Still in Portugal

Dear Friends,

It has been difficult to find wireless or albuergueºs with internet connection so I havenºt been able to say hello.  Currently I am sitting in an internet cafe in Ponte de Lima and for .50 euro I can chat for 15 minutes.

We are five days into our hiking.  I admit that it was very difficult the first couple of days.  We started from Oporto on Monday Sept. 12.  We hiked along the ocean which was wonderful with the scenery and the breeze.  We all have the most amazing tan lines between our knees and our ankles.  The map we were following was a bit out of date so our 12 mile journey was about 16 miles.  The packs were heavy, the feet sore, but we eventually made it to Vida do Conde.  We stayed at a little albuerque where our room had a slanted floor.  That was a bit difficult to manage in the middle of the night if one had to get up to go to the bathroom.

From Vila do Conde we traveled to Rates.  Again the map was incorrect so our six mile journey turned into about ten.  We started at six thirty AM.  The day was hot so we were worn out by the time we arrived at our albuergue.  We showered in tepid water, did the laundry, and shopped at the tiny store for food to cook.  Rick cooked us a wonderful meal of spaghetti with tomato garlic shrimp sauce.  That coupled with a nice green salad was just what we needed to get our strength back.

From Rates we traveled to Barcelos--prounced Barsheles--a bigger city with a wonderful private albuergue with a bathtub!  We ate plentiful food and shopped at the local farmers market\flea market they  have in the square every Thursday.  The produce and fruits were abundant as were the meats and breads.  Vendors were selling live chickens and bunnies but not for pets I am certain.  We saw gypsies begging and everybody was clinging their pocketbooks closer.  We hated to leave Barceles because it was a fun place.

From Barceles we journeyed to Casa de Fernanda about 10 miles outside Barceles.  Our group got separated so four of us were journeying along, stopped to look at this cute little house along the way and then walked on.  We got to a church, consulted the map and found out that we had overshot our destination by about 1.5 miles.  So back we went--walked three miles out of our way!  We are certain to be more careful next time.  We are finding that the map that the Pilgrim Leader has is different from the map that I have with mine being newer.  We are following that one from now on.

Casa de Fernanda was a delight to behold.  It is a private albuerque run b Fernanda and Joaquim.  They have room for 14 persons.  We met a woman from Switzerland named Monique, two women traveling together one from Iceland and the other from Germany, a couple traveling on their honeymoon from Germany--they are getting married at the end of September but apparently taking their honeymoon first!  Joaquin is an optometrist--he gave us beer and fried pork cutlet and bread to snack on.  Fernanda came home and made us a fabulous meal of cabbage soup, fish, potatos and tomatoes from her garden.  After dinner we enjoyed Port and Grappa--or fire water as she called it.  She had a liquor of sorts that was made from rosemary I think.  Wasnºt all that great to drink but would have been good on a salad.  When we woke up this morning she fixed us a typical european breakfast of meat and cheese, bread, yogurt and cafe con leit.  It was amazing!  Casa de Fernanda was the perfect place to spend my wedding anniversary since I couldnºt spend it with Ken.

I am still finding it a bit strange to be with my neighbors in this beautiful country with a backpack on my back and I have to pinch myself from time to time.  This is an amazing journey.  I am understanding more and more about being a pilgrim and the sacriface that goes along with the journey.  The luxuries I have at home are so far removed from what I have seen here.  I am remembering those I brought in my heart along the way as I walk through this beautiful countryside. 

Tomorrow we are on our way to Rubios, one day closer to Santiago.

Thinking of all of you!