A Day Of Surprises

I just wrote this whole blog and accidentally closed it without saving it. I should cut off my thumb! Well, maybe the second one will have some surprises. 

I walked today from Tui to Porriño, a trek of about 18 km/11 mi, when you add diversions and walking around town it was 25 km/15.5 mi. My feet are tired. I'm waiting for the time when my body gets in shape from the walking and it becomes easier. Of course it is extra hot. I heard today that there is some extraordinary heat wave in Spain.who knew?  I knew it was hot, but it is summer. I also haven't had a full might's sleep in a week. I may have to spend a night in a private room. Half the Pilgrim's don't quiet down and go to sleep until after midnight and the others get up at 4 to beat the heat. Oh well, they told me once, nobody ever died from lack of sleep. 

The walk today was on a new route that went through a lot of farmlands and public open space, and along a lot of rivers and streams. It was quiet and beautiful. I was worried there the may not be cafes, since we weren't going through towns. About 7 km out I came to a building with the outline of a cafe cup with steam. I thought Thea's a little weird, but maybe there is a cafe in the area. The trail went along side the building  and there I found a lovely garden cafe, complete with chickens and sheep. The had sandwiches, drinks, fruit, pastries and all kinds of treat. It was quite obviously a family enterprise with grandma cooking, daughter serving and translating about six or seven languages, and the grandchildren acting as bus boys and girl, sous chefs, and general gofers. It was just one of those little Csmino surprises. Here are pictures:

There were several cafes, but none as special as this one. 

Another one of those little moments happened when I stopped to watch a sheppardess and her sheep. I love watching sheep. As I started to walk away she waved and said Buen Camino. 

I lost my hat. It had belong to my husband and then I started wearing it about 5 years ago. It was wearing out and the top was all ripped up because the fabric had been worn thin. I loved that hat. 

Well, after a day of glaring sunlight that made it hard to see, I decided in the next big town I needed to find a store to buy a hat. Just after I had this thought I walked by an accessory store, you know the kind, that sells scarves, jewelry, and yes hats. So I found one that I think will work.

 

I went to a cafe and had a Tortilla Francesa, which is basically a cheese omelet, French fries, a salas and a soda for 5€. As I was eating, a bag pipe procession went by in the plaza. 

They are having a fiesta in this town all week all week end with music, dancing, entertainment; and if it's like other fiestas I experienced on the Camino, a lot of drunken teenage gets wandering the streets in the morning. One year a group of drunk boys thought it would be fun to grab Mr Burple out of my pack. As one kid was pulling on him I turned like a mother lion, walking sticks poised to strike and shouted ¡Basta! Basically that means enough or cut it out. It was a traumatic experience and left emotional scars. ;) Maybe Mr Burple will ride inside the pack tomorrow morning. 

Well, it's 11:30 and things hace quieted down. Time to sleep. 

A Day Of Ups And Downs

I Today I walked from Rubiāes, Portugal to Tui, Spain, about 12 miles or 20 Km. The dramatic moments are walking across the Rio Minho on a bridge. I guess the boundary is somewhere in this river:

Trains run on the top of the bridge, on the bottom there is a separate walkways for pedd on either side an the cars go down the middle. 

The day started out having breakfast with a cat. Apparently the cat just roams in and out of the Albergue and has fleas. One of the women from Holland had multiple bites. But the cat and I were alone in the dining room for breakfast. I didn't really have anything he wanted. My breakfast was a hard boiled egg, a carton of plain yogurt, and the half of a banana that wasn't rotten. I got my breakfast stuff along with my dinner stuff right next to the Albergue. It was a great store that sold individual size things. I got two home made Bacalau croquettes, some really yummy goat cheese and crackers for dinner. Quite the feast. 

Most of the day was lovely walks in the first country side. At the first cafe stop I spoke with the mother who said she had an infection and was taking a bus to Vslenca, walking across the bridge and going to the hospital in Tui, Spain. The kids were going with her and Dad was going with her. I don't know what happened, I'm a little worried about them, but maybe they got a room so she could get some rest. I miss them. 

Along the way we ran into a table with four kids offering home made cake with coffee or tea. There was the older sister who spoke great English, and her three younger brothers. While we were there the grandparents showed up. They asked for donativo, but they were so fanged cute I had a small piece of cake which was tasty and gave them 5€. The girl explained that the stamp, which was designed by her parents, has a parent at either end and the kids in the middle. Here is the family portrait by the side of the road:

I was having a lovely day until I got yo Valenca, which is a big city, that has old Romsn walled city on its bank of the river. The closer I got to the city the harder it was to see the arrows, and it was a long winding and tedious walk to get us under a major highway and up to the entrance to the walled city. Once inside the city I somehow got off course and could not find the bridge. There were tourist, restaurant and trinket shops; not to mention cars a people in front of restaurants with menus trying to get customers. 

In my defense you have to go down old roman steps and through a couple of tunnels to actually get to the point where you can walk on the bridge. Several times Zi was on walls looking down at the bridge. If I had super powers I could have flown to it. Oh well I eventually found it and got across the bridge. Then I was in Tui, another very large and busy city, but I was able to follow the arrows to the Albergue which is right next to the cathedral. 

The albergues in Galicia have kitchens, but the are really just eating areas with a sink. There is no stove, hot plate, microwave, refrigerate, pots and pans; not even a fork or spoon. The idea is to encourage you(force) you to eat at local restaurants, thus helping local businesses.  After taking a shower which was reminiscent of high school PE, and doing my laundry I summoned the energy to walk to the market. I got directions to the market from a lovely lady who practically walked me in the door. Somehow she devined that I am directionally challenged. I got stuff for dinner and creak fast for 5€. I had bread, cheese, a donut peach and two carton of plain yogurt for dinner. On the menu for breakfast tomorrow is bread, cheese, two cartons of yogurt, donut peach, cheese, and a whole banana. Luckily I have my spork. lol

It turns out the kids in our Camino family are vocalists, I think possibly with a church group since the have matching shirts that say Angels of Peace in Portuguese on the back. Anyway, as I was eating I listened to beautiful voices, sometime solo and sometimes weaving together in perfect harmony. I listen to one girl sing One of my favorite songs, Ave Maria while birds soared and sang flying around the cathedral roof and dome. The two women from Holland also piped up with songs from there culture they sounded beautiful too had tears running out my eyes. The Camino is an amazing experience. 

Here is a picture of me and the singing kids

Well it's time for some shut eye. There is a new route for the next stage which is a walk from Tui to Porrinos for me. Apparently there is an industrial section that is tedious, so they've devised a route that takers us through green stuff. But also there have been some shenanigans with arrows being erased or other arrows being made pointing in different directions. For a person who could get lost in her own bathroom, this should be interesting. They have printed a little brochure with a map, pictures of The problem areas, and descriptions in several languages, including English. BTW my Spanish is much better than I thought it was. 

Pictures of today's highlights:

Animals in the field

Water elements:

A Long Hard Climb

I posted a picture this morning on fb of the highest point of the climb today, Looking at it later, I don't think it captured the challenge. So here is a graphic from the guide of the altitude gain;

And here is a picture of the terrain:

About two thirds of the way up I crossed a road and thought, "Ok bus, you can run over me now." But no bus came, I couldn't figure out how to call a taxiand I don't think my Uber account works in Portugal. So the only alternative was to keep on climbing and I made it to the top. Then, looking at the graphic, I thought it would be an easy stroll down. Not even. And did I mention that group of young people decided to get up at 3:30 am. They did not do so quietly. I think they tried, but it was an epic fail. So by 4am everyone in our room was up. I about 4 hours sleep. 

I don't want to scare anyone who is thinking of doing this route. It is totally doable. I'm 69, and there were eight or more people of a similar age who did it today, including a 73 year old man. He came into cafe with hands raised in victory, saying "I'm the oldest and I'm the greatest" I don't think I could have done it without poles, but most of the younger folks did it without poles. The two Spanish kids met me at the Albergue saying, "We did it!"  

I've gotten lots of complements on my Camino tattoo that I got in 2013. I still get asked for permission to photograph it Ithink it's nice of them to ask, but anybody can take a picture of it, it is just hanging out there on my leg. 

There are two Northern European foursomes, two couples in each. I think one foursome is from Holland and one is from Germany. Yesterday while I was sitting having a cold drink at a cafe, waiting for the Albergue to open, one of the men from the Dutch foursome came over to me. He said he didn't mean to be impolite but would I mind telling him how old I am. Now that is a first! I guess my age has become a topic among the Pilgrim's walking right now. 

I'm kind of proud of my age, in the sense that I managed to survive all this time. When I was a kid, between the Russian scare and the putting your head between your knees or crawling under a desk practices for the possible atomic bomb, I didn't think I would reach my teens. I had seen pictures of atomic bomb blasts. Even at that young age I was pretty sure that sitting with my head between my knees or sitting under my desk wasn't going to keep me safe from radiation. 

When I was in my twenties, I didn't think I would live until I was thirty.  And then the way I lived my life until I was almost forty, decreased my chances for longevity. So yeah, I think it is cool that I'm still around. 

The scenery has been spectacular. We have been walking through beautiful landscape. It seems the major crops, at least for small growers in Portugal, are corn and grapes. The Camino travels through many grape arbors. It is so cool. 

My time in Portugal is drawing to an end and I had not tasted Bacalau, the popular fish dish in Portugal. So last night I treated myself to a dinner at the restaurant across from the Albergue. I had baked Bacalau, roasted potatoes, string beans and a salad. It was yummy. I was only sad that I couldn't eat it all, and I didn't think it would travel well in my backpack, so I brought the leftovers back to the Albergue and gave them to the other Pilgrims. 

Tomorrow I have a choice to spend one more night in Portugal, in Vamenca or to cross the bridge and enter Spain at Tui. I haven't made a choice yet. I may not make it until I get to Valenca and decide to stop or keep going. 

Day of Reflection and Realization

I awoke this morning in my bed on the porch. I am watching the sunrise from a prone position. I am listening roosters crowing, lovebirds cooing and small birds chirping, as I feel the freshness of a new day. Here is what I saw:

Recently I've been up and walking by this time, but last night Fernanda convinced me to hang around a bit this morning. She reminded me we only have about 8 miles to walk today and she informed us that the Albergue at the next stop, Ponte de Lima, doesn't open until 4pm. That is very unusual. Albergues usually open from 12 to 2pm. She said it is a pretty city in which we can relax and have a picnic by the river. Plus she didn't stamp my credential last night, so I am forced into mindfulness. Oh dear!

Well, I woke up at 5:30 am luxuriating in bed, listening to the joyful sounds greeting the day and watching the sun slowly rise. Then I did my stretches and packed my pack. I went over to the house to see if I could get my credential stamped and was greeted by Fernanda's husband who had a full breakfast laid out. I had yogurt, bread with cream cheese and jam, cheese and cafe. The Spanish family came in for breakfast and I got their picture. They are great. She is outgoing and he is reserved. The kids 11 and 7 are doing the long walks every day too. I watch them with wonder. Amazing kids. 

So I was fueled and apparently the caffeine got my brain functioning because as I was walking I started pondering the BIG questions. What's it all about Alfie? Well there was a song on my iPod with the line "I never could resist a winding road.'  I could totally identify with that as I was walking  on a winding road. The next line though was something like, "Because around the next corner might be the end of the rainbow. " And, I thought, "That isn't it, The end of the rainbow, as it were, is ON the winding road." 

This led me to recall all the years I spent chasing people, places, and things. I thought IT was right around the corner, any day now my ship would come in.  Needless to say, it is hard to be present with that state of mind. Today as I looked with wonder at the tree, flowers, animals and people around me, I became aware that a major shift had occurred in my consciousness, without my noticing it. That's how change usually happens to me. 

But back to the Camino. Today's walk was wonderful. There seems to be a Camino family of sorts forming with the Spanish family, two older couples from Holland and a group of five or so Portuguese young people. It's kind of fun. I love walking alone, but it's nice meeting and talking to a group of people at different times during the day and staying in the same albergues at night. This happens more on the Portuguese because there is often only one Albergue.

I encountered some big flowers today. 

And some animals

Portugal made it to the semifinals in the Euro Cup. They play Wales tonight, so it may be a bit noisey here. 

Two Days in One, What A Deal

On Tuesday July 4, 2016 I walked from San Pedro do Rates to Barcelinhos which is right across the bridge from Barcelos. Here are two pictures of their landscaped names facing off against each other across the Rio Cávado. 

I walked 13.5 miles. The first part and last part of the walk today was in nice country areas, but the middle part, the longest part, was on roads with cars. I stayed in the Alberque Forklorico in Barcelinhos, with a view of the river.  There were only two of us there for the night, myself and Robert, who is a recently retired German gent. I did walk around Barcelos some and toured an old castle/fort, built by the Earl of Barcelos in 1328, but I spent most of the time reading and responding to all the lovely birthday posts I received. 

The people at the Albergue fixed Robert and I a fantastic dinner for 5€. I had roasted leg of chicken, with oven roasted potatoes, rice and salad. Then for 1€ I had a nice dish of homemade nut ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce.  What a nice birthday dinner. 

Here's a picture of part of the fort that is still intact. 

Today I woke up early again, 4:30am. This is good because the weather has been hovering between 95 and 100 degrees. So I walk mostly in the cool morning right as the sun is coming up. I walked from Barcelinhos to Lugar da Corgo a total of about 14 miles. A lot of today's walk was out in the country, including a water element. 

Poles make it a lot easy to cross these water elements without becoming part of it. 

On a part of the walk today that was on a major road with no walking area, I spotted four Spanish men behind me. They were older, three of them were pudgy and the pudgiest was talking on his phone as he was walking. I decided to use them as a human shield. I told them I would walk behind them, so if there was an accident, the car would hit all of them first and hopefully slow down or stop before it got to me. They all thought it was funny, except the guy on the phone who missed the whole exchange. They were a jovial, but noisy bunch, so after we were out of danger, I slowed down and let them get ahead of me. They stopped to take a picture of each other and took one of me too. I guess they wanted proof that they had saved my life. I ran into two of them a little later. They were splashing around in a pool created on the side of the road, with a diving platform. Those guys like to have fun. 

I made it to my destination, Casa Fernanda. It is a little famous among Pilgrim's and is reputed to be a special experience. And, the reputation is well deserved. I arrived and Fernanda got me a bottle of water and sat down to talk with me. She said she had heard about me from several Pilgrim's who stayed there last night. Oh dear, I thought, who did I offend. But, it was good stuff, about my tattoos ( I really didn't think anyone had noticed them,) my purple hair, my bracelets, and that I seemed so much younger than I am. She said I'm famous. lol Just out being me. 

Then she asked if I was hungry, would I like a salad. So while I showered and did my laundry she made me a yummy salad and a vegetable stew with bread. Just hit the spot.  Oh yeah, I also scored the veranda which is a double bed on the porch. So cool. Here's the view from my bed. 

Well, enough for now. 

Hit By A Bus, A Philosophical Discussion

Today I walked from Vila do Conde to San Pedro de Rates

Years ago I started trying not to make decisions or take, or not take actions based on fear. Basically, I didn't want a life choked by fear. For some reason when I was deciding whether to do something the fears came racing at me chattering about all the things that could go wrong, I would think, "what If I don't do this, and I walk out the door and get hit by a bus."

For me, it's about not living a life with unnecessary limits. For example, I had always wanted to visit China. In, I think it was 2002, I decided to do a bicycle tour of China. I signed up, paid for it, and was very excited. I was going to Hog King for a week to wander around by myself and then going to the mainland to meet the tour people. When I told people about it, they asked if my husband was going with me. I tell them he didn't want to go, it's not his thing. The response was always, aren't you afraid. I was puzzled it had really never occurred to me to be afraid of going on a bike tour by myself. Then SARS happened. After about 100 people asked if I was afraid or if I was going to cancel my trip, I thought maybe I should be afraid. 

So, I did some research. I looked into how the disease spread and decided I wasn't going to be on any medical team treat SARS patients and I was planning on having sex with anyone on the trip. So I couldn't think of any reason to not go, and what if I didn't go and got hit by a bus.  

It turned out I was the only one on the tour, because everyone else canceled due to concerns about SARS. I had a ball, got some kind of intestinal problem, got treated at a Chinese hospital, was given some medicine a a scroll saying that I was in good Heath. Later, I was riding down a misty mountain that looked like one of those mountains on Chinese paintings, thinking to myself how grateful I was that I didn't miss this experience because of fear. 

The same series of events happened when I decided to do the Camino the first time, alone. Again, I was surprised by the reaction I got. And again I thought , what if I don't do it and walk out the door and get hit by a bus. Again, I was grateful I did not miss that experience. 

There are so many experiences that I might have missed, if it weren't for that bus. I am grateful for the bus. 

Today, however, getting hit by a car, truck or bus was a real possibility. The walk today was a little scary and nerve racking. The streets in the older parts of Europe are usually narrow, and most of the cities and countries have traffic regulations to reduce the risks. Portugal, however, seems uninterested in restricting traffic. And for some reason the Portuguese people seem overly fond of high stone walls.  The result is that roads originally designed for horse carts have two way traffic in modern cars, trucks and busses in both directions. And the roads are lined on both sides by 8 foot stone walls. There are no center lines. Maybe because then it would be apparent that there is not room to safely accommodate two way traffic. And there is certainly no room for sidewalks. So walking on said roads is very exciting, especially in the vicinity of blind curves. 

Needless to say I didn't listen to my iPod today, because I needed to be alert for the sound of approach vehicles. Some came so close I could feel the air caused by their movement. But, I didn't get hit by a bus, or any other vehicle. And I am grateful to be laying here writing this blog. Hopefully tomorrow we will be on trails. I'll report tomorrow, unless I've been hit by a bus lol

I believe when it's time to go, it's time to go. But I'm not going waste time watching the clock. 

Pictures from today: 

Sunrise on the river

My first snail of this Camino

You have to love a country that makes pretty manhole covers. 

I love the goats