Camino De Santiago: Portuguese Way Episode 2

I woke up, but not as early as I was hoping. I packed my bag, quietly snuck into the kitchen to wolf down two bananas for breakfast (the host insisted I take whatever fruit I wanted) and left the apartment. I was back on the road, walking along the Ave River where I could see the historic aqueduct, a relic of the past now standing as a beautiful architectural monument. Today’s route was going to take me inland, transitioning from the coastal route to the central route. I followed along the river until I arrived at a town called Toguinhó. I stopped at a café and pondered getting a coffee but opted for a bright green popsicle as the sun and heat were starting to bear down. I was soon back on the path when I ran into a cheerful and friendly German woman named Svenja. We walked together for a while, talking about our lives and our Camino experience so far, among many other topics. 

We passed through picturesque towns and villages such as Junqueira and Arcos, we passed churches and cathedrals of varying sizes. The road was a bit harrowing at times and required full alertness, as the sidewalk would sometimes disappear, or the road would bend here and there, putting us out of view of speeding drivers. Further along the path, we encountered a small vineyard with a stretch of grapevines behind a short stone wall. We could reach the little blue and purple gems hanging over the wall, so we grabbed a few and snacked on the perfectly ripe grapes. 

Somewhere along the way, we stopped at a café for some coffee, pastries and some snacks. We sat outside in the shade enjoying the cool breeze. It was a small slice of happiness, taking in the view of the green hills while sipping espresso with a friendly stranger, surrounded by more friendly strangers. After the break, we moved on until we arrived at the village of Rates, which was a well-known stopping point for many Pilgrims. I was hungry and decided to stop for lunch while Svenja decided to continue, so we parted ways for now. After a filling and nutritious pilgrim meal at Pheonix Coffee, I resumed my walk with the cognizance that I still had considerable distance to cover before reaching the public Albergue in Barcelinhos, which was the destination for the day. I fought through some nagging knee pains and withstood the scorching sun, and I started on a blistering pace through fields, forests and more villages, Thankfully, parts of the path were now dirt instead of the uneven cobblestone, and this provided some, albeit marginal, relief to the knees and ankles.

While walking, I noticed a woman on the other side of the road tending to her grapes in her front yard. She looked up, noticed me, and gestured to me to come over. I walked over, and she cut off two bunches of grapes and handed them to me over a short stone wall that delineated her property. I exclaimed my many thanks and flashed a beaming smile and went on my way, gorging on the sweet juicy grapes. The wholesome interaction had begun with a simple exchange of eye contact and a gentle smile, a practice I would maintain for the rest of my trip.

The road to Barcelinhos was long, but I eventually arrived in the late afternoon. At the albergue, I was given one of the last few beds, and I immediately took a shower. Not long after, Svenja arrived at the same albergue, which was a pleasant surprise. As the sun was setting, I went out, first to pick up some Ibuprofen at a pharmacy, and then I found a restaurant that served a large pilgrim meal. I took one glance around the restaurant and saw that the clientele was made up entirely of pilgrims. But the food was satisfying and excellent value. As the light faded into a deep bluish night sky, I returned to the Albergue, did my laundry, and pulled out my journal to write. There was a roof terrace that offered a view of Barcelos, the city just on the other side of the river. The night air was warm and placid, and I stood in the quiet darkness, looking at the faint and sparse city lights.

I returned to my bunk. Everyone else was already in bed. Very soon, a chorus of snores arose throughout the room. Such is the reality of sleeping in a room full of tired strangers. After about twenty minutes of wakefulness, the exhaustion slowly overtook my body and induced me to sleep.