March 10 - 11: A perfect day? (Alvaiazere & Alvorge)

Today’s forecast was bad: long (32km), above-65f% chance of rain every hour from 6am to 5pm, with high winds making it feel like 5 degrees (actually around 9). It was such a negative set of parameters we seriously explored taking the bus, but, when it came to it, decided we would brave both the distance and the elements. We are here to walk and completeness is binary.

In fact, we clocked a smidgen over 34km. We did get rained upon, a lot, (for hours), but we also caught a few almost-dry pockets, even a glimpse of sun. The high winds were brief, maybe 35-40 minutes. Overall, we stayed dry enough, warm enough not to have an awful time and to rather enjoy bits of it!

On the Camino Français, you can’t go 5km without passing multiple cafés, albergues, bars… The Camino Portuguese is very different. Today, for example, we went 23km with only a sign telling us that 8km off the route there was (maybe) a restaurant. Three days last week we went without hot food. Those villages didn’t have a restaurant. We notice the lack of “camino family”/community opportunities. Maybe, it’s the time of year, but the very few pilgrims and the long-distance stages make for a much more solitary experience. We are happy to be walking together.

Having said the above, we shared a “pilgrim meal” (fixed menu with wine/beer) with a fellow traveler last evening. An Aussie, who is also at our stop-over tonight.

As we chill before dinner, we agree that today was an exemplar of a “good”, (great), Camino day.

Firstly, our accommodation provided a simple, delicious breakfast.

The first 7km was climbing hills in cold fog, drizzle: hats down, raingear firmly zipped up. It brightened. The next 4km was steep ascents and descents on muddy, rocky paths, scented with tree heath (a sweet-smelling shrubby heather) – with extremely high risk of a rolled or broken ankle. We were grateful that we were not also being rained on.

The ground leveled out. There was sun (for another 1km or so), into the town half-way on today’s stage. We had a tasty coffee and silky pastry in a picture-window café on the square. The sit and the sun persisted long enough to dry us, so we met the next wave of showers “from zero” as it were.

The last 8km was under spectacular, drying skies, with our gear drying as we walked, (except our feet - the sodden/flooded ground made that impossible). We made a puppy friend for a couple of kilometres. We had to shout roughly to finally send him packing. He was a good-hearted cutie.

Today’s Residençial is about 2km off the trail, managed from the local bar/restaurant. We checked in with a cold beer, a quiet sit, before walking the last 400m to the actual homestay. There is a washing machine. Our clothes are getting another thorough wash. They even offered us dinner at 6pm (they must get a LOT of Anglo-types here).