Tuy / Day 5

When I get up my blister has filled up with liquid again and my ankle is still red and swollen.

waiting...

I decide to skip the next 15km and go to Valença by bus. Uschi agrees to join me because she too has quite a few blisters. As it is a Saturday, there is only one bus. We decide to walk to the market and have a coffee, then we'll take a taxi from there. The owner is nice enough to call one for us. I forget my walking stick (again!) but Uschi sprints back to the market to get it for me. I am indeed very thankful for that, because without my stick I couldn't walk even just 1km.

The ride takes about 20 minutes and costs 23 Euros. The driver drops us off at a pharmacy in Valença. It is 8:30 and it's still closed. Uschi and I exchange phone numbers and I promise her to keep her updated. Then we say good bye for the time being.

When the pharmacy opens at nine I go in and ask for some bandages and blister pads and show them my foot. They tell me to go to the hospital in Tuy because they suspect an infection.

... between Portugal and Spain

International Bridge

I hubble through the old town until I reach the "International Bridge". It crosses the Rio Miño - the border between Portugal and Spain. I suddenly feel much better knowing that I am about to cross the border on foot. And even though I "cheated" today it fills me with pride to have come this far. I really hope I can walk again tomorrow.

Entering Tuy, I follow the sign pointing me in the direction of the tourist information rather than the (now less frequently) yellow arrows. I am sure I'm on the right way because there are huge scallop tiles on the ground. The old town of Tuy is very nice. I hope I'll have the energy to walk around later.

I find the tourist information and ask for the hospital, which conveniently is just around the corner. It is actually just a community health center and I'm shocked by its appearance on the outside. But the nurses are really nice and there is a young doctor who speaks English. They suck the fluids out of my blister with an injection (thank god they didn't cut it open!!) and put on a special ointment before bandaging it. Then the doctor prescribes me antibiotics which I have to take 3x a day for a week. Great - no more vino tinto for me on this Camino. I thank them sincerly and hobble towards the square. The albergue opens at 1 PM so I have about an hour and a half to kill.

I am a little bummed out about all this and decide to sit down in a café to call home and tell the news. Suddenly I hear music and turn around. It's a folklore procession! I hang up and promise to call back later. They play the bagpipes and drums and walk around the square where I sit. The music softens as they walk past me into the opposite direction. A few minutes later I'm startled again by a loud bang behind me. I turn around and see that the group has assembled in a semi-circle just in front of the café where I sit. They start to sing and dance. This is great! I take loads of pictures and videos and take in the positive energy they all seem to radiate.

Later I check into the albergue and am glad to see that there's only one more bed occupied in my room... maybe I'll get a good nights sleep. Wouldn't hurt.

After washing my clothes and a short nap I decide to grab a small bite to eat. Down on the square I run into Egon and am most happy to see him. I thought that after losing Sandra and Thomi yesterday and Uschi today I wouldn't see any familiar face around. We enjoy the afternoon sitting in the café talking. After a while Egon wants to go back to the official albergue (huh?!? I didn't find that one...) to take a shower and we agree on having dinner together later. I go back to my albergue and decide to update my journal and relax my foot.

Egon and I have dinner at a different café - it's not very good. But it's food and we're hungry so we eat it anyway... After all, we're pilgrims! We sit and talk for a while and wafe to the two Belgian brothers who pass us by. Egon is not the only familiar face after all.

When I return to the albergue later that evening I can't believe my ears. The only roommate I have snores like a 500kg wild boar. ... great.

Once again I am very glad that I brought ear plugs..


Distance covered: 15km by taxi, 4km on foot

Rubiães / Day 4

Turns out I was totally right about the earplugs. The snoring came from everywhere!! I was surrounded by snorers, I heard them DESPITE the earplugs.

Since I can't go back to sleep anyway I get ready without a hurry. My "gang" leaves before me. Then I realize it. DANG! My stick! I must have left it in the bar next to the albergue yesterday. I'm not used to carrying one. I hope it's still there.

When I get down the bar is of course still closed. But there it is - leaning against the door waiting to be picked up. YAY! Egon, a middle-aged German, hands it to me and we start walking together. Soon he walks ahead. I don't mind walking alone. I'll see him at the next stop. My blisters sting and I can't walk without limping a litte. The way leads me through a little village and through a wood. At the next bar (they seem to breed trouts there as well) I meet Egon again and we have a café con leche together before he walks on. I decide to stay for a little while longer. Suddenly I hear a DUTCH schlager on the radio... Portuguese people seem to have a bizarre taste of music.

I walk on alone. The landscape is really pretty today. The way begins to slowly ascend. My left foot hurts more with every step. At a small bar along the route I meet Uschi, she has been here for a while and was just about to update her trip journal. We sit together for a while and chat.

She walks on without me and we agree to meet again at the next stop. We want to cook something tonight. A little while later I leave the bar, fill up my water supplies at a fonte before the way ascends to the summit.

At first it is a nice path through wine yards. Then the road becomes rockier and steeper. My foot hurts more with every step and I am thankful for my stick. Without it I would never be able to make it up. On the way up I meet Petra, she is really concerned about my foot. I sit down next to her for 5 minutes before continuing. It is again unbelievably hot today. I can hardly put weight on my left foot. At the Cruiz I have to sit down again. I find a rock in the shaddow where I unstrap my pack and lie down across it. Normally an ascend like this wouldn't be this exhausting for me. But the pain in my left foot has become almost unbearable. I have some dextrose and water and hope that I'll reach the summit soon.

resting in the shade

When I feel up to it I shoulder my backpack again and walk on. After all I can't sit here forever. Slowly but steadily I make it all the way to the top. There is a group of people there, enjoying a picnic underneath a tree. The place is beautiful, but I can't stop now or I'll never reach my goal for the day.

After that the way descends as horribly as it took me uphill - steep and rocky. Although the landscape is beautiful I cannot really appreciate. At this point I am grumpy and in pain, so the only thing that really matters is getting to the albergue and getting there quick!

About 1km before it I get passed by a group of bikepilgrims who encourage me. "The worst ist over! Only 1 more!" Finally, I see the long-awaited marker: A yellow house with an A painted inside, a yellow arrow and 100m written below it. Thank god I made it!

I register and drag myself to the dorm. Uschi is lying on a bottom bunk and greets me smiling. I slump onto the bed beside her. When I take off my socks I see that my left ankle is red and swollen.

3in1 blister and swollen ankle

After a short rest I take a refreshing shower and wasch my clothes. When I get back to the bed I decide that it's time to check out my blisters. I remove the tapes and realize that I have 3 huge blisters below my left ankle... they look like they're infected. No wonder I couldn't walk anymore. Everybody who sees my foot is shocked and gasps.

Charli, a canadian girl who's on a silent retreat, scribbles into her notebook that a good trick is to sow a thread through it. Since I know that trick I decide to do it. The liquids coming out of the blister don't look healthy... but at least puncturing releases the pressure.

Uschi tells me to lie down, while she's going to the tienda about 1km away from the albergue. She's gonna cook for us. I'm really glad for that offer because my feet couldn't carry me to a bar or restaurant tonight. I hobble outside, where I lie down in the grass and call home. My mum advises me to take some painkillers, because they would also prevent an infection. I fill my camelbak with cold water and place it on my ankle like a coolpack.

Just feeling the grass below me, watching the blue sky, listening to the soundtrack of Amelie is relaxing and makes me feel better.

views of a chillgrim

Uschi returns and cooks a wonderful dinner - spaghetti with tomato sauce and a fresh salad. Charli joins us and breaks her silence for the dinner. I feel the painkillers kicking in and bid everyone a goodnight.

I really hope that my foot will be better by tomorrow. I drift off to an uneasy sleep...


Distance covered: 17,1 km (felt more like 171 km)

Ponte de Lima / Day 3

It was a quiet night – nobody snored! Later we found out we chose the right roommates. In the other room people hardly slept because two men were snoring horribly loud.

I tape my blisters with compeed and bandage around it to make sure this time they stick. Unfortunately the battery of my camera is dead… somehow the charger didn’t work last night. Frick! Ok so there won’t be any photos from this stage. If something really is worthwhile photographing I’ll just use my mobile.

The way leads downhill along a road with hardly any traffic before making a right turn onto a small path along wine yards. Walking downhill doesn’t feel too good because my blisters hurt. Uschi passes me with a happy grin and a wave. She uses trekking poles. As I walk through the woods I start to limp. I wish I had brought mine along too. … I look around to check if there is anyone walking within hearing distance. Then I ask out loud: “Dear universe, I need a stick. Could you please send me the perfect walking stick?” No 50m later, just around the next bend, I see a stick lying along the path. I pick it up and know immediately that this will be my stick. It lies well in my hand, has the perfect length and is solid enough for me to lean on it. Happy to have found the perfect pilgrim’s staff, I continue walking. Until now I haven’t found a companion as great as Kirsten so I mostly walk alone.

Again the way leads me through small villages and vine yards before I reach a small but pretty church. I decide to sit on the steps in front of it and enjoy the shade. I take of my boots. It doesn’t look as if I got any new blisters. So far, so good. Still my left foot hurts a lot. After a while Melanie and Kai approach. When we realize that we’ve covered half of today’s distance already we decide to have a coke together in the bar around the corner and rest a little longer. It’s CRAZY how much coke I drink on the Camino… but it is the best sugar boost.

After half an hour or so we walk on together. Again the heat is merciless. Who would’ve thought it would be +33°C in the beginning of May?! The route leads us downhill on a dirt road and I am thankful for my stick. Finally, the road evens out and I find a good rhythm. At a small chapel along the way the two of them stop. I put on some more sunscreen, eat an apple and walk on, because I don’t want to lose my rhythm.

I arrive in Ponte de Lima a little while later and already make out the enormous bridge from a far. The town looks very pretty. I cross the river Lima and approach the bar next to the albergue. All my fellow pilgrims are there already. Sandra and Thomas, Uschi and a couple of Belgians. I join them happily.

The albergue opens at 5 PM. It’s a very nice albergue with single beds and a living room with a computer for free internet. That’s good because I have to try and charge my camera via USB – it works! I log onto facebook for a couple of minutes to post an update… I can’t be bothered to read through all the other posts. I don’t care at all what’s happening back home.

In the evening another Thomas (also from Switzerland) joins us for dinner. Again we have the menu del peregrino. (Uschi doesn’t because she’s vegetarian and orders a salad. Being a vegetarian on the Camino will be challenging.)

When we walk back to the albergue it’s dark already and the small church is beautifully lit. I run upstairs to get my camera and take a few pictures before they close the albergue. Then I get ready for bed. I have a feeling I’ll be needing the earplugs again tonight...

Distance covered: 24,3 km

Portela de Tamel / Day 2

What a good decision to keep my earplugs handy... I couldn't make out who it was, but somebody snored pretty loud last night.

There is a general bustling around the room as everybody gets ready in the morning. No alarm clock needed! I hop down from the top bunk, get dressed and stuff my sleeping bag back into my pack. Sunscreen - check, magnesium tablet - check, breakfast to go - check.

I leave the albergue at quarter to 7, hoping this day will present itself with a more pleasant trail. And indeed the way leads me through fields and wine yards. The sunrise and morning mist make for beautiful pictures. The silence is blissful and I enjoy walking a lot more than yesterday. The blister on my left foot stings with every step, but I try to ignore it and walk normally.

I feel confident to simply follow the yellow arrows and can't be bothered too much to double check my guide book. (Compared to the one I used on the French way I find this one really confusing.) Every now and then I spot a blue arrow pointing in the opposite direction. I wonder where they lead to... (later I learn they point towards Fatima)

At a bar in Pedra Furada I have a café con leche and meet Sandra and Thomas who are just about to leave. The woman behind the counter takes a picture of us for her photo album. She asks everyone who stops at her bar. I think it's a great idea.

After the coffee break I walk further and reach Barcelos shortly after 11AM. The thermometer shows +30°C. I take a picture of me and the famous cock of Barcelos and buy some postcards. The legend of the cock sounds very familiar - there is a similar legend on the French way, in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. As it says in my guide book, until today it is not clear who copied from whom.

At a café in front of the church I meet Sandra, Thomas (again about to leave) and the two Belgians Dis and Herman. I have a refreshing coca cola in the shade. From Barcelos to Tamel it's only another 9,3 km. Manageable in about 2 hours. So I relax for a little bit and eat my banana before I continue walking again.

The midday heat is merciless. I finally reach a sign indicating the albergue of Portela de Tamel in about 2,5 km. Soon I find out that this is going to be a hard way. The road gets steeper and steeper until I finally reach the top. The albergue looks nice and clean. I register and get a bed in Sandra's and Thomas' room.

I also meet Uschi. She seems to be a very friendly and open person. She smiles and greats me warmly when I enter the room. It's time to check my blister.
The blister pad I put on this morning practically melted into my sock and I discover another blister on the outside of my left foot. Great, just great...
Later, Melanie and Kai, a couple from Düsseldorf join us. Melanie, too, has blisters and the weight of her backpack gets to her.

Sandra, Thomas, Uschi and I have dinner at the only bar/cafe/restaurant in the village. We all have a pizza, it seems it's the only thing they serve there. Not very Spanish but whatever...

Albergue in Tamel

We talk about the difference between a long-distance trail and the Camino. It is Uschi's first Camino, but she has done a lot of long-distance walks already. Sandra, Thomas and I are on our second Camino and are certain of the magic that only a Camino has. We agree to talk about this again in Santiago.

Suddenly I realize that it's already 20:50 and the albergue closes at 21:00!! We practically run up the hill and make it just in time. When we get back to our room we realize that the lights aren't working anymore. How fun! Getting ready for bed in the near dark.

At 21:30 I lie in bed when suddenly the church bells chime. Now I know what the hospitalero meant when he said "The church stops at ten"... Again I prepare my earplugs before I put on my audio book.


Distance covered today: 24,9 km

Rates / Day 1

church in Maia

The alarm goes off at 6:00 AM... not a very pleasant time to get up in my opinion. I get up almost immediately anyway. I fill up my camelbak and get dressed. Breakfast today consists of 2 power bars I brought from home. I put on my boots and pack and leave just before 7 to walk back to the metro stop.

I decided to cheat a little because I don't want to walk all the way through town and get the metro to Forum Maia. From there I find my way towards the first yellow arrow easily. It is a few minutes to 8 when I arrive at a small church with blue tiles which marks my personal starting point of the way.

Following the yellow arrows I soon find myself walking along the roadside through the industrial district of Maia. The cars and trucks rush past me without even pretending to slow down. This makes walking very uncomfortable. I walk as far left as possible, causing my left foot to slip off the road from time to time. And as if that wasn't scary enough, there are walls on either side of the street to make it almost impossible to jump aside when trucks pass by. I meet no other pilgrims on the way... I can't possibly be the only one!

After what feels like an eternity I reach Vilarinho around 11 AM. According to my hiking guide this marks the end of the first stage. But as there is no official albergue I decide to walk to Rates. But first I need food!

I find a small bar where I have a toast. After half an hour I decide to resume hiking. Just then I see a couple of pilgrims sitting down in the park oposit the bar. Eager to meet someone I walk over and greet them friendly, realising they're German speaking. They introduce themselves as Wolfgang and Gisela, a retired couple from Germany. Together we sit in the shade of the trees and enjoy the break. They too are headed for Rates and we decide to walk on together.

The route continues to follow the country road for a few more km before it finally changes its direction and leads us through small villages and even a small forrest. Just a couple of km before our first albergue we take a short detour to a small church and pass by a true oasis.

We pick fresh oranges from the tree - it's not stealing, is it? I decide that it's not and enjoy my orange and safe one for later.

After that it's only a short walk until we reach our destination. The albergue in Rates is simple but clean. We sign the guestbook and pick our beds in the same room. 

I discover a huge blister on my left foot just below my big toe. Darn! I walked 400 blisterfree km in these boots - and now I get one?! A refreshing shower will make me feel much better.

Afterwards we go to the small market to collect our stamp (a very beautiful one by the way, in black and red). We also buy supplies for the next day.

Later we have dinner with our roommates: Thomas & Sandra, who met on the Camino Francés last year, another Thomas and two Italians. We all have the menue del peregrino - as it turned out this night it was spare ribbs and rice. Yummy! The apple for dessert was a bit disappointing though.

After a fun evening we walk back to the albergue together, we don't want to get locked out. It closes at 10:00 PM sharp.

Despite the horrendous walk through the industrial district and the blister on my left foot, I am quite happy with this first day. My pack isn't too heavy and I'm in better shape than I thought. Also, the first impressions I got of my fellow pilgrims are good. Hopefully this will be a quiet night. Just in case I keep my earplugs within reach.

albergue in Rates

Distance covered: ~25 km

Porto

I arrive in Porto in the early afternoon.
This gives me enough time to take a stroll around town and most importantly - get my Credencial from the cathedral!

But first things first. I need to find a store to buy some things I forgot at home and water for the next day. I find a shop and run my errands before I start my sightseeing stroll. Now that I am here, I might as well cover the most important sights this afternoon.
Porto is a beautiful city, with very nice buildings. Sadly, many of them are run down and need renovation desperately. I think the prettiest part of town is the area by the river and around the cathedral.

I go to the cathedral and get my Credencial  - and my first stamp of the way. Getting excited!

After that, I walk aimlessly around for a little while, before I have dinner at the Majestic, a very stylish old-fashioned cafe just around the corner of my residence for the night.

Then I enjoy what will be the last shower in a private bathroom for at least 2 weeks and call it an early night. Tomorrow will be my first walking day and I want to get out of town by metro early to avoid the midday heat. I want to make it all the way to Rates, which should be a manageable distance if I use the metro.


Bom Caminho!

Coming soon!

From the 10th to the 20th of May I was walking the Caminho Portugues, a.k.a the Portuguese Way of St. James. Luckily, I was faster than I'd expected to be and had some time to get a bus to Fisterra and enjoy two great days there.

Now that I'm back home and back to work, I'm trying to maintain the positive energy I got from the Camino and preserve my so-called "pilgrim bubble" a little while longer. Throughout the next days I'll take some time to sort out my over 600 photos and rather scarcely written notes to post my itinerary.

Stay tuned for more! ==>  ==>  ==>

Introduction

This blog will be about my hiking adventures. Whether you are a passionate hiker or just love to read about peoples trips, I really hope you enjoy my blog. Feel free to share your own experience.

I became passionate about hiking long distances two years ago. I started walking the Camino francés (also known as the French Way) in summer of 2009, beginning my journey in Saint Jean Pied de Port, France. I chose the Camino very last minute, about 3 weeks before my vacation. I decided on it for various personal reasons. I only had 2 and a half weeks off work so I decided that Burgos would be my destination for the time being. I walked the distance of about 290km (180 miles) in 13 days.

Along the way I met really great people. Everyone in their own way was special to me and made this trip one of the best vacations of my life. My favorite fellow pilgrim even became one of my closest friends. She was a great companion every step of the way.

When I reached Burgos, I knew that I had to come back and finish my way to Santiago. It was a very strange feeling to say goodbye to all my friends, knowing they would be walking on, finishing the pilgrimage without me. Even if that was almost two years ago, for me the Camino francés still feels unfinished.

Some day, hopefully next summer, I'll take more time off and walk the entire distance between Burgos and Finisterre.

This time, I'll be waking the Caminho português from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. I chose that route because again I only have the limited number of 14 walking days. The distance from Porto to Santiago is about 240km, which can be done easily in 12 days. This way I'll have 2 extra days to cover any eventualities. If I'm faster, I'll maybe even make it to Cape Finisterre. But we'll see about that.