Finding our way

Day 5: Labruge to Arcos, Portugal

Note: It looks like I did it again, maybe at home I can become more succinct. You get to choose to skip around, there is no prize to read it all.  And photos are always quicker…

Last night we spent almost an hour researching how to move from the coast to the central route.  There are some amazing resources out there to help anyone along their way. One of our current go to is “Stingy Nomads” who even gave us a video of the turn by turn instructions. We did find a GPS route, put it on our bike app, Ride with GPS, and that is what we plan to follow.  

We ended the evening playing cribbage – yes, we left the board at home – thanks for the advice, Therese, but not as satisfying to move your own pegs. I was more tired than expected since I was having a hard time keeping up with the hash marks on the post-it note.  Note: Siri did better with her nap. 

At breakfast we met up with pilgrims who had all done the Camino Frances, some several times.  Many take this journey for different reasons, and the reason may change while on the path, or even day by day.  One Australian pair of sister and sister-in-law (because her brother doesn’t like to travel) enjoyed it so much last year, they committed to do this one this year.  From France, there is a daughter (about our age) walking with her mom who have done the French route at least two times. 

One friendly gentleman, from Texas, introduces himself and we find out he has done the Camino Frances five times and this year he is doing the Camino Portugués for the first time.  When asked why he walks, we hear that he and his wife first learned of it  in 2015 when visiting Montserrat, a monastery outside of Barcelona, (that we visited on 2020). They both then started to plan their trip, but tragically she was soon diagnosed with brain cancer and he took care of her until she died in 2017.  One request she asked of him was to complete their Camino and she would be there with him in spirit.  He did and now keeps walking each year when able. 

We pause to take in the weight of what he just shared with us, complete strangers, but also fellow pilgrims.

I am reminded that all of us have our own reason to walk, and that you may never ever truly know all that is going on with another person, and so I just must remember to be present.  And I look back to the Spirit of the Camino in our pilgrim’s credential, I remind myself: Appreciate those who walk with you today and Share.

Maybe this is the mantra for the day.

The first half is walking along the rocky coast on wooden boardwalks, with the sand every now and then completely covering our intended route.  We stop in Vila do Conde for an ATM and fresh food stop (but no hat).   I am a little anxious to get going to attempt this, what some have stated, is a perilous path on busy streets with no sidewalks and rock walls to hem you in. 

As we head out from the main square, we meet up unexpectedly with our new Australian friends and they are excited to join us on our GPS route. First thoughts that enter my mind. How fast do they walk? Will they slow us down? But, I know that we will wait for them to get their fruit stop and ask them to join us, and that actually does bring me joy.

We have a lovely 3-hour walk and learn about their families while dodging cars and trucks. We feel more safe as a group and the conversation lightens the mood of the urban walk. Both have kids the same age as ours, we learn one has a son in the navy, the other has 5 kids (she was one of 7) but none of them wanted to run the family banana and fruit plantation, so she has now joined them in Perth.

We walk across our final bridge, a rebuilt Roman  bridge, and we comment that we (finally) don’t have to share it with the cars.  We come to our lodging and bid adieu to our newest friends.  We send some photos via Whatsapp, with thoughts that we may meet up again in a few days. 

We have booked a very upscale place, based on a friend’s recommendations (thank you Cathy and Tim) that is even nicer than expected.  I believe it is a converted convent that is now a wedding venue next to the church.  We take a hot shower, stretch and now sit by the pool (!), listening to birds and viewing the freshly plowed fields of this village as we wait for a nice dinner in a few hours.

I am feeling rather pampered at the end of a long day, which helps melt away the soreness in the feet and calves. 

But like I said before, not everyone was a monk on this pilgrimage, even King and Queens walked the Camino.

As we leave what ends up being a lovely dinner with two English women doing three days on the Camino, we are approached by our hostess with news about tomorrow.

She is beeming with pride to tell us about her honetown which is our next stop.

We find out that there is an annual 5-day festival that starts tomorrow in Barcelos (our destination) that begins at 8:30 am and ends with fireworks at midnight.  There are bands, parades, dancing and more in-between.  We feel the same excitement.

Looks to be another full day, even after our walk.