Greg's Wanderings

Category: Trail Blog

Once I arrive in Portugal, I hope to provide daily progress of my journey to Santiago de Compostela.

  • Day 14 – Arias to Porto

    Day 14 – Arias to Porto

    Sept. 24

    It’s 11:30 AM as I start today’s blog. I’ve already come 16 km and have less than 10 to reach Porto.   I’m currently taking a break sitting on a bench looking at an old Catholic Church adjacent to a cemetery.

    I just finished a snack consisting of a roll left over from last night’s dinner, some sliced cheese I’ve been carrying for several days in my Tupperware and a fresh tomato I just picked up at a fruit stand a few minutes ago. 

    I have 3 1/2 hours before I am meeting the woman I am renting the apartment from for the next two nights, so I am in no hurry to keep going. 

    Porto is a significant milestone in this journey. On the BuenCamino app I’ve been using, it ends the first portion of the trip. It also represents approximately 60% of the total distance to be traveled. That I have come this far in only two weeks suggest I certainly don’t need two more weeks to get to Santiago as I had originally envisioned so now I have some decisions to make.

    The Camino family I have collected so far will be breaking up – at least temporarily. Some are finishing here in Porto; others are taking the coastal route while I will continue on the central route. The two routes merge together further down the trail, so it won’t necessarily be the last time I see those people.

    And we have WhatsApp to keep in touch with each other and to share photos.  

    The weather, the last few days has been most pleasant each morning has been successively warmer than the previous. When I started hiking today, it was 13 which equates to roughly 56°F. It has been quite breezy, which has made it even more comfortable.

    Most of the walk today has been very urban in nature. There was a brief section of a few hundred meters along an old Roman Road that was pleasant but for the most part it’s been on sidewalks and city streets. Where there are roads that parallel the main highway, the Camino takes the quieter roads, but nonetheless lots and lots of pavement. 

    No sooner did I write those words than I encountered a treat.   I had given up all hope of getting off city streets for the next couple of days when the road surface changed to an old Roman road and started up a hill.   The road became more of a path and before I knew it, I was in the most natural area I think I’ve encountered in Portugal.  This went on for over 3 kilometers, eventually leading down a rocky gully on the other side of the hill and into a residential neighborhood.  

    I’m now just 5km from Porto and two hours from my check in appointment.  

    I stopped at a supermarket and bought a coke, which I’m now enjoying on a bench in the shade of a bus shelter.  

    I met a new guy on the trail today that I’d yet to see before. His name is Quentin and he’s from France.  Unlike the rest of us, he has been camping out along the way. He said he has yet to stay in an alberge. With his hair in a mohawk of dreadlocks, his giant backpack and dirty clothes he looks much more like a PCT through-hiker than your typical pilgrim.

    I’ll sign off for now and talk about Porto tomorrow. 

    On my app, it literally said “old Roman road”
    I finally snagged a photo of Barney on his too small bike.
    Cool mural
    The start of the trail into the woods
    View of Porto from the woods above
    The trail narrows to a rocky ravine
    Porto from across the river
    Bridge crossing over to Porto.

  • Day 13 – Branca to Arias

    Day 13 – Branca to Arias

    Sept 23

    The day ahead promised to be pleasant weather-wise and tonight’s hostel did not have check-in until 3 PM. So I was in no hurry to get on the trail. I slept in till almost 7:30. Our host had a nice breakfast laid out for us and it was a little hard to say goodbye to Paulo and his French volunteer.

    I am writing this segment as I’m taking my 15K break at a café and having an ice cold Coca-Cola. I had stopped at 5K at a café and ran into several people who left earlier than I from our donativo as well as Simon, Paul and Milja who had spent the night a little further up the trail.

    So far today, we have been mainly on sidewalks and pavement, going up and down numerous hills.

    I am trying very hard to resist the urge to look at my phone app and instead rely on the yellow arrows marking our path and common sense as to which way to go when it is unclear. 

    So far that is only got me into trouble one time when I was busy watching kids waiting to catch a bus and missed an intersection where I should’ve turned right. After a few hundred meters of not seeing any arrows I give in to temptation and look at my map. Sure enough, I had missed a turn just before the kids and took the two long sides of the triangle instead of the hypotenuse. 

    I arrived at our hostel at 2:45 – 15 minutes before they open. There is an attached bar, so I order a beer and wait.  In a few minutes, Simon (Australia) joins me.  Then Paul (Germany) and Milja (Finland).  

    I’m sharing a room today with Meelis and Phillipe who only speaks French.   The good news is that we have an attached bathroom and for the first time in three nights I won’t need to get dressed to go outside to access a bathroom. 

    While we’re waiting for the adjacent restaurant to open, Dan, Meelis, Marsa, Ida and I are enjoying the few remaining rays of sunshine on a patio in back of the hostel. 

    Tomorrow, on to Porto and my second rest day.  

    Tiny Library in Branca
    I guess those old stone walls need occasional maintenance
    You can visit the shrine, but know you’ve taken a wrong Camino turn
    My shadow in the N1 highway below
    Pumpkins!
    Part of today’s trek was REALLY close to the train tracks
    The best part of today’s waalk
    I snapped the photo when he looked happy, but he was snarling at me
    Re-cobbling the street
    Church in Oliveira de Azemeis
    An old corn silo. Designed to be mouse proof.
    While the roads were not too busy, some were lacking in the shoulder department
    Church in Sao Joao da Madeira
    Another church in Sao Joao
    My first glimpse of the Atlantic
    Ida, Dan & Marsa trying to find the last rays of sun.
  • The Pilgrims Meal

    The Pilgrims Meal

    Part of the donativo experience is a shared meal prepared by the hospitalero (host). 

    Paulo, our host, with the aid of several of the French people staying here, made our dinner tonight.  A simple meal of a rice & chicken casserole, tossed green salad, bread and wine.  There was lots of everything and a special sponge cake-like dessert.  With dessert, Paulo brought out some homemade orange liqueur made from trees on the property. 

    It was a lovely evening.  Of the 13 of us staying here five speak French almost exclusively, two only spanish.  Five of us converse in English (Dan-New Zealand, Meelis-Estonia, Marsa-Croatia, Ida-Denmark & me).  Then there’s Lena:  born in France, lives on the British Isle of Jersey and married to a Portuguese.  She is able to communicate with everyone and helps keep the conversation going. 

    Paulo’s next batch of liquor. Ready in about a month.
    Paulo gave us each a crocheted heart, done by a local lady
    Meelis pouring wine for the table

  • Day 11 – Sernadelo to Agueda

    Day 11 – Sernadelo to Agueda

    Sept 21

    Last night was such an enjoyable evening.  A few of us went to the supermarket and each bought a bottle of wine and a snack.  We then went back to the alberge and invited others to join us.  We ended up with 10 people sharing 5 bottles.  Together, we represented nine different countries.

    After our social hour, six of us walked to a nearby restaurant. The town we were staying in, is famous for roasted suckling pig, and several of us decided to try it out. It was quite good. More bottles of wine were had and it was a very, very enjoyable evening.

    This morning the temperature felt markedly cooler and for the first time I hiked wearing a jacket. I was one of the first ones out, although not terribly early since today was only a 25 km hike. 

    The route was somewhat boring today.  Most of it on paved roads going through a combination of industrial zones and residential neighborhoods.  Perhaps because it was Sunday, it was challenging to find a place to stop for coffee and I was 17 km into my walk before I found a place. Before I had finished my coffee, I was joined by Nicos,  Lena and Meelis. All of us were heading to the same alberge in the next town down the road.

    Our alberge this evening is charming. I met a group of bicyclists from Brazil and now have met people from every inhabitanted continent on the planet. 

    Several of us decided to utilize the kitchen in the alberge and as I’m typing this, I am cooking up spaghetti.  All the ingredients for dinner for four, including spaghetti, a loaf of bread a tossed green salad and a bottle of wine came to €12. 

    I made due with a tiny kitchen and spices I had to identify by smell and whipped up the spaghetti.  The ultimate compliment was when Nicos, the Italian, asked for seconds and said it was really good.

    Nations represented: UK, Italy, US, Germany, France, Estonia, New Zealand, Australia, Finland
    After our suckling pig feast
    Fog bank this morning
    Long stretches of pavement was the agenda for today
    Gorgeous estate I passed
    Most of the day was walking through industrial zones. Fortunately, it was Sunday, so it was quiet
    I’ve noticed that many advertisements and company slogans have English taglines.
    Our alberge for the night.
    Shoes and boots left behind
    The official greeting crew for the alberge
    Serving up my spaghetti creation
    Enjoying our spaghetti dinner