We made it 24.1 km from Scala Hotel to Santiago Sept 29

Hola - after 12 days of walking - averaging 24 km/day - we made it to Santiago!!! We stayed at a very nice hotel last night -probably one of the nicest ones (had an outdoor pool etc.). Breakfast was included in our accommodations so heading downstairs to the buffet - oh my gosh!!! It was almost terrifying - all the people, no order, chaos - as everyone was trying to get their items and cafe con leche and sit down to eat. There were several bus tours staying at the hotel - so all of those folks had to eat and get on the bus by a certain time, we just wanted to eat and head out before the Peregrino masses from Padron and further were on the trail. We did not linger long and were on the trail by 7:35 am. The air was crisp, cool and moist again this morning, as we walked in the dark and the fog. We had walked 14 km (about 10:30) before the fog lifted. Most of the pathway skirted the main thoroughfares and kept us going through forested areas and on less travelled roads. As we arrived in Santiago, the sun was baring down on us - we were all thankful we had left early and walked when it was cooler. At about 1:00 pm, we arrived at "ground zero" and all of us planted one foot on the Camino shell. What a great sense of accomplishment - 12 days of walking, achy bodies, some blisters, popped knees and a few tumbles later, but we all made it. The look on people's faces when they saw the beautiful church was one of awe. The renovations to the front outside of the church had now been completed and it looks beautiful - the detail, the carvings are a must see!!!. We quickly found our hotel, checked in and handed in our stamped (passbooks) credentials so we could get our certificates and then toured around. We joined in the pilgrims' mass at 7, seeing many familiar faces of those we met along the way, everyone was happy to have arrived. Our group was particularly happy to have to seen the last of Dave's butt - not matter how much he tried to walk slowly and have others take the lead, it was not his nature to do so...so he was in front most of the time. We will put away of hiking poles, retire our backpacks and enjoy tomorrow (Sunday) without having to wake up early or have a particular destination for the day. We have made arrangements for a private roof tour of the cathedral after we take in a mass at noon. I wonder how we will manage without having another 24 km walk tomorrow - our feet and our bodies will be thanking us I am sure! Buenas noches, gracias and hasta luego! Till our next journey - where ever that will be.

Day 12 - 25.07 kms Caldas de Reis to outside of Padron - Sept 28

Buenos tardes - This is actually day 11 walking (we counted our first day in Porto as day 1). We are starting out earlier and earlier - today we were on the trail at 7:45 am... Partly because of the noisy night and everyone was up early. We had bustling traffic on a busy street outside of our room, that ceased a bit around midnight, but then the street cleaners and garbage pick up crew came out at 3:00 am. To top this, church bells chimed every hour - two different churches letting you know what time it was...the bells tolled 45 seconds apart. At midnight, after 12 loud chimes from one church, 45 seconds later there was another set of 12 loud chimes. I imagine if you live here, you get used to this, but for the pilgrims that are not accustomed to the bells, it was mostly a sleepless night. The air was crisp and moist, there was a foggy mist that covered the vehicles and streets. Many Peregrinos were already out on the pathway out of town. We walked mostly in the forest on a hilly terrain, passing several vineyards again and families out harvesting the grapes. There are many Peregrinos heading to Santiago and the line up at the cafes, for the coffee/morning snack and washrooms, is long. We passed folk we had not seen on the trail and many we have met, there is an excitement in the air as we are getting closer to our destination. Our booking agent, Marilyn, had conveniently booked us into a very nice hotel in Scala, outside of Pedron. With an early start, we may be ahead of some of the larger groups of pilgrims. Tonight, we reminisced about our journey and tasted the wine from the tavern owner (from a couple of days ago). It was delicious as were the snacks everyone brought. What was the best was the conversation in the room, the frank discussions and the laughter! The memory of the hot chocolate that Marilyn ordered that was so thick that she dunked her croissant into it, or the ripe grapes taken off the vine and devoured and the great seafood. Many great memories of the wonderful experiences we shared. It has been estupendo!

Day 11 - 24.71 km Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis Thurs. Sept 27

Hola - today we walked 10.1 km in the crisp cool air before we stopped for coffee and something to eat (this was not really planned that way - but it worked out well). The coffee was perfect and the bocadillo made with fresh bread, cheese and ham or bacon (freshly fried) was delicious and really hit the spot. They serve the bread/sandwiches just plain - no butter (mantequilla), mustard, mayo or anything else, just plain - and it tastes amazing. The journey today took us along many vineyards and more farming communities. Many of the folk were busy harvesting their grapes - several different kinds (green, small dark blue ones and purple) - all tasted like grapes should taste - full of flavour! We stopped at this one place for a quick break and found the owner crushing grapes in a large vat. He offered Gerry an opportunity to crush some of them with this plunger-like device, Gerry obliged. The owner then offered us some juice from the freshly squeezed grapes - it beats Welch's grape juice by a landslide, so delicious. We purchased some of his wine and will taste it tomorrow. The trails are getting busier with many more pilgrims on the Camino heading to Santiago. We met a group from France, Germany, Balitmore and even Edmonton. It gave us great pleasure to pass the gentlemen from Edmonton! We had found that the most prominent country represented on this Camino is CANADA!!! We have met quite a few fellow Albertans and people from Ontario and Quebec. In Caldas de Reis, we saw a bridge built by the Romans - with a small creek running under it. It was cool to see the rock structure and that it was still standing and being used. We found an eating place beside the bridge and once again enjoyed a delicious meal. The tomatoes and lettuce in the salad were freshly picked and was served plain - so tasty. One place where we stopped for a beverage as we entered town - served us wine in bowl (like a small cereal bowl) - something new and different. We enjoyed several bowls - it was local wine - very good. It was a super day - we arrived into the community by 1:00 pm, so had plenty of time to relax, tour the community and dine. We only have two more days of walking until we are in Santiago - we are hoping that our hiking shoes last and our blisters and achy body parts hang in there!!! Buenas Noches

Day 10 - 20.1 kms Redondela - Pontevedra - Sept 26

Hola - our day started with TEXAS size croissants - oh my word - they were huge -with a sprinkle of sugar on top - a great way to start our day. However, Dave prefers cinnamon buns because he does not like to pay for air (croissants)! The first 5 kms started with quite an incline and and several more along the way. The forest route was shady and absolutely beautiful, we also had rocky climbs. Who ever said you don't hear a tree fall in the forest, they were wrong, oops, sorry that was Marilyn. Never seen someone so dirty in an instant! Luckily - no injuries, however, she just lathered herself with sunscreen so the dirt just stuck to her! Thankfully, we are with a group of helping hands, nurses, doctors, plumbers, etc. Marilyn was in good hands. We are back in grape country - my favourite. The grapes are so ripe, that when you take one off the vine, the juice runs over your hands, no I did not touch one :)). The grape harvest is in full swing, we saw many people picking grapes, they have not automated that yet, lots of manual labor. We took a scenic detour that wound along a stream - very picturesque and peaceful. We encountered many more pilgrims today as the trails all merge into one towards Santiago. Upon arrival, our priorities were to remove our footwear and find something cold to drink. Dave, though really like chips and managed to scoff down a few bowls - apparently - he loves chips! When you order coffee or a beverage, you also automatically get a snack (included with your beverage)! Who knew that it only took 2 beers to unleash secret stories - so funny! We toured Pontevedra and actually paid to walk more stairs to tour the Catholic church in the centre of town. It is a pretty city and all the locals come to the city square to visit, play and shop - there was quite a lot of people walking around. The temperature today was about 30 degrees C, so we are quite thankful to have gotten in at 1:45 or so. Tomorrow is a longer day and we are nearing the end of our journey - only 3 more days of walking. So very thankful that all is well with everyone and can share this experience with each other. Tomorrow we are heading to Caldas de Reis. Hasty luego, buenas noches.

Day 9 - 17.03 km Vigo to Redondela Sept 25

Hola - Today was the best journey by far - we walked a bit in the city to get out of Vigo - then we walked in the forest - - we saw many spectacular views again - the beautiful blue water, the houses with red clay tiles and bridges - it was amazing! We had a steep incline to get into the countryside, but once we got there, we walked on a plateau - a dirt pathway that wound above the villages and towns below, giving us those spectacular views. One downfall of today's journey - no bathrooms or cafes once we left Vigo. On the trail - we had no real traffic to speak of - there were no cars, very few bikes coming towards us and just a few pilgrims. One of the gals in the group had to use the washroom - her partner assured her that it was a good place to go - so off she went. All of a sudden, out of now where, a group of pilgrims appeared, several bikers and then off course a car which had to slow down right where she was, as it was a narrow pathway! The good thing is, no one saw her face, she did not look up until she could hear NO ONE!!!! We had a steep descent into Redondela and with the help of Gerry's GPS, we were able to find our accommodations. We had arrived early as we only walked just over 17 kms, so we could not get into our apartments, so set out to find a place to have our big meal of the day (menu Del dia) - it was 12:45 pm. We asked if we could have the meal - and guess what - you cannot order until 1:00 pm! We learned several things these past few days. If you want your big meal during the day, you need to order before 4:00 pm and now we learned it was only offered after 1:00 pm...small window, but better than waiting until 8:30pm to start your meal. The food we had was delicious again. For 9 euro - we had a 3 course meal! The service was great and the people were friendly. Today, our accommodations consisted of 2 apartments (3 people in each (one for the males, and one for the females). When we were finally able to get in, it was great place - lots of room and a washing machine. Our clothes smell wonderful again. We went to the local market and picked up some baguette, cheese, olives, meat, wine and other snacks including an ice cream treats, for our evening gathering at the end of the day. Some went to rest early, and others when to a pilgrim mass - what a well kept church - on the inside. Friendly priest and nuns and it was by far the fastest mass I have ever been too - I think it was 30 minutes from start to finish - but very nice in Spanish. The highlight for us was the peaceful walk we had today, not as long as other days, and so, so picturesque and quiet - off the main roadways. For me, the highlight was to talk to family members back home - we really miss sharing with them he adventures as they happen. We are all so thankful for the ability to be here, in this wonderful friendly country, with beautiful scenery and history. The religious tone to the journey and of course the temperature add special value - especially in comparison to back home (rain and cool temperatures), yes we are pretty fortunate. Another estupendo day! Gracias.

Day 8 - 28.01 km from Biona to Vigo Sept 24

Hola - today started off right a 0800 hours as we headed out of Biona to Vigo - we selected the coastal route that was to be more direct to our Hotel Compstella in Vigo. We stumbled upon a rather large market that was being set up along our route. We bought some fresh produce (including tomatoes) and stopped for coffee. The croissants are so light and fluffy - they even sprinkle a bit of icing sugar on them (as though the butter inside is not enough), but all of us scoffed them down. We marvelled at the length of the beaches, the white sand and the beautiful blue water. We wound our way along the coast through villages and towns, up and down, on sand, boardwalks, paved roadways, slate and sidewalks. The scenery was like a painted picture - so pretty! We met two fine gentlemen from Kent, UK - and chatted with them as we walked along - interesting gentlemen. It was a hot day, made even hotter when walking in the open and in the cities!!! Finally we arrived in Vigo - thinking we were close to our hotel - wrong!!! It is like walking through Calgary - we were at the city limits and then walked about another 6-7 kms before we found our hotel - thank you Gerry for your GPS on your phone. We walked, talked and then walked in silence determined to get there quickly. We knew we had to get to the harbour where cruise ships dock to be near our hotel - finally got in close to 3:10 pm - and the temperature just kept going up (it was about 30 degrees C). We quickly checked in and the women waited for the men to shower before we headed out to find supper. We found out that we have to order by 4 pm or wait until 8-8:30 to have a meal. So we selected a quaint little outdoor restaurant and asked the waitress if we could order the menu Del dia, it was 4:04 - she said yes! We had two options for the first course and 2 for the second and it included one beverage and dessert. Craving a salad, a few of us order the ensalada de gulas - not sure what that was - but we had to order in a hurry. The others order calamari. Then it arrived - on my word! What did we order??? The lettuce was covered with a type of shredded something - it was silver and white and when mixed with the olive oil and lettuce - not too bad, we ate most of it. Then the calamari came out for the others - it was in a blackish sauce with rice and it was three huge lumps. It appeared that the rest of the calamari was neatly tucked into its butt - the tentacles and everything were inside of it. Well apparently the sauce was good. We went out on a limb and had the local delicacies without even knowing it. The main course - some had fish and others had meatballs - all were delicious. For dessert, some chose the Carmel custard, others had cheesecake and I chose the ice cream - which turned out to be the best selection. The two waitresses were happy to serve us and we were grateful that they did. We spent much of the evening going our separate ways and touring the area around our hotel. The cathedral was beautiful and quiet - it was a nice place to reflect. The streets were busy with tourists and locals. We returned to out hotel still curious about what the Gulas actually was, and Dave couldn't wait to tell us that we were eating young eels, on my gosh!!! We needed something to settle our stomachs and the gelato did just the trick. For a day that was to be rather a shorter one - it did not turn out to be short and the temperature even made it seem longer. Tomorrow is supposed to be 32 degrees C, but the journey should be the shortest distance we have to travel one on day on this Camino - we will see! Adios, buenas noches!

Day 7 - 19.45 km Sept 23 from Oia to Baiona

Ola - it is darker now that we have had to turn our clocks ahead one hour (now we are 6 hours ahead of Alberta time). It is strange how some of the gadgets automatically update the time and not others, we found that out this morning when the iPad said one time and the iPhone (where the alarm was set) still had Portugal time - we had 28 minutes to get our suitcases at the door and we were ready in 20!!! As we were heading out (breakfast was not included in our accommodations) - the remaining of the fireworks were being set off - can you imagine this? Not only did the locals stay up late to enjoy the live music (as some of us did as well), now they there awoken by the banging of the leftover fireworks at 0800 hours! Thank goodness we were up and on the road by then. We had an amazing day again - with some coastal routes, little on the main thorough fares and the rest in the forest (our favourite is along the coast or in the forest, off the main thoroughfares). What incredible views of the ocean and varied terrain as we walked over the large hills (with quite the elevation) and looked back. WOW - for lack of a better word - It was awesome - I had to pinch myself to make sure I was not imagining this. The incline was steep, (I noticed that even the horse poop evidence stopped partway up the hill - perhaps the horses are smarter than we are). Nevertheless, we had an amazing climb and decent back into the villages and valleys. I believe we have left the cobblestone streets back in Portugal and the walking in the forest and on the trails is much easier on our feet. We were in the midst of some kind of tour de Spain cycle race and had to be on the lookout for bikers coming quickly onto the pathways, so we could step aside and not be run over - no one seemed to have a bell on their bikes, but they did wear helmets! We arrived at Baiona quite early in the afternoon and decided that we would like to have our larger meal at that time verse at 8-9 pm. As we were searching for our hotel, Gerry and his GPS had quickly located it - the restaurant we were going to eat at was right next to our hotel - we just needed to look up for the sign. We enjoyed the local food again - seaweed and scallop omelet, sole, octupus and grilled fresh vegetables, all super delicious!!! I particularly enjoyed the octopus and shrimp dish and grilled vegetables - so, so good! We had a leisurely afternoon, some slept, others toured the Fort - which had a walk way all around it - about 2 kms - the views from this level were simply incredible and the temperature made it even more enjoyable. We ended the evening, sitting on a sea wall, drinking local wine, eating bread and cheese and dessert while we watched the waves come in. We enjoyed the company of our colleagues and sharing stories with each other. We topped off the evening with a Gelato and headed back to our rooms... Most of us really need a good night sleep as the festival and noise kept us up most of the night! The weather, since we arrived at Portugal (Sunday) has been totally awesome - mid to high 20s and as we walk along the ocean, we are thankful for the breeze. The fog usually rolls in mid to late morning, so we have great ocean views first thing. We had some of our best coffee at a Albergue this morning and had several very small stops along our journey today. We think of those back home often and you know they are missed as conversations often revolve around our families. Oh yes, one learning from today - if you are giving instructions when you are half naked and say "DON'T come in" - ensure that the "DON'T" is plainly and loudly announced :)). Tomorrow is a longer day as we head to VIGO. Adios, Buenas noches!

Day 6 - 18.63 km Caminha, Portugal to Oia, Spain

Ola - our shortest journey to date - only 18.63 km - a walk in the park so to speak :). Our day started off with a great breakfast from the hotel and then a short 900 metres to where we took our short boat ride from Portugal to Spain. We paid 5 euro each to take the boat - that basically only held 6 people + the captain. Okay - we recognize that this is not Canada, but no life jackets, not enough seats for everyone and not much to hang on to. However,the captain quickly laid his jacket on the front of the boat for us ladies to sit on (the boat was wet from the morning dew) and he insured that we were safely seated before proceeding. It was such a pleasant ride, so peaceful and picturesque and the water was relatively calm. Once we reached Spain, we opted for the shorter more steep climb through the woods that ended in A Guarda. The forest was quiet, shady and had a soft dirt road for us to walk on - a treat for us and our feet! Once we went through A Guarda we went along the coast for about 4 km - it was so picturesque, the sound of the waves greeting the shore, the birds and the warm sun on our backs....just perfect!!! Some of the pathway reminded me of the west coast trail on Vancouver Island. We came along a path that led to an enclosed circular area that housed a place to keep trapped lobsters until they are needed by the restaurants or for sale. It was really neat to see how this was made/used - pretty creative. There was only one cafe from A Guarda to Oia and if you can believe - no bathrooms there - only a dozen houses or so and one makeshift Cafe, but the coffee was good and the "borrowed" buns with cold cuts and cheese from the morning buffet breakfast was tasty. We shared our snacks and learned that if you needed anything, Sandy had it in her backpack (a knife, crackers, etc.). We noticed that there was a long stretch that was damaged by a forest fire and new growth was just coming through - the eucalyptus trees seem to be the first to grow. We travelled along one of the major roadways for a ways today, but there was a wide pathway for us to walk on. We saw more cyclists today than any other day - they even have a part of the roadway designated for them. We think it would be a great place to do a bike trip. Once in Oia, we had plenty of time to rest up, do a walk about town and relax. After 4 long walking days covering over 100 km - today's 18.63 km felt like a great break. Our hotel was so quaint - it was so cutely decorated with old style furniture, the door had one of those old fashioned large keys, the light switches were on a little toggle that you turned and even better, it was near the centre of town. But we will see how well we will sleep with the festival starting at 10 pm! We had a late meal again as the restaurants would not serve us until 8:30 pm. We enjoyed fresh seafood in our Paella dish and others had fresh cod and Hake - all excellent. There was a festival in town tonight and it seems that the whole village and more came to enjoy the live music and fireworks. The teenagers under our window seemed to take great pleasure in finding out who can talk the loudest and make the most noise. We decided that the music sounded a lot better than the teenagers below, so off to the concert we went. It was totally awesome - who knew you could make such great music from some bagpipes, an accordion and drums - is sounded quite amazing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and it was so orderly - no one pushing others to get closer to the stage, people clapping and some dancing to the music - a great experience. It is now past midnight and although tomorrow is only around 20 kms - we need to have our suitcases out by 8. It is also Sunday - a great day to reflect and be thankful we are here in the sun verses the snow and rain back home. Buenas noches!

Day 5 29.3 km from Viana do Costelo to Caminha

Ola - we had a long day planned ahead but started the day with detour - our eyes were fixated on looking for the Camino signs and not for stairs signs that could take us under a busy roadway, so instead we walked an extra km to find a way across the 4 lanes of never ending traffic. We travelled the day in varied terrain again - in the woodlands, giving our feet a rest by walking on trails laden with pine needles. It was a hot day, the hottest so far! We found a elevated scenic beautiful spot to have a picnic lunch. Just as we were commenting on the peaceful oasis - the hired hands showed up to do the mowing and tree trimming, and completed their work just as we decided to leave, as much as we tried to ignore the noise, it did take away from the zen we were trying to create. Lunch consisted of buns, meat and cheese "borrowed" from breakfast - instigated by the one who frowns of those who take one or two grapes off the vine. Needless to say - he scoffed that down without hesitation - his ethic line is a tad skewed. However, the rest of us followed suit by "borrowing" from the breakfast bar and enjoyed our meal as well - I guess our ethics line is skewed too! This is a day that seemed to never end - we walked and walked and walked!!! Then when we finally thought we had reached our destination, a tried to find our hotel, we found we had not reached Caminha yet - it was still another 3-4 kms to go. You cannot imagine the disappointment on everyone's face, another 3-4 kms to go!!!!! Finally, we made it and were able to take the packs off our back, shower and ice our feet. We enjoyed the scenery, the forest and the coast, meeting others along the way - some in worse shape than we were (very sun burnt legs). The day ended with Casal Garcia white wine from Portugal and Portugese Port - a nice way to unwind and end our last day in Portugal. Tomorrow, we take a ferry and cross into Spain - it promises to be a shorter day, but we will see! P.S. According my Garmin - we did 44,556 steps today from the start to just getting into bed - not worrying about our caloric intake :)) Boa Noite!

Day 4 - 27.2 km from Esposende to Viana do Castelo

Ola - another georgeous day of 25+ weather walking more interior than on the coast. Walking through the delightful woodlands, with the smell of eucalyptus trees and other outdoor smells, we enjoyed the shade and the change of terrain. We walked through many villages, saw more vegetable gardens, grapes (and yes, most of us abstained from eating them) and more farmland. The smell of the country was all around us (barnyard, silage, etc.). We saw a whole driveway covered in shucked corn drying to be made into cornmeal or for POPCORN!! We found many villages and even larger centres had tractors driving right through town! We made several small stops along the way and were always greeted with friendly staff - one cafe owner was so excited we were there, he treated us to local cookies, stamps and special memorabilia. One of our favorite stops, was the was the one for ice cream - it tasted so good in the hot sun. We had the most interesting day - Gerry, we found, has a special way with animals - a type of donkey whisperer you might say. When he saw this forlorn lonely donkey, he went over, petted it and talked to him. The very next thing you knew, the donkey wanted to come home with him and was quite annoyed when the tethering would not let him loose. I think Gerry has a gift with animals. We are learning a lot about other members in our group. Dave, with the agility of a 20 year old lept to his feet to help a young, good looking damsel with the water spigot, almost pushing the others aside. When we needed help, he simply told us to push the spigot harder, maybe it is all about age??? Nevertheless, who said that chivalry is dead? We were pleased that Dave could assist this young lady get the much needed water in the heat of the day. Today, we had sunburns, heat rashes, scraped and stiff limbs, still no one complained of the distance we travelled. We did 27.2 km from the hotel in Esposende to Viana de Costelo, but really - according to my garmin - by the end of the day did 46,400 steps (this is from the morning until we retired for the evening)!!! The terrain varied and we definitely had more of an incline and a bit more rocky than our previous day but we still walked a fair amount on cobblestone. We enjoyed the pathways that we're off the beaten track in the woodlands, more shade and easier on the feet. In the distance we could see Santa Luzia monument, high on a hill over looking the city as we entered Viana de Costelo. We were relieved to be so incredibly close to our final destination for the day - but as we started to cross the bridge, it felt like it would not end. You could not really admire the view as you had to pay attention to where you were walking as it is a very busy bridge - I am certain it was at least a km long!!! We went up the tram to the Monument of Santa Luzia and the view from there was spectacular - it is a very picturesque city along the ocean, the red tiled roofs of the buildings and homes below added to the beauty of the scenery below. We could actually identify where we started our journey today and marvel at how far we had walked. The day ended with tasting local fish, octopus and salmon. The meals were incredibly delicious and abundant. Their supper mealtimes start at 7:30 pm, so for us Canadians, it is a late meal as we head back to our rooms to get the much needed rest for another long day tomorrow (even further distance than today). We are still enjoying each other's company and the journey. Boa noite!

Day 3 - 25.3km Vila do Conde to Esposende

Ola - another absolutely beautiful day on Day 3 of our Camino. We walked 25.3 km today and varied scenery under the bright sunlight. EVERYONE was up and ready at 7:30 am and started our day off with a fabulous breakfast at our hotel in Vila do Conde and then a new trail for all of us along the Portuguese Coastal route. We spent a better part of the morning walking along a scenic coast, meeting more Canadians along the route. The boardwalk seems to be a common way for the local folk to commute from one village/town to the next and is much safer than walking along the busy roadways. We noticed that in several places on the beach, seaweed was neatly arranged to dry to be later rolled up into large dome-shaped bales. We learned that the locals clear large areas, digging into the terrain and use the dried seaweed as a fertilizer base for vegetable gardens. We saw acres of tomatoes, cabbage, garlic, onions, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, beans, lettuce and so forth (some in various stages of growth). This method appears to work as the gardens appear very fertile and the produce looks delicious. It was all we could to, to not slip down and grab a few tomatoes - but there are those among us that frown from this kind of activity - so we abstained. There were workers in these garden fields on their hands and knees pulling weeds. Tough work!!! Speaking of tough work, we saw how the cobblestone paths were made. Two men were working on a cobblestone pathway and it is all done by hand, right down to hammering the stone into the right size pieces and placing them into a pattern. They were not wearing gloves nor did they have knee pads on their knees. We have a great deal of appreciation for the work that goes into making the cobblestone streets and pathways - all manual labor. What hardworking people!!! We finally found our way to the hostel in Esposende. Fortunately for us, Marilyn our travel booking agent, we were checked into private rooms in the hostel, with our own bathrooms (verses bunk beds and shared facilities). We basically had the patio to ourselves and enjoyed some very fresh mini bread loaves and local wine as we reviewed the events of the day. We found that you cannot judge a book by its cover as we selected the place to have our supper. The outside of the restaurant did no justice to the delicious fish and lamb we enjoyed inside. The vegetables tasted like they had just been picked and prepared freshly from the gardens we passed today! We learned that one in our group developed a sensitivity to their socks and another had their eyes so fixated on the scenery that they are now sporting a tender shoulder as they walked right into one of those large green garbage bins. Most of us have found that the boardwalk or dirt road is easier to walk on than the cobblestone pathway/street, More padded insoles would be helpful as we adjust to the terrain from the roadways. We had some connectivity issues with the local WIFI and I ended up in the eating area of the hostel to try and get a signal. I ended up meeting 7 people on the Camino from Poland - when I found that out, I tried my Polish with them and was surprised and what I knew and could speak. We ended up visiting for several hours (long past my bedtime). What fun - that is what the Camino is about too - meeting people from all over the world. That's all for tonight, till tomorrow.

Matosinhos to Villa do Conde - 24 km ,Sept 18,2018

Ola - we did mention that we were leaving at 8:00 am - well not everyone got the message, however the luggage was out in time for the pickup and we made to the tart bakery just as fresh tarts were out of the oven...definitely not a disappointment - which pilgrims have tarts for breakfast - well we all did and one of those very small cups of coffee, even the McDonalds in Matosinhos' largest coffee was our small...but very good all the same. We took the metro from Porto to Matosinhos and started our trek from there today. What a great day for a walk along the beach. Most of the 24 km we travelled today were on a very well kept boardwalk close to the shoreline. The silky sand stretched for miles - the strong waves coming in though made one think twice about attempting a swim in the ocean (although I do not believe that anyone brought their swimming attire). The day started off with a brilliant sunshine and a great view of the ocean, although not a distant one, as the fog was not that far from shore. Along the boardwalk were stretches of rather tall stalks of some kind of cane/vegetatigon - it was a kind of wind breaker for the locals. The rocks, view, and scenery added to the enjoyment of the day - walking the boardwalk, much easier than walking in the sand! We had lunch in a popular restaurant in the south part of Angeiras. We shared some very delicious olives (loads of garlic) and some of the local dishes (vegetable soup - potato base) and fish soup. However the highlight for some was the garlic shrimp and for others (me included), was freshly grilled sardines - much better than the canned version back home. All the food was good (except maybe the blood sausage), but what I noted was that there are no salt or pepper shakers on the table, the only condiments were olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our lunch break stretch out quite a bit and meant that we arrived at Vila do Conde rather later than anticipated at 4:30 pm. By then the fog rolled in quite a bit, though it was hard to tell as the misty spray from the ocean coated the lens of our glasses/sun glasses and by the time we got in, you could hardly see through the coating on the lens. For those of us that travelled this stretch before, we occasionally had that déjà vu feeling and were able to get the group to the hotel without even getting directions. We dined at a great restaurant that offered a pilgrim menu for an amazing 5 euros (2course + tea/coffee (small cup of course)) and it offered beer or sangria at a discounted price. It was tasty meal and filled the gap. All-in-all, it was a relaxing day along the beach, visiting and getting to know each other, while finding our rhythm. Our new pilgrims were surprised at house fast the day went! We met up with some Canadians (one from Edmonton and 2 from Ontario) who are doing exactly the same coastal pilgrim we are doing. We will surely meet up with them frequently throughout our journey. One thing to remember - as you hand wash your garments, they do take a long time to dry - even when you hang them from your balcony - best have extras to wear the next day! Oh yes - hanging out the clothes is acceptable in this part of the world - everyone does it - including the pilgrims. Eu Adorno (I love it here). Till tomorrow - a longer trek - maybe we will all meet at 8:))

Gathering at Porto - Sept 17, 2018

Ola - after having taken various routes and bumps along the way (including a broken down plane - causing unplanned overnight stays and other delayed flights - we finally all gathered in Porto, Portugal by September 17. We have 3 newcomers to the pilgrimage and 3 more experienced (some might say veterans, other might say "just not quite new") to the Camino experience. We have Gerry, Lise, Ben, Dave, Marilyn and Sandy on this Camino experience. We had an exciting day in Porto (managed 26,500 steps today, tomorrow it will be in kms). It was a foggy and rather chilly morning, the fog cleared and the bright sun brought warmer temperatures in the afternoon. We got our first stamp in our passbook at the cathedral, toured along the river, both sides, walked the high and low bridge, and saw Portugal's incredible history depicted on mosaic tiles at the railway stations. One would not expect to see this kind of fabulous art in a train station. Who does that? Simply stunning...you walk around with your mouth wide open as your eyes fixate on the story beautifuly displayed on the walls in front of you. The old world architecture is really stunning - it is a beautiful city along the banks of the Douro River. The churches, old stone buildings and cobblestone streets and friendly people greet you as you venture out. Thankfully they are happy to help you out, as we learned that none of us are good with selfie sticks. We had several highlights today - we stumbled upon a tart factory - with fresh out-of-the oven Portugese tarts. The crust - incredibly flakey - and the warm custard-type filling - mouthwatering! Yup, we will for sure stop there on our way out of he city. I wonder if a six-pack will travel well in my backpack? Secondly - we tasted our first Franceshina sandwich, made our of a thin pizza dough folded over, filled with ham, cheese, roast beef/pork and served warm with a unique gravy made with tomato and beer. Very, very good! Definitely worth the trip to Porto. Oh one thing to note, the tea comes in rather large cups and the coffee in very small cups - no McDonalds or Tim Horton's large coffees here. You can order a double Amnericano - but that is double the coffee strength not double the size! Think I am switching to tea!!!! It will be an early evening, as we are trying to adjust to long flights, time spent in airports and a loss of 7 hours. We head out at 8:00 am tomorrow. Boa Noite (good night).