LIVE from the Camino Here we goooo!

[Cheryl2445]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

 

[Josep Montserrat]

Hi Cheryl,

If God will, I'am going to Central Portugues next May. So I will read all your posts.
Thank you and Bom Caminho.

 

[davejsy]

It's wonderful to read your enthusiasm and how even at this early part of your Camino you are already feeling the magic and beauty that Caminos can offer for those with eyes open. I hope that the remainder of your Camino continues like this as you create memories you and your daughter will have forever.

Just thought though; sometimes what you think isn't for you is actually the very thing that is. It was certainly that way for me. Of all the essential items to pack for a Camino, an open mind and an open heart are the most important (and obviously some clothes).

 

[jfgough]

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Bom Caminho! I plan to start in Porto on late August. I walked the CF last fall and thought that I would be "one and done". After being home about a month I was ready to return.
I wish you guys the best of luck. Make sure to enjoy every step, and look back when you leave a place. I often found that I saw something I missed on my way forward.

 

[Celtic]

Hi, I enjoyed reading your post and wish yous a good journey on the C/P.. I start it solo, on the 27th April from lisbon and also haven't done much training..
It's great that your daughter decided to go with you...
Buen Camino.

 

[BRSmith13]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Buen Camino! My cousin and I (67&77) are flying to Porto 25Apr to tour. Train to Vigo - we have also preplanned and have reservations. We are using caminofacil.net. We are heading towards the espiritual variant - then to Santiago. 115km in 10days. Then 5 days to take in Santiago and Galicia.
Hope your trip is what you are searching for

 

[Cheryl2445]

It's wonderful to read your enthusiasm and how even at this early part of your Camino you are already feeling the magic and beauty that Caminos can offer for those with eyes open. I hope that the remainder of your Camino continues like this as you create memories you and your daughter will have forever.

Just thought though; sometimes what you think isn't for you is actually the very thing that is. It was certainly that way for me. Of all the essential items to pack for a Camino, an open mind and an open heart are the most important (and obviously some clothes).

Thank you so much for this amazing comment. Made me teary. What fantastic advice as we start this Camino.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Bom Caminho! I plan to start in Porto on late August. I walked the CF last fall and thought that I would be "one and done". After being home about a month I was ready to return.
I wish you guys the best of luck. Make sure to enjoy every step, and look back when you leave a place. I often found that I saw something I missed on my way forward.

Thanks so much! We shall remember your advice! Hope your next Camino is a success as well!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Buen Camino! My cousin and I (67&77) are flying to Porto 25Apr to tour. Train to Vigo - we have also preplanned and have reservations. We are using caminofacil.net. We are heading towards the espiritual variant - then to Santiago. 115km in 10days. Then 5 days to take in Santiago and Galicia.
Hope your trip is what you are searching for

Should be a fabulous time to go! I wanted to know how far I had to walk each day, and be assured I’d have a place to go when I arrived. I definitely admire those that are able to just wing it lol.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Hi, I enjoyed reading your post and wish yous a good journey on the C/P.. I start it solo, on the 27th April from lisbon and also haven't done much training..
It's great that your daughter decided to go with you...
Buen Camino.

We’ll see how the lack of training goes lol. Still fine today, but it was a really light day. Tomorrow on the other hand..

 

[Cheryl2445]

What a special Easter! Had a fabulous breakfast prepared by Marta at Maria da Sé, and then decided to start our Camino with Easter Mass at Porto Cathedral. It honestly left me speechless. The amazing organ, the choir, the violins…. Just incredible. We both had chills. Walked outside to start our Camino.

“Head down to the river,” they said.
“Just keep it on the left,” they said.

Technically they’re right. Just know there are many, MANY stairs down to the water, and we may or may not have originally gone the wrong way. It was worth it though, because the fantastic cellist from yesterday was playing “Experience” as we arrived again. Pure magic.

The weather was perfection today. Walking along the waterfront was so beautiful. Many musicians were playing, the restaurants were alive, and the scenery was amazing. I highly recommend leaving Porto this way. We really didn’t find much to be closed today either. Most shops and restaurants were surprisingly open along the route.

We stopped for lunch at Habitat at about the halfway point, and split some amazing sea bass. We loved seeing all the birds at the Observatório de Aves. The ocean views were stunning as well. People were out flying kites, walking dogs, and enjoying the gorgeous weather.

We saw very few pilgrims today, although admittedly we had a late start, since we had stuck around for Mass. Two peregrinas passed us quickly as we were walking. They weren’t friendly, and we realized later, when we actually passed them, that they may have been arguing. This time one was like 30 meters ahead of her friend, and the friend was holding her side and looked absolutely miserable. Sadly, it did not look like things were going well.

We made it to Matisinhos late afternoon. We’re staying at Eurostars tonight. It’s a very nice, clean hotel right on our route, but definitely miss the warmth and personal touch of Maria’s place. They did, however, have Easter candy waiting in our room!

Tomorrow, we make our way to Vila do Conde. The distance is like 14 miles. We both agree we need to lighten our packs for that leg. Feet are thus far holding up, but we are pretty exhausted. It’s a good exhausted tho haha. About to head out for a quick dinner, then we’re packing it in to prepare for tomorrow. Thus far, the experience has been amazing. Bom Camino!

 

[Helenakc]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Hi Cheryl, thanks for your post. I will be starting April 25th and your tips on luggage, hotels and route are very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Keep posting, love to read about your progress. I did the CF last year and just can not stay away!

 

[Johnnyjenga]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Good for you. Buen Camino!

 

[mvanert]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

After ten years my sister, brother and I will be starting in Porto on June 11th. Age has caught up with us and I doubt we'll be staying at many, if any, albergues though I would miss the comraderie that lies therein. Good luck to you and your daughter.

 

[trecile]

Buen Camino @Cheryl2445 . Please continue to post to this thread so that others can easily follow your journey.

 

[senora1]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

I’m hoping you will continue posting and sharing your journey. I will be starting in Porto 5/15. Getting nervous and excited

 

[Cheryl2445]

After ten years my sister, brother and I will be starting in Porto on June 11th. Age has caught up with us and I doubt we'll be staying at many, if any, albergues though I would miss the comraderie that lies therein. Good luck to you and your daughter.

Thanks so much! I’m sure the albergues are an amazing experience. My daughter and I have really enjoyed having somewhere quiet and private to decompress at the end of the day… especially a long day lol. Hope you all have an amazing journey!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day two on the Camino is complete. This round we walked 14 miles (22.5 km), and we both feel it in spades lol. The day started with some rain, but quickly became mostly sunny with a wonderful breeze coming off the ocean.

We checked out of Eurostars this morning. The hotel is well located for the Camino, and very clean and modern, but just impersonal. I was also pretty disappointed that they had no stamp for pilgrims. They suggested we go to the tourist office, but that didn’t open until 1:00. We decided to start walking and see what we could find on our own. We finally happened upon a little coffee shop right by the bridge (Café Internacional), and they had a sign welcoming pilgrims and offering stamps. We had a light breakfast and then they happily gave us our sello.

What a fabulous walk we had today. The powerful ocean landscape, sooo many gorgeous flowers blooming, and all kinds of birds, cats, dogs, snails, a few lizards and beetles (which my daughter saved from the path). Lots of historical sites along the way as well, and we really enjoyed reading about each one. We went shelling for a bit as well, and just made sure to truly take in everything and appreciate the journey. Thank you for that really great advice, @davejsy.

We saw quite a few more pilgrims today. Some were delightful. At the cafe’ this morning, one peregrina helped get my pack zipped. We met a girl walking solo that was also enthused about her walk. Sadly, many that we saw had heads down, sullen expressions, and were not even glancing around at all. All of these amazing things surrounding them and they were missing every single one. I’m guessing they’re going to be quite disappointed by their experience in the end.

We decided to lunch at a place we just happened upon, Pé No Mar. I looked it up and reviews were amazing. They gave us a spectacular table overlooking the ocean. We split some shrimp pasta and chocolate cake, and it was spectacular. Highly recommend!

My daughter wanted a small journal, so we popped into a small store selling them, that also offered pilgrim stamps.. so a little bonus stamp today lol.

One interesting thing that happened today.. I had mentioned that I was doing this walk in honor of my mom and dad. Dad was an avid painter and Mom loved making pinecone wreaths. I still have crates of them, in fact. Anyway, as we’re walking I suddenly find a pine cone next to the path.. then another.. with zero pine trees anywhere nearby. Then later, I find an entire painting sitting off the path in the weeds! Definitely made me feel their presence. There was actually lots of other amazing art along the boardwalk as well if you watched closely for it. So many beautiful and original creations!

Most of the walk was next to the ocean on either cobblestone or boardwalk. About mile 12, things began to get a bit treacherous. Boards were soft or missing. One section had even washed out, and we ended up walking on sand for some time. That was pretty rough on tired feet, but we managed.

Finally arrived in Vila do Conde around 6 pm. We had reservations at Casa do Rio Charm Suites, a beautiful little hotel, where we were given a junior suite with balcony overlooking Praça de República, a beautiful park with flowers blooming, as well as a stunning river view. What a beautiful town.. like stepping back in time. Not much open today, but we found an amazing restaurant close by, Portuguesia. Excellent food and prices.. plus only a very short walk from the room! Other pilgrims were dining there as well!

All in all a wonderful day. We feel very accomplished haha. We were wondering how we would fare after 14 miles, but both are still doing fairly well. I potentially have one blister starting on a toe, but I was able to treat it with hydrocolloid as soon as I felt it coming on. Tomorrow is a super short day. We’re just cutting over to Arcos. Should hopefully take only a few hours, and we can rest up a bit! Thanks so much for the well wishes. Bom Camino!!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Hi Cheryl, thanks for your post. I will be starting April 25th and your tips on luggage, hotels and route are very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Keep posting, love to read about your progress. I did the CF last year and just can not stay away!

Love this! I can definitely see how one could be called to do more than one. The CF! So impressive! Hope you have an amazing experience in Portugal as well.

 

[Josep Montserrat]

Day two on the Camino is complete. This round we walked 14 miles (22.5 km), and we both feel it in spades lol. The day started with some rain, but quickly became mostly sunny with a wonderful breeze coming off the ocean.

We checked out of Eurostars this morning. The hotel is well located for the Camino, and very clean and modern, but just impersonal. I was also pretty disappointed that they had no stamp for pilgrims. They suggested we go to the tourist office, but that didn’t open until 1:00. We decided to start walking and see what we could find on our own. We finally happened upon a little coffee shop right by the bridge (Café Internacional), and they had a sign welcoming pilgrims and offering stamps. We had a light breakfast and then they happily gave us our sello.

What a fabulous walk we had today. The powerful ocean landscape, sooo many gorgeous flowers blooming, and all kinds of birds, cats, dogs, snails, a few lizards and beetles (which my daughter saved from the path). Lots of historical sites along the way as well, and we really enjoyed reading about each one. We went shelling for a bit as well, and just made sure to truly take in everything and appreciate the journey. Thank you for that really great advice, @davejsy.

We saw quite a few more pilgrims today. Some were delightful. At the cafe’ this morning, one peregrina helped get my pack zipped. We met a girl walking solo that was also enthused about her walk. Sadly, many that we saw had heads down, sullen expressions, and were not even glancing around at all. All of these amazing things surrounding them and they were missing every single one. I’m guessing they’re going to be quite disappointed by their experience in the end.

We decided to lunch at a place we just happened upon, Pé No Mar. I looked it up and reviews were amazing. They gave us a spectacular table overlooking the ocean. We split some shrimp pasta and chocolate cake, and it was spectacular. Highly recommend!

My daughter wanted a small journal, so we popped into a small store selling them, that also offered pilgrim stamps.. so a little bonus stamp today lol.

One interesting thing that happened today.. I had mentioned that I was doing this walk in honor of my mom and dad. Dad was an avid painter and Mom loved making pinecone wreaths. I still have crates of them, in fact. Anyway, as we’re walking I suddenly find a pine cone next to the path.. then another.. with zero pine trees anywhere nearby. Then later, I find an entire painting sitting off the path in the weeds! Definitely made me feel their presence. There was actually lots of other amazing art along the boardwalk as well if you watched closely for it. So many beautiful and original creations!

Most of the walk was next to the ocean on either cobblestone or boardwalk. About mile 12, things began to get a bit treacherous. Boards were soft or missing. One section had even washed out, and we ended up walking on sand for some time. That was pretty rough on tired feet, but we managed.

Finally arrived in Vila do Conde around 6 pm. We had reservations at Casa do Rio Charm Suites, a beautiful little hotel, where we were given a junior suite with balcony overlooking Praça de República, a beautiful park with flowers blooming, as well as a stunning river view. What a beautiful town.. like stepping back in time. Not much open today, but we found an amazing restaurant close by, Portuguesia. Excellent food and prices.. plus only a very short walk from the room! Other pilgrims were dining there as well!

All in all a wonderful day. We feel very accomplished haha. We were wondering how we would fare after 14 miles, but both are still doing fairly well. I potentially have one blister starting on a toe, but I was able to treat it with hydrocolloid as soon as I felt it coming on. Tomorrow is a super short day. We’re just cutting over to Arcos. Should hopefully take only a few hours, and we can rest up a bit! Thanks so much for the well wishes. Bom Camino!!

Hi Cheryl,
I'm sorry, I didn`t say to you to visit " Nau e Alfândega Régia de Vila do Conde" - Ship and Royal Customs.
But this may be usefull for the following pilgrims.
Bom Caminho.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Rain, rain and more rain! The temperature was great though and we were well prepared with our thermals and rain suits. We had a wonderful breakfast at Casa do Rios Charm Suites that was included with our room. The fresh croissants and pasteis de nada were fresh and amazing. We both loved this hotel. The charm, the gorgeous room, the view, the location and wonderful breakfast made it a perfect place to stay in Vila do Conde.

We took off in the rain, and my daughter immediately noticed Camino signs. I realized quickly they were pointing in the wrong direction, toward the coast. We were crossing to Arcos. We used Brierley’s directions to make our way. The path there is a series of narrow cobblestone lanes and paths through farmland. There are quite a few areas with nowhere to really walk, so you just need to be aware and hug the edge of the road. There are times that cars are flying by pretty fast.

Camino signs along this path reallllyyy wanted us to go back to the coast lol. I can see how this could easily confuse someone. The walk today had so many gorgeous landscapes. We really enjoyed it, and the rain didn’t dampen our spirits a bit. Enjoyed the beautiful flowers and some sheep. Found some oranges and lemons. Helped a couple snails cross the road lol. We arrived in Arcos around 2, and stopped at the Cafè Barbosa for lunch. We met a pilgrim there, Gloria. She had walked from Lisbon and invited us to join her. We had a good laugh when Google translate told us two of the menu items were “nail on a plate” and “dog meat on bread”. As delicious as those sounded, we finally settled on ham and cheese, along with chocolate croissants. The sandwiches were fresh and so, so good. After we chatted with her a bit, we walked a few doors down to our lodging for the night (where she was staying also), the Villa D’Arcos. Absolutely stunning property with gorgeous gardens and a pool. Belmira greeted us and made our stay absolutely perfect. Our room was beautiful, and included a jacuzzi and a balcony. We discovered quickly that a great deal of our belongings were soaking wet, including our shoes and passports. We set about drying things out as quickly as possible.

Belmira arranged for massages by Edgar, a certified massage therapist. He only charged 50 EU for a whole hour. That was such a treat! She prepared an amazing communal dinner for us and 4 other pilgrims. It was by far the best dinner we’ve had on the Camino: fresh melon & prosciutto, chicken with potatoes, followed by homemade chocolate mousse and 10-year port wine. We had such a great time trading stories with the other pilgrims, and ended up having a 3-1/2 hour dinner!

It’s morning now. We both fell into bed as soon as dinner ended lol. Most everything has finally dried out thankfully. Heading to Barcelos this morning, so we have about a 12 mile day. Still feeling pretty, but I did manage 2 blisters that hopefully won’t give me too many problems. I’m guessing my wet shoes contributed to them. I’m a nurse that specializes in wound care by trade, so there’s that I guess haha. Bom Camino, everyone!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day four took us to Barcelos. Looks like we walked about 14 miles with our detours. Had a wonderful breakfast at Villa D’Arcos, then were on our way. I highly recommend that place. It was a perfect stopover.

The weather was actually beautiful today. We were on our own for a good portion of our journey, and we honestly love the solitude. We came across a clearing about an hour into our journey to Barcelos. So many touching memories left behind by pilgrims. Boots with plants growing in them, photographs, jewelry and bows to name a few. We spent time writing on rocks we found, and left them at the display. We really enjoyed the poetry there as well. It truly epitomized what a Camino is. We then spent time there just soaking it all in as several “pilgrims” trudged by not looking left or right, and just focusing on getting somewhere fast. I try not to judge, but it’s sad that they’re in this extremely special place and are missing so much.

We were all set for lunch in Courel, but then the Camino actually circumnavigated the town. We walked another hour and ended up at the cute Real Café & Restaurant that had an amazing special.. fish, fries, soup, salad, beverage and coffee for 7 euros! They were so nice, and gave us a stamp too!

On we went. We’re holding up pretty well! Again, we didn’t train at all and neither are hikers. I do have the same 2 blisters from my day 2, but with sheep’s wool, betadine and hydrocolloid, they’re doing fine. I do think having a second pair of shoes is really important. My original shoes with an arch support insert cost a fortune (New Balance Fresh Foam), but I think they’re what contributed to my blisters. My second pair, Brooks Ghost 15, have been my preferred pair the last couple of days.

We noted quite a few areas with only a very small berm to walk on next to busy roads on this particular leg. Be very careful. Cars here don’t slow AT ALL for pedestrians.

Everything is blooming here and the landscapes continue to be breathtaking. Saw some beautiful vineyards and landscapes, as well as many gorgeous churches. We were super excited to find a Portuguese Fire Salamander, in addition to a myriad of cats, dogs, snails, honeybees, and one very large slug lol.

We finally made our way across the bridge to Barcelos, and we are staying in the beautiful Casa da Ana Boutique Guest House. Our room is stunning, with stone walls, a small kitchenette, and large enough to sleep at least 5. There is a king in the main bedroom, then 3 singles in an adjacent room. Our room overlooks a courtyard and is so picturesque. We had dinner just up the way at Babette. Food was great, and we appreciated the short walk. We pretty much fell into bed, and just now finished a really nice breakfast, which was included with our room.

On to Balugães!!! Bom Camino!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day 5! 10.2 miles from Barcelos to Balugães, and we are feeling every last one today lol. Woke up fairly early and had a great breakfast, which was included in our room. Began our walk, and were just marveling at how we’d gotten such an early start, when we saw a huge open air market! We had lucked out because it’s only open on Thursdays. My daughter found a hand painted porcelain bird that was exactly like one she had admired at the Portuguesia Restaurant, so she was happy. We looked around for awhile, then started on our way. Today’s route was very well marked, so no need to navigate by anything but the Camino signs. I have every app downloaded on my phone, but the only one I’m personally finding helpful is Wise Pilgrim.

Quite a few areas on roads with little to no walking area, but we just hugged the shoulder. A lot of gorgeous scenery through farms, wooded areas and vineyards. Had lunch at the Arantes Café in Lihó. So good, and an amazing deal for 7 euros, which included a meal of salad, chicken/fish, potatoes and our beverage. We were able to get an extra stamp there as well! There was a pretty church across from her place, but it was closed. One thing I’m noticing is that all of the churches we’ve seen since leaving Porto are closed with no access. That’s been a bit disappointing, but understandable I guess.

We did visit a cemetery today. It was honestly stunning. Literally every grave had enormous fresh arrangements in place and the memorials themselves were very elaborate. We also stopped for a myriad of farm animals.. sheep, goats, dogs, cats… along with every new flowering plant we came across. We’re really trying to take it all in. Today we saw very few pilgrims.. literally only 3. It was a beautiful day to walk too, so that was surprising.

Finally made it to our hotel for the night around 4, Quinta de Cancela. Brierley mentions this one.
Beautiful property that’s actually 500 years old. The gorgeous grounds have orange and lemon trees, and they told us to help ourselves to those. Breakfast is included in the room price, and they had optional dinner available. The dinner is pretty pricey at 28 Euros, but we were both beyond done with walking today, so we opted to eat here. Dinner ended up being excellent. My daughter had the Bacalhau and I had veal. It came with bread, along with vegetables and profiteroles for dessert. Our room is gorgeous, and huge, with rock walls, a king and twin bed, along with a large bathroom with shower and bidet.

Bed soon. We’re headed to Ponte de Lima tomorrow, an 11 mile day. Supposed to be 76F/24C. Bom Camino!

 

[David Tallan]

The open air market you happened upon in Barcelos is the largest in Portugal, and reputed to be one of the largest in Europe. I'm glad you enjoyed it. When I walked my Camino Portugues, I planned things to leave Barcelos on a Thursday morning, too.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

the fantastic cellist from yesterday was playing “Experience” as we arrived again. Pure magic.

I am enjoying your detailed writing of each day on the Portuguese and am reliving some of my own memories in the process.

I had never heard of this song you speak of, so took a look on Youtube and watched an outstanding piano solo of "Experience".

You are in for another treat tomorrow, heading for Ponte de Lima. Enjoy!...Btw, I left my favorite hat on the table at a restaurant we ate in that city in 2019. It is white so if you find it, grab it for me please!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Cheryl2445 , I’m really enjoying your thread, and love how descriptive and appreciative you are. Thanks for taking the time to post

Bom Caminho

 

[Simperegrina]

@Cheryl2445 when you’re heading out of Ponte de Lima tomorrow, keep an eye out for this guy…he has a little place on the Camino route a turn past the bridge, as the route starts to head out of town…

 

[Simperegrina]

I’m hoping you will continue posting and sharing your journey. I will be starting in Porto 5/15. Getting nervous and excited

You’ll have a great time!

 

[Grousedoctor]

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents.

A wonderful daily blog that brings back so many great memories! Two years ago, we did this walk for the second time, but part of our reasoning for this Camino was to honor my wife’s father who had passed away the year before. Walking for him made the Camino extra special. When we reached Santiago, we had the kind people at the Pilgrim’s Office inscribe our Compostelas with the term Vicarie pro and my wife’s father’s name. For us, it’s a pleasant reminder of both this particular Camino as well as the man for whom we walked. Bom Caminho!

 

[Cheryl2445]

The open air market you happened upon in Barcelos is the largest in Portugal, and reputed to be one of the largest in Europe. I'm glad you enjoyed it. When I walked my Camino Portugues, I planned things to leave Barcelos on a Thursday morning, too.

A wonderful daily blog that brings back so many great memories! Two years ago, we did this walk for the second time, but part of our reasoning for this Camino was to honor my wife’s father who had passed away the year before. Walking for him made the Camino extra special. When we reached Santiago, we had the kind people at the Pilgrim’s Office inscribe our Compostelas with the term Vicarie pro and my wife’s father’s name. For us, it’s a pleasant reminder of both this particular Camino as well as the man for whom we walked. Bom Caminho!

Awww I love this! I’m sure that would mean the world to him. What a wonderful way to honor him. Thanks so much for giving me this idea. It would mean a great deal to my parents as well.

 

[Cheryl2445]

@Cheryl2445 , I’m really enjoying your thread, and love how descriptive and appreciative you are. Thanks for taking the time to post

Bom Caminho

Thanks so much! I know how much I enjoyed reading or watching anything I could while planning this pilgrimage. I’m trying to return the favor!

 

[Cheryl2445]

@Cheryl2445 when you’re heading out of Ponte de Lima tomorrow, keep an eye out for this guy…he has a little place on the Camino route a turn past the bridge, as the route starts to head out of town…

View attachment 167390

Thanks so much for the reminder. I couldn’t quite remember what part of the Camino he was on. I sure hope he’s there. He definitely makes it really special.

 

[Cheryl2445]

@Cheryl2445 , I’m really enjoying your thread, and love how descriptive and appreciative you are. Thanks for taking the time to post

Bom Caminho

Thanks so much!

 

[Cheryl2445]

I am enjoying your detailed writing of each day on the Portuguese and am reliving some of my own memories in the process.

I had never heard of this song you speak of, so took a look on Youtube and watched an outstanding piano solo of "Experience".

You are in for another treat tomorrow, heading for Ponte de Lima. Enjoy!...Btw, I left my favorite hat on the table at a restaurant we ate in that city in 2019. It is white so if you find it, grab it for me please!

Thanks so much! You are right! We love Ponte de Lima! Such a beautiful place. I’ll be sure to look out for your hat! Surely it’s still there lol

 

[Cheryl2445]

The open air market you happened upon in Barcelos is the largest in Portugal, and reputed to be one of the largest in Europe. I'm glad you enjoyed it. When I walked my Camino Portugues, I planned things to leave Barcelos on a Thursday morning, too.

I wish I could say I planned it that way lol. We were so lucky. It was indeed HUGE! Thank God we can’t carry much or we would have spent a fortune I’m sure haha.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day 6! Woke up to a wonderful breakfast of fresh bread, ham, cheese, fruit, hot tea and fresh juice at Quinta de Cancela, then were on our way by about 9. We both agree that today’s route was the most beautiful thus far. Every landscape seemed like you were in the middle of a painting. Many people were working their land today, and all were very friendly.

This is honestly such a perfect time of year to go, if you don’t mind occasional rain. We personally love the solitude. There are few pilgrims now since it’s the shoulder season. Today was mostly sunny and in the 70’s. Everything is blooming and lush. The birds are singing and it’s honestly glorious. We ran into a few interesting creatures, including a snake, a large iguana, and a grasshopper laying eggs. A couple of roosters ran to the fence to give us the once-over, and we saw several herds of sheep with babies in tow. We also ran across a beautiful little waterfall not far from the path, and definitely worth some extra steps to go see.

We stopped for lunch a bit off the trail at a place called Cafè Viana. Several other pilgrims stopped in while we were there. They had a special of either pork, an omelette or chicken. My daughter doesn’t generally like meat all that much, but she put two huge cutlets away lol. That was a decent deal at like 14 Euros each, including a couple of Cokes and 2 candy bars.

We came across a beautiful pilgrim tree today with so many trinkets, memories and aspirations. We spent time making our own contributions and really enjoyed reading the ones that were there. We visited a few very pretty churches, but they again were all closed.

Finally arrived in Ponte de Lima. What an incredible entrance to the city through the rows of trees. The views across the river were also stunning. It’s like stepping into a midieval fairy tale. Lots of winding cobblestone streets. We easily found our hotel for the night, Casa da Travessa, a beautiful, highly-rated property in the middle of town, and convenient to everything. They were actually waiting for us outside and so friendly. The room is beautiful, and they gave us a home number in case we have any issues. We then ran to an early dinner at a nearby tapas bar, Ti’Álvaro, then followed that with some delicious gelato at a shop on the way back, Trisabores. Sooo good! It was 7:30 by then, and almost everything was closing. We headed back to the room to prepare for tomorrow. It’ll be our most challenging day.. not only 15 miles to our next hotel, but it’s supposed to rain fairly heavily and we’ll be traversing the mountain with no sticks. Should be fun! I’ll let you know how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

 

[Simperegrina]

Day 6! Woke up to a wonderful breakfast of fresh bread, ham, cheese, fruit, hot tea and fresh juice at Quinta de Cancela, then were on our way by about 9. We both agree that today’s route was the most beautiful thus far. Every landscape seemed like you were in the middle of a painting. Many people were working their land today, and all were very friendly.

This is honestly such a perfect time of year to go, if you don’t mind occasional rain. We personally love the solitude. There are few pilgrims now since it’s the shoulder season. Today was mostly sunny and in the 70’s. Everything is blooming and lush. The birds are singing and it’s honestly glorious. We ran into a few interesting creatures, including a snake, a large iguana, and a grasshopper laying eggs. A couple of roosters ran to the fence to give us the once-over, and we saw several herds of sheep with babies in tow. We also ran across a beautiful little waterfall not far from the path, and definitely worth some extra steps to go see.

We stopped for lunch a bit off the trail at a place called Cafè Viana. Several other pilgrims stopped in while we were there. They had a special of either pork, an omelette or chicken. My daughter doesn’t generally like meat all that much, but she put two huge cutlets away lol. That was a decent deal at like 14 Euros each, including a couple of Cokes and 2 candy bars.

We came across a beautiful pilgrim tree today with so many trinkets, memories and aspirations. We spent time making our own contributions and really enjoyed reading the ones that were there. We visited a few very pretty churches, but they again were all closed.

Finally arrived in Ponte de Lima. What an incredible entrance to the city through the rows of trees. The views across the river were also stunning. It’s like stepping into a midieval fairy tale. Lots of winding cobblestone streets. We easily found our hotel for the night, Casa da Travessa, a beautiful, highly-rated property in the middle of town, and convenient to everything. They were actually waiting for us outside and so friendly. The room is beautiful, and they gave us a home number in case we have any issues. We then ran to an early dinner at a nearby tapas bar, Ti’Álvaro, then followed that with some delicious gelato at a shop on the way back, Trisabores. Sooo good! It was 7:30 by then, and almost everything was closing. We headed back to the room to prepare for tomorrow. It’ll be our most challenging day.. not only 15 miles to our next hotel, but it’s supposed to rain fairly heavily and we’ll be traversing the mountain with no sticks. Should be fun! I’ll let you know how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Just take the climb slowly. You’ll get to the top, and then start the descent, which is easy. At the bottom of it, after a little while further on, look for a bar on the left, with tables and chairs, for a refreshing drink before the final push to Rubaies.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day 7… and what a day it was! We had almost 15 miles to do today, from Ponte de Lima to north of Rubiaes, near Pecene. We had a quick breakfast at the café next to our hotel, then were on our way. We had been given a couple of warnings about this leg, and had predetermined our stops at Café Nunes, about 5 miles in, and then @Simperegrina mentioned a small bar just after descent, and we planned a stop there too (Thank you!)

Just after crossing the river, on our way out of town, we passed the man I had so hoped to see, the woodworker that rings the bell for each pilgrim making their way. It felt so special to receive his blessing, and he gave us sellos as we started on our way. He actually made me teary.

Off we trudged… and we were determined to get out in front of a huge group of kids, as well as several couples, including one on bikes! We were really making good time too.. for all of like 10 minutes haha. The entire path was flooded, and when I say flooded, I mean knee deep! We were surveying the area when 2 other peregrinas approached. Now we all put our heads together for a solution. Meanwhile, the group of kids went right on through it. Water literally up to their knees lol, but totally unphased. We knew that was not our solution.

Julie from Germany climbed on top of the ancient, crumbling wall at the side of the path, but there was a large stone post in her way, so she had to come back. The other peregrina, from Arizona, decided to navigate without shoes or socks. That actually worked fairly well. Julie and my daughter thought they could get across using sticks and then navigating over rocks. They both managed to do it and kept their shoes completely dry. I finally attempted the same thing, but the stick suddenly went down rapidly and I had one leg soaked to the knee.We finally made it. Meanwhile the bikers went.. The only way to traverse it was to carry the bikes then get on and ride. The gentleman went, never looked back, and left his poor partner struggling to hold her bike and navigate the rocks. She looked really soaked. It was a scene! Once we made it across, we tried to find the highest areas to make it down the lane. The whole area had flooding. We finished, and my daughter was almost giddy. She said, “This is the best day yet! I love challenges!” Easy to say with dry feet haha.

We went ahead, and the next few miles weren’t flooded and had many beautiful landscapes. We made it to a clearing that was much different than the other pilgrim memorabilia sites. This one looked almost pagan, with witches hats, creepy dolls, and the like. Several others arrived, and we all marveled at what an odd place it was.

We headed on our way again and finally arrived at the Café Nunes that Brierley and others have mentioned. Had a delicious cheese sandwich and chips, then headed out for the big climb. It wasn’t too bad… at first. We were both wondering why everyone had such a problem with it, and then we hit a very long section of nothing but rocks and steep inclines. Sticks would definitely have come in handy today. At least there was no additional rain this afternoon though!

Heading down was much more fun than heading up. Once we came down the other side, we found the bar on the left, Bar Roulote. Had a couple of Cokes and Snickers Bars, and took a small break. We still needed to make it past Rubiães today, to Cossourado/Pecene. We stopped at a little market along the way, then made our way. This was by far my most exhausting day. No pain really. I was just really dragging after all the inclines. When we looked at our mileage log for today, it was at 15. Thankfully, none of our other days coming up are that long.

We arrived to Casa de Capela. It is indeed a beautiful property. The grounds are gorgeous and they even have a small chapel. We got there just in time to have dinner, met a few new pilgrims (plus saw one we knew from a couple of nights ago, and then headed to our rooms.

Surprisingly, my wet shoes didn’t really cause any new issues today. I had changed hydrocolloid and wool about halfway through the walk today to take care of them. Now I’m sitting here trying to clean these poor shoes. I’m switching them back out for tomorrow. On to Tui! Bom Caminho!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Just take the climb slowly. You’ll get to the top, and then start the descent, which is easy. At the bottom of it, after a little while further on, look for a bar on the left, with tables and chairs, for a refreshing drink before the final push to Rubaies.

Thanks so much for the tip! We stopped at that cute little bar you suggested. Knowing it was there helped keep us going!

 

[Lost Pilgrims]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Bom Camino. What ever way you choose to walk, you will love it.

 

[Lost Pilgrims]

I was originally planning this Camino solo, but my 27-year-old daughter decided it was a journey she was called to make as well. We’re from Indiana in the U.S., and flew in on TAP with a direct flight from EWR. We spent the day in NY before our 1 AM flight.

I have several reasons for my Camino, one of which is to honor both of my parents. I’ve lost them both, and miss them terribly. They would be so excited about this journey. We are currently staying at Maria Da Sé Historic House right by Sé Cathedral. What an incredible welcome to Porto. Maria’s husband picked us up from the airport for 30 Euros and gave us a lovely tour of the city on our way in. When we arrived, Maria surprised us with freshly baked pasteis de nata and port wine. We love them, and the hotel is lovely and perfectly situated.

It’s very rainy in the city at the moment. We were prepared for rain on the Camino, because of the time of year. We both have great rain suits. What we did not bring was an umbrella lol. Ahhh well. We got settled in our room, then headed right out to Sé Cathedral. The rain had stopped and there was an amazing cellist playing outside. The music in that surreal setting literally brought me to tears. We entered the cathedral, and received our first stamp! We then toured the cathedral, which is beyond stunning with so much history. We prayed for a bit, then headed upstairs for a beautiful view. By the time we were finished, it was pouring again. Remember those great rain suits I mentioned? We forgot them since it had stopped raining when we left lol. At least the hotel was close!

Our Camino will be a bit different than the norm. We both have hectic lives back home. I wanted to ensure that my experience was positive. I’ve pre-booked private rooms at hotels along the entire route, instead of albergues. This way, we know exactly what we have to walk each day. We are mostly doing the central route, but have chosen to use the Senda Literal to head from Porto Cathedral to Matosinhos, then to Vila do Conde, where we will cut over to Arcos to meet the Central. We will end in Santiago de Compostela on the 14th, and will spend a couple of days there.

We have not trained one iota to do this. My daughter is in amazing shape. We’ll find out what kind of shape I’m in lol. I’d like to say that while it is quite special to be here for Easter, it brings its own set of challenges. Many restaurants, etc. are closed for the holiday, so things could get interesting for our first couple of days. We’re pretty adaptable, so we’ll figure out something.

With limited options, we ended up at Sé Catedral Restaurant across the street from the cathedral. It was actually really good, and we were able to try the national dish, bacalhau. So good! Headed back around 9:30 this evening. The walk back was so breathtaking, with the narrow cobblestone lanes, and the Cathedral lit up over the city. We were both in awe.

We officially begin our journey tomorrow! We are using Pilbeo, and will only carry day packs with us as we go. I can feel the disapproval already haha. I salute all of you carrying everything and sleeping in one room. It’s just not for me, and I believe this to be a personal journey that can be done in multiple ways. I’ve planned this entire route and all of its stops, and we used this amazing forum to help us plan what we need to bring. We’ll see how it goes! Bom Camino, everyone!

Bom Camino, You will love it

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

The gentleman went, never looked back, and left his poor partner

Pretty poor - no Gentleman that’s for sure!

Love your daughters attitude!

There’s no right or wrong on a flooded path, you all did well, but for safeties sake it’s normally recommended to keep your footwear on. One sharp rock, a little broken glass and your trip could be over.

What I, and many hikers do is remove our socks, traverse carefully, then tip the water out/ dry our feet if possible and put everything back on. (Sandals or your second pair of shoes are of course even better) It’s often safer than trying to balance your way across on stepping stones, as tempting as that may be! Legs, hiking pants dry very quickly.

If you’re wearing wool socks and trail runner’s you’ll be surprised how quickly things dry out. Wet feet are not great, but neither are they as big an issue as many think.

Your writing is so wonderfully descriptive, thank you!

 

[Simperegrina]

Day 7… and what a day it was! We had almost 15 miles to do today, from Ponte de Lima to north of Rubiaes, near Pecene. We had a quick breakfast at the café next to our hotel, then were on our way. We had been given a couple of warnings about this leg, and had predetermined our stops at Café Nunes, about 5 miles in, and then @Simperegrina mentioned a small bar just after descent, and we planned a stop there too (Thank you!)

Just after crossing the river, on our way out of town, we passed the man I had so hoped to see, the woodworker that rings the bell for each pilgrim making their way. It felt so special to receive his blessing, and he gave us sellos as we started on our way. He actually made me teary.

Off we trudged… and we were determined to get out in front of a huge group of kids, as well as several couples, including one on bikes! We were really making good time too.. for all of like 10 minutes haha. The entire path was flooded, and when I say flooded, I mean knee deep! We were surveying the area when 2 other peregrinas approached. Now we all put our heads together for a solution. Meanwhile, the group of kids went right on through it. Water literally up to their knees lol, but totally unphased. We knew that was not our solution.

Julie from Germany climbed on top of the ancient, crumbling wall at the side of the path, but there was a large stone post in her way, so she had to come back. The other peregrina, from Arizona, decided to navigate without shoes or socks. That actually worked fairly well. Julie and my daughter thought they could get across using sticks and then navigating over rocks. They both managed to do it and kept their shoes completely dry. I finally attempted the same thing, but the stick suddenly went down rapidly and I had one leg soaked to the knee.We finally made it. Meanwhile the bikers went.. The only way to traverse it was to carry the bikes then get on and ride. The gentleman went, never looked back, and left his poor partner struggling to hold her bike and navigate the rocks. She looked really soaked. It was a scene! Once we made it across, we tried to find the highest areas to make it down the lane. The whole area had flooding. We finished, and my daughter was almost giddy. She said, “This is the best day yet! I love challenges!” Easy to say with dry feet haha.

We went ahead, and the next few miles weren’t flooded and had many beautiful landscapes. We made it to a clearing that was much different than the other pilgrim memorabilia sites. This one looked almost pagan, with witches hats, creepy dolls, and the like. Several others arrived, and we all marveled at what an odd place it was.

We headed on our way again and finally arrived at the Café Nunes that Brierley and others have mentioned. Had a delicious cheese sandwich and chips, then headed out for the big climb. It wasn’t too bad… at first. We were both wondering why everyone had such a problem with it, and then we hit a very long section of nothing but rocks and steep inclines. Sticks would definitely have come in handy today. At least there was no additional rain this afternoon though!

Heading down was much more fun than heading up. Once we came down the other side, we found the bar on the left, Bar Roulote. Had a couple of Cokes and Snickers Bars, and took a small break. We still needed to make it past Rubiães today, to Cossourado/Pecene. We stopped at a little market along the way, then made our way. This was by far my most exhausting day. No pain really. I was just really dragging after all the inclines. When we looked at our mileage log for today, it was at 15. Thankfully, none of our other days coming up are that long.

We arrived to Casa de Capela. It is indeed a beautiful property. The grounds are gorgeous and they even have a small chapel. We got there just in time to have dinner, met a few new pilgrims (plus saw one we knew from a couple of nights ago, and then headed to our rooms.

Surprisingly, my wet shoes didn’t really cause any new issues today. I had changed hydrocolloid and wool about halfway through the walk today to take care of them. Now I’m sitting here trying to clean these poor shoes. I’m switching them back out for tomorrow. On to Tui! Bom Caminho!

Oh THAT spot. It was flooded too when I got there late Feb. I backtracked, and took the road route around to a bridge, where there was a path down on the left to connect to the Camino route. Added a good 20+ mins

 

[Cheryl2445]

Oh THAT spot. It was flooded too when I got there late Feb. I backtracked, and took the road route around to a bridge, where there was a path down on the left to connect to the Camino route. Added a good 20+ mins

We probably added quite a bit more than 20 minutes with our shenanigans haha… plus my soaked shoes. You definitely did the right thing!

 

[Simperegrina]

Today you’re heading for Tui? I know it’ll be tempting, as it’ll be the end of the day’s walk and Tui is ‘there, across the bridge’, but do save a bit of energy for the citadel in Valenca. It’s fascinating. Maybe a drink near the walls at the top, before following the route down to the bridge…?

 

[Cheryl2445]

Pretty poor - no Gentleman that’s for sure!

Love your daughters attitude!

There’s no right or wrong on a flooded path, you all did well, but for safeties sake it’s normally recommended to keep your footwear on. One sharp rock, a little broken glass and your trip could be over.

What I, and many hikers do is remove our socks, traverse carefully, then tip the water out/ dry our feet if possible and put everything back on. (Sandals or your second pair of shoes are of course even better) It’s often safer than trying to balance your way across on stepping stones, as tempting as that may be! Legs, hiking pants dry very quickly.

If you’re wearing wool socks and trail runner’s you’ll be surprised how quickly things dry out. Wet feet are not great, but neither are they as big an issue as many think.

Your writing is so wonderfully descriptive, thank you!

Thank you so much!

Lol.. He looked super grumpy too. Didn’t look like it was going to be a fun day for her. My daughter and I were musing later about how much worse this particular leg would have been with a bike lol. I would have left mine in the woods.

Removing socks would have been a great idea. I knew not to remove shoes. Some of the rocks looked really sharp, and it was so muddy you couldn’t see the bottom. In parts, people’s sticks went almost to the handle!

I am wearing both merino socks and trail runners. I cleaned them last night and they’re still not quite dry. First lodging with no hair dryer of course lol. I have my 2nd pair of shoes and a new pair of socks on this morning. I’ll get the others dry at the next stop!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Cheryl2445, did you remember to take the insole’s out of the shoes and open the laces up?

As you probably know, stuffing with newspaper helps too.

As for the socks, I normally safety pin them to the outside of my pack whilst walking, they generally finish drying off in a couple of hours. ( Double pin them so you don’t lose one!)

Sorry if I’m teaching you to suck eggs, too much time on my hands!

 

[Cheryl2445]

What a day this turned out to be. We both had a lot of pep in our step as we started day 8. Had a light breakfast at Casa de Capela, and then were on our way. Weather had called for a cloudy day around 60, but the sun was out and it was a warm, beautiful day. We saw almost no other pilgrims (one family on bikes and then 4 others on foot). Not sure if that was because it was a Sunday. Towns were all pretty quiet and closed up as well.

This leg had a combination of forests and towns to go through. Lots of lovely landscapes. Had a couple of hungry ducks visit us, as well as some cute sheep. The trek today was only about 9 miles (15 km), but we planned to end in Tui, so we would be losing an hour as well.

We were making really good time. Finally stopped in a forest glade for a drink and short rest. While there, we noticed a walking stick (a legit one from a tree lol). It was just leaning against a Camino sign. Remember, we haven’t used any sticks this entire walk. We were about to leave, and my daughter suddenly grabbed it, and started marching with it. We were then entertaining ourselves making up marching songs. Suddenly, I noticed a young guy walking towards us, and a car parked to the side. Keep in mind, we were still in the woods, but just outside of Tuído, not quite to the distillery. We gave him our normal, “Bom dia”, and continued on. He weirdly didn’t really respond.

I was just ahead of my daughter. We kept walking and I turned to say something to her, and realized he had switched directions. He was now walking behind her. My gut immediately told me that this wasn’t going to be good. I muttered just loud enough for her to hear, “Speed up and keep your stick.” I turned my head enough to see him in my periphery, and he was getting closer to her. I told her “Walk faster and keep your stick!” I looked to the side again.. and now he was not even a foot behind her! I slowed where I could grab a large rock to hit him with, and let her pass to get her behind me. There he stood, pants down… and you can guess the rest. I screamed some profanities at him. He then weirdly made a gesture of apology, then hurried away, while pulling his pants up. I managed to grab video footage of him. He turned and looked right in my camera twice.

My daughter said later that she could feel that he was right behind her and was just about to spin and hit him with her stick, just before I made my move. I am almost certain he was about to grab her.. and/or worse. I think what stopped him was her clutching that heavy, sharp stick. We were both pretty shaken up. When we came out of the woods, several local women were heading in. I explained what happened, warned them to be extremely careful, and showed them his photo. They were really grateful for the information.

We were both pretty shaken up. I’m almost positive I saw someone else post about having almost this exact same experience recently. I wonder if it’s the same guy. I’m not sure what the rules are here, but I have video and stills of him that I can post or send to the local authorities. I shudder to think what might have happened if she’d been alone.. or hadn’t had that stick. Another peregrina once told us that the Camino always provides, and this proved it to us in spades. My daughter said something just told her she needed to take the stick, then this incident happened not 10 minutes later. Be careful out there, everyone!

On a lighter note, we were reliving the moment and called to tell her dad about it, and the next thing you know, we were in Valenca! We made such great time today. We crossed the bridge into Tui, and said goodbye to Portugal. The incident today did nothing to color our very positive view of Portugal and her people. Creeps are unfortunately everywhere. The views of Tui from the bridge were spectacular as we crossed into Spain. We went through the streets (where all but like 2 bars were closed for the Easter Festival). We finally arrived to the beautiful Parador de Tui. Such a warm reception, and the grounds and views from this place are stunning. I feel like we’re living in a painting. We split some cod for lunch and enjoyed the view, then went up to our room to relax a bit. We want a 2nd stamp today, so plan to head out to dinner later at one of the nearby bars. What a day it has been though. Things could have definitely ended much worse than they did.

 

[Simperegrina]

Oh Cheryl, what a bloody awful experience for you and your daughter. Thank goodness you are both safe.

But how many damned times do we women have to fight for the right to take a journey unthreatened, to be able to feel safe. How many times do we have cause to be thankful for that gut instinct that warns our brains that something’s not right, to be ready to take defensive action. That gut instinct that we seem to have to develop at an unacceptably young age. That gut instinct that told you what you needed to do today to protect your daughter.

I am enraged. I need to put down this tablet for a moment, I think.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Cheryl, I am so, so sorry that you and your daughter had this disgusting experience. I sincerely hope they catch this sick individual, so that nobody else has to go through a similar situation.

I am deeply impressed that you then continued on writing “on a lighter note“ as you put it, and that you are clearly determined not to let it affect your perceptions of your Camino. Respect

May the rest of your Camino be as joyful as the beginning.

Peter

 

[Cheryl2445]

Cheryl, I am so, so sorry that you and your daughter had this disgusting experience. I sincerely hope they catch this sick individual, so that nobody else has to go through a similar situation.

I am deeply impressed that you then continued on writing “on a lighter note“ as you put it, and that you are clearly determined not to let it affect your perceptions of your Camino. Respect

May the rest of your Camino be as joyful as the beginning.

Peter

Thanks so much! Can’t let people like that ruin things. Then they win. We are as positive as ever. Hopefully he’s caught soon. I’m sending my info to the police.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Oh Cheryl, what a bloody awful experience for you and your daughter. Thank goodness you are both safe.

But how many damned times do we women have to fight for the right to take a journey unthreatened, to be able to feel safe. How many times do we have cause to be thankful for that gut instinct that warns our brains that something’s not right, to be ready to take defensive action. That gut instinct that we seem to have to develop at an unacceptably young age. That gut instinct that told you what you needed to do today to protect your daughter.

I am enraged. I need to put down this tablet for a moment, I think.

Thanks so much for the support. That’s so true! I admit I had become a bit more lax than when I’m in the states or honestly anywhere I’ve traveled. Everyone has been so kind and not remotely inappropriate until this one encounter. He knows I have him on camera. I made sure he knew. Hopefully he’s having trouble sleeping tonight!

 

[davejsy]

Thanks so much! Can’t let people like that ruin things. Then they win. We are as positive as ever. Hopefully he’s caught soon. I’m sending my info to the police.

What a unpleasant situation for you both, but so glad it has not dampened your spirits, and your attitude is to be admired. I hope by the time you stride in to Santiago it will be but a distant memory.

 

[Simperegrina]

Ok, Cheryl, another day on the Portugues, and hopefully a day of joy.

Did you stop in that lovely little cafe Ponte das Fevres? Love that place.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Today was one of my absolute favorite days, and also least favorite days, of the Camino lol. We walked around 9 miles from Tui to O Porriño. We left the parador early. Loved it there. We had such a nice stay. It was already pouring when we took off, and I had a little pitstop I was determined to make. I wanted to buy the famous fish cookies from the nuns of the Convento das Clarises. We used google maps and made it to the church, which was beautiful. We stopped in for a bit. Then we went to try to find an entrance to the convent. Lots of pilgrims, many in groups, were in the area and starting on their way. We finally found an unmarked doorway in the aged stone wall and ducked inside to get our bearings. Lo and behold, there was the spinning door with a photo of the cookies on it! We rang the bell, and waited. Suddenly, the turnstile moved, and you could see the shadow of the nun behind it. She spoke to me in Spanish, and I ordered my cookies and placed my money on my side of the turnstile, placed my order in Spanish, the turnstile closed, then spun around, and there was my box of cookies! I was so thrilled to get them. I thanked her and we were on our way. Everyone else rushed by, because there’s literally nothing on the outside to tell you it’s there.

This morning, there were so many people leaving Tui at once. We did meet a wonderful pilgrim from Portugal that was in a huge group walking together. He spoke no English, but we managed to communicate with Spanish and gestures. That was enjoyable. The rain was really driving, and we decided to use a shortcut suggested by Wise Pilgrim. That got us away from the crowd, and we were pretty much on our own for quite awhile. The rain was still coming down fairly hard, and we saw Camino signs to head into the forest. We were having so much fun, and the rain didn’t dampen our spirits a bit.

Suddenly, there was rushing water off to the side.. and then a beautiful clearing with a stone cross and memorabilia left by other pilgrims. We both had rocks to place there, and then had to traverse a flooded, muddy trail. Our feet were soaked by this point. Next we had to cross the rushing water. The only way to do so was over a verrrryyy narrow and slippery log. We made some friends while we worked up the nerve to make the crossing, and somehow all made it across without incident. Afterwards, we suddenly had a burst of energy, and literally ran through the forest like lunatics laughing lol. We might be losing it a tad haha. When we finally made it through, we were so excited to run into a little café, Ponte das Febres. The owner was so nice, and we split a sandwich and some cake there. It was such a great break. Met an amazing peregrina there in her 70’s, from South Africa. She was taking on the Camino solo, and had traveled the world. I love to see women of all ages being active and traveling on their own!

Took off for the rest of our Camino feeling great, but the rain was relentless. We decided we would use Wise Pilgrim’s alternate route to get into O Porriño. The regular path went through the woods and was quite a bit further… likely more beautiful, but also more challenging today. Our route was not pretty at all, and right through an industrial area. Definitely awful in terms of scenery but, at this point, with the nonstop rain, we couldn’t really enjoy views very much anyway.

We made really good time and arrived at Casa en Piedra (Stone House) just after 2:30. This place is amazing. Ultra modern. Two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room, and washer and dryer. She also has everything here.. kitchen stocked, toiletries, etc. The place sleeps 6, so it does feel a bit ridiculous for the 2 of us, but it’s so nice, and we were able to take care of all of our laundry! It’s also right in the middle of town as well, so easy to grab some dinner in town. We stopped for dinner at Restaurante A Francachela, then went to a nearby pasteleria for the best desserts we’ve had since landing in Portugal. We even ran into a couple people we’d met on the Camino today, so that’s was fun! Grabbed fruit at a local stand, then headed back to our apartment to finish laundry and relax. Buen Camiño!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Ok, Cheryl, another day on the Portugues, and hopefully a day of joy.

Did you stop in that lovely little cafe Ponte das Fevres? Love that place.

Hahahaha!!! That is EXACTLY where we stopped today lol. We loved it so much too! It was a very wet, but still wonderful, day!

 

[Simperegrina]

Ok, my tip for tomorrow: when you leave O Porrino, the Camino takes you up into the hills. 6km on from O Porrino you’ll come to the tiny village of Mos. Pop into the museum on the left, then a few yards on from there is the municipal albergue (stayed there in Feb - shout out to @jungleboy, cos I heard about Mos from his Spirit of the Camino podcast). Opposite is a great cafe bar, because on Camino second breakfast is usually a great idea

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day 10! We woke up to a beautiful, cool, sunny morning. We were moving a bit slow, and I’ll admit I was not too excited to walk today. The second half of yesterday in the pouring rain in the industrial area wasn’t particularly fun lol. Today ended up being a really great day in the end!

Had a light breakfast at a super cute little café, Bo Camino, on our way out of town. 10 miles was planned today to Redondela. I told the owners of our apartment there that I anticipated about a 5:30 arrival. We planned to take our time. First stop, Mos! Had a beautiful walk there, and arrived in time for lunch. Went to the great pilgrim store there. Prices were so good, and they even had some finer jewelry pieces. My daughter bought a beautiful ring and earrings there. Had lunch at the little café, talked to several pilgrims we’d met on other days, and then chatted and took a really long break. We were laughing about how late it would be when we finally arrived at Redondela. Let me tell you… We have gotten a LOT faster. We beat our arrival estimate by over 2 hours today lol. At some points, we were doing 15 minute miles. That included stopping and talking in a high pitched voice to each and every creature we come across lol. I admit I was not prepared for all of the inclines after Mos though. I was definitely not pulling a 15 minute mile then!

Some beautiful scenery at Mos and the hour or so coming into Redondela. We were given our codes for entry into our lodging for the night at Atico48. Love this place. Beautiful one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Redondela, on the top floor of the building. Pretty views. Lovely kitchen and dining room. We decided we would eat early and then just relax, but there was literally nothing open for dinner by the time we ventured out around 4. Nothing… We tried like 4 places that were actually open, but for drinks only.Finally went to Vila Bella, and it was so good! Had delicious grilled fish with potatoes and salad. My daughter had a veggie burger. We also stopped at a pasteleria as well. Even with all this walking, I’m scared to look at a scale when I get home lol.

Finally headed home, reviewed our day and are presently relaxing and watching a documentary. Tomorrow we have about 12 miles in store to Pontevedra.

For those that haven’t seen the update to my other post about the sexual predator. I hadn’t heard back so reached out again at the GNR Facebook site. This time they responded, and assured me that the information, video and photos were all being investigated. Hopefully they get this guy taken care of.

 

[Simperegrina]

Glad you had a great day today.

Tomorrow, past Cesantes you climb up and around the O Viso peak, and you’ll have great views to the left of the Ria de Vigo. Hopefully a clear day to make the most of them.

The old town in Pontevedra is nice. If you go to look around the Cathedral, you can collect another sello.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Glad you had a great day today.

Tomorrow, past Cesantes you climb up and around the O Viso peak, and you’ll have great views to the left of the Ria de Vigo. Hopefully a clear day to make the most of them.

The old town in Pontevedra is nice. If you go to look around the Cathedral, you can collect another sello.

Thanks so much for all your hints! They’ve been so helpful! I’d love a sello from the cathedral!

 

[davejsy]

That included stopping and talking in a high pitched voice to each and every creature we come across

Basically me everyday.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

That included stopping and talking in a high pitched voice to each and every creature we come across

Me too, but I limited my high pitched "baby talk" to friendly dogs, and the adorable cute donkeys.
I also talked to the barking scary dogs behind fences, hoping they would stop and wag their tails, but they usually didn't until I fully passed by.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Basically me everyday.

I like cats, but they usually just turned up their noses and walked away...they aren't called "aloof" for nothing. They often left when I'd tried to take their picture.

 

[davejsy]

I like cats, but they usually just turned up their noses and walked away...they aren't called "aloof" for nothing. They often left when I'd tried to take their picture.

I neglected to mention that cats are excluded from my high-pitched noises (unless attacked by one).

 

[Cheryl2445]

Day 11! Today we woke up feeling extremely unmotivated, but knew we had to somehow complete about 14 miles (22 km) from Redondela to Pontevedra.

We went for a light breakfast at the Cafe-Bar Ruada, just up the street from Atico48, and then were on our way. We’ve been strategizing each morning between Brierley’s path and WisePilgrim to try to optimize our routes. Interestingly, sometimes neither follow the traditional Camino markers. We had our route figured, then were on our way. Almost every pilgrim we ran into today seemed to be moving slowly and struggling a bit. We’ve all been at it awhile now lol.

Once we were moving, our motivation slowly returned. Just a ton of inclines today, which definitely is more difficult. We took quite a few breaks today. The best of these was in Arcade at this amazing little restaurant, Restaurante Avenida Arcade. Had the most delicious fresh grilled hake with roasted potatoes and a tomato salad, along with triple chocolate cake. We both agreed it was one of the top meals we’ve had during our time on the Camino. After our long lunch, we were moving so much better.

Interacted with multiple horses, some sheep, and a sweet little cat that I would have loved to take with me. She was so friendly, and literally the first little Spanish cat to give us the time of day lol. A lot of beautiful landscapes today, and lots of time in the woods. Found a beautiful tiny chapel in Bértola that actually gave us a bonus sello today.

We were just outside of Pontevedra when we ran into a pilgrim from South Korea. We liked him immediately. So friendly. He was sitting alone on a bench, and we had actually seen him at the café this morning. We asked how he was doing, and he chuckled and said, “I am not well!” I’m telling you.. It was a rough day today for all haha. We walked with him for a bit and chatted. He then went to find lodging for the night, and we continued to ours.

We FINALLY reached Pontevedra, and what a bustling, vibrant city. I loved it immediately. It was so nice to see everything busy and open as well. Ran into a really great singer on the street outside the cathedral. Spent some time in the cathedral and received yet another sello! (Thank you, @Simperegrina for the idea!). We love getting stamps. We both have to keep count now so we have enough space on our pilgrim passports for all of them! We’re trying to get it totally filled.

At last we reached the Parador de Pontevedra, a 16th century Renaissance palace that was once the residence of the Counts of Maceda. Such a beautiful place. I love anywhere with lots of history. We made it up to our room, and both decided we were beyond done moving for the day. Embarrassingly enough, we used Ubereats and had pizza delivered. It was literally here within 15 minutes. Crazy fast! We had such a fun night here in our beautiful room, popping ibuprofen and eating pizza lol.

Prepping for tomorrow now. They have a huge tub in here, so we’re able to get some heat on these poor abused joints lol. Tomorrow, we hopefully have our normal energy back. We have 11 miles to Caldas de Reis. Buen camiño!

 

[Cheryl2445]

I like cats, but they usually just turned up their noses and walked away...they aren't called "aloof" for nothing. They often left when I'd tried to take their picture.

I had to laugh at this. In the states, we’re both like cat whisperers. Almost any cat will come up to us. Here, and in Portugal, most all have completely ignored us or just given us the side-eye lol. Even if we speak Spanish, they are not impressed at all.

 

[Cheryl2445]

I neglected to mention that cats are excluded from my high-pitched noises (unless attacked by one).

Cats are our favorite actually lol

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Cats are our favorite actually lol

I love cats and had a few special ones growing up. On the Camino they usually usually preferred to ignore me for some unknown reason.

 

[Simperegrina]

You certainly aren’t making do with bocadillos for lunch, Cheryl

So tips for tomorrow: around 4km from Calais de Reis, there’s a short detour to cascades - it really is worth it. And maybe a drink in the old mill house to the right of it that’s now a bar. The other tip is that when you walk across the bridge over the Rio Umia into the town, there’s a restaurant on the right hand side right by the bridge called O Muino. It’s really good.

 

[mustang2actual]

Bom Caminho! I plan to start in Porto on late August. I walked the CF last fall and thought that I would be "one and done". After being home about a month I was ready to return.
I wish you guys the best of luck. Make sure to enjoy every step, and look back when you leave a place. I often found that I saw something I missed on my way forward.

Same here @jfgough , and it looks like the Portuguese will have 2 former CF folks walking it this year

 

[Cheryl2445]

You certainly aren’t making do with bocadillos for lunch, Cheryl

So tips for tomorrow: around 4km from Calais de Reis, there’s a short detour to cascades - it really is worth it. And maybe a drink in the old mill house to the right of it that’s now a bar. The other tip is that when you walk across the bridge over the Rio Umia into the town, there’s a restaurant on the right hand side right by the bridge called O Muino. It’s really good.

Thank you again for the tips!

I was cheese sandwiched out yesterday lol. I loved them in the beginning, but I was dying for real food.

 

[Cheryl2445]

I cannot believe it is already day 12. Time is going so quickly, and it’s really bittersweet. We only have 2-1/4 days of walking left! Today was just over 12 miles (around 20 km) from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis.

We slept in a bit this morning, then decided we would grab a light breakfast on our way out of the city. Let me tell you.. Literally nothing was open! Headed across the bridge.. Still nothing! Knowing we were stopping at the first café we saw had us moving fasttttt! Really fast! Passing pilgrims like they were standing still lol. Little did we know that the first café we would come to would be the one mentioned in Brierley’s book in San Mauro, A Pousada do Peregrino. Did like 5 miles in just over an hour and a half. Food is honestly such a motivator haha. Had a couple of omelettes and drinks, and took a nice long break. Walked not even an hour more, and stopped at a bar for yet another drink! lol.

The weather today was sunny and beautiful, but 80 degrees is rather hot for walking… hence the need for stops. Today, the Camino took us through towns, forests, and next to some busy roads, some of which didn’t have a lot of room for walking. Lots of beautiful scenery along the way, along with some cats, horses, and a very friendly chicken. The first half of our day, we saw a large presence of military personnel on the Camino. That made us feel particularly safe. We would come across them frequently in large groups.

The second half of the day, they’d all disappeared. Since our little incident a few days ago, we’re both a lot more aware and careful than we were prior. The first half of the day, there were quite a few other pilgrims and bikers around as well. The second half of the day, we saw very few. We had another odd incident. We were about to enter a wooded section with road. A car pulled up to go past us. Then, he backed up, then pulled forward again, then finally backed up again. Finally, he parked his car, and sat staring at us. We were hurrying our pace and immediately mapping out where we would run (a nearby manufacturing site that was open) if he got out. Suddenly, a tall, extremely fast-moving pilgrim came up the road and passed the car. As soon as he started talking to us, the guy in the car disappeared. Maybe it was nothing, but the guy’s behavior was definitely concerning.

We decided we were going to cut some miles and avoid the woods for the last 6 or so kilometers. We were both tired of looking over our shoulders. The creep in Tui didn’t remotely come close to ruining our Camino, but he definitely has had an effect.

Crossed the bridge into Caldas de Reis, and made our way to our hotel, the Hotel Roquiño. It was built and occupied in 1800 by the same family that has now totally renovated it and also runs it. It is so quaint, and perfectly located in town. They have an amazing restaurant as well that serves local cuisine. I had grilled chicken and it was fabulous. Our room has a nice balcony overlooking the cobblestone lane below. There are also two amazing pastalerias right across the street! You can preorder breakfast in the evening, and it will be ready at the time you designate!

Current situation: Sipping hot tea and enjoying fresh pastries! Tomorrow.. Padron!

 

[Simperegrina]

Cheryl, I’m sure your guides point it out, but on Sat morning it’s market day in Padron

 

[Cheryl2445]

I’m writing this from the balcony of our 2 bedroom apartment on the building’s top floor here in Padrón. It’s almost 10 PM, and the streets and restaurants are absolutely alive with adults and children alike.

We had preordered breakfast at the Hotel Roquiño last night. It was delicious, and a great way to start the day. We then walked out of town and stuck to the Camino markings today. It was about an 11 mile day total to our accommodations in Padron.

We saw very few pilgrims today, very few people at all actually. It was a very quiet day. It was around 80 F (26 C), and really hot walking. We took more frequent breaks, and really appreciated all of the cooler paths in the woods. Nothing too eventful. Had a lovely lunch at Santa Marińa de Carracedo. Met some pilgrims there that said they had tapped out yesterday and taken a bus because of the heat. I think the secret is just to take time to rest and stay hydrated. Saw a cute miniature pony, a very friendly cat, and a super sweet chihuahua today. Saved a bee and a slug as well lol. Enjoyed all the beautiful blooming flowers and pretty landscapes as well.

Finally arrived into Padron. Interesting entrance to the city on the Camino. Both industrial and rural all at the same time! Arrived to our beautiful apartment that is right in the middle of everything here, MEDA Padrón. It is an enormous 2-bedroom apartment with huge living room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and 2 bedrooms. We love this large balcony as well, complete with sofas and rocking chairs!

Headed out to dinner. Many places didn’t open until 8 pm, but we found one that was serving and rated highly, A Filoxera. Dinner there was so delicious, and also reasonable. The place was packed with locals, but they were able to get us in right away. Afterwards, we grabbed a few snacks for tonight, and then headed back to the apartment.

I was especially exhausted today for some reason, but we are almost there! Tomorrow, we are doing things a bit different than most. We have a 9-1/2 mile day to O Milladoiro. I decided to break that last leg up a bit, so we can arrive in Santiago de Compostela in the morning on Sunday. We then have 2 nights there before taking the bus to Porto on Tuesday evening. Hoping everything goes alright for these last days of our Camino.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Cheryl, I’m sure your guides point it out, but on Sat morning it’s market day in Padron

I actually did not know that! Thanks for letting me know!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Cheryl2445 , do you ever sleep! My goodness, on camino most of us are light's out by 22.00 !

 

[Cheryl2445]

@Cheryl2445 , do you ever sleep! My goodness, on camino most of us are light's out by 22.00 !

I’ve been sleeping like a rock lol. I usually go to bed around midnight, and then I’m up at 8. Tomorrow, we’re up at 7, so I should indeed be in bed lol. I’m trying to get myself motivated to move off of this cozy couch at the moment.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

The advantages of private room’s. In Albergues, you’re lucky if the early riser’s get up at 6 - it’s often earlier. Way, way earlier. With earplugs in and eyemask on, I once woke, at 7.15, to a completely empty Albergue. Which had been nearly full the night before. Other than being briefly woken by the first to rise, around 5.00, I’d managed to, if not sleep, then doze through the rest of the departures…..

 

[Simperegrina]

I still prefer dorms in albergues though. Great way of meeting other pilgrims. There’s something about the whole shared experience. I’m not actually sure that I sleep any better in a private room. Having said that, I like to throw in a private room every now and again, if only so that once in a while I can really spread my stuff out!

 

[Cheryl2445]

I still prefer dorms in albergues though. Great way of meeting other pilgrims. There’s something about the whole shared experience. I’m not actually sure that I sleep any better in a private room. Having said that, I like to throw in a private room every now and again, if only so that once in a while I can really spread my stuff out!

I was brought up an only child, and honestly have to have my own space and a way to escape people. I’m good with a dinner, but then I want to be on my own. My daughter is the same way. I saw one peregrina that felt like I do, but could only afford albergues. She was setting her alarm for 4/5 in the morning to try to get time to herself, and not have to walk with anyone. I felt that to my core. Everyone is very different though! I think most people are only happy with a lot of interaction.

 

[Cheryl2445]

The advantages of private room’s. In Albergues, you’re lucky if the early riser’s get up at 6 - it’s often earlier. Way, way earlier. With earplugs in and eyemask on, I once woke, at 7.15, to a completely empty Albergue. Which had been nearly full the night before. Other than being briefly woken by the first to rise, around 5.00, I’d managed to, if not sleep, then doze through the rest of the departures…..

I probably would have tried more allergies, but I’m way too much of a planner. I wanted to know what I needed to walk each day, and I knew I wanted my own space. To get the private rooms there, you definitely need to be an early arrived, from what others are telling me. The pilgrim we met from South Korea said he was so over the shared bunk spaces. “I don’t want to do that anymore!” he wailed, while laughing. I knew it wasn’t for me, but I can definitely see how for many it’s the only way to go! Sounds like you had it figured out pretty well lol.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I was brought up an only child, and honestly have to have my own space and a way to escape people. I’m good with a dinner, but then I want to be on my own. My daughter is the same way. I saw one peregrina that felt like I do, but could only afford albergues. She was setting her alarm for 4/5 in the morning to try to get time to herself, and not have to walk with anyone. I felt that to my core. Everyone is very different though! I think most people are only happy with a lot of interaction.

My son is exactly the same. Also an only child, and whilst he can survive in Dorm situations (school trips etc) it's very hard on him.

I'm somewhere in the middle. Love being social at times, but seriously need my own space at some point in the day.

 

[Simperegrina]

I was brought up an only child, and honestly have to have my own space and a way to escape people. I’m good with a dinner, but then I want to be on my own. My daughter is the same way. I saw one peregrina that felt like I do, but could only afford albergues. She was setting her alarm for 4/5 in the morning to try to get time to herself, and not have to walk with anyone. I felt that to my core. Everyone is very different though! I think most people are only happy with a lot of interaction.

As people like to say around these ‘ere parts…YMMV

The great thing about at least the most popular Caminos is that people can usually find whatever type of accommodation they prefer (and/or suits their budget)…can be a different story in the more remote Caminos / remote stages, but that’s certainly not the Portugues…

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Sounds like you had it figured out pretty well lol.

Not really, purely a combination of long experience (I've been backpacking - that is, traveling the world staying in hostels - for many years) survival tactics and pure exhaustion.....

Two days later I took a rest day, and booked a private apartment for two nights. Bought food, took it home and spent 16 hours completely totally absolutely alone. Bliss!!

 

[Simperegrina]

My son is exactly the same. Also an only child, and whilst he can survive in Dorm situations (school trips etc) it's very hard on him.

I'm somewhere in the middle. Love being social at times, but seriously need my own space at some point in the day.

For me, the Invierno a few weeks ago hit a real sweet spot. Walked on my own every day except the last one into SdC, but through the course of the Camino met my first fellow pilgrim, then 2nd, finally the 3rd, and where by night 5 there were 4 of us staying in the same albergues. We all walked separately except the final day when 2 of us walked together to SdC. And any combo of 2-5 of us would have dinner or just a drink together each eve. Then we all celebrated together at the end.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Hit the Camino around 9 this morning. This would be our last full day of walking. We were hopeful we could grab breakfast in town before we left, but literally nothing was open. When I went to bed, the whole town was up lol. Honestly, almost nothing was open today on the Camino either, and also once we got to O Milladoiro. We were able to grab a cheese sandwich on the way here, and then had to wait until 7:30 for anything to open that served food. We finished around 8:30, and the town was still almost completely closed up.

The walk today went well, but it was really hot. The time in the shady woods was amazing, but the time on the streets and up the numerous inclines wasn’t as much fun lol. I was very happy we had decided to stay in O Milladoiro tonight. My back was especially happy about that lol. I had just about cancelled and added a 3rd night in Santiago, but my daughter thought a shorter day today sounded stellar as well. We’ll have only a short walk to Santiago now in the morning, and then I’m hoping we’re there early enough for the noon pilgrim’s mass. My guess is we will find little open for breakfast until we hit Santiago.

Lovely walk today. Should have been a 9.2 mile day. Instead, we clocked around 11 miles because someone forgot their walking stick (my daughter) and someone else forgot their sunglasses (me). Some beautiful landscapes and even found a few new flowers to photograph. We also visited a beautiful church, Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Esclavituo. My daughter’s credential is almost full, but she decided this would be one of her 2 sellos for the day. There was a gentleman there to stamp, and he did it super fast and haphazardly. She said she almost passed out. She’s been so meticulous with her stamps lol.

Currently in O Milladoiro for the night at “Habitación Relax”. It’s a highly rated and very nice apartment; however, I definitely didn’t realize that I had rented a bedroom in a shared space. I don’t think the apartment owner is here. Unfortunately, our poor Spanish only let us know that someone named Anna wasn’t home when we arrived. Her mother let us in and showed us around. She was very sweet and the apartment is large and beautiful, but we’ve been holing up in our bedroom, worried we might have to make a few minutes of small talk tonight lol. Yes, I realize we are ridiculous.

The final day of this amazing Camino is tomorrow. I feel many mixed emotions about that, but what an enlightening adventure it has been.

 

[Cheryl2445]

For me, the Invierno a few weeks ago hit a real sweet spot. Walked on my own every day except the last one into SdC, but through the course of the Camino met my first fellow pilgrim, then 2nd, finally the 3rd, and where by night 5 there were 4 of us staying in the same albergues. We all walked separately except the final day when 2 of us walked together to SdC. And any combo of 2-5 of us would have dinner or just a drink together each eve. Then we all celebrated together at the end.

That does sound really nice. I travel solo a lot and love it, but I do think the Camino could get a tad too isolating if you had no interactions. That sounds like a perfect combination of both alone time and camaraderie.

 

[Cheryl2445]

My son is exactly the same. Also an only child, and whilst he can survive in Dorm situations (school trips etc) it's very hard on him.

I'm somewhere in the middle. Love being social at times, but seriously need my own space at some point in the day.

Sounds like you and I are pretty similar. My daughter is much like your son. She’s very adaptable and can live in whatever situation she’s put in. She had roommates her first 2 years of college and it was fine, but she realllllllyyy enjoys time on her own and is not a fan of small talk lol

 

[Cheryl2445]

Not really, purely a combination of long experience (I've been backpacking - that is, traveling the world staying in hostels - for many years) survival tactics and pure exhaustion.....

Two days later I took a rest day, and booked a private apartment for two nights. Bought food, took it home and spent 16 hours completely totally absolutely alone. Bliss!!

I can totally relate to this lol

 

[snowbird]

Nice to read all the psots in this one.

My 11 years old son and I did Camino French last summer and we are doing Porto to Santiago this summer.

 

[Jensjaunt]

I’m writing this from the balcony of our 2 bedroom apartment on the building’s top floor here in Padrón. It’s almost 10 PM, and the streets and restaurants are absolutely alive with adults and children alike.

We had preordered breakfast at the Hotel Roquiño last night. It was delicious, and a great way to start the day. We then walked out of town and stuck to the Camino markings today. It was about an 11 mile day total to our accommodations in Padron.

We saw very few pilgrims today, very few people at all actually. It was a very quiet day. It was around 80 F (26 C), and really hot walking. We took more frequent breaks, and really appreciated all of the cooler paths in the woods. Nothing too eventful. Had a lovely lunch at Santa Marińa de Carracedo. Met some pilgrims there that said they had tapped out yesterday and taken a bus because of the heat. I think the secret is just to take time to rest and stay hydrated. Saw a cute miniature pony, a very friendly cat, and a super sweet chihuahua today. Saved a bee and a slug as well lol. Enjoyed all the beautiful blooming flowers and pretty landscapes as well.

Finally arrived into Padron. Interesting entrance to the city on the Camino. Both industrial and rural all at the same time! Arrived to our beautiful apartment that is right in the middle of everything here, MEDA Padrón. It is an enormous 2-bedroom apartment with huge living room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and 2 bedrooms. We love this large balcony as well, complete with sofas and rocking chairs!

Headed out to dinner. Many places didn’t open until 8 pm, but we found one that was serving and rated highly, A Filoxera. Dinner there was so delicious, and also reasonable. The place was packed with locals, but they were able to get us in right away. Afterwards, we grabbed a few snacks for tonight, and then headed back to the apartment.

I was especially exhausted today for some reason, but we are almost there! Tomorrow, we are doing things a bit different than most. We have a 9-1/2 mile day to O Milladoiro. I decided to break that last leg up a bit, so we can arrive in Santiago de Compostela in the morning on Sunday. We then have 2 nights there before taking the bus to Porto on Tuesday evening. Hoping everything goes alright for these last days of our Camino.

Cheryl - first of all congradulations by the time I post this I think you will be in Santiago! thank you so much for your postings live from the camino Portuguese! I have found it so helpful as I will start the coastal and spiritual variant in around a week and a half, as a solo pilgrim. I am doing my final clothing edits.. and looking at the weather…can you share was it cool on the coast, did you have fog - did you need a fleece or? Anything you wish you had brought? Many thanks! Jen from

 

[senora1]

Same here @jfgough , and it looks like the Portuguese will have 2 former CF folks walking it this year

Maybe more…we CF alumni start May 15 in Porto

 

[Cheryl2445]

We’re here! We’re here! Day 15.. the final day in our Camino, although we are spending a few days in Santiago. We had a nice night in O Milladoiro, but I sure had insomnia. I was ready to go this morning. The 3 miles that Apple Maps said we had turned into 4-1/2 following the Camino signs, but the route was beautiful. I was so so SO happy we had booked the room in O Milladoiro. Today was almost all uphill, and it was nice to have just a short route in.

It is such a beautiful city! The winding cobblestone streets were alive with pilgrims, other people, and most stores were already open! We were walking up the winding lane leading to the cathedral, and suddenly she came into view. I immediately started crying. Just absolutely spectacular, and worth every single step from Porto. Then there were the reunions!! Seeing so many people we had met on our journey was so incredible. It was like a special club we were all in. That brought more tears. Then we headed to the pilgrim office for our Compostelas. We had both managed to fill our credentials with stamps and had already registered prior to our arrival. They were so welcoming and kind there. “Congratulations!!” they shouted, then asked, “You planning to do another Camino?” Too soon to ask maybe haha.

After we had our Compostelas in hand, we walked back to the courtyard and just marveled some more at the amazing Cathedral. I’ve been to the Vatican and La Sagrada Familia. They are indeed amazing, but this was just extra, extra special to me. I was so emotional. As we were facing the Cathedral, I suddenly looked to my left and saw the Parador de Santiago (Hostal de Catolica). I couldn’t believe my eyes! I had booked there for the next 2 nights. I knew it was close, but I had no idea it was basically attached to the cathedral and facing the courtyard! We walked in around noon, and they were so nice. They had a room ready for us immediately. The place is absolutely lovely with several private courtyards, and you’re immediately transported back in time. We both love it, and it’s a perfect reward for all these days of walking (although admittedly we’ve had a pretty nice time while we walked lol).

Freshened up, then went to lunch at a place my daughter had found just a few minute walk from the cathedral, Langrina. The food was fantastic! We had grilled Turbot with asparagus and pureed sweet potatoes with fresh warm bread and a chocolate, hazelnut dessert was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. They were so incredibly nice there as well, and the ambience was perfection, with stone walls and local decor.

Went back to admire the interior of the amazing Cathedral. Our jaws dropped when we entered. Absolute magic. We spent a great deal of time there. We went to hug St. James, and descended down the stairs to pay our respects and see the silver box with his remains. Very sad that the traditions in the portico of Glory are no more. That is completely closed off now. You can access it with a ticket, but you still are not allowed to complete the traditions.

We went to mass tonight at 7:30. We arrived around 6:30 to assure great seating. The botafumeiro of course is still not functional. The ropes aren’t even in place, so it will be awhile. Mass was amazing, but I was disappointed we didn’t get to hear the organ. I can’t even imagine how fantastic it must sound. Afterwards, we ran to dinner at a great Italian restaurant, Bresca. We both ate every speck of our ravioli. It was sooo good!

Walked back to the cathedral, and there was a fantastic band playing in the square. We spent some time there. A big crowd had gathered. Everyone was singing, dancing and having so much fun. It was a great end to a perfect day and a fantastic Camino experience.

Tomorrow, we plan to complete a few more post-Camino traditions that fellow pilgrims told us about, and we have an appointment to get matching tattoos to commemorate our journey.

 

[Cheryl2445]

Cheryl - first of all congradulations by the time I post this I think you will be in Santiago! thank you so much for your postings live from the camino Portuguese! I have found it so helpful as I will start the coastal and spiritual variant in around a week and a half, as a solo pilgrim. I am doing my final clothing edits.. and looking at the weather…can you share was it cool on the coast, did you have fog - did you need a fleece or? Anything you wish you had brought? Many thanks! Jen from

Thanks so much! Weather was pretty cold and rainy when we started out, and now it’s cool in the mornings and evenings, but hot in the afternoons. We checked the weather every day before we walked. Layering is key. If there was any rain in the forecast, we wore or brought our rain jackets and pants. Otherwise, we had super comfy hiking pants that we wore every day. We brought 2 pair. We wore 1/4 zip fleece lined shirts literally every day. We would wear either thin thermal liners under them on cool days or just a dry fit t-shirt on hotter ones. We also brought bucket sun hats, and ended up wearing those often. I brought a lounging set as well, but could have done without it. I used merino wool socks. My daughter swore by her Bombas. We wore mostly black and I was very happy we’d done that. There were some pretty dirty, wet days. I do think 2 pairs of shoes is important. The pair I spent a fortune on ended up being far inferior to the much cheaper Brooks trail runners I bought just days before we left. It was nice being able to go back and forth, especially if one pair was still wet. As far as what I wish I had brought with me, we both agree that either reef walkers or all-weather sandals would have been helpful a few times. The day we were stuck by deep water, we could have put those on and trudged right through it. Also, always carry a dry pair of socks with you lol. Have an amazing Camino!

 

[Cheryl2445]

Nice to read all the psots in this one.

My 11 years old son and I did Camino French last summer and we are doing Porto to Santiago this summer.

If you 2 did the French, I’m guessing the Portuguese will be a breeze. Have an amazing time!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Cheryl2445 , congratulations! (To both of you, of course).
Thank you so much for taking us along with you on your journey. It has been a real pleasure to read your little narrative every day,; to be honest I'm a little sad that you've finished - I'm going to miss to them!
Peter

 

[Josep Montserrat]

We’re here! We’re here! Day 15.. the final day in our Camino, although we are spending a few days in Santiago. We had a nice night in O Milladoiro, but I sure had insomnia. I was ready to go this morning. The 3 miles that Apple Maps said we had turned into 4-1/2 following the Camino signs, but the route was beautiful. I was so so SO happy we had booked the room in O Milladoiro. Today was almost all uphill, and it was nice to have just a short route in.

It is such a beautiful city! The winding cobblestone streets were alive with pilgrims, other people, and most stores were already open! We were walking up the winding lane leading to the cathedral, and suddenly she came into view. I immediately started crying. Just absolutely spectacular, and worth every single step from Porto. Then there were the reunions!! Seeing so many people we had met on our journey was so incredible. It was like a special club we were all in. That brought more tears. Then we headed to the pilgrim office for our Compostelas. We had both managed to fill our credentials with stamps and had already registered prior to our arrival. They were so welcoming and kind there. “Congratulations!!” they shouted, then asked, “You planning to do another Camino?” Too soon to ask maybe haha.

After we had our Compostelas in hand, we walked back to the courtyard and just marveled some more at the amazing Cathedral. I’ve been to the Vatican and La Sagrada Familia. They are indeed amazing, but this was just extra, extra special to me. I was so emotional. As we were facing the Cathedral, I suddenly looked to my left and saw the Parador de Santiago (Hostal de Catolica). I couldn’t believe my eyes! I had booked there for the next 2 nights. I knew it was close, but I had no idea it was basically attached to the cathedral and facing the courtyard! We walked in around noon, and they were so nice. They had a room ready for us immediately. The place is absolutely lovely with several private courtyards, and you’re immediately transported back in time. We both love it, and it’s a perfect reward for all these days of walking (although admittedly we’ve had a pretty nice time while we walked lol).

Freshened up, then went to lunch at a place my daughter had found just a few minute walk from the cathedral, Langrina. The food was fantastic! We had grilled Turbot with asparagus and pureed sweet potatoes with fresh warm bread and a chocolate, hazelnut dessert was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. They were so incredibly nice there as well, and the ambience was perfection, with stone walls and local decor.

Went back to admire the interior of the amazing Cathedral. Our jaws dropped when we entered. Absolute magic. We spent a great deal of time there. We went to hug St. James, and descended down the stairs to pay our respects and see the silver box with his remains. Very sad that the traditions in the portico of Glory are no more. That is completely closed off now. You can access it with a ticket, but you still are not allowed to complete the traditions.

We went to mass tonight at 7:30. We arrived around 6:30 to assure great seating. The botafumeiro of course is still not functional. The ropes aren’t even in place, so it will be awhile. Mass was amazing, but I was disappointed we didn’t get to hear the organ. I can’t even imagine how fantastic it must sound. Afterwards, we ran to dinner at a great Italian restaurant, Bresca. We both ate every speck of our ravioli. It was sooo good!

Walked back to the cathedral, and there was a fantastic band playing in the square. We spent some time there. A big crowd had gathered. Everyone was singing, dancing and having so much fun. It was a great end to a perfect day and a fantastic Camino experience.

Tomorrow, we plan to complete a few more post-Camino traditions that fellow pilgrims told us about, and we have an appointment to get matching tattoos to commemorate our journey.

Hi Cheryl,

I am happy because your Camino has been successful.
I've really enjoyed your chronicle, leg to leg, every day.

Thank you very much.

 

[davejsy]

We’re here! We’re here! Day 15.. the final day in our Camino, although we are spending a few days in Santiago. We had a nice night in O Milladoiro, but I sure had insomnia. I was ready to go this morning. The 3 miles that Apple Maps said we had turned into 4-1/2 following the Camino signs, but the route was beautiful. I was so so SO happy we had booked the room in O Milladoiro. Today was almost all uphill, and it was nice to have just a short route in.

It is such a beautiful city! The winding cobblestone streets were alive with pilgrims, other people, and most stores were already open! We were walking up the winding lane leading to the cathedral, and suddenly she came into view. I immediately started crying. Just absolutely spectacular, and worth every single step from Porto. Then there were the reunions!! Seeing so many people we had met on our journey was so incredible. It was like a special club we were all in. That brought more tears. Then we headed to the pilgrim office for our Compostelas. We had both managed to fill our credentials with stamps and had already registered prior to our arrival. They were so welcoming and kind there. “Congratulations!!” they shouted, then asked, “You planning to do another Camino?” Too soon to ask maybe haha.

After we had our Compostelas in hand, we walked back to the courtyard and just marveled some more at the amazing Cathedral. I’ve been to the Vatican and La Sagrada Familia. They are indeed amazing, but this was just extra, extra special to me. I was so emotional. As we were facing the Cathedral, I suddenly looked to my left and saw the Parador de Santiago (Hostal de Catolica). I couldn’t believe my eyes! I had booked there for the next 2 nights. I knew it was close, but I had no idea it was basically attached to the cathedral and facing the courtyard! We walked in around noon, and they were so nice. They had a room ready for us immediately. The place is absolutely lovely with several private courtyards, and you’re immediately transported back in time. We both love it, and it’s a perfect reward for all these days of walking (although admittedly we’ve had a pretty nice time while we walked lol).

Freshened up, then went to lunch at a place my daughter had found just a few minute walk from the cathedral, Langrina. The food was fantastic! We had grilled Turbot with asparagus and pureed sweet potatoes with fresh warm bread and a chocolate, hazelnut dessert was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. They were so incredibly nice there as well, and the ambience was perfection, with stone walls and local decor.

Went back to admire the interior of the amazing Cathedral. Our jaws dropped when we entered. Absolute magic. We spent a great deal of time there. We went to hug St. James, and descended down the stairs to pay our respects and see the silver box with his remains. Very sad that the traditions in the portico of Glory are no more. That is completely closed off now. You can access it with a ticket, but you still are not allowed to complete the traditions.

We went to mass tonight at 7:30. We arrived around 6:30 to assure great seating. The botafumeiro of course is still not functional. The ropes aren’t even in place, so it will be awhile. Mass was amazing, but I was disappointed we didn’t get to hear the organ. I can’t even imagine how fantastic it must sound. Afterwards, we ran to dinner at a great Italian restaurant, Bresca. We both ate every speck of our ravioli. It was sooo good!

Walked back to the cathedral, and there was a fantastic band playing in the square. We spent some time there. A big crowd had gathered. Everyone was singing, dancing and having so much fun. It was a great end to a perfect day and a fantastic Camino experience.

Tomorrow, we plan to complete a few more post-Camino traditions that fellow pilgrims told us about, and we have an appointment to get matching tattoos to commemorate our journey.

Beautiful Have loved your enthusiasm and how much you have enjoyed this adventure with your daughter. Your enthusiasm conveys just how wonderful a Camino can be.
If not already on your list the pilgrim museum is wonderful, and free for pilgrims.
I hope we all one day get to read about your next Camino.

 

[Jensjaunt]

As you wind down in Santiago - one place to consider is the pilgrim house - I after walking the CF I found the hosts lovely and welcoming, the space quiet and comforting , great as you start integrating the experience. I also had heard you could do a tour up to the roof of the cathedral that had incredible views? Others might know more of this! Buen Camino!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

As you wind down in Santiago - one place to consider is the pilgrim house - I after walking the CF I found the hosts lovely and welcoming, the space quiet and comforting , great as you start integrating the experience. I also had heard you could do a tour up to the roof of the cathedral that had incredible views? Others might know more of this! Buen Camino!

A big "yes" to both things! You have described the Pilgrim House very well as it was my experience too.
The Rooftop tour of the Cathedral is really extra special and outstanding. My first time going, I was able to sign up for the English speaking tour, but I missed out on it my second visit as only Spanish was an option. Even so, it was a great experience to be up so high looking around the city with its 360° views. They now have a tour that also includes the tower which has been opened up in the last year or so.