Greg's Wanderings

Author: Greg H

  • Day 19 – Corgo to Labruja

    Day 19 – Corgo to Labruja

    Sept 29

    Almost exactly three weeks ago, I walked out my front door and started my Camino adventure. It’s hard to believe that my time here is over half over.

    When I first decided to walk the Camino, I thought I would try to average 15 miles (23km) per day and with 3 rest days approximately a week apart, I would arrive in Santiago in one month from Sept 11 when I stated. Now, after less than 20 days of walking I am a few days ahead of schedule and am contemplating my options.

    My options include diverting and taking the Spiritual Variant; an extended stay in Santiago; continuing my walk to Finisterra (the end of the world according to the Roman’s); more days exploring Lisbon and taking a short flight across to Morocco. I have time to do more than one option, but not enough to do all. As accommodations in Santiago can be challenging, I need to finalize when I plan to arrive in the next day or two.

    I’m currently sitting in a pastry shop about 16km from my end point for the day in Labruja. The hostel for the night doesn’t open until 4 pm, so I’m killing time – and getting a charge on my watch the didn’t set properly on the battery pack last night. I am afraid I’m getting addicted to a morning espresso and a sweet pastry.

    Last night surpassed the night in the donotivo as the most fun so far. Topping off a wonderful dinner with singing songs was really special. It sounds like at least six of us from last night have booked to the same hostel for tonight, so a new Camino family is forming.

    The hike today started late, as Fernanda’s husband Jacinto made everyone breakfast.

    The first 8k has mostly been they a rural landscape punctuated by passing tractors and roadside livestock.

    As I sit here waiting for my watch to charge, various familiar faces have come in. First, Taya & Nuom, the 20-somethings whom have bonded and are walking together since Taya’s mom is having knee problems and is currently traveling by Uber.

    Dave & Tory have just come in, accompanied by Sue, the British woman I walked out of Barcela with yesterday.

    After I left the bakery I passed more countryside and a few villages, all lacking in pilgrim services (cafes, mercados or snack bars).

    I then came to the city of Ponte de Lima, which most guidebooks listed as the destination for the prior stage. Just as I was coming into town, I started having pain in both my right knee and hip. I found a park bench along the Rio Loma and have my legs a long rest.

    By this time, it was past 1 pm and I was getting hungry for lunch. But all the restaurants along the river were fancy and overpriced for this pilgrim. I figured there would be a Cafe down the way soon.

    ‘Soon’ turned out to be two hours later, as the way was devoid of any towns with services. After following the lovely Rio Labruja for about a kilometer, I found an open Cafe with riverside seating.

    My hostel tonight has many familiar faces: Stefan, Ana & I are sharing one room with a new guy, Richard from Belgium. Richard retired from the Army two years ago. He and Ana have a connection in that he served three tours with the UN Peacekeeping forces in Croatia.

    Dave, Tory and Nuom are in the next room with Nina from Germany. Ruth & Taya have a shared double room. Nina may join our Camino family, but Richard is averaging over 55k a day, so he’ll be past us tomorrow.

    Our host Cecile made us a tasty, but simple dinner and a really yummy flan dessert.

    Welcome to Casa da Fernanda
    The courtyard at Fernanda’s
    One of four house dogs at Casa da Fernandas
    Friendly pigs
    Grazing geese
    Sheep in a corner
    Classic Camino countryside
    Chapel of St Benedict. Credited with ridding Portugal of the plague
    Statue of the pilgrim
    Each municipality has its own design for signs
    I am becoming addicted to pastry
    Taya & Nuom walking together
    Our roadside competition
    Rio Lima entering Ponte de Lima
    Huge parkway entering Ponte de Lima
    When it’s not raining, you can walk in the soft ground of the stream bed. If it rains, there is an elevated rock path.
    Rio Labruja had some beautiful waterfalls
    House dog at tonight’s hostel
    This cat loved to store the dog from the rooftop.
    Valley view from the hostel. Tomorrow we cross that hill.

  • Day 18 – Barcelos to Corgo

    Day 18 – Barcelos to Corgo

    Sept 28

    I stayed up late last and was rewarded with a double overtime win for my Ducks.  I turned off the radio at about 4:15 and tried to get some sleep.  At 6:30 the roosters started crowing. So much for sleeping in…

    I still got off to a slow start because I was only going 20 kilometers and my alberge didn’t open until 2 pm. 

    I finally left my hotel about 9 am and walked back through town with a woman named Sue from the UK.  As we neared the center of Barcelos, there was loud music coming from some event going on.  As I got close, I discovered a big bike race getting ready to start with hundreds of cyclists in a shoot getting ready to start.  

    Barcelos is a fairly large city, but the way out of town was mainly on residential streets and being Sunday, traffic was not an issue. 

    Portugal is a country where the  vast majority of people are Catholic, but on Sundays there seem to be many more people at soccer fields or on bike excursions.  I passed many churches and chapels, but only  saw one  with a service going on. 

    My Alberge tonight is Casa da Fernanda.   It is rated as one of the  best Alberges in this Camino. For 35€, you get bed, dinner and breakfast.  And all the wine you can drink.  

    The only familiar face here is Noum, the girl from Isreal.  Our congregation tonight includes individual travelers from Oregon, Washington & California, Australia, Croatia, Isreal and Norway. There are couples from Boston and Paris, a mother-daughter pair from Vancouver BC and two best friends  from St. Louis.  

    In the “it’s a small world” department, Taya, the  daughter from BC, used to date a guy who went to the same high school as Noum in a suburb of Jerusalem.  What are the odds?

    While we wait for our communal meal, Fernanda whipped up a large batch of cod fritters and keeps bringing our pitchers of chilled vino Blanca.  

    Dinner was served at a giant table in their kitchen. Pumpkin soup (from the garden), bread, rice, beans (from the neighbor’s garden), potatoes, beef and salad (from the garden). And lots more wine.

    When the plates, our host brought out a guitar and a songbook. Both Dave & Ruth could play, so they took turns while we all sang.

    A bike race about to start in Barcekos
    See the hill in the distance? When you see a hill on the Camino, chances are you are going over it. Yup.
    This cute little pup was hanging out at a Cafe I stopped at this morning
    Ferns creating an uncover from the eucalyptus
    Follow the yellow brick road
    Swimming hole where 50+ bicyclists stopped
    The most significant impact of last nights rain
    Hanging out at the Alberge
    Fernanda in her kitchen
    Dave leading us on song
    Nuom, Guy, Marie, Brenda, Michael, Dave, Tory, Taya, Greg, Ruth, Marie, Ana, Gina, Laura, Stephan

  • Day 17 – Vilarinho to Barcelos

    Day 17 – Vilarinho to Barcelos

    Sept 27

    After I posted last night’s entry, our host brought out a tray with Port wine and some cakes from a local  bakery.   We learned that she and her husband just opened a second alberge on the Coastal route and so they are each managing one by themselves.  

    We were joined by six people staying in a second building across the street.  At our end of the table was Jeff from Massachusetts and Johan from Munich.  At the other end were four Spaniards from Seville.  

    After the wine, Lena, Ana, Roum and I went down the street to the only cafe open past 7 pm.  The man greeted us and apologized that his wife – the usual cook – had surgery that day and he only knew how to prepare one dish.  We all ordered the beef with French fries.   He did a great job and the meal included a fried egg and a salad.  

    Saturday Morning:

    After a brief stint walking out of town along a paved road, I came to the nicest stretch of the Camino so far.  Pastoral scenes of corn fields in various stages of harvest. The path, a mixture of cobblestone roads, dirt service tracks and some gravel.  For more than 10km just peaceful beauty and two ancient Romanesque bridges. The first dates back to at least 1185 when it is first mentioned in written history.  

    The sky has been overcast and a little ominous.  Tropical storm Gabrielle is spinning offshore, but it’s course is to our south and the forecast here is for rain overnight of less than an inch.  

    The hike continued to be pleasant with very little along busy roads.  In part that was because I chose to take two variants.  I assume the historical Camino in some areas grew up and highways eventually replaced the original routes.  These variants got us off the noisy roads and into more countryside.  

    Tonight, I’m staying in a private room a bit off the Camino.  My Oregon Ducks have a night game against Penn State that starts at 12:30 am Sunday.  I’m going to try to get a few hours rest before my alarm goes off at midnight and will finish my sleep after the game. 

    This gate is all that’s left of what once must have been an estate
    Bridge over river Arcos. Dating back to the 12th Century
    Signs advertising hostels & alberges ahead
    Typical scenery for the day
    Pilgrim rest stop: a bench, fruit, water. A tile sign says “home of a pilgrim “
    My second Romanesque bridge of the day. With the rain forecast for tonight, I’ll bet where I stood for this photo will be under water Sunday.
    In this district, the walls are made of shale. Over the decades, these stones must come up as the fields are plowed
    Is it a milestone if you are measuring kilometers? The first of these I saw, but then every Km today has been so marked.
    In the middle of a forest, I came across this cute park specifically for pilgrims. I took a video as well that I will try to post.
    The service roads were follow are generally quiet. But with harvest in full swing, sometimes things get a little crowded.
    One of the variants I took today went through a forest where eucalyptus were being harvested.
    View from the top of the variant looking down at Barcelos
    A sanctuary at the top of the variant can now be reached road. But at one time, this staircase was the only way.
    Third old bridge of the day. This one entering Barcelos passing over the Rio Cavado.
  • Day 16 – Porto to Vilarinho

    Day 16 – Porto to Vilarinho

    Sept 26

    I didn’t want to get going this morning.  Not sure if it was because of the long walk out of a large city or that I didn’t know when (or if) I would see my Camino family again.  

    I decided to eliminate the first issue by taking a metro part of way out of the city.  

    After my failed attempt at riding the metro in Lisbon, I decided to face the challenge. No problem.  The ticket machine instructions were clear and available in many languages.  For €2.20 a bought a reloadable transit card and a 3-zone fare to get me to Custio.  

    Despite waiting until 9:00, the train was pretty packed, but I was able to find a seat.  

    Getting off at Custio, the road the Camino was following was literally the overpass of the train stop.  After another 5k of walking, I felt like the city was finally being left behind. 

    I’m writing now during my 10k rest at a little cafe.  So far, I’ve seen no familiar faces. I did pass two pilgrims in another cafe speaking French and two girls stopped into the cafe for a pilgrim stamp.  Leslie was from Canada (BC) and had just started today from Porto.  Kelsey was from Dallas, Texas and began in Coimbra last week. 

    I reached my Alberge for the night at 1:40.  They open at 2.  There was one other pilgrim waiting when I arrived and then my friend Lena arrived before the host opened the building. 

    The hostel is nondescript from the outside – a basic rectangle of concrete.  But inside is a nice courtyard and large yard with both sunny and shady areas. 

    I’m in a 3-bunkbed room.  My roommates are Lena; Noam from Israel and Ana from Spain.  I’ve been in co-ed bunk rooms before but this is the first time I’ve been the only guy. 

    Shower taken. Laundry done. Blog almost finished.  Life is good.  

    My train pulling away after getting off in Custio
    13k from Porto and finally some quiet country roads
    We’ll be seeing more cyclists now, as you must ride at least 200km to get your Credential. Porto is 227km, so a logical starting point.
    A quiet natural area as I approach Vilarinho
    Chilling out in the backyard of the hostel