Out of Porto I took a metro to a tony beach spot and started to walk beside the sea. Everyone had told me how wonderful the seaside is along this coast. They were right.
It was how and there was no shade. A sort of panic gripped me . I had set myself a challenging goal. I wanted to walk to Vila de Condo because that is one of the spots where one can cut inland to take the central route. I had miscalculated too . I ended up walking 27 kilometres, well above my best day ever.
It was a tough day but the only consolation was the magnificent coastline!
I slept like a baby in my dorm room and set off confidently in the morning! I had been too exhausted the night before to look at the sights. A Roman aqueduct that was supposed to act as a landmark had me going round in circles! My short day of 16 Km was pretty terrifying in spots as the Camino ( not so well developed in Portugal) ran along a busy and noisy highway. At last I reached San Pedro Rates and fell into paradise.
Somehow I managed to have a long conversation with my host and hostess… in Portuguese! Went out for dinner and met a German pilgrim Alexandra whom I keep running into. Starting to make trail friends! Now to hit the hay!
isobelmtl 
We had the info re summer guiding. Much is on the weekends and a great deal of of it is resourse. Don’t know how long I’ll hang in.
LikeLike
OMG – 27 kms is a LOT! Were you sore that night? Pauvre toi. Other than the walk itself, which sounds like it was more developed in Spain, do you find that the people are any different? One of our memoirs/stories last night took place in Brazil, and the text have a number of Portugese/Brazilian words throughout – loved it, as the meanings were clear. Love your pics & your commentary. Bonne marche.
LikeLike
In fact I was ok. I have to grease up my feet ( now there’s a pretty image) but I can walk a long way. What is more difficult to manage is finding the place you’re supposed to stay on at the end of the day… anxiety provoking
LikeLike