‘small’ city in Spain, with lots amazing sights and food.

    No so many photos as we slept a lot today, but tomorrow will see the back of the rain (we hope!), and the start of the walk!    Read more

  • Paul HCamiño Português (last 100km)Traveler

    LGW

    May 3, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Off to a crazy early start @ 2:30am (was it worth sleeping?) and off I go to Spain to meet Michaela to start the week long walk!

    Weird to think that I’ll be walking for a week straight, and I’m not sure how it’ll go, but I know I’ll be with cool and awesome company and beautiful scenery (and companion!).

    Very much looking forward to the adventure!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 11 - Vigo - A Coruña - Vigo

    May 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    He’s here!! 😊
    Paul arrived this morning to join me for the last 100km of the walk, so I took the train up to A Coruña to get him. The train system in Spain is seriously impressive! Not only is it clean and efficient and fast, it’s also bloody cheap in comparison to the UK.

    We were back in Vigo for 1pm, so after a quick bite we did like the Spanish do and took a nap 😂 we were both so tired, so slept until 6pm!

    Dinner and a walk around town, and now we’re ready to get started tomorrow. Paul has also brought me my onclouds, so I no longer have to wear my scarpas - hurrah! As lovely as they are, they turned out to be too heavy and rigid for the Camino. So now have I have lovely cushiony trainers to see me to Santiago - and Paul 🥰    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 10 - Vigo / Islas Cies

    May 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Rest day! Whooohooooo!

    Does 8am count as a lie in? Because it certainly felt like it 😂
    No walking today. Instead, I visited Islas Cies - a 45 minute boat ride from Vigo. As we left the port, I could see the dark clouds looming over Vigo and towards Santiago, and felt sorry for all the walkers who were going to have to deal with the deluge. This included Nicola who left this morning, and who has since arrived in Pontevedra and is again rooming with Sasha.

    The islands were.. well, you have a look at the photos and be the judge. And, even better, it was sunny allllllllll day!

    Paul is arriving tomorrow and I’m so excited! Going to pick him up from La Coruña, and we come back to Vigo so we can start our joint walk on Saturday. Alas, this also means it’s “the beginning of the end”, and I’m already feeling a little sad about to it. However, we have exciting days ahead and I’m determined to live in the moment.

    No cats today. However, everyone in Vigo seems to have a dog 🤷🏻‍♀️    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 9 - Baiona to Vigo

    May 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Rain, rain, go away…

    …and eventually it does.

    Left Vigo under torrential rain. Ok, maybe not “torrential”, but it certainly feels like it after you’ve been walking for 30 minutes and all your clothes are sticking to you. Yes, I should have bought a poncho, like all the Camino FB groups warned me, but I guess I like living dangerously!

    Left the hostel (20 people in bunk beds in a room, yet surprisingly quiet) at around 8am with Sasha, and along the way picked up two others - Rita (UK), who I had actually shared a room with a few days ago, and Nicola (Czech Republic) who I’d walked with from Caminha to Oia. And we had such a laugh! Maybe it was the rain forcing us to keep our spirits up, but we chatted and shared jokes about sexy surfers and “alpha” males, Rita’s new van, Nicola’s dinner of undercooked potatoes, and came together and then slowly said goodbye as we neared Vigo and went off to our respective accommodation for tonight. Apart from Nicola, who I invited to sleep in the spare room of the apartment I have for the next three nights, as she could find no accommodation for this evening. And in case you are wondering how you can invite a complete stranger to share an apartment with you, please note this woman is not a stranger to me. Also, I knew she was one of my “people” when I saw her random act of kindness a few days ago, when she kindly bought hiking poles for someone who was stuck in an albergue with a broken toe, and who had no way of getting out and buying some themselves.

    It was a long walk today, the longest so far at 31km exactly, but we walked through towns, beaches, woods, horrible roads and industrial areas, stopping at coffee shops and restaurants when we felt like it. And we made it to Vigo, smiling but tired.

    Tomorrow, Nicola will leave, and I will have a rest day, when I will visit https://lasislascies.com. Hopefully the rain ease off and the sun will shine again, like it did today.

    No cats were met, but plenty of dogs!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 8 - Oia to Baiona

    April 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    The kindness of strangers.

    I completely forgot to get some cash out at my last big town, so have been using whatever little change I had left. This morning, I managed to buy a croissant, but couldn’t afford a coffee to go with. So the guy behind the bar “bought” it for me. Later on, as I was about an hour from my destination, I came across a little cafe. Soaked to skin (it rained all morning) and hoping against hope, I asked the owner if he’d accept card payment. “Te invito”, he said. I was so grateful but managed to scrape together my last 50 cents and a googly eye - he tried to wave it away and gave a coffee and two madeleines. That coffee was possibly the best coffee I’ve had this whole trip.

    As I entered Baiona, my first job was to find a cash point.

    Later, as I was looking at somewhere for lunch, I bumped into Sasha from yesterday. She joined me for lunch and we chatted, eyeing up what everyone else was eating. Our neighbouring table had something neither of us recognised - it’s empanada, said the guy at the table. He had the waiter give us some, and it was utterly delicious! Despite his ridiculous designer sunglasses and insistence on mainsplaning religion to us, he still shared what he had. We had a laugh because he told us about his many, annual pilgrimages. He’s done so many, I said he should be in the running for Pope!

    The hostel for tonight is as basic as they come, but it has everything you need- including lovely hot showers and a washing machine/dryer. Hurrah, for I am all out of clean, dry clothes! Esther in reception took pity of us (turns out Sasha is also staying here tonight) and moved bookings around so we could have bottom bunks. Showered and with clothes now in the dryer, I have settled down for a nap and a rest.
    It’s been a good day 😊    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 7 - Caminha to Oia

    April 29, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    ¡Bienvenido a España!

    Sonder and serendipity were appropriate words for today.

    An unusual day in that I walked with people. As I arrived to catch the boat to cross the river, there was a large group and I told them to go ahead and I’d wait until they’d all crossed - the boat only takes eight people at the time. And how lucky that I did, for soon I was joined by three other solo women and we spent our day together walking to Oia. I love how walking makes people friends, and today I was lucky to know Berber (Germany), Nicola (Czech Republic) and Sasha (The Netherlands).
    Along the way, we share the road with others, share food and stories, then wave each other goodbye to maybe meet at some point.    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 6 - Carreço to Caminha

    April 28, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    As the song goes…. What a difference a day makes!
    Left much later than normal, but it was sunny and crisp and absolutely beautiful. Today’s walk has definitely been my favourite so far - most of it was with the sea to my left and green mountains to my right, the occasional walk through forest, mixture of boardwalk and rambling, absolutely perfect! It was bright but windy, but I think that just means extra kudos.
    At this point, a lot of the walkers have turned inland to take the traditional, central route, so the paths were much clearer of people.
    Stopped halfway at Vila da Praia da Âncora for a spot of lunch - yum, yum, yum! Then strolled the last 10km with a full tummy and a smile on my face. Found myself needing to hear Elbow’s One Day Like This, and it just seemed so apt to reach Minho river mouth, with Spain on the other of the river and those chords in my head.
    Had such a large lunch that all I wanted for dinner was cereal, so when in Portugal… chocopic it is!!
    Early night, for tomorrow I cross the river and enter España - ¡Buen Camino!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    1

    Day 5 - Esposende to Carreço

    April 27, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Christ on a cracker, that was a tough day!!
    Out by 8am and it was raining. And it carried on raining. And then it rained some more. And then, three hours in… sunshine! Bright, beautiful, burning sunshine!!
    A lot of walking through villages, but also some amazing forests, where I was very glad for my walking poles. A slight incident with another walker at a café left me seething - I mean, who just takes someone else’s coffee assuming it’s yours?!? - so I’ve had to try extra hard to be upbeat today.
    For the first time ever I turned to an audiobook to keep me going, and to shut the voices in my head who kept saying “why not just catch a taxi?”. Which I did, but only when I got to Viana do Castelo and just couldn’t face those last four miles in what looked to be rain again. And I was right, as it started raining as soon as the taxi pulled up to the door of Casa do Avô Horácio, where the owner sat me down, made me a coffee and have me biscuits with his home made marmalade 😊

    Also, met the most amazing cat with only half a tail - check out the video!    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    1

    Day 4 - Póvoa de Varzim to Esposende

    April 26, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Woke at 3am and couldn’t get back to sleep, so finally gave up and hit the road just before 6am. Slight panic that the blister I have would hinder the journey, but after a while I didn’t even feel it.
    Lots of coffee stops to break up the walk, and quite a few cats. If I could, I would take them all home and look after them 😕
    Back to hostel living tonight, but have just the one roommate - Rita from London. Other walkers have been slightly standoffish but that’s ok - we’re all just doing our own thing, afterall. The locals on the other hand have been delightful and those little interactions have brought a smile to my face. From the man who came out of the cemetery to try and give me a walking pole someone had left behind - not a dead person, but a girl who’d just walked past and left it at the cemetery gate - to the cyclist who told me “de santo não tem nada!” when I said “santinha!” to his friend, to everyone who says “bom dia”, people have been friendly and welcoming.
    Also, food, glorious food! Had bacalhao a bras followed by arroz doce for lunch, and promptly fell into a food coma when I checked in 🤣    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués

    Day 3 - Vila do Conde to Póvoa de Varzim

    April 25, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    A very lazy day, where the walk was the equivalent of popping down to the shops. If “the shops” were located on a beautiful and busy seafront. Which somehow I forgot to take any pictures of, despite spending three hours sunbathing and snoozing on the beach!
    It’s the 50th anniversary of Dia da Liberdade, so it’s a public holiday and everyone was out celebrating by having a stroll - it was lovely to see.
    Tonight’s accommodation feels like luxury compared to the last two nights - my own double bedroom with an ensuite, for the princely sum of £25.
    Glad I took a down day, as the next few average about 25km a day, and yesterday I developed a tiny blister. As the guys at the pharmacy told me today, while I was stocking up on Compeed - não há gloria sem dor!
    Have decided I would like a pink house when I grow up - and also one of those tile things at the front. But mine will be of Darth Vader, or A.L.F., or Jean Luc Picard 😍
    Also, portions are huuuge. I made a valiant effort but couldn’t finish even half of my dinner.
    I have not met any cats today.    Read more

  • Camiño Portugués
    21

    Day two - Matosinhos to Vila do Conde

    April 24, 2024 ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Felt like a proper walking day today!
    Up early and stopped for breakfast at Marreco, where I met a lovely old lady who told me she’d be too scared to ever hike on her own in case the got lost. By contrast, at my next proper stop in Vila do Chã (quick orange juice and percebes snack), I met an even older, visually impaired lady who is doing the hike on her own, with just her wits and her stick. Amazing.
    Hostel number two is rather fancy, in that it is a small palace. I did, however, have to ask of my roommate to move her shoes and socks away from my bunk as they were proper stinky. Oh, the joys of roughing it. Also met five cats.    Read more

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