Portugal
Fão

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    • Day 14

      Fao to Esposende

      September 25, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      Leaving Fao, I crossed a bridge which led to Esposende. Some through town and some along the river. They have a great bike path along the water. The walking trail is unfortunately cobblestone. There was a lot of that today. Just before leaving town, I stopped at a café. In the washroom there was a fireplace! It is near the ocean, but is a fireplace necessary in the toilet?Read more

    • Day 11

      Day 3 - Póvoa de Varzim to Esposende

      April 14 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

      Day 3 on the Camino and the skies continue to be blue and the temperature warm. The same is forecasted for at least the next 10 days. This area has had so much rain previously that we were very nervous for our planned time here but we have been very lucky weather wise, so far.

      Today being Sunday, there were loads of families out walking and enjoying the beaches. We left later than we normally like because I (Peg) couldn’t pass up the free breakfast, that came with our room last night, but it wasn’t served until 8am. We arrived at our Albergue about 3:00 with many stops along the way to refuel our bodies and rest our weary bones. Tomorrow we have further distance to cover so will be leaving earlier.

      As they say in Portugal, Bom Caminha!
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    • Day 5

      Beach to Forest

      April 12 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

      This morning we were up early and headed out for more adventures. We hiked along the ocean a bit as we left Esposende and then traded the boardwalks for winding our way through sleepy villages on quiet country lanes. The roosters crowed us along and we were visited by several cats and dogs as we made our way north. It was so encouraging to see the many Bom Camino signs that we passed. We are still very careful to spot the yellow arrows that point us in the right way because none of us want to risk getting off track 😂. The recent rains turning to bright sunshine this week and the fact that it’s springtime here has so many beautiful flowers blooming in the small yards- bird of paradise, roses, rhododendrons, irises, wisteria and flowering fruit trees are intoxicatingly fragrant as we walk by but they are rivaled by the riotous display of wildflowers too! We passed wild daisies, ferns of every shape, calla lillies, poppies and sweet clover and they are busting from rock walls and in fields. This afternoon we even saw foxglove blooming in pastures and grapevines blooming with tiny baby grape buds- a real treat! Portugal is especially beautiful now. Angèle had a close encounter with a green snake that poked his head out from the vines so that they were face to face- I almost lost my mind! But she was brave and we kept going. We visited so many churches today- those dedicated to Michael the Archangel, S. Joâo de Monte, Senhora de Miséricordia, S. Sebastio and a very special one, Igreja Santiago de Castelo de Nieva which holds an inscription of dedication of the original church to San Tiago dating from the year 862- it’s the oldest consecration to the Apostle from outside of Spain! We spent most of the afternoon hiking through forest land over rocks and branches and through some mud. It was so hot today as we marched along our 18 miles (!) and we were about to stop and take a rest when we came upon a little donativo cantina in the woods run by a very friendly Portuguese man who sang to us as we accepted his generosity and had some melons and fruit, icy drinks and even a little port wine- yes please and obrigato! Thankyou! We kept going then and passed over the river Lima as we entered Viana do Castelo walking across a metal bridge done by the Eiffel school. We enjoyed a light supper at a bar that had a DJ playing traditional Portuguese Fado music and then had an Uber take us up the mountain to our albergue Santa Luiza- it was 600 steps up some treacherous stairs and we felt it wise to stay safe. I did the stairs last year with Richard and once was enough for me! The Sanctuário de Santa Luzia (also known as Templo do Sagrado Coraçáo de Jesus) is atop of the mountain and an imposing sight! We needed to check in so we’ll visit the Sanctuary in the morning- for now it’s laundry and sleep! We’re in an 8 person dorm room and my 3 sisters are all on top bunks- reminiscent of our childhood days! Tomorrow is our last day in Portugal for awhile and it will be another long day so we’ll get our rest and be ready to hoist up backpacks and leave early.Read more

    • Day 6

      Fão

      April 16 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      Another full size day at 22km, near perfect weather and flat.
      A wholesome brekkie at our hotel then on the path at 8.00am. Planned a break for coffee around 7km but nothing open until after 8km, then coffee but no snack. Carried on past multiple market gardens and greenhouses to Apulia, was pretty warm and cobblestone roads were tough on feet. A basic late lunch and on to Fao via rustic farm lanes. Revised plan for a few days time, we’re going well. Our Fao boarding house has a pool, looks enticing.Read more

    • Day 5

      Friday night- Saturday

      October 7, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 63 °F

      I’ve adopted “Narrow Road” by Josh Baldwin as my theme song for this walk. Take a listen!
      Friday night- Made it to Esposende. It is a really nice resort town. The Main Street is all waterfront and park. Staying in a hotel that I at first thought was really nice. Now I think it is really nice- in an Overlook Hotel kind of way. It has lots of character as old hotels do- but there is definitely a creepy element here.
      I took kind of a circuitous route to get here. There are actually 2 different coastal Caminos. The one I thought I was on was the traditional one, but sometime today I noticed that I was no longer on that one. There was a pilgrim from Norway- Vidar. He and I had been taking turns passing each other and had stopped at the same place for lunch. Anyhoo- he saw me looking confused and told me I was on the Senda Litoral, but I should just stay on that cuz it’s the better one anyhow. Turns out Vidar had already done the Portuguese Camino both there and back. Did the traditional coastal and came back the Litoral- so he knows from whence he speaks. (He has also done the French route. Kind of an over achiever if you ask me). So I stayed on the Litoral but then started to wonder if that was gonna end up being longer so decided to cut over to catch the traditional. But that looked really far so I just consulted Google maps and went where they told me. And it ended up being a really pretty walk even though I was on it all by my lonesome.
      Met a couple of angels today, both named Maria. Neither spoke a word of English but we ended up being able to pantomime our way through. The first 2 pictures are of one of the Marias and Vidar.

      It’s Saturday and I’m about 1/2 way through the day’s walk. I started on the coast but the boardwalk had given way to sand, (no me gusta), plus it’s a hot day and no shade on the litoral. So I switched over to the coastal. So glad I switched. It’s been a beautiful walk, through some towns, some woods…. Right now I’m sitting under a tree in the courtyard of a beautiful church. Seems to be a popular pilgrim resting place. But the route has become quite hilly.
      Ya know- people are generally very kind. I stopped at a little cafe to have a cold sparkling water. The owner brought out a jar of biscuits, honey, jam and a little bowl of peanuts in the shell-(and I had just been thinking yesterday about how much I miss peanuts. It’s true what they say- the Camino does provide!). He filled up my water bottle and stamped my pilgrim passport without my even asking. I have met a couple of girls from Miami, a very nice woman (Silva) from the Czech Republic - she was traveling with a friend but the friend had gone ahead. Then another woman from the Czech Republic, Katerina, who was doing her 1st Camino and was on her own. Her son was an exchange student in Kansas last year.
      I am feeling that things I have been thinking about, reading, and listening to are beginning to synchronize.

      On the playlist today- Simon and Garfunkel. Best lyric- “I get all the news I need from the weather report”. (Only Livin’ Boy in New York).
      The church bells just rang and there appears to be some kind of mass. Time to get movin again!

      The pictures of people I meet I am including for me to remember. But there are some more scenic pictures too!

      So I was gonna end this when I left the church but then a mile down the path was this little canopy area and a guy, Albero, who had a whole little supply hut with fresh fruit, chips, beer, sparkling water- even a little espresso maker. He only asks for donations. So awesome!
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    • Day 4

      Day 3 Agucadoura to Esposende

      September 10, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      Another short day, 11km. My pack is getting lighter…probably because I’m losing my gear 😂 Adapter in Porto and sleep liner and ear plugs in Vila do Conde. I was able to replace the adapter at the “Chinese store” for 8€.
      Todays walk was a mix of boardwalk, cobblestones and forest. It was nice to have the shade. Arrived in Esposende early, had lunch and wandered around town.
      Yesterday on my walk a lady on the street gave me a scallop shell charm…Bom Caminho! So sweet. Today I was able to get a leather necklace for it
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    • Day 4

      Hitting My Stride

      April 11 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

      Starting to learn how to become “one with the pack”. We most spent the day walking along the beach on boardwalks and sand. So grateful my sister Renee is here to share her experience and provide coaching. We turned inland for a bit and got a change of scenery as we passed soccer fields and a golf course next to the ocean. Definitely feel fatigued by the end of the day, but keep walking forward. Luckily, I won the sister room lottery and got to sleep in the private room.Read more

    • Day 3

      Tag 2: der Soldat mit der Bibel

      September 7, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

      Heute morgen waren wir nicht gerade in Bestform. 😅
      Jan hatte überall Muskelkater und mehrere Blasen die ihn plagten und mir war irgendwie übel.
      Doch nach einem Weilchen an der frischen Luft, einem tollen Frühstück und ein paar guten Gesprächen ging es uns wieder gut und wir waren wieder motiviert und bereit loszuziehen.
      Da wir gestern so spät angekommen waren, hatten wir keine Zeit mehr Vila do Conde richtig anzuschauen. Das holten wir heute morgen nach und probierten dabei noch eine kleine Flasche des typischen Bieres hier "Super Bock". 😂 Das hat uns auch noch mehr Kraft gegeben.
      Dann waren wir auch schon wieder an der Küste und liefen weiter nach Norden. Es war wie auch schon gestern ein unglaubliches Naturschauspiel den Wellen dabei zuzusehen, wie sie an an die Felsen prallen und dann meterhoch in den Himmel schossen.
      Auf dem Weg holte uns Ralf ein, ein junger Soldat, der mit Jan auf einem Zimmer war. (Ja, die Zimmer waren in dem letzten Hostel nach Geschlechtern getrennt 😆). Es war sehr interessant sich mit ihm zu unterhalten, er erzählte von seinen Motiven für die Pilgerreise, aber auch wieso er zur Bundeswehr gegangen sei und was er dort erlebt hatte. Er war sehr sympathisch und es war schwer zu glauben, dass er noch so jung ist. Er interessiert sich sehr für Psychologie und empfahl uns direkt ein paar Bücher, die er gelesen hatte und schon gut fand.
      In einer Snack- und Eincrem-Pause bemerken wir, dass er ein großes Buch in seinem Rucksack hatte. Es war ein riesiges Exemplar der Bibel. Er erzählte uns auch von seinen religiösen Motiven und hat uns mit seiner Art sehr beeindruckt.
      Wir liefen noch ein paar Stündchen zusammen weiter und trennten uns dann, als Jan und ich eine gute Stelle fanden um endlich im Meer schwimmen zu gehen! 😍 Ralf wollte heute noch zwei Orte weiter als wir bis zur Herberge laufen und ging daher wieder los.
      Es war absolut herrlich, wir haben eine wellenarme Stelle gefunden, wo sich das Wasser noch besser aufwärmen konnte und es war einfach so angenehm. 🥰
      Lange lagen wir aber nicht herum, die Füße wollten weiterlaufen. 😂
      Und so ging es dann weiter, jetzt auch mal weg von der Küste durch Naturschutzparks und kleine Dörfchen. Leider meldeten sich auch jetzt wieder die Füße... und es war auch leider wieder schlimm. 😂 Obwohl wir uns heute ca 10km weniger als gestern vorgenommen haben, taten uns die Füße schon echt früh weh. Ich vermute, dass das an dem Steinboden liegt über den wir bisher 90% der Zeit laufen mussten. Ich kann mich wirklich nicht an so etwas erinnern und kann mir nur diesen Grund vorstellen.
      Trotz der schönen Landschaft fingen die letzten Kilometer an sich hinzuziehen, sodass wir uns Fado Musik und dann später noch ein Hörbuch zum Ablenken von den Schmerzen anmachen mussten. 😂
      Endlich kamen wir dann um 20 Uhr beim "Spot Hostel" in Fão an. Es war eine private Pension wo man zusammen mit den Gastgebern wohnt. Mein Gott, waren das herzliche Menschen!! Man hatte wirklich das Gefühl man übernachtet bei Freunden. 😄 Sie hatte mich sogar schon angerufen, weil sie sich Sorgen gemacht hatte! Direkt begrüßte uns auch Spot, der kleine Hund der dort auch mitwohnte und der Namensgeber des Hostels war.
      Es war so ein schönes Hostel!! Überhaupt habe ich das Gefühl, dass wir nur in Luxusunterkünfte geraten, diese hatte sogar einen Pool! 😂
      Zum Wäschewaschen waren wir zu kaputt und da wir noch was essen mussten sind wir in eine Tapasbar um die Ecke gegangen. Leider habe ich dort dem Fehler begangen den Tapas "Gambas nach Hausart" zu bestellen. Das Resultat dessen wird uns wahrscheinlich noch jahrelang verfolgen. 😂 Es war einfach schrecklich: 6 riesige Gambas/ Garnelen die einen mit ihren Augen traurig angeschaut haben. Jan und ich konnten uns kaum überwinden sie anzuschauen, geschweige denn diese zu essen. Natürlich haben wir beide auch promt vergessen wie man die überhaupt essen soll, sodass sich bei meinem ersten zaghaften Schnitt in der Nähe des Kopfes jede Menge schwarzer Flüssigkeit ergoss. Mach ein wenig Recherche kamen wir zu dem Schluss, dass das wohl der Darm war. 🤢🤮 Es war so grausam und ekelhaft, dass dann auch die Stimmung bei uns etwas geknickt war. Ich glaube wir waren einfach von den Gambas traumatisiert und bereuten jeden Bissen. Immerhin war aber der Sangria gut! 😉

      Orte: Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim, Estela, Apulia, Fão
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    • Day 5

      Day 4 Esposende to Anha

      September 11, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      Part 1 Left the Albergue before sunrise, 7:00am. Today was a 20km day over a mountain!! Literally, 140m elevation through cobblestone streets, and forest paths. It was tough, but so worth it. So much beauty and history.Read more

    • Day 14

      Camino Portuguese Day 4

      September 25, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

      I had such a good sleep in my private room! I slept in a bit. But got on the trail by 8:00-ish.

      Last night I walked to a local restaurant for a great meal. Simple but very good. I didn’t know about vino verde until I did the tour in Porto. It is not green, but white wine. Served chilled, and very tart and refreshing.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Fão, Fao

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