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).