“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” John Muir

Day 4

Today was a very good day… and much like what I had actually expected of yesterday. Looking out my window I could see that the sun was shining really for the first time since leaving Porto and I was looking forward to getting on the road after yesterday’s disappointments. 

We began with wonderful conversation at breakfast with our friends Constance and Matthew whom happened to be staying at the same guesthouse… and another American, Chris who is on his 7th Camino in 8 years. Chris was a gentle and wise deep thinker with a passion for people less fortunate than himself who has spend much of his life working for NGOs. We talked about all sorts of things… one of those positive and inspirational conversations that leave you feeling a little more hopeful for the world… but one thing particularly stayed with me. We had discussed how negative words have so much stronger impact on people than positive words… they seem to stick. He agreed and wondered why, we can’t replace post traumatic stress disorder with post ecstatic joy remembrance… and in the moment it seemed like such a wonderful idea… to focus on the wonderful memories and experiences of life rather than the traumatic ones.

The mornings route took us through back roads, dirt farm paths, young vibrantly green corn fields, forested areas and a fragrant eucalyptus forest which I didn’t expect here in Portugal. Nature and stillness surrounded us… and the only sounds were our footsteps crunching on the ground… the buzzing of bees and the ever persistent bird song… an occasional moo or rooster crow… and the sound of our own breath.

Grapevines abound and wildflowers bloom everywhere. 

It was good walking weather- warmer than it has been previously and no jackets or jumpers are needed. Apparently hot weather will very soon be upon us. 

I hadn’t used my poles since leaving Porto… actually hadn’t even taken them out of my large pack until today as we would be walking a variety of road surfaces and hills… and as I remember from my Machu Picchu trek, they were very helpful for the downhill stretch and took some of the weight off my knees.  

On the coastal route, the yellow arrow “waymarkers” are few and far between because the general rule is to follow the sidewalks or boardwalk along the ocean. On the central route, the arrows become essential as streets wind through farmlands and villages, beside homes and businesses. Not all arrows are on formal markers. Many are painted on the backs of signposts, sides of walls or on the pavement.

Every kilometre or two there are also the official Camino marker, telling us how many km left to Santiago although it will be more for us with the route we have decided to take. These waymarkers are often made into little pilgrim shrines with mementos and small stones left here.

We come across a giant brightly coloured rooster, the symbol of Portugal, basically in the middle of nowhere.

The Barcelos rooster is the country’s emblem because one of these creatures supposedly saved an innocent pilgrim from death. In the same place there is an area where pilgrims have left personal items,  abandoned shoes (some with plants growing in them), momentos… a makeshift memorial… and this is a common practice on the many camino routes through Europe. 

Anne squats behind a wall for a wee with me on lookout, as bathrooms are few and far between… and just seconds after she is presentable, an Italian man walks past. Lucky this time 😂

We see other pilgrims throughout the day… and there is always the greeting, ”bom caminho” as we pass them (or they pass us) at rest stops. We see Constance and Matthew several times during the day and meet others from Hungary, Colombia and walk for a while with a young girl from Germany who dreamed of doing a Camino since she was 15. 

We walk for the rest of the day, through farms and the Portuguese coutryside… full of churches…

… shrines… lemon trees and villages where the paths vary between narrow lanes, cobblestone streets and rocky dirt roads. And wildflowers… always wildflowers. 

We finally arrive in Barcelos… an old town famous for the legend that lies behind the Rooster of Barcelos the painted statue we saw earlier and the colourful souvenirs that are prolific throughout the town and actually all over Portugal. 

The town is bigger than I expected… and more awesome… with a vibrant medieval vibe.  Almost as soon as we walk over the historic medieval bridge…

… it becomes obvious very quickly that there is some kind of medieval festival on and you can tell who the tourists are because all the towns people are dressed up in costume.

It’s huge… with markets covering the town which is buzzing with tourists. 

We quickly go to our hotel to shower and change so we can explore the town. 

The city’s historic center features monuments and landmarks that reflect its rich history. 

We check out the Archaeological Museum of Barcelos which occupies what remains of 15th century Palace of the Counts of Barcelos, after the 1755 earthquake. 

The flower filled plaza surrounding the main Barcelos cathedral was a visual delight after a day filled with dusty roads and cobblestones.

Mother church of Barcelos (Santa Maria Major), Romanesque from the 14th century 

I fell in love with Solar dos Pinheiros with its pretty windows and sand-coloured stone and flowers. 

Temple of Senhor Bom Jesus da Cruz was a unique, octagonal building dates back to the early 18th century, and its interior is a nice example of Baroque architecture with some lovely azulejo tile work.

We then sat in a lively outdoor bar and enjoyed a glass of wine and some chips… which then filled us up so our plans of having a lovely dinner at a nearby restaurant went out the window. Home to bed. This Camino business is exhausting! 

Steps today- 29,578

Kilometres today- 18.5

Floors climbed- 7

Temperature– 30°