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LIVE from the Camino My Camino Torres - November 2024

David Tallan said:
In general, something that today reminded me of is that the Camino is much more enjoyable when you take it slowly and relaxed and focus less on speed and hurrying somewhere.
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A Danish poet (Piet Hein), once said, over a newly filled grave:

"So, this was where you were going, you hasty one?"...
 
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henrythedog said:
That is extraordinary. It makes my sketchy hand written notes look like a pre-school project.

Have you done other routes?
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Every route I walked and some that I haven't yet walked. They come in different formats. I used to write whole text (like the Viejo guide), print all the files and have them bound in a book (my 2012 guide weighted half a kilo!). but I don't have so much time anymore and now mostly do the itinerary spreadsheet-like files (like this year's Gebenennsis et co.). Every route is usually also accompanied by an accommodation list. You can find some of all types in my resources.

(yes, I know I have a problem and I don't care. . and now I am gonna stop cause I have usurped David's thread a bit too much.)
 
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henrythedog said:
Have you done other routes?
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I know @caminka does not like to toot her own horn, so I’ll do it for her. She has a large number of Resources, all of which involve very detailed info of all sorts. Check out the list.

Oops, I see that she did mention her other caminos, but I’ll leave this post up because the link will take you to a list of all of the Resources she has posted.
 
Camino Chrissy said:
David, I figured this out for myself a long time ago and diligently stick with it.
I'm loving your pictures, including all of that wonderful blue sky you are having. Are the temps coinciding nicely with it?
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Temps have been surprisingly warm. There was quite a cold snap in October. Those who followed my Hospitalero thread may recall an excursion with friends to a nearby pueblo canvelled due to snow at our destination. That made me second guess what I had brought for cold weather. "If it is this cold now," I thought, "what will it be like a month later further north?" So instead of sending my newly acquired University of Salamanca hoodie ahead to Santiago, I took it with me as an extra layer option.

Big mistake. Most of my walking has just been in a single layer (tee shirt).
 
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Sometimes I have withdrawals and it feels soo good when someone asks about my caminos. *insert angely smily*
 
There is absolutely no need to blush, @caminka! This is an absolutely marvellous resource that you've put together, and it will be a great help for future pilgrims on the Torres. Over the years I've provided quite a lot of practical information on two of my favourite caminos, the Camino de Invierno and the Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros, but compared to you I'm a complete novice.

I reckon that Ivar should award you a prize for sharing all this invaluable information!

Thank you so much! Y Buen Camino!
 
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David Tallan said:
Then I went to see the nice, Romanesque church. I could see the facade, but it was locked up tight.
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Paulo Almeida has published that the largest image of the six found on the main facade, the one with a "zurrón"(I’m not sure of the correct term in English: ¿pilgrim's bag/satchel?) is the oldest sculptural representation of Saint James known in Portugal. This is the central figure of the three on the right.
It can be distinguished in your photograph.
 
The middle one here?
 
Tuesday 12 November 2024, Vila da Ponte - Beira Valente

It was quite a pleasant walk today. It started with a steady climb through a number of switchbacks heading towards the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Necessities, on top of a nearby mountain overlooking Vila da Ponte. Of course, the Camino route takes you there. Actually, it doesn't take you all the way there. It passes by just short of the top. So when I got to the intersection, I was faced with a choice: keep going, or keep climbing as I had been for another couple of switchbacks. I chose the third option: leave my backpack at the intersection and visit the Sanctuary and Miradouro without it. The view was really quite stupendous.

A little later, I stopped for a bathroom break at a cafe in one of the villages I passed through today. My sister, the doctor, has suggested I expand my diet from the BART + soup I've been trying to stick to, to something more substantial. Just avoid spicy foods, she says. Well, the cafe happened to have the first pasteis de nata I've seen since entering Portugal, so I had one of those.

There was a lot more pavement and cobblestones setts on the route today. The use of the setts has been expanding from just in the villages to also around the neighboring farms. Still not as prevalent as I remember from some parts of the Portugues, but I am seeing more of it.

Yesterday, and even more today, I've also been seeing more olive groves. At the start of the Torres, the agriculture seemed to centre more around livestock. Over the last few days, that has changed. There are a lot fewer farm animals. The focus is more on what you grow than what you raise.

When I got to Moimenta da Beira, I decided to stop in a pharmacy. I told him that the loperamide didn't seem to be doing anything and was there anything he could suggest? He strongly recommended sachets you take daily after a meal (lunch or dinner). I got him to recommend a local restaurant, a basement place as it turned out and went there for lunch: frango asado, rice, fries, and a slice of apple tart for dessert. I had a sachet (mixed with a little water) at the end of the meal. And I've gotta say. I have been starting to notice a significant difference. On the way out of Moimenta da Beira, I stopped at the supermarket to get something for supper. I knew that the albergue here in Beira Valente has a nice kitchen, but there are no other food options.

The last 4 km to Beira Valente were also quite pleasant. None of the sweeping vistas that had presented themselves at times earlier, but a nice country walk, more often than earlier off pavement or stones.

The albergue here is a nice looking albergue in an old schoolhouse (there is still a blackboard on the wall in the dorm - it was behind me when I took a photo of the room), with a fully appointed kitchen. It is a hands-off arrangement. You find the key (I was told the location be the previous pilgrim) and let yourself in. Then you stamp your credencial, fill in your registry page and leave the required amount "hidden" in the book (since there is a note telling you where to put the money, it is hardly hidden).

Since I got here it has just been a relaxing time. I may try to go to bed early and leave a little earlier tomorrow. It looks to be a bit of a longer, tougher, day.

Photos: view from the Miradouro, a couple of other expansive vistas, a walk through the woods, a cross in the wall, the albergue dorm room.
 
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David Tallan said:
I got him to recommend a local restaurant, a basement place as it turned out and went there for lunch: frango asado, rice, fries, and a slice of apple tart for dessert.
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I think I first got a restaurant recommendation from the pharmacist in Bandeira on the Sanabrés. Since then, I have done that many times over and have never been disappointed. I have occasionally wondered why it would be that pharmacists would regularly have good restaurant recommendations— I don’t have a theory, but I have rock solid results! And I hope his pharmaceutical recommendations were as spot on as his restaurant suggestion!

The albergue had some locally made wine when I was there two years ago. Maybe not good for your stomach, unfortunately. And the key used to be in a much more complicated place than it is now, so be glad you didn’t have to go hunting for a buraco with a gancho.

Loving the memories - I have the same picture of the cross!
 
You are coming up to the heavily asphalted parts of the Torres in the next few days. Hopefully your toe is up for it!
 
Thank you. Geira is one of the next on my list (the other is Olvidado) so I will be combing through your notes and comment on the forum.

David, are you continuing on the Geira? I am a bit bogged down with stuff for the next two weeks, but I could try and squeeze it in and see how far I can come before you catch up?
 
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Hi David
I'm wondering about your foot and think you should see a Doctor, even though you talk to your sister. I walked for many days with One swollen foot (no injury) and found yes as I walked the pain eased and I accepted it. In the Meseta a volunteer Red Cross ambulance were helping pilgrims and I thought I would ask. They stuck a BIG needle in to the sole and drew out lots of Matter! turns out I had a blood infection and it would not have gone away, Many times we are told that taking pain medications can mask a true state of affairs. I do hope your foot heals and admire your fortitude but I think with the stomach issues now you need it sorted. Its so hard to stop once you are walking I know. (Camino Torres sounds great as did Salamanca volunteering).
 
Continuing on Geira is the plan.
 
I accept that is a possibility. Certainly if it spreads or gets worse, I will look to see someone. But if it doesn't, and is still the same when my Camino is done, I think I am probably better off taking it to my own doctor, with whom I can communicate more easily.
 
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Wednesday 13 November 2024 Beira Valente to Lamego

It was a long day today, 27.5 km over 8.5 hours (which did, to be fair, include a stop for lunch). I left at about 7:15 and arrived at about 3:45. There were plenty of climbs and descents (more descent than ascent, but still plenty of steep hills to climb). I think I managed okay. But tomorrow is going to be longer and tougher. I expect I will be able to make it, though.

It was also a cold day today, or colder than usual. I didn't take my puffy jacket off at all during the day, and in the early morning, I also put a spare pair of socks on my hands. My phone said it was 3° at that point. It also got quite windy. When I made my first cafe stop for second breakfast, they had a nice fire going in their woodburning stove. Fortunately, it was not also raining, at least, not until just as I was arriving at my destination. I think there is less chance of rain tomorrow and it is supposed to warm up a little bit.

With all of the ups and downs today, there were some spectacular views that reminded me most of the Salvador and Primitivo caminos I did last year. It is really hard to capture in a photo, though. It is so big that you want to switch to a wide angle lens to get more and more in the shot. But paradoxically, that just makes it look smaller. Sometimes it works better to zoom in.

In addition to things already mentioned (olive trees, chestnut trees, etc.) there were a lot of apple orchards today. A few at the end had apple trees like I am familiar with, shorter and wider. But many of the large orchards I walked through focused on a different way of shaping the apple tree, guiding the growth with poles and strings like a trellis and keeping them tall and very narrow and planted every evenly in very straight rows.

The first real location of note was Ucanha, where there was a fortified bridge (fortified with a tower on one end). Apparently this was built by the local abbot to ensure the successful collection of tolls. You can climb the tower, and I did.

My next stop was Santo António de Ferreirim, where there is a former Franciscan convent. Attached to the convent is another 12th century tower, which had belonged to the family of the nobles who sponsored the convent. When I saw it ahead of me in the distance I did a bit of a double take, worried that the route had circled me back to Ucanha. There were a lot of changes in direction on today's walk, and it was easy to lose track of which direction I was walking in. For €3 you can tour the church and see the 16th religious art commissioned for it. I spent a bit of time doing that. "No hurry" was my motto today.

I stopped again a couple of villages later, in Britiande, for lunch. I was alerted by @caminka's notes to the presence of restaurants in the village. Since they were a little off the route, I would have completely missed them otherwise. I picked a likely looking one to eat in. When the waitress came to the table, I was told it was pork cheek and mashed potatoes today, was that okay? I don't know if anything else was available (although I think I did see another diner having his pork cheeks with fries). I said it was okay and it was a substantial lunch. I opted for the fruit salad for dessert so that I would have some fruit or veg. It all came to €10, €9 for the lunch and €1 for the dessert. Come to think if it, the waitress may have just been telling me the daily special and there may have been other options. In any case, it worked out fine.

From there, it was walk the final leg into Lamego. I had booked in a place recommended by others, the Residencial Solar da Sé. It is right opposite the cathedral and I had been advised to ask for a room with a balcony overlooking the cathedral. Such a room was duly offered. When I got there, I could see that my request must have given them a chuckle. That entire side of the building is covered in scaffolding and netting.

I looked up what to see in Lamego. Besides the cathedral (of which I have a sort of a view) there is a diocesan museum and a castle. I looked up the closing times for those (6 for the castle and museum, 7 for the cathedral) and decided to have a bit of a rest before seeing things. Unfortunately, closing times did not exactly match what was advertised. The castle, it seems closes at 5. I got to walk around the castle, but with high winds and rain, I didn't want to stick around too long. The cistern part, which people had seemed quite impressed with, I was told was at another location and was already closed.

Then I went to the Museum. The sign outside said it was open until 6, but at 5:30, all the lights were out inside it. The cathedral at least had an open door. And there were a few people inside as well. But it, too, had almost all of the lights off. And it was clear that the tourist visit package was not on offer at this time.

So I came back to my room. It had been my intention to go out again for a supper, but when the time came I found I didn't really have the appetite or the will to gave the rain. So I just stayed inside and wrote this. Next I will probably have a shower and get ready for bed. I negotiated an early breakfast (included) at 7:30 tomorrow, because time will be of more importance. When I wrote the email address I was given for the albergue in Mesão Frio to ask for a bed tomorrow, I was told (by the Tourism Office who replied) that pilgrims are being housed with the bombeiros (volunteer fire fighters). I asked them to let the bombeiros know to expect me. I want to be sure to arrive tomorrow begore the Tourism Office closes, do they can tell me where to go and reassure me that I am expected.

Photos: scenic vista, tower fortifying the bridge, another scenic vista, convent church (does anyone have a clue how that balcony on the right was to be used?), view of my balcony and the cathedral, inside the cathedral 1.5 hours before closing (it was actually much darker than that, the camera automatically compensates).
Note: back to thumbnails
 
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Thursday 14 November 2024, Lamego to Mesão Frio

Today was like yesterday, but more so. More distance, more and steeper hills, even more stunning scenery.

I went to bed early yesterday and got up early. I headed down for breakfast st 7:30, when I was told it would be available and had a nice breakfast. Not a buffet, to be sure, but reasonable, more than a token tiny amount. I hit the road just after quarter to 8.

The Camino route was well marked leaving Lamego, much better marked than is typical within a city. It was, of course, uphill on the way out.

At one point, shortly before Sande, I got the Wikiloc alert that I was leaving the trail. I went back and checked. Sure enough, I had gone straight ahead when the GPS tracks turned sharply left. Had I somehow missed the arrow? No, there it was - pointing straight ahead on the route I had taken. I don't know where that arrow would have taken me, because I put my faith in Luis' tracks and followed them. The other road was going in complete different direction and I didn't see how the two could join up.

Soon after that, I was on a narrow overgrown path between two stone walls headed steeply down when I saw, for the first time on this Camino, both blue and yellow arrows. They were pointing in opposite directions. Surprisingly, I was headed in the direction of the blue arrow (to Fatima) and the yellow arrow (to Santiago) was pointed back the way I had come from. A little later, on a different section of the trail, I saw the same to arrows. This time I was properly following the yellow arrow.

It was around this time that I saw in the distance, in one of the sweeping vistas that characterized the day, one of those huge highway overpass the cross valleys without dipping into them. Of course, it was inevitable that I would walk under that overpass. And later look down on it from a distance on the other side.

At about 9:45 I got to Valdigem, which is on both the Camino Portugues Interior and the Torres. There is a bar not too far from the Camino route but, while the door was open, it was empty and deserted, and it didn't look like there was anything to eat there. Do I gave up on it and returned to the Camino.

At about 11, I arrived at Peso da Régua, where I stopped for about 20 minutes for second breakfast. The next section of the walk was a nice riverside stroll along the Douro (the same river that passes through Porto). Then, as the route turns away from the Douro, was the first brutal, steep uphill climb. I paused at the top for some chocolate and water.

At this point I was just over half way there (16.79/29.38km). But the restaurant of it was much like what came before, climbing and descending, sometimes steeply, amidst beautiful sweeping views.

What else to say about the day. In addition to what we've talked about before, there were starting to be more and more orange trees. Once, I hit the Douro Valley, vineyards started to predominate. Wherever I went there were plenty of dogs who wanted to let me know that they had noticed me and weren't sure of my intentions.

When I finally got to Mesão Frio, it was about 4 pm. I had walked most of the time between sunrise and sunset (especially in the mountains where it takes the sun longer to rise into view and it drops behind the mountains quicker). First stop was the tourist office for a stamp and directions to the bombeiros. They seemed pretty busy with some sort of construction, but one was sent to guide me to the dorm (which I have to myself) and i was left to my devices. After a rest I went out to get a bite to eat and buy a few groceries. Then it was back to the bombeiros, where I spent some time in the social room (where the previous pilgrim had successfully socialized with some of the bombeiros) but no one showed up, so eventually i just went back to the dorm and wrote this.

Photos: view with the overpass; after going under the overpass, crossed over this bridge; starting to see more of these tile houses I remember from my Camino Portugues; bridges over the Douro in Peso da Régua; view after that steep climb from the riverside; more typical views from the day's walk.
 
The Douro Valley is one of my favorite places. I have been there many times as a tourist in a car, but walking through it (even though it was a LOT of asphalt) was something else. It’s beautiful in any season.

That little loop through the canyon (the picture where @chinacat wants to live) was so unbelievable - this little enclave with incredibly difficult access just a few kms from busy roads and tons of people.

Harvest is done, but I wonder if you have seen people in the fields? I was surprised to see that all the picking was done by hand, and most of the people I saw working were Portuguese. I think @amsimoes told me that all Douro grapes are required to be picked by hand, but my memory is fuzzy.
 
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I have seen a few people in the fields, picking grapes and olives, but not many.
 
jungleboy said:
That was one of my favourite days on any camino. Here's a photo selection from the stage:
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@jungleboy, I am not on Instagram, but was allowed to view quite a few of your pictures before I was shut out.
You are a marvelous photographer and I always enjoy the content you share, as well.
P.S. I hope your temporary desk job is going well and that your employer realizes what a "find" he has in you.
 
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Thank you Chrissy, you are always so kind. I don't want to hijack David's thread, so I will send you a DM with an update on the desk job when I get a chance. For now, on with the Torres!
 
Friday 15 November 2024, Mesão Frio to Amarante.

I was up by 6:00 and out by 7:00. I was unsure what to do with the bedding, so I just left it as it was. I did leave a bar of Soma Old School chocolate on the bed as a gift for whoever had to deal with it.

Today's walk wasn't quite as spectacular as yesterday, or quite as long, but the scenery was still nothing to sneeze at. There weren't as many hills, but there was one huge one that dominated the day. After that, with the occasional hiccup, it was all downhill, and mostly not too steep at downhill.

The last couple of days, villages have gotten more numerous. Often, where one village ends, the next begins. And with that, the soundtrack of my Camino has changed a bit. Much of my walking, these days, is accompanied by the barking of dogs. Perhaps they just want attention. Perhaps they aren't too sure of me and my intentions. But they definitely want me to know that they are there.

Something I saw for the first time today, and have seen again and again since that first one, is horreos like the ones in Galicia for storing feed corn.

Like I said, I started around 7 and I stopped at about 10 for second breakfast. Then I had that big hill deal with. I was on the other side of the hill on the way down at noon when it was time to stop for lunch. That is something that has been different on this Camino than on any of my previous Caminos. The idea of stopping for a substantial lunch and then continuing walking into the afternoon. On previous Caminos, either my main meal would be an evening meal, or I would arrive at my destination and eat my main mid-day meal then. But (a) I've been walking later and longer on this Camino and (b) the Spanish mid-day meal seems a little later than the Portuguese one.

After lunch, it was about another hour and a half walking until I made it to Amarante and checked into my centrally located hotel (Des Arts Guest House). They do have dorm rooms, but after last night I was ready to pay a small amount more to upgrade to a private room, which I am very happy with. Then it was immediately over to the church and local art gallery for some sightseeing, and a bit around town (had to see some street art!) before returning to the hotel for a rest. There place has a nice kitchen for guest use, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to a supermarket and get something to cook or heat up or to eat out for supper. The nearest supermarket was a but further than I wanted to go, so I ended up going to a take out churrasqueira and bringing ready to eat food back to the kitchen.

Then I was done for the day. The plan is to leave at 7 or so tomorrow, too. I will be walking a similar distance, but the next day should be a really short one.

Photos: horreo; typical views of the day; yard decoration; terraced fields; hill to climb of the day; cascades; church; street art
 
I think your views have still been beautiful; def nothing to sneeze at. There doesn't need to be gorgeous mountains. Your sweeping views still have lots of texture, and plenty of green foliage, even for November.
There once was a thread started asking for pics of "quirky" things along the way. Your "lady in white" in the garden would be a perfect addition to that thread. Also, the street art picture is outstanding! And who doesn't like a beautiful church.
 
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Love the commentary and the photos David....can't wait to walk it in the spring !
Funny how your "soundtrack has changed" -- really thought you were transcending classical to heavy metal , although some may classify heavy metal akin to barking dogs. Who let the dogs out would be more apt
 
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Saturday 16 November 2024, Amarante - Pombeiro.

I woke up early this morning and was down to collect my breakfast by 7. It was there in its bag with my room number on it, with a nice sandwich, banana, and juice. There was also a staff person behind the desk who offered to get me a coffee and a slice of cake to add to it. I left shortly after 7.

Today's was a gentler walk than the last couple of days. The hills weren't as steep, although the route was by no means flat. The scenery wasn't as spectacular, although it was still very nice.

As I've done the past few days, I made a couple of stops for refreshments, a second breakfast in Lixa at about 10 of a chocolate croissant, a pastel de nata, and some fresh-squeezed orange juice (they had one of those machines). Then a stop for a more substantial lunch just after noon in Felgueiras.

I still hadn't received a reply to my WhatsApp letting the hospitalero in Pombeiro know I was coming, but I decided to just trust and walked on. It was just over an hour more to Pombeiro, which is the village overlooking the monastery. When I got to more or less where the albergue is, I asked around. Soon enough, someone made a call and shortly afterwards told me that if I was willing to wait a bit, someone would let me in.

So I sat around for about an hour reading my library e-loan, which I've been neglecting, when the hospitalero came to let me in and give me the tour. The albergue is located in the former schoolhouse (as many have been). It sleeps 10 (one tonight), no bunks. There is a shower, some toilets, a washing place, and microwave, a coffee maker, hot water, and blankets. It is a free albergue (and I am aware that donativo is not free).

After getting settled in a bit I headed down to the valley to see the monastery. Clearly something was going on, as there was a big crowd of children and their parents. I headed in and joined a tour that was just beginning and being given to a family, from New Jersey as it turns out, but they have been living in Portugal for several years. The tour was in Portuguese, but key parts were passed on in summary translation, either by the guide or by the family. The guide was being engaging, asking questions and pointing unusual things out. (As an example, in the library - currently devoid of books - there is a letter over each of the book cases, in alphabetical order, but a few letters like J and V are missing. The guide asked if anyone could guess why.) Unfortunately, we missed a highlight of the tour, the playing of the organ by the guide, because a mass was starting just as we got to that part of the tour.

I am now in a nearby cafe/bar where there is wifi and I'm getting a soup and sandwich for supper. Then it will probably be back to the albergue for shower, shave, and sleep.

Photos: leaving Amarante; although mostly on pavement, it wasn't all on pavement; another typical scene from the day, note the small fire on the right, a lot of these seem to be lit by locals; and one more view from the walk; the monastery at Pombeiro, the monastery church, not much is left of the Romanesque structure, but you can see some on the left and right behind the symmetrical pulpit, symmetry being very important which is why there is a fake organ facing the real one; the real organ, the real organ behind the scenes.
 
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I suppose the mornings are pretty dark at 7AM thia time of year. I am sitting in Arctic Norway where the sun will soon enough completely leave us by nov 21; The days are mostly dark all time already.

But I have no fear: I am planning my 2025 Camino, and will bathe in the Spanish sun in a few months from now.

What a relief to have this knowledge about the future. (If I get to live into the future).
 
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David Tallan said:
Saturday 16 November 2024, Amarante - Pombeiro.
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Great to see that your aches and gripes seem to have departed. Wonderful account and memories of my recent wander. The scenery is looking more winters.
I stopped here for a lovely pastry and coffee also. Quite a thriving little town. I was in the Pastelaria right by the big blue LIXA sign.
This was one of my favourite stays on the Portuguese section of the Torres. I had a lovely chat with the ‘hospitalero’ and enjoyed my afternoon in the little bar up the road. It seems like you followed my lead.
I was very lucky to be the only one in the Monastery and Bruno kindly played for my. Even without this experience, it’s well worth a tour isn’t it? And right out in the middle of nowhere.
David Tallan said:
I am now in a nearby cafe/bar where there is wifi and I'm getting a soup and sandwich for supper. Then it will probably be back to the albergue for shower, shave, and sleep.
Click to expand...
 
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David Tallan said:
It is a free albergue (and I am aware that donativo is not free).
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I wonder if this is a typical situation for municipal albergues in Portugal. When I was in Bragança last year as a tourist, I spoke with the woman in the tourist office who ran the albergue. I had been given a tour inside by some Spanish pilgrims who were staying there and they had told me it was free. I asked the woman in the office about it and she explained that because of government regulations, it would be extremely cumbersome to follow the bureaucratic rules about municipalities receiving money from private citizens. I didn’t quite get it, but maybe that’s what’s going on.

symmetry being very important which is why there is a fake organ facing the real one; the real organ, the real organ behind the scenes.
Click to expand...

I learned that same tidbit from him, which also explains why the two two keys on the left of your picture of the organ keyboard say “je suit muet” (I am mute in French) and “Io non parlo” (I don’t speak in Italian) - they were just fake keys to preserve the symmetry.

I am assuming that no mention of your feet means they are fine. Fingers crossed that is so!
 
I obviously was tired when reading David's post about the fake organ. I had noticed the keyboards looked very small and I couldn't exactly figure out where the organ bench was as something didn't look right, but thought, "who was I to question" it.
What a duffus I am!
 
Sunday 17 November 2024, Pombeiro - Guimarães.

Today as a shorter day, and one in which I had a decision to make. Not far into the walk, just after crossing the historic Ponte do Arco bridge, I was faced with the choice: go left or go right. The GPS track provided by Luis Quintales was saying "go right". That's the route he suggests, following a cycle path and avoiding traffic, ending with a nice view of the castle. On the other hand, the signage was all saying "go left", and I had been hearing from Leonel Pereira that now is the time to leave the GPS tracks behind and follow the yellow arrows, which would be plentiful. Which way to go?

In the end, what determined my choice was curiosity and distance. I was curious to see who well it was actually marked and whether it could be walked without GPS, and it was a short day so I was ready to take a little risk of getting lost. I went left. Had it been a longer day, I probably would have gone right.

But left I went. I am happy to report that they yellow arrows got me to Guimarães without a single wrong turn or missed turn off. There was once or twice when the arrows disappeared for a bit and invite started to worry if I was still on the right route. I always was. The arrows got me just into Guimarães, within sight of the towers of the Igreja e Oratórios de Nossa Senhora da Consolação e Santos Passos, when I seemed to stop seeing them. But by that point I knew where I was going.

It is hard to compare the two options, because of course, I only walked one. It was cool just to rely on yellow arrows, again and not worry about GPS. It was also a bit scary not having GPS as a comforting backup. I can say that I didn't feel endangered by traffic. Where there was more traffic, there was generally a sidewalk. Where I had to walk on the road, traffic didn't seem heavier or more dangerous than on other days. I'm not sure if this route was longer or steeper. There was definitely some climbing to do, but nothing too strenuous. I don't know what I missed in terms of the view of the castle that Luis talked about, but this route had a pilgrim swing with a very nice view (see photo below).

Guimarães is a very pretty town (at least, the old part, where I am staying). Certainly one of the prettiest on the Torres. I am staying at the youth hostel. I heard that there is a pilgrim discount. I am getting the member discount, which I suspect is equivalent (I became a life member of my national youth hostelling association at age 18). The youth hostel isn't too far away from everything. It is right next to the historic tanning vats, which I can see from my balcony.

After checking in and dropping off my bag, I went for lunch. Leonel had recommended and nearby place that offered great value for money. I will probably head back there this evening. Then I did a busy round of sightseeing: Museo de Alberto Sampaio (a religious art museum in a former church), Church of Nossa Senhora de Olveiro, Palace of the Duques de Bragança (probably my favouriteof the lot), the simple Romanesque Church of São Miguel do Castelo, the Castle of Guimarães, Sociedade Martin Sarmento (archeology museum in a former convent). The Martin Sarmento museum also had an exhibition of contemporary fibre art from Canada on display. There is lots to see in Guimarães. There was at least one art museum I didn't get to, and a church of St. Francis of Assisi, founded when he passed through on his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

After all that I was pretty done and headed back here to my room for a rest. But I did pause a bit in a local park where a group of accordionists, accompanied by percussionists, were playing music. The crowd around them would join in on the choruses, and various couples were dancing to the music.

Photos: Ponte do Arco, early morning view, pilgrim swing, Praça Santiago, tanning vats by the pousada, courtyard of the palace of the Dukes of Bragança, castle, cloister at Martin Sarmento
 
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The photos above, with the small keyboard are of the real organ. You can see the organ bench in the first photo. In the subsequent photo, where he had pulled off the panels to reveal the inner workings of the organ, he put the panels he had taken down onto the bench, so they obscure it. I didn't think to take a picture of the fake organ. I don't think it had a keyboard.
 
Oh my! Now I feel like a "double duffus"!
Shhh, don't tell anyone.
 
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I very much appreciate the tidbit and translation of the organ's French and Italian labels. The technical term for those is 'stop' not key. The stops on an organ open and shut the pressurized air flow to a set of pipes known as a rank. When a key is depressed the air then flows into a pipe (or as many pipes as the number of stops pulled out). This is effected manually directly via a rod that twists and bends its way between the key and pipe. You see the rods in the photo revealing the "inner workings" of the organ. This is how a tracker organ works. Brilliant technology. Organs like this were around for centuries before the discovery of electricity. Pre electricity era all organs were trackers and the pipes sat directly above the keyboard. I had the pleasure of playing several organs like this on the Camino Frances.
 
There was so much done just for symmetry. Besides the two organs and two pulpits, he also pointed out, as an example, the widows going nowhere on one side of the sacristy, just there to provide symmetry with the windows that let in the light.

My foot is much better (knock wood!), with the swelling noticeably reduced. Still not quite back to normal, but much better.
 
Wonderful photos and narrative! Thanks so much for your detailed description, David.

"another typical scene from the day, note the small fire on the right, a lot of these seem to be lit by locals" from Saturday...

It's olive season! Harvest happened just in the last couple of weeks, and casual producers (those growing just for their own household/family's olive-oil needs) often harvest by doing the necessary big prune with the olives still on the branches, and then they strip the branches on the ground. The trees need radical pruning anyway, every year, to keep producing. And working on the ground means everyone in the family can help out. Beating the branches for the fruit is a very tiring process (ask me; we've just done ours!)

Those fires will be the olive prunings being burned in the olive groves. The wood, though green, burns very quickly. Very smoky fires, which is a pain for the neighbourhood, but at least it's over soon.

One tree in an okay year will give about 30-40 kilos of fruit, which when milled will give about 3 litres of olive oil. Essential to the rural Portuguese household!

This year was not a great year in the Ribatejo (where we are) because it was so hot and dry in August. This is our first year harvesting without the property's former owner leading us and showing how it's done. We had a crew of 4, and in 2 intense days in late October, did about 12 or 13 trees. We missed the best moment because of rain; the olives were a bit past their prime.

Results: 292 kg. olives >> 35 litros of azeite (olive oil). Very nice oil, quite peppery. Considered "virgin" but not "extra virgin." Local olives--our trees and most others--are Galega, a Portuguese variety--small, with quite large pits. They produce excellent oil.

We discovered that we had one young tree with quite different olives--the previous owner confirmed it was a different variety. The larger, round and meaty olives from this tree were harvested separately, and have just been salted 5 days and soaked in water to de-bitter for 10 more, and are now being cured with oil, vinegar, herbs, etc. 8 normal and 2 very large jars!

Enough olive talk for one year...back to David and this fastastic caminho...
 
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Monday 18 November, Guimarães to Braga

I've been going to sleep early and getting up early. I guess my body never really switched from Spanish time to Portuguese time. I was awake before 6 and down for breakfast shortly before 7. Instead of having a packed breakfast ready for me, the receptionist just put out the regular breakfast a little early. So I had a nice breakfast and left at around 7:15.

The first part of the walk was fine, but nothing really special. It was mostly on paved roads, through small villages or the suburbs of Guimarães and/or Braga. There were certainly some farms, but it was all pretty standard. There was some nice walking through a park by a river. But nothing exciting. I thought that is what it would be like, mostly paved walking from one town to an even bigger town.

Then the pavement got left behind as the path took me through the forest. That didn't necessarily mean the walk got easier. There was a very stony climb that went on and on and on. And then I got to the big navigation challenge of the day.

Right after the Sanctuary of Santa Maria Madalena de Falperra, you cross the N309. The GPS tracks from Luis were clear where they wanted me to cross. But there were guardrails on both sides of the road at that point. I didn't feel comfortable jumping the guardrails to cross a relatively busy road, especially where I didn't see a break in the woods indicating a path on the other side. The yellow arrows at least had me go to a point without guardrails to cross, but once I had crossed, I could not find the next yellow arrows. (Leonel later sent me a photo of the next yellow arrow, on a tree behind the guardrail. When you cross the road, you will see there is a path next to that tree. Future pilgrims should look for that tree from the safe side of the road and then cross with or without the guardrail and make their way to that tree and its path. I suspect that will also align well with the GPS tracks.) In any case, it was left on the other side of the road, not having seen any yellow arrows, not on the GPS tracks, with several paths in front of me leading into the woods but none of them marked. What to do?

I eventually just started walking on one of them. It intersected with a path that seemed to head towards the GPS tracks, so I took that path. Eventually I was on some sort of path (human or animal made) that was going close and parallel to the GPS track, in the same direction. Finally, I was able to get them to connect. When I was properly on the GPS path, lo and behold, there were the yellow arrows. All's well that ends well.

Once I was out of the woods, metropolian Braga was spread out before me. I walked almost right up to the cathedral but it was closing in on 1:00, so I decided to check in to the youth hostel and have some lunch first. Then, the cathedral was closed until 2:30, so I decided to visit Bom Jesus first. It isn't exactly downtown, so I took a bus. Then I decided to take the funicular to the top. It is historic, after all: the first built on the Iberian peninsula (1882) and the oldest in service in the world to use the water counterweight system.

After visiting Bom Jesus, I took another bus to visit the cathedral. I needed another credencial, because the one I picked up in Salamanca was almost full. Unfortunately, the cathedral didn't have them, but sent me over to the tourist office. I got one there and brought it back to the cathedral for a first stamp (and a visit to see the cathedral).

Then it was back to the youth hostel to finish adding in any missing dates to my Camino Torres credencial and put in the information at the beginning of my Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros credencial. After that, a shower and some laundry. There was a bit of a panic when I thought I had left my passport/credencials/etc. in my pants in the washing machine (which could not be paused or stopped until it was done). It turned out, I had left them on my bed (still not something I really want to do, but as it turned out, not nearly as bad as the washing machine would have been - I don't think that ziplock is really waterproof any more).

Meanwhile, I have been reading up some of my materials on the Geira. Soon it will be time for bed. Tomorrow is a new Camino (to be reported on in a new thread in the correct subforum).

Photos: where the day's walk started, at the site of the former Church of Santiago in Guimarães, typical scenes from the first part of the walk, leaving the pavement behind and heading uphill, on my own path in the woods, rejoining the route for a view of Braga, Bom Jesus do Monte (these were just a few of the stairs, there were many more climbing the mountain through the woods to this part - of course, I only saw them on the way down), street art by the youth hostel.
 
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David: "... I had left them on my bed ..."

Me if I had done that: "Aaaaaaaaahhhh! No no no no no no no!"

-----

I have a theory that the Great Overseer keeps track of people's characters and, when they err, sometimes puts his/her thumb on the appropriate side of the scales. Perhaps that is what occurred. Anyway, I am glad that all turned out well for you.
 
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