For a limited time, my award winning novel, THE CAMINO CLUB, is on sale at AMAZON and KOBO!
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For a limited time, my award winning novel, THE CAMINO CLUB, is on sale at AMAZON and KOBO!
Category: Camino
EBOOK – $1.99
The Camino Club – Synopsis
Caminho Português Senda Litoral Route – Shoulds and Shouldn’ts PART THREE
You’ve made it to Pontevedra! And, yes…it does have a city sign like most of the city signs peppering the world today awaiting Instagram fame!
Should I watch my step when walking the trails between towns?
Only if you care about wildlife in all its forms. Yes, please watch your step! Our little friends are down there…
Should I stop at A Pousada do Peregrino for a snack and a drink?
You’ll come by this little oasis shortly after leaving the town of Pontevedra. Click Link for their website.
We stopped here and you can’t go wrong in doing so. It has a lovely outdoor patio with a pergola trellis. Grapes hang above your head, offering a cool relief from the sun on a hot day. The food was good and there’s always cafe con leche!
You will walk through a lot of vineyards at this point of the day. There are even quite a few places where you’ll need to duck to avoid grapes. Very picturesque day…
Should I stay in Caldas de Reis?
Now, obviously this all depends on your schedule. Caldas de Reis may be a halfway point to a day. In our schedule, it was at the end of our day. We felt it a good place to stop in case we needed any supplies at this point in our journey, as it was a bigger town and they would have more amenities. I would say AIM FOR IT. It was a lovely town.
It actually saved me a little. Once we settled into our home for the night, we went out and found me some sandals. At this point in our journey, my blisters were bad and my toes were bad. My feet were just completely breaking down and I knew if I didn’t find sandals I’d be in trouble. I never once had blisters on the Camino Frances. This Portuguese way was murdering my feet in every way possible. I found a nice man at a shoe shop who dug through boxes and found me the perfect pair of sandals that would save the trip for me. Another trail angel came through for me!
This is a good town for stocking up on whatever you need.
Should I eat at O Encontro Gastrobar in Caldas de Reis?
I REALLY enjoyed the food here. They were one of the first places we found with a pilgrim menu, and they were almost next door to where we were staying. At the end of the day, proximity has a lot to do with where you decide to eat. But also, it was good food! The service was a bit slow, but they could have just been having a bad day. Otherwise, I’d recommend this place. It hit the spot after a long day. My first Caldo Gallego (Galician Soup)!
Should I set out before on my walk in the dark?
I am of two minds on this one. Ultimately, my answer would be YES, sometimes. It is the only true way to get to see the perfection of a sunrise…when you are well and truly in it. To be walking when it happens assures that you will not miss it. And the sunrise in Spain is a thing of beauty. So, if you don’t want to (or won’t) do it for the sake of the bed-race…do it at least once to enjoy being inside the sunrise.
Scenes from a September Spanish Sunrise…
Should I stay in Pensión Glorioso II in A Picaraña?
This might be the only time I suggest the answer as a NO. I wouldn’t even stay in this town, if I were to do the Portuguese again. Not that it’s a terrible town, but there were few options. It was just kind of along the highway. It’s a place you would only stop for gas if you were driving through.
Does it have what you need? Mostly. Were the rooms clean? Yeah. Did the WiFi work in the pension? NO. The food options nearby were very limited and you had to navigate the highway outside the pension. We went from one side to the other, hoping to find other food options. I just wasn’t happy with this night’s location or lodgings. You might find it’s what you need. I was looking for more.
This was our last stay before Santiago de Compostela, and my least favourite.
We walked in darkness on our last morning. As the sun came up, it all began to feel a little like we were walking to OZ.
Should I stop walking now?
No…you’re almost there!
Even though I’m almost there, should I have a break before reaching the Praza do Obradoiro where the cathedral is?
Yes. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you need stamps on your last day! Stop for a cafe con leche on your way into town and grab a stamp!
Should I be prepared to be amazed?!
YES!
Should we take selfies of the cathedral once we arrive? Yes, after you celebrate, dance, laugh, cry, etc…
Should I go directly to the pilgrim’s office and sign in for my spot in line to get my compostela certificate?
If this matters to you, then absolutely yes! This process is changing ALL the time. I’ve been to this point 3 times now, and it’s been different every time. Last time, we scanned a QR code at the office and were given a number in the line. We came back when we were close to our numbers and then went inside and lined up. Please look into how it is when you’re going, because they streamline the process all the time.
One more SHOULD to go.
Should I do the rooftop tour of the cathedral?
Absolutely yes. If you have fear of height issues, maybe sit this one out…but it’s fabulous!
DON’T MISS THE ROOFTOP TOUR OF THE CATHEDRAL!
This concludes the Shoulds and Shouldn’ts of the Caminho Português Senda Litoral Route. Hopefully you find some helpful information in these posts.
If you want to see our 10 day journey in full, here is the link to DAY ONE. At the end of every day, you will find a link to the next day. After those, you will also find a couple of posts on what to do in Porto before and after the Caminho.
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
Caminho Português Senda Litoral Route – Shoulds and Shouldn’ts PART TWO
You have made it to Spain!
Once you arrive in Spain, there are subtle changes. Eventually it will feel a lot like the Camino Frances, but when you first arrive in A Guarda the changes are less pronounced. Also, you’re still walking mostly alongside the ocean.
Should I stop and reflect on my Caminho thus far?
Not when you first get to Spain and wave goodbye to the boat driver. First, just get up into the path and be on your way. After about an hour–give or take (it might be 1/2 an hour and it might be 2 hours)–you will come across this monument…
This is a perfect resting spot to contemplate the journey behind you, to contemplate the Portugal you have just left behind!
Should you be constantly alert on this stretch?
The answer is yes. There is quite a lot of highway walking on this day. Not only should you always be on the alert for motor vehicle traffic when walking this way, but we also encountered a LOT of bikes this day. I don’t know if we didn’t notice them on other days, or if they’re just so much more noticeable when you’re walking in a straight line alongside the highway. We encountered a few on the boardwalks previous to this day, but today was the BIKE day. We even saw one group of about 30 bikes travelling together…electric bikes. Just be aware of your surroundings both ahead and behind you.
Should I be prepared for a mountainous climb at this point in the Caminho?
The answer is YES.
Once you complete that dijon mustard yellow walking track, be prepared for a climb. It’s not insanely high…but it’s one of the first big climbs you’ll face. You should be prepared.
Should you stop near the top and celebrate your victory with a selfie or two?
Yes!
If I’m staying in Baiona, Spain, should I stay in Apartamento Vila do Mar?
Again, I can only recommend the places that we stayed. This apartment was found on Booking Dot Com, and it’s in an awesome location and it’s very spacious. 3 bedrooms…book it with friends or fellow pilgrims!
This one is a no-brainer. If you need a bigger place for more pilgrims than just yourself, this is the place. It even has a clothes washer.
Should I even bother trying Padrón peppers?
Maybe the reason I keep going back to the Camino is to eat more Padrón peppers. Find them. Eat them. Repeat!
Should I start to call the café com leite its Spanish equivalent of café con leche?
Yep!
Should I be prepared for a little big city culture shock when I hit Vigo, Spain?
It’s big, but if you’re from a big city it’s not overwhelming. You’ll enjoy being out in the city in the evening. Lots of restaurants, shops, etc. It is a bit of a shock after walking through small towns and nature, but I also found it welcoming.
Should I eat at Peregrinus Vigo Pulperia/Restaurant?
We really enjoyed our meal at this restaurant! The waiter was a bit standoffish, but if you’ve ever eaten in a Paris restaurant you won’t notice.
The food was terrific and it was a great night out on the town! The street it was on was quite lively and filled with shops. A stroll in the neighbourhood wouldn’t hurt, if you’re up to walking in the evenings.
I could also picture Vigo being a Rest Day stop, if you have any days worked into your schedule for this.
FYI: The morning you’re leaving VIGO, you will have an uphill journey for a bit as you leave the hustle and bustle of the town. But the views once you’re in the higher ground make the climb well worth it!
Should I eat lunch at Don Vinarius cafe in Redondela, Spain?
We enjoyed it. Sometimes the simplest meals are the best meals. We had some great sandwiches here that made us ready for the rest of our walk to Ponte Sampaio!
And BEER always tastes better on the Caminho/Camino! I swear!
Should I find the Instagram places IRL and get the photo ops?
I did! 🙂
Should I stay at Hostel Albergue O Mesón in Ponte Sampaio?
This one’s a no-brainer. IF you happen to end up in Ponte Sampaio at the end of your day’s walk, this albergue is FANTASTIC. Whether you’re a lone walker or a group. I saw the single dorm spaces and they were super clean and nice. We stayed in an apartment on the top floor and it was exceptional! And there’s a kitchen on the ground level with communal spaces and coin laundry facilities. CLICK HERE. Here’s pics of our quarters for 3 people:
This one comes HIGHLY recommended. Even though there is a communal kitchen downstairs and a kitchen in the upstairs private apartment that we had, there is an excellent restaurant on the same street that is affiliated with the albergue. About a block down on the same side. I recommend it as well. The restaurant has its own page on the same website as the albergue. There is also a fairly large market attached to the restaurant. CLICK HERE FOR RESTAURANT.
Should I stop at Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina in Pontevedra for a pilgrim stamp?
Translated from Galician, this becomes Church of the Pilgrim Virgin. This is a scallop shaped chapel! I won’t get into the history of this church, but it has a storied past that connects it deeply to the Portuguese Way. Construction began in 1778 and is houses an image of the Virgin Pilgrim, who is the patron saint of both the province of Pontevedra and the Portuguese Way. Here’s the Wiki. You should pay it a visit. Be forewarned, this is a stop for tour buses filled with tourists who just may stampede the chapel at the same time as your arrival. Have patience, it’s busy.
This ends Part Two. CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO PART THREE.
If you want to see our 10 day journey in full, here is the link to DAY ONE. At the end of every day, you will find a link to the next day. After those, you will also find a couple of posts on what to do in Porto before and after the Caminho.
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
Caminho Português Senda Litoral Route – Shoulds and Shouldn’ts PART ONE
There’s a lot of things to consider when planning your Senda Litoral Route walk of the Caminho Português. There really are no Shoulds or Shouldn’ts. I debated calling this Dos and Don’ts. In the end, this is just some advice you can either take or not take. Always remember… Your Camino, Your way!
But there are things to consider…
One of the very first is: Should I walk out of Porto on foot or should I take the street car?
I can only offer my own personal take on this, as I only walked once and we chose to walk the entire way out of the city… from the famous Dom Luís I bridge all the way to the lighthouses at the mouth of the River Douro where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.
There is nothing wrong with taking the streetcar along this portion of the route. Many, many pilgrims do it for various reasons. The streetcar travels alongside the river and takes you to the mouth. It will save you a few kms on your first day and it’s YOUR Camino/YOUR choice.
We walked and really enjoyed the views.
Once you pass under the Arrábida Bridge, the River Douro opens up and you’re well on your way to the lighthouses and the Atlantic Ocean.
There’s a lot to look at along the way. The walk up to the lighthouses, though, is the crown of the journey. It’s spectacular to see the waves crashing against the catwalks…and you can walk out on those catwalks and get some great shots, too!
So, to answer the first question… my answer would be YES. Take the walk out of the city. It’s spectacular. Again, though, it’s your walk. If you know this first day is going to be super long and you need to somehow shorten it, taking the streetcar out of town is how pilgrims have been doing so. YOUR Camino.
Should I stay in HI Vila do Conde – Pousada de Juventude in Vila do Conde?
Obviously, I cannot recommend albergues we haven’t stayed at. But I can suggest ones we stayed at that were amazing. And, depending on how you organize your daily walks you may not even find yourself staying in the same towns that we stayed in. With our crazy 10-day schedule, your trip may not align with ours at all.
I can highly recommend the first albergue we stayed in during our September 2022 Camino. Our day one brought us to Vila do Conde. Pousada de Juventude translates from Portuguese to YOUTH HOSTEL. On the surface, this gave me cause for pause. But trust me, it’s gorgeous. And they offer a great breakfast too. If you come to Vila do Conde–on your first or second or third day–you couldn’t go wrong staying at HI Vila do Conde – Pousada de Juventude. My suggestion is YES. Do it. Click this link.
Excuse the backpack explosion in this shot. This is what the rooms look like in this youth hostel. They’re clean and super cute. They have singles and, for our purposes, 3-bed rooms. Worked out perfectly. Nice first day ending.
The breakfast seating area.
Breakfast Buffet.
Sitting room off the breakfast room.
Should I stop at the Caminho Beach Bar?
This is NOT a bad idea. We thought there would be more options on the route. We ended up leaving the route for a few hundred feet when we spotted a place later and worried there was nothing else coming. So, when you see this sign…
…take it as a sign. Unless you’re okay with leaving the boardwalk and walking a few hundred feet into a small town further along. We had a great pit stop, don’t get me wrong. But if you don’t want to leave the path, this bar is the place for you. If you keep walking, keep an eye out for the place in the next photo. It’s a little town a little ways away from the Caminho Beach Bar…on your right-hand side. Looks like a parking lot that opens to a small town. There is also a very tiny grocers, should you need supplies.
Should I enter this ocean-side haunted house prior to Esposende?
Probably not!
Should I stay at the Esposende Guesthouse?
This may have been one of my favourite albergues on the Caminho Português. The level of trusted hospitality here reminded me of the Camino Frances. A woman greeted us for check-in and gave us the lay of the land. Once all were checked in, she left for the night and the pilgrims were on our own.
I don’t know why I fell hard for this one, but I did. It was cute. Click here.
There was a cash jar on the kitchen counter, beer in the fridge, wine on the counter. It was all honor system and prices were marked.
There was a kitchen, if you wanted to save a bit on costs and make your own meal. Everything you need is there. The town filled with restaurants is just outside your door, too, should you decide to taste the local fare.
The rooms were clean and cute, and the bathroom was a dream. Towels on the beds. It was an amazing place to end the day!
There were communal crash places aplenty, either indoor or out!
Should I stop to look out across the ocean and snap a selfie after the rain?
An emphatic YES. Stop and smell the roses. You are walking alongside an immeasurable vastness. Take it in. Immerse yourself in it!
Should I stay in HI Viana do Castelo – Pousada de Juventude in Viana do Castelo?
There are options in this bigger town. We chose the first ‘albergue’ once you cross the bridge into town. Should you stay there? That’s entirely up to you. This one lives up to the name of YOUTH HOSTEL. Click Here. The rooms were clean. It had breakfast on offer. It had a large communal room where you could eat an evening meal, should you bring one in. We got a pizza from a local pizzeria…using UberEats to get it delivered.
It was one of those ‘what-you-need’ places, whereas the Esposende Guesthouse was a ‘what-you-want’ place. This place had everything we needed and it was cheap and just inside town. Should you stay here? Entirely up to you and your expectations. WiFi was great, no issues. I believe their pilgrim offer was 14,00€. Link above.
I really wish I could recommend our next stay! It was in Caminha and it was an apartment and it was BEAUTIFUL! Sadly, I noticed that it is no longer on offer. It was a definite SHOULD. Very close to the town circle where the restaurants were and only two minutes from the boat launch in the morning. I would live there if I could.
Should I use Xacobeo Transfer to get from Caminha, Portugal to A Guarda, Spain?
Yes. Absolutely. It was a breeze to book the evening before. The boat met us and the driver had a manifest of passengers and consulted the manifest for our names. We didn’t even have to show a ticket on our phones or anything. Just get on the boat and get off at the other side. It was a quick 5-8 minute ride.
Here’s the link to their website: Xacobeo Transfer.
Tip to remember if your phone doesn’t automatically change, or if you don’t use a phone: A Guarda is ONE HOUR AHEAD of Caminha. So, though the ride takes a few minutes, you lose an hour. A Guarda is the beginning of Spain and they are an hour ahead of Portugal.
This ends Part One. Click here to JUMP TO PART TWO.
If you want to see our 10 day journey in full, here is the link to DAY ONE. At the end of every day, you will find a link to the next day. After those, you will also find a couple of posts on what to do in Porto before and after the Caminho.
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
A NEW Camino Book Releases Today! Walking With Sam by Andrew McCarthy
It’s CAMINO TUESDAY again! What a perfect time for this highly anticipated book release!
I’ve been waiting a while for this book. Ever since I first discovered Andrew McCarthy’s travel writings (and one YA novel), I’ve been hooked! Last year, I tracked his journey across the Camino Frances with his son Sam through Instagram and Facebook posts. It only took me a few minutes to put two and two together and figure out that a book would be born from their adventure.
Today, that book is released!
WALKING WITH SAM – A FATHER, A SON, AND FIVE HUNDRED MILES ACROSS SPAIN
I am always on the lookout for new Camino books and McCarthy is a great writer. At this point, he’s an auto-buy author for me.
Walking with Sam is available wherever books are sold. You can read all about it at the web-page linked below on the Hachette Book Group’s website:
WALKING WITH SAM BY ANDREW MCCARTHY
Here’s a screenshot of McCarthy’s book tour:
Can’t wait to read this one!
Pilgrims Who Start Their Camino in Sarria…
35% of all pilgrims who receive their compostela certificate (this is the certificate that authenticates the fact that you completed the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain) in Santiago de Compostela begin their pilgrimage in SARRIA.
That’s AWESOME! Good for them! So THRILLED they had this experience!
There is a lot of talk in Camino groups around the internet that disparages this 35%. They even give them derogatory names likes Touragrino and suggest that they are destroying the Camino. Peregrino is the Spanish word for Pilgrim, so those who walk the Camino are known as peregrinos (peregrina is the feminine word, but en masse peregrino refers to all…much like actresses are also grouped in to the collective of actors). Calling pilgrims who only walk the last 100km Touragrinos suggests that they are merely tourists out for a stroll, and that they don’t experience the ‘actual’ Camino. Don’t listen to these people!
What the Camino snobs either ignore or don’t seem to take into consideration is that a LOT of people don’t have the option to take the amount of time off work that it would take to walk the entirety to the Camino Frances (or any of the other routes that take 30 or more days to walk). They have their heads stuck so firmly up their arrogant asses, that they don’t realize that others are not as privileged as they are when it comes to having free time away from their workaday lives.
Walking from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela does not make a pilgrim any less of a pilgrim. It doesn’t mean these peregrinos appreciate the Camino less than those who begin in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France. Quite often it means they would much rather walk the entire Camino, but that their circumstances will not allow it. That the ‘true pilgrim’ snobs add insult to their injury is just deplorable.
The Camino should be a place of no judgement. Sadly, that’s not the case. Those who have the privilege to walk the entire walk often mock those who cannot. So not cool. Each pilgrim makes their own way. Your Camino, your way.
If you can only take a week (or two) away from your world, you have a couple of Camino options. ONE is to walk the last part of the Camino, where you get to experience walking to the Cathedral and all that that uplifting experience can bring you. ANOTHER is that you can walk the first part of the Camino Frances from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, get all your stamps and come back the next year to continue where you left off…doing a portion every year until you get to the end. ANOTHER is that you can walk any ole part of the Camino you wish to explore. The choice is yours, not some loudmouth internet troll’s who is trying to tell you you’re not a pilgrim if you don’t walk the entire pilgrimage route. You don’t need those people in your life.
There are a myriad of reasons that not everyone can do a full Camino, and it’s nobody’s business but theirs. If you’re considering doing a Camino pilgrimage and can’t do the whole thing, please don’t listen to naysayers! DO YOUR CAMINO YOUR WAY. Enjoy every minute of it! Don’t let them steal your joy.
There is NO SHAME in not doing the entire pilgrimage route. The joy is in experiencing what you can of this unique path. Whether you do it for religious reasons, spiritual reasons, or just because you want to go for a walk…all reasons and all distances are valid. ENJOY!
Senda Litoral Route – Caminho Português – September 2022 – Day 10
Day 10! A Picaraña to Santiago de Compostela!!
Of course we set out in the dark. The race was on! Santiago de Compostela or bust!
The first thing to peek up out of the darkness at us was a little…bizarre to say the least.
But we soon had daylight…just in time to see our first milemarker that broke the 10km mark!
It felt like it took us no time at all to get to the city limits.
Again, a glorious day filled with sunshine!
Making our way into the city was a little misleading. We kept thinking we were going to turn a corner and be there…only to find one neighbourhood after another…staying forever on the outskirts.
But we were definitely getting there.
How about one more gorgeously picturesque bridge to walk over before reaching the cathedral? Don’t mind if we do!
One quick stop as we reach the town proper…to get our first stamp of our day!
One last piece of street art before we finish our last day…
One last moment of confusion…
One last hórreo…
I had the great idea of walking AROUND the cathedral so we could come in at the same place as the Camino Frances and see the pipers in action before taking in the cathedral’s facade.
For the first time, we walked into this little covered part not to the sound of a piper, but to a guitar.
WE MADE IT!
We quickly made our way to the pilgrim’s office to queue up for our compostelas (the certificates of completion)!
Compostelas in hand, we made our way to the very first cafe we came to and rewarded ourselves with a full breakfast each! One of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten!
We were fortunate enough to get to see the Botafumeiro swing during mass that afternoon! It doesn’t always happen, so we were thrilled to witness it!
So ends another Camino! There was more, of course…but the finish line was crossed! The next day we even took the rooftop tour of the cathedral. If you ever do the Camino, make sure to look into taking the rooftop tour! The views are amazing. Just being on the roof of the cathedral is quite spectacular in itself!
Thinking of doing the Camino? Do it! You’ll love it, even if it nearly kills you or your feet. It’s an experience of a lifetime!
You might even go back for more. This was my 3rd Camino. Loved every minute of it, even when I wanted to cry over the absolute PAIN my feet experienced. When it’s all over, the foot pain becomes a distant memory. You remember the moments and the beauty.
Senda Litoral Route – Caminho Português – September 2022- 280km in 10 days! PORTO, PORTUGAL to SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, SPAIN.
Click here to jump to PORTO – BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAMINO PART#1
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
Senda Litoral Route – Caminho Português – September 2022 – Day 9
Day 9! Caldas de Rei to A Picaraña!
Our second last day of walking! Unbelievable. It takes so long and it’s so arduous, and it’s over in the blink of an eye. Such a dichotomy!
We were off in the dark of night once again!
It very quickly brightened up this time, though.
Another picture perfect day on the Camino. Spain was giving us the best possible weather! Not too cold, not too hot.
The sunrise and the scattered clouds and big blue sky were giving us all the feels!
Immediately following the glorious sunrise, we came upon a little cafe and it was time for a Café con leche! Coffee is ALWAYS better in Spain!
Does it get any better than this picture of an early morning Spanish sky?
A picture perfect day!
We’ve reached the part of the Camino where your pains don’t matter all that much and your perspective is clear and the beauty gets in. The world hushes and allows you to stop thinking about the aches in your toes and heels and knees and hips and thighs. Everything around you opens up to you…
We had reached Pontecesures. And we were about to experience culture shock…loud obtrusive culture shock. With every internal trip into serenity, comes its opposite.
Just one pic as we made our way through crowds and crowds of people at a weekend flea market type event that had the town hopping with what felt like thousands of people…
Way too overwhelming an experience for me. I was lulled by the nature we had just experienced and the crowds felt like sensory overload of the worst kind!
We were so glad to make our way back out of the chaos of that town!
We were soon to arrive in A Picaraña. Though we were happy to arrive at our lodgings, this was not one of the great discoveries we were so lucky to score along the way. I don’t even have a picture of the inside of this place.
Pension Glorioso was…adequate. The 70s furniture was…adequate. The WiFi didn’t even work all that well. It was probably our one fail booking of the whole Camino. Can’t really complain.
Day nine was over! ONE. DAY. LEFT. And a short one at that. We’d be in Santiago de Compostela in the morning!
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
Senda Litoral Route – Caminho Português – September 2022 – Day 8
Day 8! Ponte Sampaio to Caldas de Reis!
Somewhere along our journey, we had begun to set out in the dark. Once you start doing that, there’s no turning back. We were now doing it every day. We were now counting on the little torch apps on our phones to guide our way for the first hour or so of our day.
Thankfully, there was still the odd streetlight guiding our way through the town.
Before the sun was fully up on our 8th day, we were walking through nature in complete and utter darkness. It was time to pray we didn’t go over on our heels or trip over the jutting rocks in our path.
Sunrise on the Camino is always worth crawling your way through the darkness while awaiting its arrival!
Soon it was daylight and our fears were behind us. Nobody fell off a cliff-edge or twisted an ankle. We would live to see another day.
We noticed that the vineyards were plentiful on this day. Whether they stretched across acres and acres of land, or stayed within a tiny well-groomed yard, grapevines could be seen at every turn. It also seemed that, wherever we looked, people were picking grapes this day.
Early in the day, we came across a tiny little church that was built in 1617!
We soon reached Pondevedra…a bit of a bustling town after all the small ones we passed through.
Inside the church pictured above, I witnessed one of the little things that chips away at the magic of the Camino. A busload of tourists actually lined up to get their credencials stamped. I was apoplectic. I couldn’t believe that, one, the tourists and the tour guide would do such a thing, and, two, that the person inside the church would actually stamp their credencials. I hoped against hope that these bussies didn’t do this all the way to Santiago de Compostela and then march in to the compostela office and get their certificate. Surely, the guide would prevent that from happening!
Soon, another bridge…
Hi, artwork!
After Pontevedra, we were heading back into nature for a while. It was feeling very much like we were back on the Camino Frances. Galicia was opening up to us with its vibrant mossiness and greenery…
We soon found a place to stop for a little rest. The entire patio of this cafe was covered by a hanging trellis of grapevines…beautiful!
Placing a stone on the milemarker…
Every stop sign had a message of one kind or another. “Don’t STOP believing!”, “Don’t STOP me now!”, “Don’t STOP now!”, etc.
Picture perfect grapes everywhere!
Today was the first LONG day that didn’t really feel like a long day. Except when you take into account the shape of our feet, that is. We were soon in Caldas de Rei!
This is the town where I finally broke down and bought some new sandals. I couldn’t wear my shoes another second. I put the cheap new sandals on before I left the shoe store. The gentleman who dug through a box to find the slip on sandals that would fit my gargantuan feet will always be remembered as one of my Camino Angels! Thank you forever!
Again, we scored huge with the apartment we booked on Booking dot com. Just what we needed after another long day! With a restaurant just next door!
The restaurant had one of our first, if not our actual first, pilgrim menu options! Caldo Galega was mine!!! I just love the Galician soup served in this portion of the Camino! LOVE!
Day eight over, it seemed impossible that we were just two short days away from Santiago de Compostela and the cathedral at the end of the yellow brick road. We were almost there! Day nine? A Picarana or bust!
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
Senda Litoral Route – Caminho Português – September 2022 – Day 7
Day 7! Vigo to Ponte Sampaio!
Milestone day! This was the day we crossed the 100km mile marker. We began our day in Vigo at just over 100km from our goal of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela!
When you take a photo to show the depth and steepness of a hill, it almost never turns out. Trust me on this, when we got out of the city it was quite a brutal uphill climb to a ridge above it.
A brutal climb, but well worth it once we were able to take in the views the ridge afforded us.
It was actually quite breathtaking…and once we were up there, it was relatively flat for a while.
We kept coming across new vistas that felt like the perfect place to take the day’s selfie…again and again…
There was no end to the beauty below us. A look to the left, throughout this entire Camino, was bound to offer beauty…
Soon after breaking the 100km mark, we were gently being eased back into nature…
Leave it to the Camino to have the most interesting and gorgeous artwork appear out of nowhere along the path. Some call this graffiti or vandalizing, but whatever. I love the art we find along the way. I always appreciate it! I don’t give a rat’s ass what the naysayers say.
Mid-day we had to climb DOWN into a town. At this point, my toes had had enough! It was one of the most painful descents of our entire Camino. I did find this interesting doll on the porch of one of the houses on our way down, though. Turns out it has its own Instagram and they change the clothes and theme periodically…
I always love the way some locals just get all in when it comes to the Camino. Whether it’s little things like the Meryitsme_ doll, or big elaborate yard decorations. Love!
Once we climbed down into the little town, we found a place to have lunch. The food on the Camino–always simple and fortifying–is ALWAYS just so GOOD! It probably has something to do with the level of exhaustion you’re feeling, with your absolute need to have calories! At any rate, even your run of the mill everyday sandwich tastes like manna from heaven! Especially when paired with a cold beer!
After lunch, we left the little town and found ourselves back in nature. And back to yet another makeshift Camino altar…
Just prior to reaching our day’s end goal of Ponte Sampaio, we reached a rather iconic Instagram famous landmark. The two shoes!
After crossing a short bridge (a bit of a theme on the Portugues Caminho, as we came to realize), we were in Ponte Sampaio…and just a few hundred feet from our albergue. A few almost impossible hundred feet. The last km is always the worst, I swear!
The short bridge leading us into Ponte Sampaio!
But we soon discovered we had scored again in the accommodation department. Our lodgings for the night were just shy of perfect! And complete with laundry facilities and a church outside our bathroom window!
The restuarant a couple of doors down was affiliated with the albergue and offered some great fare! We were just happy we wouldn’t have to walk too far to fuel up!
If you’re stopping in Ponte Sampaio, you won’t go wrong staying in El Hostel Albergue O MESÓN de Ponte Sampaio. The link is to their website, but we booked through Booking dot com.
That’s day seven over! 3 days to go…how fast the Caminos go! Day 8? Caldas de Reis or bust!
I’m also an author. One of my novels, a young adult story, is set on the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago. THE CAMINO CLUB. It follows six teens on their journey from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. The teens walk with court appointed counselors in a juvenile delinquent program that will see them free of their records once they make the journey to Santiago…a clean slate. Think of a more diverse The Breakfast Club, but on the Camino de Santiago over two weeks instead of in a school library on a Saturday. Give it a look! It’s available wherever books are sold. Here’s the Amazon USA link.
KEVIN CRAIG 