Dear all,
Well, here I am on the CP and I am typing this on the library computer in Ponte de Lima.
One suggestion for leaving Porto: take the metro to Araujo - some 14km or so from the cathedral.
The metro station is only 500m from the village square, where a cafe will set you up with breakfast for the day. then it is 28km pull to Rates. You get a feeling for leaving a rapidly industrialising city, a gradual move into the country and some thoughts about village conditions. I set off from Araujo at 8.30 and made it to the albergue in Rates at 2pm. All a pleasant way of starting a journey.
Off to San Roque right now
Gyro