Day 4: Marinhas – Viana do Castelo

There is a Coastal variant for our Camino on this stage. We took this variant. It was lovely with the sea, the sun, surfers, the wind and bathing. I (Johanna) was swimming… But the temperature felt like a Bavarian lake in April. My father Martin only put his legs into the water.

We went barefoot in the sand at the beach for a long time. This was very nice but also exhausting. Under the bridge of the river Lima we saw many fish. Luckily our feet and legs felt good… Only my dad Martin felt sometimes his right hip.
Tomorrow the stage is a little bit longer, so we have a power nap now.

Day 3: Matosinhos – Marinhas

We slept in the albergue and stood up at 6.00. Today we walk about 22 km next to the coast. Johanna walked some time on her own and saw a case of exhibitionism in the village Agucadora. Johanna called me at the phone, but only she was there as I arrived a few minutes later.

Afterwards everything was wonderful. We walked through fields and next to a golf course. In Fão we crossed the Rio Cávado and then we met the other German pilgrims at the albergue again. There was a lovely cat as well. Then we took a shower, washed the clothes, took a power nap, walked to the sea. Here we write this blog post. Then we buy some things and cook our dinner together.

Day 2 Mantosinhos – Póvoa de Varzim

Today we stood up at 5 am and began to walk in the dark of the night. It was very funny to hear the sea, but actually we didn’t see the water or the big waves in the first hour.
Dad and I walked often around small fitness equipment, but when I tried it out it squeaked very loud. At 7 am we eat our breakfast with a very nice view on the sea and we have to put our windjackets on. But as we walked we didn’t need them because the fresh wind on our skin was pleasantly really refreshing.
We walked trough many villages where fishers live and saw a lot of cancer traps standing everywhere around.
After that we came to a high point and continued walking all across the Atlantic Coastline. At Póvoa de Varzim we saw a big boat that looked like from pirates. ⛵
Now we are at the albergue and for me it’s the first time here to be at something like that. But we met three other Germans, they seem very cool and in a few hours we want too eat pizza together.

Day 1: Munich – Porto – Matoshinos

Today Johanna and I stood up early to get the plane from Munich to Porto at 8.25. For Johanna it was the first flight in her life… She had a window seat and a wonderful view.

We took the metro to the center, I bought my forgotten sunglasses at Decathlon and we got our first stamps at the cathedral in Porto.

We had 2 sweet ‚Pasteis de Nata‘ and went next to the river Douro to the sea. There the coastal Camino goes on to Matosinhos, where we sleep tonight.

The man at the reception was friendly and spoke English… I asked if ‚gracias‘ was right to say thank you… But the way he said ‚this is Spanish‘ told us, that he likes English more than Spanish… Obrigado / a is Portuguese for thank you.

Then we had a shower, washed the shirts and the socks and wrote this blog post.

Flight booked

The flight is booked for my daughter Johanna and me from Munich to Porto(Camino Portugues) for August , the 23rd and back for September, the 9th. The room for the first night in Matosinhos is also booked.

I can test my wordpress blog from my smartphone again with this post while being on holiday in Tuscany.

This posting is similar to the posting about one year ago before the Camino Primitivo.😀

Day 13: O Pedrouzo – Santiago

This was the last day of walking: about 19km. I started again in the dark.

That light is from the airport in Santiago, I think.

On the Camino Frances are now many pilgrims.

We got closer and are only a few streets away from the cathedral in Santiago.

Then we arrived.

We ate for the first time the big menu as lunch… Because we did not have to go on. Check-in, a little bit of sleep and then we walked in Santiago and visited some bars.

Day 12: Sobrado – O Pedrouzo

Today it was airline 31,6 km to go… So maybe 35 km in reality. I cannot really say it because the routes of my guide, my gpx and the marked arrows on the way differed.

Today there were many eucalyptus trees from small tree to big trees. The small trees have different formed leaves than the old ones.

I had luck with the rain, because the forecast predicted rain from about 15.00 o clock…. And I needed time till about 16.45… But the rain started really at about 20. O’clock.

Today there were 2 kinds of ‚Camino magic‘ for me. The first was that my group that I left 3 days ago were in the same village as I and it is on the Camino Frances not for sure at all. And the second: One couple from Belgium played guitar (he, S.) and sang (she, A-S.) several songs… And one of the group posted one video of only one song… of Halleluja, one of the songs of Beate’s and my wedding… What of course reminded me of my family.

Day 11: Friol – Sobrado

I walked today about 25 km to Sobrado. I started in the dark and the light came slowly.

On this lonelier Camino the dogs are used to pilgrims much less and so the dogs normally bark at the pilgrims…. But nothing else happens.

Sometimes the ‚bridge‘ consists only of a few stones.

Here the Camino Verde joins the Camino del Norte.

The cows have to go somewhere else…. Even if there is a street in between.

So I arrive in Sobrado and have a very nice room. At the moment it is raining but according to the raining radar the rain should end soon.

Day 10: Lugo – Friol

Yesterday after the late check in I ate together with the pilgrims group I know.

Today I changed the route to the Camino Verde (green Camino) that leads to the Camino del Norte. So I will be longer on the lonelier caminos. There I went about 25km.

It is nice. And at the beginning it was a little adventure because the way was not maintained perfectly everywhere.

There were nice views.

I saw a little living snake.

At noon it was a little hot with almost 30 degrees but I found easily a room without a reservation.