“Don’t be afraid of the path. Be afraid of not walking”- Paulo Coelho

Day 1

Pretty much every single time I told anyone that my holiday in Europe would revolve around walking  300ish kms from Portugal into Spain, they looked at me like I was completely insane. “Just why?” “That’s not a holiday”… and different versions of the same sentiment. But “Rust out or wear out”- my osteopath once told me. And If I have to choose, it’s definitely going to be to wear out.

It was actually my mum who planted the first seeds for me walking the Camino. She said she could really imagine me doing and enjoying it, as I was “my father’s daughter”….adventurous like him. I didn’t even know what the Camino was, and so I watched the wonderful 2010 Martin Sheen movie “The Way” that had exploded the popularity of walking these sacred paths. And then I didn’t really think too much more about it for a few years… until it suddenly started calling me… and now I am answering.

And I do love to walk… regularly walking with Anne at home, stopping for food and wine along the way… as is our plan for the next few weeks. I love the sensation of peacefulness and exhilaration that comes with moving my body forward, rather than hopping into a fuel-burning car. I feel strong, energised and empowered that I am still able to do this. But with my body starting to regularly let me down, now is the moment. Or maybe it would never happen.

But it’s about much more than walking. Yes- it’s a challenge to my mind and body… about endurance and resilience. But it is considered a pilgrimage and the best definition I could find defines pilgimage as “a journey often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of a new, or expanded meaning about self, others, nature, or a higher purpose found through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation or healing, after which, the pilgrim returns to their daily life with profound wisdom.” Sounds profound… and hopefully it will be.

It’s also about cultural immersion as we pass through diverse landscapes and historical sites, giving us an opportunity to experience Portuguese and Spanish culture and history. 

And perhaps most importantly, it’s about connection… with God… connection with other adventurers we will meet along the way as the Camino fosters a strong sense of community among pilgrims, with shared experiences and mutual support … connection with my own heart, goals and desires… and connection with nature. Combining my love of walking with my love for getting out in nature… experiencing the awe, happiness and connection that nature brings… breathing in the beauty of God’s creation, away from life’s demands and lose myself in the present moment for a while. And whatever it ends up offering, I will try to have an open heart to all the experiences and encounters that await me while walking the Way.

So, what is the Camino… for those of you who don’t know? The Camino de Santiago (aka The Way of St James) is an interconnected network of ancient pilgrimage routes stretching across Europe leading to the Cathedral of St James in Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St James are said to be buried. Since the 9th century, millions of seekers, adventurers and pilgrims have walked these routes from all over Europe to Santiago.

Of the many available routes, we have decided on a combination of the three Portuguese routes starting in Porto… much of the time we will hug the Atlantic coast of Northern Portugal… think white sands, crystal clear waters, stunning blue skies and beautiful fishing towns. And while many pilgrims walk this route in 10ish days, seeking the physical challenge… wanting to conquer it the same way that some people want to climb Mt Everest… we were sure that we didn’t want to do it that way… to rush… that we wanted to enjoy the scenery… the gorgeous seafood and fresh produce… to stop and smell the roses… to notice the small miracles that we believe will be part of our Camino. And so, we are walking this route over three weeks… starting today.

So- I surrender to the journey and create space for whatever comes… accepting whatever “the Way” brings as part of my growth. Here’s to the journey, whatever it may be!

Day 1 

Obviously we are beginning in Porto. We start at the cathedral, the official starting point for the obligatory photos, and we are off.

We stop for a quick fresh orange juice and pastel de nata. The weather is not wonderful but probably perfect for walking… it is quite cool as it has been most of the time since we arrived in Portugal. Apparently this is not the norm and we have not really been prepared for these cooler temperatures. Perhaps now we may appreciate them. 

Our first day was definitely city walking the entire time… mostly on cobbles… and we never fully left Porto. From the cathedral you walk down to the Ribeira district and follow the river all the way..

…until it meets the Atlantic Ocean.

And then, the rest of the day follows the coast for a relatively scenic route with plenty of bars and restaurants along the way… as well as a couple of lighthouses, forts, sculptures and some gorgeous flowering local trees.

We are wished “bon voyage” by an American man in a tour group… I know he meant “bom Camino” which is the greeting used for pilgrims walking through Portugal… mean “good Camino”… so it was a lovely moment… our first such greeting. 

We are staying in Matosinhos, which is basically a suburb of Porto, on the coast. It’s right on the main port area and really is a big fishing town that brags about having the world’s best fish. We arrive exhausted and hungry just in time for lunch and go looking for some of that fish. And while there are many small restaurants along the streets with hot braziers grilling the day’s catch, we venture to the actual fish market and find a small restaurant there. The host tries to send us to buy our own fish which they will then BBQ for us… but we are too exhausted and he offers to do it for us. We order wine while he purchases us a lovely sea bass, cooks it and debones it at our table. Combined with a rainbow salad which included blackberries and oranges… we were in heaven. Just what we needed. 

We went to find our accomodation which turned out to be a gorgeous little inn with a very warm and friendly hostess and we collapsed on our beautifully comfortable beds.

I spent some time blogging while Anne rested and eventually couldn’t keep my eyes opened and succumbed to a little nap. Woke a while later and decided to venture out into town where we had been told was a celebration for the Feast of the Lord of Matosinhos… including a market, rides and lots of street food. Anne was pretty much still non compos mentis so I wandered out alone and found a HUGE market with all sorts of yummy local street food. I noticed a long line up and watched the girls making, kneading and rolling dough… adding chorizo and cheese and then rolling them up like a sausage roll. They then went into a large wood burning stove and came out looking delicious- so I joined the queue.

I think it was called a Pau artesanal com Chouriço and was quite yummy and all I needed for dinner.

Bought some lovely fresh cherries for Anne and headed home for much needed sleep. 

Steps today- 26,491

Kilometres- 17.83

Floors climbed- 11

Temperature- 21°