Month: Sep 2015

There is not much to say about this day. We awoke to gloomy skies and pouring rain; and that was the way it stayed all day long. Then disaster struck: Leni lost her main wallet. She discovered this at our first coffee stop. Needless to say it put rather a damper on things for the… Continue reading Centro to Redondela

It was a short walk from the Albergue de Porriño in Valença to the old walled town, the erstwhile fortress Fortaleza standing guard over the Rio Minho. We spent some time exploring the fortress, which occupies an elevated position on the border between Portugal and Spain, and has been a major defensive establishment from the… Continue reading Valença to Centro

We were slow to wake up. Then realised it was the weather. It was raining. A rather welcome relief from the heat and humidity I have to say. When we got to the Taberna da Igrija at around mid-day we were totally soaked, hungry and desperately needing coffee. I found the coffee shops amazing. Whether… Continue reading Rubiães to Valença

Our walk from Ponte de Lima to Rubiães was 18 km and the toughest to date. The lack of sleep the previous night and the humidity made it even tougher. The route was beautiful. There were no main roads and most of the way was on natural paths. A very steep ascent took us up… Continue reading Ponte de Lima to Rubiães

It has been a tough day. 24 km is a long walk by anyone’s standards. The path was beautiful and uplifting though, meandering through country lanes and small villages, vineyards and beautiful valleys. We had an initial downhill and a later steep uphill before the final downhill stretch into town. It drizzled on and off.… Continue reading Ponte de Lima

We awoke to a beautifully clear day and set out to visit Braga, a 1-hour bus journey from Barcelos. Reason? The famous Bom Jesus do Monte, set on a hilltop overlooking the city. What an amazing architectural, engineering and historical site. And quite a climb to get to the top! We returned to Barcelos and… Continue reading Braga

We walked 18 km on the 8th. It becomes rather hazardous at times to navigate traffic but the small towns are very beautiful and tranquil! Some stretches were on asphalt, although I personally prefer walking on the granite cobblestones. Much of the route is on roads boxed in by stone walls with crops behind them. One… Continue reading Vilarinho to Barcelos

The train trip between Lisboa S. Apolónia in Lisbon and Estaçăo de Săo Bento in Porto was fun. It brought back memories of my childhood when we often went on holiday by train; it never failed to excite me. I found the landscape interesting; it could have been anywhere in our own country. Same alien… Continue reading Porto to Vilarinho

Thanks to a husband in the airline industry I travel on rebate. It is therefore always touch-and-go whether I get a seat on a specific flight or not. As on most occasions I was lucky once again. Both legs, the one to Paris and the subsequent one to Lisbon, went smoothly and I arrived in… Continue reading Lisbon

I am feeling relaxed and excited at the same time. I just had some Sushi at the OR Tambo International Airport’s Ocean Basket while waiting for my boarding call on Air France flight 995; the 1st leg of my Camino journey! My itinerary: 1st leg to Charles de Gaulle International Airport in France, 2nd leg… Continue reading Camino Portugués