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Vilaboa

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    • Day 15

      Top of yet another climb!

      July 3, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

      It’s another pleasant day to walk! Feeling much better today! On the way out of Redondela, we met Andrea from Portland who is also a teacher! 😄 I loved the walk through Arcade… although very hilly! And it’s been a steady climb ever since! Love the shaded trail that goes by creeks and has old Roman road stones still in place! Stopped at the top at a vendor for pilgrims and got a fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade! Letting the feet get some air and then we start a steady descent.Read more

    • Day 20

      Arcade to Pontevedra

      October 1, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      We had our second hill after Arcade. This was mostly on soft paths through forests, so I enjoyed the climb a lot more.

      We stopped at a roadside ‘tienda’ for a chocolate bar. It was well set up, with bales for seats, and a friendly dog.

      Entering Pontevedra there is a Complimentario route, which goes along a small stream. It was a bit longer, but was in the shade. It is a very nice path.

      Tonight we are living in luxury with a private room for two. With towels and sheets!
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    • Day 11

      Farms, Vineyards, Forests and Rivers

      October 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

      We woke today to the sounds of church bells and more rain, actually a torrential rain! So naturally we laced up the boots, threw on our ponchos and took off heading North! As we get closer to Santiago there are more pilgrims and we are really enjoying chatting along the way with some very interesting people. Funny we’ve met a couple of sibling groups traveling the Way of St. James with us and it’s so refreshing to see other families like us having this bonding time. I have been so grateful to make the journey with Richard because he finds the arrows very quickly and navigates the best path and he’s always there around the corner making me laugh when I arrive thinking I can’t breathe or take another step. We both love animals and it was a treat to have had a little doggie escort for about a mile this morning through the first village until he finally had enough of us and ran back down the hill. Our first stop was at an austere little chapel, St Marta, in a tiny farming community. Even so early the door was open and candles were burning. God bless that caretaker because it gave us a chance to give thanks for our morning as well as to reorganize packs, wring out wet socks and catch a breath before marching on.
      After the chapel there were supposedly two options for the route (Tomaza Division?) but we only saw one and it turned out to be a very difficult stage. We walked through a forest along the rivers Dos Gafos and Pintos and the path started deteriorating rapidly as we made our way. The river was swollen and fast and the paths were just a series of large puddles. At one alarming point we were knee deep in cold water and we considered turning back but then 4 pilgrims popped up behind us and we all made the joint decision to push forward. We were all so relieved to make it to Pontevedra. It was supposed to be an easy day for us- only 9 miles- but probably a day I won’t forget soon because we worked so hard. We were lucky to arrive in town early enough for the menú del diá and had some lovely pasta with mushrooms, some fish and a pork chop. Delicious and only 10euro! The town here is beautiful, filled with shops and lots of people dressed very stylishly. I look a wet, bedraggled mess but people smile and nod and I guess they are used to pilgrims making their way through town. We were able to get into our hostel, shower and do laundry before going out to explore and lo and behold the rain had let up! Praise the Lord- we saw the sun! This was very encouraging so we strolled around and visited the ruins of the church of San Domingos- dating from 14th century and now a national protected monument. We sampled some Santiago tartas which are little almond cakes flavored with orange and lemon supposedly first baked in 1577 in honor of Saint James. They are yummy and of course I will find a recipe to make some when I get back home! We visited the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Shelter and the Divine Pilgrim- it’s square in the middle of town surrounded by modern buildings but it shines like a star and its architecture is breathtaking- we both stopped in our tracks when we saw it! Tonight we went back for a pilgrim’s Rosary and Mass and all I could think when I saw the church tonight was that it looked like a jewel box. Tomorrow we hope to get an early start, visit the Basilica and be on our way. As I close I hear people outside at the bars and cafés laughing and chatting and I hear the rain hitting the pavement- I think I will sleep good tonight!
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    • Day 19

      Chocolate for all the meals now 🤩

      October 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

      I climbed a lot of stairs for this view 🥵🤩 chocolate con churros for breakfast and for a 2am snack 😂 excellent life choices being made here all around ❤️🇪🇸💛 backpack is ready to go catch the bus back to Porto. Me, not so much…Read more

    • Day 41

      🦪 Día 3 Camino de Santiago (Portugués)

      May 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

      ... Pensaba un título para este día y lo que se me ocurre es... Cuando falla el cuerpo tenemos que estar fuerte de mente y espíritu para poder andar en el camino...

      Aquí la historia de hoy...
      Me levanté temprano y con energía antes de las 8 ya estaba desayunando en la cafeteria al lado del albergue, ahí conocí aún viejito casualmente de Dinamarca que había empezado el camino desde Lisboa, el señor parecía que tenía Parkinson porque se le movían sus manitas... Una pequeña charla y emprendí el camino... Los primeros kilómetros empecé sola después empezaron a aparecer algunos peregrinos... Que nos íbamos identificado y saludando "Buen Camino" nos decíamos todo el tiempo solo habían pasado 6 kms cuando empecé a sentir "algo" en la planta del pie y dije voy a cambiar los calcetines o a probar caminar con sandalias... Me quito la calceta y..... Oh oh!!! Tenía una ampolla!!!! No dude en sacar una aguja y el hilo y al instante la curé y no era muy grande pero le salió bastante agua y ahí empecé a caminar con sandalias... Increíble!!!!

      Un detalle que se me ha pasado es que justo donde paré había un par de tenis que alguien había dejado pero al momento no asimilé hasta q iba caminando unos kilómetros más adelante aparecía la voz interna... Que no viste los tenis??!! Y yo así de..., No mamessss, si los vi pero hasta ahorita me estoy dando cuenta!!!
      En fin, seguí mi camino sin querer pensar en que me dolían los pies y trataba de conversar conmigo de temas para "distraerme" vinieron muchos mensajes con este tema... Dónde me acordé que a veces lo que te sube a la montaña es tu espíritu o tu mente... Yo no tenía una montaña pero tenía q recordar esto para poder equilibrar y seguir hasta donde tenía que llegar... También me decía a mi misma ya sabes!!! Un paso más, un paso menos... Y así me la fui llevando... Los paisajes de hoy fueron muy bonitos y de mucho bosque entonces eso me ayudó para que no se me hiciera tan pesado el trayecto...
      Me iba encontrando al viejito danés, a unas chicas de Italia y a otros peregrinos que nos hemos empezado a identificar...
      Pero casi todo el tiempo estuve caminando sola, y ahora puedo decir que me gusta!!

      Este día casi no paré me decía a mi misma, lento pero constante!!! Solo hice una pequeña desviación a una reserva natural que se salía un poco del camino "Barosa" estaban a 750 m de desviación estuve a dos de abortar la misión pero pensé quizás ya no vuelva a pasar por aquí y valió la pena el esfuerzo....

      Retomé el camino eran como las 5 y me faltaban como 3 kms más y ya no tenía batería en el celular y en eso.... voala!!!
      Que me encuentro un Oasis en el camino... Era un albergue súper bonito con bar y cafetería así es que decí parar y tomar una chela y que veo que tienen menú para el peregrino por 7 € e incluía vino y café... Ufff lo disfruté muchísimo....

      Más tarde llegó la chica de la República Checa del albergue de ayer y las dos italianas con las que estuve conversando un buen rato hasta que llegó la hora de continuar.... A las 8 llegué a mi albergue solo quería ducharme y ya descansar...

      Ahhhh lo olvidaba,... Me ha pasado algo "chistoso" de nuevo.... En algún lugar en medio del camino me encontré 2 pares de plantillas que las ví y unas acolchonadas llamaron mi atención y no dude en tomarlas y pensé es neta que me las han dejado??? No sabía que talla eran solo pensé llegando al albergue pido unas tijeras y las corto porque las ví grandes.... Y ohhh sopresa, llegando al albergue lo primero que hice fue sacar las plantillas y..... No mamesssss!!! le quedan a las botas!!!! Neta parece todo una broma... Mañana veré si funcionan...

      Buen Camino!!!
      Me retiro a dormir.
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    • Day 17

      Insanity: Arcade to Pontevedra

      May 16, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      I left my too big, two-bedroom apartment in blue collar Arcade this morning via another Roman bridge. This one sports a thin sidewalk right next to a working roadway. I can see drivers’ eyebrows as they whiz past.

      Eh, ya seen one Roman bridge…I don’t dawdle.

      It’s more than personal safety driving me off the bridge. I’m suffering from historical architecture overload today. The stone homes and medieval churches heading out of town are beautiful and interesting. They’re also ubiquitous. They’ve been ubiquitous since day one.

      Also, my foot still aches, so the hilly suburbs north of Arcade, no matter their quaintness, do nothing to lighten my mood. Which I’m sure is a contributing factor to my response when the path crosses a road and enters a shady, wooded area. I am suddenly thinking of Pennywise the Clown, and Steven King’s fictional New England towns studded with forested parks where all kinds of kids go missing.

      So…yeah….kinda in a bad mood.

      Still, the forest path is undeniably beautiful. It follows a river. And then, over the sound of water, I hear music. I’ve reached the bagpipe guy! This famous fellow plays pretty much every day for pilgrims. He’s talented, which is important for an instrument that often sounds like the player is squeezing a bag of cats to death. But this is lovely, yowl-free music.My mood lifts with the tune. It’s the kind of magic I needed today.

      The path continues to climb ( of course) through the forest, the substrate changing from carved stones to jumbled boulders to gnarled tree roots, and then back though the repertoire. If I don’t watch where I put my feet, I’ll fall for sure. But no bloodthirsty clowns have shown up, so things are looking up even if I can’t.

      I get a pilgrim’s stamp from a fellow with a donativo stand along the path, the first of many. He’s giving everyone directions to the alternative path that skips the industrial section of town. Nice guy. Just a bit further I come across a length of steel grid fence into which perigrinos have woven hundreds of crosses made from sticks and bark found on the path. I also encounter a repeating chalked pink heart on the path’s stones. The pilgrims before me have felt the angst of these last few climbing days, so have left messages of encouragement. More magic.

      There’s an element of insanity necessary in walking 10-plus miles a day with only a vague idea of what the Camino or the next stop will throw at you, good and bad. But it’s a magical insanity. At some point today, I gave in to it. Supernatural spider or bagpipe lullabies, I say, ‘Bring it!’

      I am, however, still alone and craving the sound of my own language. Some 200 or so pilgrims have zipped past my hobbling self today. They travel in packs, speaking Spanish and German and French. Sometimes someone will give me a worried look as they wish me “Buen Camino,” but everyone is in a rush to get a bed or a beer at the next town.

      When Richard and Moira wander up behind me speaking Canadian English, I pounce. They’re happy to have my company, and they’re in no hurry. Richard comments on the happy birdsong, and Moira stops to take pictures of butterflies. They are perfect company for this bit of Into the Woods travel.

      We reach the big city of Redondela in the afternoon. I take a left at the roundabout, scurrying across the street. But Richard and Moira are going straight. I turn around to find them across several lanes of afternoon, big city traffic. We’re all too worn out to regroup. Moira waves and hollers across the traffic:

      “It was lovely walking with you today, Tammy.”

      I have just enough time to snap a photo of them scurrying across an intersection, and then ‘poof!’ They’re gone.

      This is an integral part of the magical insanity of the Camino. You make some friends only to lose them a couple of hours later.

      It’s ok. I don’t need the Canadian couples WhatsApp number. We came though the magical wood together and went our merry ways. And now I’m humming ‘No One is Alone,’ from Sondheim’s Into the Woods. This is a significant improvement over this mornings sewer clown imaginings.
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    • Day 10

      Pontevedra

      October 6, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

      Today was a pretty serious 14 mile hike compared to other days. There were lots of ups & downs through pastoral Spanish country, as well as another trek through a deep forest. The journey ended in the aisles of an Aldi in the famous city of Pontevedra. PV is a cool city known for its pedestrianization & urban planning. There’s more of a “big city” feel here with different types of cultural restaurants & fancy boutique shops, although we’ll probably need to determine if the beer tastes the same.Read more

    • Day 4

      Pontesampaio

      October 21, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 63 °F

      Walked 24.7 km or 15.35 miles from O Porriño to Pontesampaio.

      Stayed at Hostel Albergue O Mesón
      https://hostelalberguepontesampaio.com/
      Very clean and quiet place with just a few guests. This albergue had a bar and cafe next door. Cost $14.00Read more

    • Day 10

      O Porriño - Arcade (ca. 22 km)

      September 15, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      - Run! -

      Ganz oft werde ich gefragt, warum ich mich dazu entschieden habe, den Jakobsweg zu laufen und warum noch dazu alleine. Zugegeben - eine gute Frage aber ich merke immer wieder, dass ich diese nur sehr ungern gefragt werde. Dennoch beschäftigt sie mich selbst natürlich auch. Es ist gar nicht so leicht diese Frage zu beantworten, jedes Mal vergesse ich etwas oder finde gar nicht die richtigen Worte dafür. Ich glaube, es gibt da einige Gründe und am Ende bleibt wie jedes Mal bevor ich mich wieder auf den Weg mache, eine innere Stimme bzw. ein innerer Drang, der mich spüren lässt: Lauf einfach los!
      Wenn ich laufe, vergesse ich oft alles um mich herum. Irgendwie kann ich hier den Abstand zu einer Welt gewinnen, in der mich manchmal die Oberflächlichkeit des Lebens erdrückt und in der ich am Liebsten verstummen möchte. Eine Welt, in der ich mir manchmal erhoffe und wünsche, dass ausnahmslos alles in sich zusammenbricht und wir die Möglichkeit haben, alles noch einmal ganz von vorne, gut und richtig aufbauen zu können. Ja, ich glaube, es ist einer der Hauptgründe der mich dazu antreibt zu laufen. Und das ist kein Wegrennen vor einer Welt, in der ich nicht leben möchte. Nein, das Laufen hilft, mich wieder selbst aufzubauen und mich von den Fehlern im System der irdischen Welt erholen zu können, um dann den Kampf gegen die Oberflächlichkeit und das, was schief läuft, wieder aufnehmen zu können.
      Ich möchte in keiner Welt leben, die von (Vor-)Verurteilung, Selbstverständlichkeit, Schnelllebigkeit, dem sich gegenseitig nicht zuhören, großartige Kleinigkeiten übersehen, dem Materiellen nacheifern, Emotionen nicht zulassen, nur (sichtbare) Leistung und Erfolg zählen lassen, Recht haben als erste Priorität, ungefilterten Nachrichten und dem Reflektieren von ausschließlich dem mir selbst passend erscheinenden, geprägt ist.
      Vielleicht, ja ich glaube, deswegen habe ich gerade auch gar kein Problem mit der Tatsache, Tage, Stunden, Minuten, Sekunden Zeit mit mir selbst zu verbringen und durch die Gegend zu laufen ohne den Drang dazu zu verspüren, überhaupt irgendjemandem begegnen und reden zu müssen. Ich bin gerade sehr dankbar dafür, diesen Weg alleine gehen zu können.

      - How many superfluous words do we say in a day? -

      Lektion 9: Friendly reminder an mich selbst: Wenn du Dich auf der Welt völlig verloren und völlig fehl am Platz fühlst, findest du Zuflucht bei Gott! Viele Geschehnisse im Leben sind Fehler im System Welt, die nicht dem Plan Gottes entsprechen.

      „Die Weltgeschichte ist ein Kampf zwischen zweierlei Formen von Liebe:
      der Liebe zu sich selbst - bis zur Zerstörung der Welt; und der Liebe für den anderen - bis zum Verzicht auf sich selbst.“ (Heiliger Augustinus)

      - My God turns my darkness into light. (Ps 18,28) -

      Zur Route:
      O Porriño - Veigadaña - Mos - Padrón - Redondela - Cesantes - Arcade

      Noch im dunklen startete mein Tag heute in O Porriño. Die Stunde Zeitumstellung von Portugal und Spanien macht sich besonders Morgens bemerkbar. Statt um 7 Uhr wird es jetzt erst um 8 Uhr hell. Dafür konnte ich dabei zusehen, wie die Sonne hinter den Bergen aufging und den Himmel rot, lila, rosa und orange färbte. Als ich unter einer Brücke durchlief, um eine Autobahn zu umgehen, durfte ich den Klängen eines typisch galicischen Dudelsacks lauschen - was ein schöner Start in den Tag. Zum Glück wusste ich im Vorhinein nicht, wie viele Höhenmeter ich heute hoch und runter wandern musste. Die Steigungen kann man eigentlich ganz gut mit Wänden vergleichen, die man hoch und runter läuft. Da waren dann auch die E-bike- und Fahrradfahrer nicht mehr schneller als ich zu Fuß. Über die Ausblicke, die sich mir boten, durfte ich mich dafür allerdings nicht beschweren (manchmal lohnt sich dann doch auch ein Blick zurück, um zu sehen, was man geschafft und “sich erarbeitet” hat). Nach knapp 17 km machte ich eine lange Pause und genoss meinen ersten frisch gepressten spanischen Orangensaft, einen Cappuccino und die für Spanien typischen Churros. Und während ich langsam beginne, manche bekannten Gesichter zu vermissen, laufen vier Spanier um’s Eck, die ich schon öfter aber länger nicht mehr gesehen habe. Auf spanisch fragen sie mich alle, ob es mir gut geht und ich versuche mit meinen nicht vorhandenen Spanischkenntnissen “Si, muy bien.” zu antworten (dafür reichen sie dann doch gerade noch so aus). Um mich von meinen schmerzenden Füßen abzulenken, lief ich irgendwann vor mich hin summend durch die Gegend, worauf hin mich eine Irin ansprach, mit der ich mich für ein paar Minuten unterhielt und zusammen eine weitere Steigung erklimme. Auf dem Weg hier lernt man wirklich jede kleinste Geste zu schätzen. Deswegen ist es auch immer wieder eine große Freude, wenn mir Autofahrer mit breitem Lächeln aus dem Auto zuwinken und manchmal auch hupen, um mir so im Vorbeifahren “Buen Camino” zu wünschen. Zum Abschluss des Tages ging ich mit zwei Mädels, ungefähr im gleichen Alter, aus Australien und Italien essen.
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    • Day 12

      The Camino Will Provide

      June 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      As soon as I started researching the Camino, I found that this saying and this conviction, surround the concept of the way inextricably. I may have thought it overdone, but today for us, very, luckily, we discover it's a real thing.

      I was up late last night revising and reconsidering our plans. Brad's leg is not getting better, rather worse. This morning we went downstairs for breakfast to discuss options. Surprise, our Camino family crops up again, as I spot Uta chatting to a young man. She ended up in the municipal alberge across from us last night. They are discussing him taking a taxi to Redondela, as he has severe blisters. We suggest sharing, and Brad raises his pants leg to demonstrate why. The young man says "may I" and looks closer. Oh yes, he says authoritatively, you need antibiotics. That's cellulitis. I'm a doctor, and I can assure you, you need antibiotics.

      What are the chances? Young James,it turns out, is an Irish GP. He speaks Spanish too, and insists on taking the taxi with Brad to the pharmacy, in case he needs to write the necessary scrip.

      As Brad seems in very good hands, I'm going to set off solo. We're only about 15 km out from Redondela, so we book a hostel and arrange to meet there.

      How freeing, to be walking alone in the morning fog. I can hear my steps, and the birds, and little else. Even for a directionally challenged person like myself the Camino is easy. Follow the arrows, if you don't see any indication to the contrary, continue on as you are.

      I stop for a coffee and twist myself a little leaving, but sort it out within 50 metres or so. There are lots of pilgrims around me, many exchanged bon Caminos, but I'm happy to pace on on my own. It's luxurious, this time to think and experience and just be. I love that Brad is with me, absolutely, but there's an alchemy of a sort, when you are alone with your thoughts.

      I have a lot, many reasons this journey seems vital to me. So many threads in my life, of love and loss, grief, hope, anticipation, fears, family...I hope to weave them all into something I can comfortably wear.

      With my thoughts for company then, I climb rapidly then descend towards the bay that Redondela is situated beside. I run into a German couple we met in Valenca, they had seen Brad getting into a taxi in Mos and wondered what had happened. As they say, you can be alone but never really alone on the path.

      Entering Redondela, I come across a festival. Such crowds, music and busyness! There are incredible floral carpets constructed in the streets, and it's such a pleasure to wind through them, to the hostel. Where Tito the host tells me, as if we've known each other for ages, oh Brad's down at the restaurant, I just saw him there

      We receive an email from James, checking in on Brad as we head into town to catch the end of the days festival. Excited kids, families, music, dressed up older and younger couples, it's such a joy to walk along and just people watch!

      And last note of the day, we've met a woman, Beatrice from Wales, whose claim to fame is that her friends and choir members participated in the wedding episode of Gavin & Stacey, a UK show we really enjoyed - which also features a young James Cordon.
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