Day 4 continued.
Reading back I seem to be saying everything is lovely, I must find another adjective!
In the evening, in Ponte de Lima, the Potuguese said we should all go to a restaurant and try the local speciality "Arroz de Sarrabulho", it was various unmentionable pig bits cooked with rice in pig´s blood, the meaty bits were then served separately, it was actually quite tasty!
Day 5 - Monday 10th October
Ponte de Lima to Rubiaes 19kms
I got up 7ish, along with everyone else. I have been bitten and my arm has swollen and I have very itchy ?dermatitis on parts of my hands, the dermatitis is much more bothersome than the few bites, not sure what has bitten me, there was a mosquito buzzing around in Rates and I lay down on the grass in Portella!
Not a long walk today and through pleasant countryside but we had to go up a very steep hill. Part of the Via Nova again, Antonino really made his soldiers suffer!In the evening, in Ponte de Lima, the Potuguese said we should all go to a restaurant and try the local speciality "Arroz de Sarrabulho", it was various unmentionable pig bits cooked with rice in pig´s blood, the meaty bits were then served separately, it was actually quite tasty!
Day 5 - Monday 10th October
Ponte de Lima to Rubiaes 19kms
I got up 7ish, along with everyone else. I have been bitten and my arm has swollen and I have very itchy ?dermatitis on parts of my hands, the dermatitis is much more bothersome than the few bites, not sure what has bitten me, there was a mosquito buzzing around in Rates and I lay down on the grass in Portella!
Abel, one of the Portuguese chaps, was to cook supper, the previous night had ended in an "argument" as to who was to pay, in the end we all gave money to Abel and he said he would use it to cook today. The albergue is in the middle of nowhere but he has friends around and he reckoned he could get someone to transport supplies.
I got to the albergue at 12.30 and sat in the shade until it opened at about 13.20. A good albergue, plenty of space and a well stocked kitchen, like all the Portuguese kitchens it also had a fridge/freezer.
During the evening we had some concern, there are 3, 12 year old, German children, travelling with their grandfather. The grandfather had gone out, telling the children that he was going to get drinks for them, he was gone for a long time and everyone was starting to worry, I went to look for him, I found him coming back from the bar, he was totally oblivious of any concern he would cause, and he hadn't got drinks for the children.
We had a good evening, good food and good company.
Day 6, Tuesday 11th October
Rubiaes to Valenca 19kms
I started at 7.45 again, I much prefer the cool of the morning, I stopped after about 5 kms for a coffee and again after another 4. It is still warm, sunny weather, today was a pleasant walk, most of it off road. When I got to Valenca there were very few arrows and no signs for the albergue. I followed what arrows there were until I got to the bridge for Tui, when I realised I had gone too far, so I went up to the Fortress and walked the entire length.
Inside the fortress is super, an entire town, from the outside it just looks like a load of stone and grass.
I got to the albergue at 12.30 and sat in the shade until it opened at about 13.20. A good albergue, plenty of space and a well stocked kitchen, like all the Portuguese kitchens it also had a fridge/freezer.
During the evening we had some concern, there are 3, 12 year old, German children, travelling with their grandfather. The grandfather had gone out, telling the children that he was going to get drinks for them, he was gone for a long time and everyone was starting to worry, I went to look for him, I found him coming back from the bar, he was totally oblivious of any concern he would cause, and he hadn't got drinks for the children.
We had a good evening, good food and good company.
Day 6, Tuesday 11th October
Rubiaes to Valenca 19kms
I started at 7.45 again, I much prefer the cool of the morning, I stopped after about 5 kms for a coffee and again after another 4. It is still warm, sunny weather, today was a pleasant walk, most of it off road. When I got to Valenca there were very few arrows and no signs for the albergue. I followed what arrows there were until I got to the bridge for Tui, when I realised I had gone too far, so I went up to the Fortress and walked the entire length.
Inside the fortress is super, an entire town, from the outside it just looks like a load of stone and grass.
Eventually I found the Tourist Information Office, but it was closed, then I had a 'camino' moment, I passed a little chapel and stood in the door and said, 'Please show me the albergue', then I walked out of the gates and there was the albergue! Suzanne and Jenny, the 2 German girls were sitting outside waiting, it opened at 13.00 and it was almost opening time. A little later Abel turned up and said that the rest had gone on to Tui, I was a little surprised as Ling had not texted me, it seemed we were going to have a quiet hostel, but a little later Ling turned up! She had no idea anyone had gone to Tui, she reckoned she must have missed that part of the conversation. Then, to everyones surprise, Vasco, Hubert and the children arrived, they were all hot and tired and very fed-up as they had been walking backwards and forwards in the heat.
Suzanne and Jenny had offered to cook dinner, there was a supermarket near the albergue and we all went mad in there, we also all did a big clothes wash as the garden was a sun trap.
After dinner we were all relaxing when one of the boys cracked his head on a ceiling joist, the boys were jumping from bunk to bunk!
Johannes told me, but said, 'Alles en ordnung' nevertheless I got the 2 German girls and we went to investigate, Moritz, the lad was sitting with an ice pack on his head, looking very shocked, the other 2 looked pretty shocked too, he obviously needed medical attention but no-one seemed to know what was happening, there were no adults with them! Then Abel came back with bombeiros and an ambulance, apparently the fire service run the ambulances. God knows why the adults had left the children alone and not told any of us. Jenny went with them to the medical centre, to support the boy, no-one else seemed to be. The grandfather is too old and really not fit to be taking 3 12 year olds on such a long walk. The 2 children left behind were very concerned, especially as one was his twin sister!
Fortunately they were not away too long, Moritz had his head stitched up!
Day 7, 12th October
Valenca to O Porriño +/- 20 kms
We all got up early as we were going to lose an hour going into Spain. This was supposed to be the day when we all split up as a group, Hubert and the children were giving up on the Camino and Vasco said he would go to Tui with them.
I had breakfast then started walking, Suzanne and Jenny started just before me but they were going to visit the Fortaleza on the way out.
I walked to Tui and visited the old town and Cathedral, they are beautiful, from here the walk was up the side of a road, a country road, or, rather, a road in the country, but a main road, then we walked for a while through woodland, which was pleasant, for me anyway, Suzanne and Jenny split up and Jenny walked through on her own later, she was propositioned by a man who then walked off and masturbated in front of her! Later she passed him in his car and again he asked her to have sex with him.
After the wood there were a series of villages then 7 kms of industrial estate, it was drear. Suzanne was walking ahead of me but she was also bothered by a man, on a bike, that she couldn't get rid of, in the end she walked back to meet me and we walked together. She was a girl on a mission and we walked fast, we were very pleased to get to the Albergue. She decided to rest outside as she wanted to walk onto the next albergue at Mos, 5 kms further on, so she waited for Jenny. Then Vasco and Abel turned up, then Hubert and the children arrived by car.
Ling and I ate in. Ling cooked all the pasta she found in the kitchen, I wanted to cook my pasta in my soup so Ling fed Vasco then the 2 boys. The kitchen had plenty of big pans and glasses but very little of anything else, so I has to use my pans. I used up half of my emergency supplies and the wine I had bought in Valenca
Day 8 13th October
O Poriño to Pontevedra 34 kms
I had a bad night, I itched and more blisters came up on my feet that hurt. In the end I got up at 6, got my stuff together and went to the Medical Centre. On the way a woman came out of a bar to see where I was going, she thought I was lost! The doctor prescribed an antihistamine, then I went to a bar for breakfast, I had a delicious fresh croissant and coffee. Then I started walking but very slowly as it was still dark. It was OK in the town as there were street lights and pavement, by the time I came to the out of town stretch it was almost fully light but I was a bit worried and very grateful to turn off the main road, unfortunately I also had to cross the very busy road.
Lots of ups and downs today, I had a second breakfast in Mos then carried on to Redondella. I got there at 11.30, went to the chemist then went to look for the albergue, it was a lovely old building right in the town, I had a drink but it was still a wait until the albergue would open so I decided to move on and investigate the 2 albergues that I had names for, between Redondella and Pontevedra.
The camino from Redondella to Arcade and on to Ponte Sampaaio had some incredible scenery, lots of ups and downs as well. Arcade had lots of delicious smelling restaurants as well, I was tempted to stay and eat but I had hope of finding the albergue shortly so I carried on, after Arcade there was very little in the way of possible stops, though I did manage to fill my water bottles. There were no albergues advertised so I could only imagine that they do not exist and I had to keep walking. I had lost my page of instructions for that route so I had no idea where I was I just had to keep walking. Eventually I came to a sign that said 2.4 kms to go, every step was a pain but I got there. I hoped to stay 2 nights but they said "No", from conversations I can understand why as lots of people were wanting to stay. The albergue was on the edge of town and I was too tired to walk into the old town then so I decided to do a short day the next day and visit Pontevedra in the morning.
Hubert and the children arrived by taxi, they had walked as far as Ponte Sampaio which was a long walk. Finally, nearly 9, Suzanne and Jenny arrived, they had had a good day, lots of rests and they had been walking with 3 Spanish boys!
I went to bed with the intention of playing Sudoku till I was sleepy but the light in the dormitory was on an automatic timer and went off every 5 minutes, it was just too annoying. It was a large dorm with about 48 bunks and almost full so the light needed to be on but 2 or 3 had gone to bed early and were very cross every time the light was put back on, A French woman was threatening to put the light on at 6 but a Spanish man got cross too, saying 21.00 was too early for the light to be off, which, in all fairness it was.
Eventually the lights went out, then we were all disturbed by a young man being sick in the rubbish bin by the door, then it was 'all action'. The German woman by the door was up and shouting, someone else was explaining that the lad was ill, which was great to know, I would rather he had been drunk, it's not catching! Finally a Spanish man I had seen various times during the evening, with his wife, got up and went to the door and asked; 'How is the lad?' He also assisted with the cleaning, using a disinfectant. A real Christian, a real Pilgrim. I'm afraid I just lay in bed and watched!
The man in the bed on my left, close to the door, was using some kind of respirator/humidifier which was plugged into the wall near where the boy was sick, he was worried about his plug. On my other side I had a man whose bed was so close I felt we ought to introduce ourselves before we slept together! When I got into bed his sleeping bag was touching mine! I pushed his mattress as far away as I could, which gave us about an inch!
Finally all quietened. Suzanne and Jenny went and slept in the sitting area as they were too close to the sick boy for comfort.
Suzanne and Jenny had offered to cook dinner, there was a supermarket near the albergue and we all went mad in there, we also all did a big clothes wash as the garden was a sun trap.
After dinner we were all relaxing when one of the boys cracked his head on a ceiling joist, the boys were jumping from bunk to bunk!
Johannes told me, but said, 'Alles en ordnung' nevertheless I got the 2 German girls and we went to investigate, Moritz, the lad was sitting with an ice pack on his head, looking very shocked, the other 2 looked pretty shocked too, he obviously needed medical attention but no-one seemed to know what was happening, there were no adults with them! Then Abel came back with bombeiros and an ambulance, apparently the fire service run the ambulances. God knows why the adults had left the children alone and not told any of us. Jenny went with them to the medical centre, to support the boy, no-one else seemed to be. The grandfather is too old and really not fit to be taking 3 12 year olds on such a long walk. The 2 children left behind were very concerned, especially as one was his twin sister!
Fortunately they were not away too long, Moritz had his head stitched up!
Day 7, 12th October
Valenca to O Porriño +/- 20 kms
We all got up early as we were going to lose an hour going into Spain. This was supposed to be the day when we all split up as a group, Hubert and the children were giving up on the Camino and Vasco said he would go to Tui with them.
I had breakfast then started walking, Suzanne and Jenny started just before me but they were going to visit the Fortaleza on the way out.
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| View back over Valenca |
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| View of Tui |
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| Tui cathedral |
After the wood there were a series of villages then 7 kms of industrial estate, it was drear. Suzanne was walking ahead of me but she was also bothered by a man, on a bike, that she couldn't get rid of, in the end she walked back to meet me and we walked together. She was a girl on a mission and we walked fast, we were very pleased to get to the Albergue. She decided to rest outside as she wanted to walk onto the next albergue at Mos, 5 kms further on, so she waited for Jenny. Then Vasco and Abel turned up, then Hubert and the children arrived by car.
Ling and I ate in. Ling cooked all the pasta she found in the kitchen, I wanted to cook my pasta in my soup so Ling fed Vasco then the 2 boys. The kitchen had plenty of big pans and glasses but very little of anything else, so I has to use my pans. I used up half of my emergency supplies and the wine I had bought in Valenca
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| O Porino town hall |
Day 8 13th October
O Poriño to Pontevedra 34 kms
I had a bad night, I itched and more blisters came up on my feet that hurt. In the end I got up at 6, got my stuff together and went to the Medical Centre. On the way a woman came out of a bar to see where I was going, she thought I was lost! The doctor prescribed an antihistamine, then I went to a bar for breakfast, I had a delicious fresh croissant and coffee. Then I started walking but very slowly as it was still dark. It was OK in the town as there were street lights and pavement, by the time I came to the out of town stretch it was almost fully light but I was a bit worried and very grateful to turn off the main road, unfortunately I also had to cross the very busy road.
Lots of ups and downs today, I had a second breakfast in Mos then carried on to Redondella. I got there at 11.30, went to the chemist then went to look for the albergue, it was a lovely old building right in the town, I had a drink but it was still a wait until the albergue would open so I decided to move on and investigate the 2 albergues that I had names for, between Redondella and Pontevedra.
The camino from Redondella to Arcade and on to Ponte Sampaaio had some incredible scenery, lots of ups and downs as well. Arcade had lots of delicious smelling restaurants as well, I was tempted to stay and eat but I had hope of finding the albergue shortly so I carried on, after Arcade there was very little in the way of possible stops, though I did manage to fill my water bottles. There were no albergues advertised so I could only imagine that they do not exist and I had to keep walking. I had lost my page of instructions for that route so I had no idea where I was I just had to keep walking. Eventually I came to a sign that said 2.4 kms to go, every step was a pain but I got there. I hoped to stay 2 nights but they said "No", from conversations I can understand why as lots of people were wanting to stay. The albergue was on the edge of town and I was too tired to walk into the old town then so I decided to do a short day the next day and visit Pontevedra in the morning.Hubert and the children arrived by taxi, they had walked as far as Ponte Sampaio which was a long walk. Finally, nearly 9, Suzanne and Jenny arrived, they had had a good day, lots of rests and they had been walking with 3 Spanish boys!
I went to bed with the intention of playing Sudoku till I was sleepy but the light in the dormitory was on an automatic timer and went off every 5 minutes, it was just too annoying. It was a large dorm with about 48 bunks and almost full so the light needed to be on but 2 or 3 had gone to bed early and were very cross every time the light was put back on, A French woman was threatening to put the light on at 6 but a Spanish man got cross too, saying 21.00 was too early for the light to be off, which, in all fairness it was.
Eventually the lights went out, then we were all disturbed by a young man being sick in the rubbish bin by the door, then it was 'all action'. The German woman by the door was up and shouting, someone else was explaining that the lad was ill, which was great to know, I would rather he had been drunk, it's not catching! Finally a Spanish man I had seen various times during the evening, with his wife, got up and went to the door and asked; 'How is the lad?' He also assisted with the cleaning, using a disinfectant. A real Christian, a real Pilgrim. I'm afraid I just lay in bed and watched!
The man in the bed on my left, close to the door, was using some kind of respirator/humidifier which was plugged into the wall near where the boy was sick, he was worried about his plug. On my other side I had a man whose bed was so close I felt we ought to introduce ourselves before we slept together! When I got into bed his sleeping bag was touching mine! I pushed his mattress as far away as I could, which gave us about an inch!
Finally all quietened. Suzanne and Jenny went and slept in the sitting area as they were too close to the sick boy for comfort.
During the night the lad next to me rolled over and landed on top of me, all together an eventful night.
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