Linda

Rest Day- Oct. 1, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 18 / Porto
Distance: 0 miles / Total 244.1 miles
Time: N/A
Ascent: N/A Decent: N/A
Weather: 55- 65 degrees, sunny

First Rest Day. Roaming Porto.

View from River taxi. Port barrel boats of old.

Haunts – Sept. 30, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 17 / Grijó to Porto / Half-way to Santiago
Distance: 12.8 miles / Total 244.1 miles
Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Ascent: 1,158’ Decent: 1,397’
Weather: 55- 64 degrees, clear & sunny

Local haunts…

Just like Penn Station, NYC. “Meet me under the clock,” said cousin Eddie.

Mélange – Sept. 30, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 17 / Grijó to Porto / Half-way to Santiago
Distance: 12.8 miles / Total 244.1 miles
Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Ascent: 1,158’ Decent: 1,397’
Weather: 55- 64 degrees, clear & sunny

Porto feels like a mélange of Prague and Venice with its architecture, water ways, and hordes of tourists. A few tourist haunts…

Cathedral’s Basilica. Porto’s starting point for the Portugués Camino.

Bucket List – Sept. 30, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 17 / Grijó to Porto / Half-way to Santiago
Distance: 12.8 miles / Total 244.1 miles
Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Ascent: 1,158’ Decent: 1,397’
Weather: 55- 64 degrees, clear & sunny

On their bucket list, these two American women have drive this vehicle. Maybe I’m being generous calling it a vehicle. As for me, my bucket list includes walking to Porto. Who’s taking the bigger risk?

A 60 and 70-something year old Americans driving in Porto.

Think I’m insured? A tic for my bucket list.

Texture – Sept. 29, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 16 / São João to Grijó
Distance: 12.8 miles / Total 233.3 miles
Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Ascent: ???’ Decent: ???’
Weather: 55- 64 degrees, misty rain to steady rain until noon (added “French” rain poncho over Gortex jacket and paints)

Texture of old things are appealing.

I asked to take their picture. Their generation shows no facial emotion yet their eyes bore into the camera.

Tic – Sept. 29, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 16 / São João to Grijó
Distance: 12.8 miles / Total 233.3 miles
Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Ascent: ???’ Decent: ???’
Weather: 55- 64 degrees, starting in misty rain which turns to steady rain. Blue skies by noon.

I’ve become a tic on a page. Since 2013, the café proprietor keeps a yearly account of the nationality of pilgrims. He’s anxious I mark my tic and shows no concern that water is flooding off me onto the dry floor.

The proprietor, the quintessential bean counter.

My tic makes 11 Americans for 2022. USA is trailing behind 1st place France with 13. Note Alaska with one tic isn’t included in the America division. No log sheet for 2020 and 2021 during COVID pandemic.

“Where everyone knows your name and they’re glad you came.”

After hours walking in the rain, I am utterly happy to be in this place.

Before Sunrise – Sept. 29, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 16 / São João to Grijó
Distance: 12.8 miles / Total 233.3 miles
Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Ascent: ???’ Decent: ???’
Weather: 55- 64 degrees, misty rain to steady rain until noon (added “French” rain poncho over Gortex jacket and paints)

There’s always special beauty before sunrise. The absence of sound and people are peaceful.

Fortunately the church bell that rings on the quarter hour stops at 9:00pm.

I’m not the only one keeping early hours.

I’m not the only one covered in raindrops.

Last Row – Sept. 28, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 15 / Albergaria-a-Nova to São João
Distance: 15.7 miles / Total 220.5 miles
Time: 8 hours
Ascent: 1,792’ Decent: 1,527’
Weather: 55-71 degrees / partly cloudy

Last row to hoe. Whether it’s 5, 10, or 15 miles to walk, the last miles are the hardest. Towards the end, my thinking isn’t as sharp. I see way marking signs but I don’t really look at them. Was it “right,” “left,” or “straight on?” Retracing my steps, I actually look at the sign. My body is saying break time.

Pre-dawn bread delivery is common. Slipping away from my hostel at 5:30am, I asked to buy bread from the delivery man. Smiling he offered me a roll and good journey.

As a scallop shells was on his pack, could he be returning from Santiago de Compostelle?

She’s Everywhere – Sept. 27, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 14 / Águeda to Albergaria-a-Nova
Distance: 13.7 miles / Total 204.8 miles
Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Ascent: 1,052’ Decent: 724’
Weather: 55-75 degrees / sunny, cloudless & breezy. Started out in down jacket.

Images of Fátima are everywhere. She is Portugal.

Pilgrims to Fátima. We are now going in opposite directions.

Fátima pilgrims light backpacks and high spirits.

Hold On – Sept. 27, 2022

Portuguese Camino: Day 14 / Águeda to Albergaria-a-Nova
Distance: 13.7 miles / Total 204.8 miles
Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Ascent: 1,052’ Decent: 724’
Weather: 55-75 degrees / sunny, cloudless & breezy. Started the day in my down coat.

Hold on to the morning light. Colors are saturated and the sharpest.

Colors becoming warmer.