Estrada

In Porto, I stayed at the Alburgue de Peregrinos all 3 nights. There were 5-7 pilgrims arriving night.

The first two nights I was there, Lee cooked a dinner from South Korea. After Lee had left, I wanted to take up the mantle of making dinner because food is such a good way to connect with people. I made chicken n dumplings with the help of a French guy who was quite hesitant at first about putting dough in a soup, but who ended up really enjoying the meal. I also taught everyone who joined for the meal how to play the spoons!

Some people I met:

Two women from the Czech Republic who had never met before but who showed up on the same day and joined Lee (from Korea) for dinner.

A French guy named Sasha who worked as a mason and is traveling with almost no technology. He is quite good a percussion and we talked about different places that he has been busking.

Three American women from Massachusetts who all worked on the same organic farm.

A Belgian who was doing the Camino by bicycle. Very Belgian of him.

A Ukrainian who was walking the French Camino when the war started and who then walked to Porto. She stayed at this Alburgue as a volunteer and now is full time and runs the place.

Juan Pablo, who is Fran’s brother. He walked with Fran for 4 days and is now going to Santiago, but the Santiago in Chile to work for a Utility Scale Solar Company. We talked a lot about the energy industry,

A Belgian named Anna who has spent the last year traveling and who is a volunteer. She plays guitar. She, Juan Pablo and I played some songs together with me playing harmonica and Juan Pablo sometimes on the spoons. We played some songs in Spanish that I didn’t know and also ‘Country Roads’ that everyone knows.

A German from Konstanz. I’d been to his city before and he was very familiar with St, Gallen and was surprised that I knew so much about the area where he was from.

Two Hungarians who didn’t speak any English but who made some pumpkin in the over and offered it to Lee and I. I’m still confused as to why they did this. They didn’t eat any and also but no salt or spices on the roasted pumpkin which was roasted for an incredibly long time. Lee and I each had one piece.Read more