Rest Day

It is Day 5 of our Portuguese Camino Central walk, and we are taking a break, doing some laundry and relaxing a bit before a more strenuous day tomorrow. As much as I’ve enjoyed every step so far, I’m also rejoicing in the luxury of sleeping in until 7:30 and lingering over coffee.

Once again, our accommodation is amazing. A huge apartment with two bedrooms, living room and full kitchen. It is a period house…which period I don’t know.. but it is old and gorgeous. The woman who prepared and served us breakfast this morning has worked here for 26 years. She doesn’t speak English but we have Google translator and with my limited Spanish (which she seems to understand) we get along.

The Walk has been fabulous. Difficult at times when it’s pouring rain and there’s an inch of water in your shoes but mostly beautiful through calm countryside with orchards, vineyards and the occasional flock of sheep. Our first few days we walked in the company of a small group of Americans and two German women, passing each other along the way and meeting up in cafes and our lodgings for the night. Sadly, we will lose them today because of our stop but we will meet new people tomorrow. I heard from an Australian man yesterday that there is a large contingent of Nova Scotians on the path. Perhaps I’ll meet their acquaintance on the next leg.

Our arrival in Ponte de Lima yesterday coincided with a cultural celebration called Vaca de Cordas. It dates back at least to Roman times, possibly earlier, and features a kind of bull-running in which young men goad a bull restrained by a long rope as it runs through town to the beat of loud drumming. We had stopped for a drink before dinner and had to move because, as the young waitress explained, “the bull was coming”. As we left the restaurant later, thousands of people were in the streets, the crowds running this way and that in order to stay out of the way of the poor animal. We left – quickly – making our way to the new bridge to avoid seeing what was happening. Perhaps some traditions could be replaced with more humane activities…

I can’t say enough about the company that arranged this journey. Our information package was extensive and has answered every possible question, the hotels and recommended restaurants wonderful and our luggage is waiting in our room when we arrive. After four or five or six hours of walking, all of this is incredibly important and so far they have delivered in style!