Not Just a Granny

Day 5 Monday 2017.09.11 Porto to Vila do Conde

This is it guys!!! It’s 7.20 and I’m just about to start my Camino 2017 from  Porto to Santiago along the Portuguese Coastal Route and then onto the The Central Way at Tui in Spain… Hopefully this weekend 😉😉😉 

I’m going to try and update as I go, but forgive me if there are gaps… But ‘ll drop by from time to time and send you Postcards from Portugal… These can be seen on my instagram @notjustagranny 

After 4 days of brilliant sunshine and blazing sun, it’s overcast today. I’m glad for the cooler weather but sad coz I wanted some sunrise photos!! Oh well can’t have it all 😊😊

And here’s Pepe (my very heavy backpack) what have I got in there??? 😱😱😱 I forsee a lot of ‘must haves’ being dumped soon 😂😂😂 For now we’re ready to start our Camino.

My 1st pic as a bona-fide pilgrim 😁😁 and scenes of my journeys start.

 The second Cathedral, part of the route downhill to the riverside

and Foz do Duoro where I stopped for my first official pilgrim’s breakfast. I hope I remember to get my passport stamped 😁

It’s a lovely misty day, cool for walking.

After leaving Porto Cathedral and following the pilgrim’s route to the riverside I took the bus to Foz do Duoro where I took one last visit to the lighthouse.

 It was very overcast but already warm. I stopped for breakfast then since it had started to rain I took the bus to Matosinhos (in no mood to get wet on my 1st day) As we reached Matosinhos I saw a backpack coming down the stairs of the bus with a South African flag on it 😀😀😀👏👏👏 Turned out to be a couple from South Africa who were also starting their Camino today; Roger and Amanda.

How amazing is that. We chatted briefly swapped numbers and I set off. The first of my Camino family 💞💞

I set a good pace and before long reached the lighthouse where I met Mel from Somerset UK 😀 the next of my Camino family. 

Since then we’ve met had something to eat and drink and set off again, each at our own pace. We’re all staying at Vila do Conde tonight and may meet for supper. I’ve just stopped at a tiny restaurant somewhere, about halfway. I’m drinking a Super Bock beer!! 😂😂😂 yes beer.

 I think I’m going to be drinking quite a lot of this. It’s cheap. It tastes like nectar. It’s cold. And it’s a brilliant blue hot day.

Amazing day. Seen some awesome stuff. Love the boardwalks, miles upon mile. Makes it so easy to walk; ocean on the left, head north. I’m dying for a swim. 😂😂😂walked 15 kms so far.

Well I’m nearly there, Vila do Conde. I was reliably informed by the owner of the yellow cafe, where I bought a Double Raspberry Magnum, that I had 4 kms to go… That was about 2 kms ago. I think. I hope 😂😂😂 I 🙏🙏🙏🙏

 My feet are aching, my shoulders are aching. I’m ready for a hot bath.  I stopped at a small restaurant for a coke. I needed a sugar rush. So even even though I’m not a fan of the stuff, it’s going down a treat. The boardwalks have been brilliant to walk along and it appears that at some stage I crossed onto the Littoral Route. 

The wooden boardwalks are so much easier than cobble stones. I’ve seen loads of pilgrim’s and so many locals. I’m seldom alone for more than 5 minutes. It turned out to be a brilliant day and I anticipated a beautiful sunset in crossed paths with Roger and Amanda a few times during the day and it was fun to compare notes. 

20.4 kms. And I’m so close.

Arriving in Vila do Conde was amazing. Perfect weather, lovely walking, amazing scenery and a massive convent on the hill as we crossed the bridge.

The girl in front is Laura. I saw her ahead of me just before we reached the bridge and noticed she was limping. I caught up with her to offer any help needed, but she was okay. We walked into town together and discovered that not only were we staying in the same guest house, but were room mates 😊😊😊 what a delight.

Although I was quite tired after walking 25 kms+ I was so exhilarated that I went walkabout to the end of the marina to see the sunset. A superb evening

I had the best day. Met both these lovely ladies along the way and went out for drinks and supper with them after we arrived. All very coincidentally staying in same guest house 😊😊😊😊

The Erva Doce Guest House, a lovely little hotel that made us feel very cosy. Susanna who welcomed us was absolutely charming. 

Vila do Conde is fabulous. More tomorrow.

Postcards from Portugal