One year ago tomorrow I started the Camino Frances and walked 485 miles in 34 days. I met wonderful people who supported me during a very difficult time in my life. Today those same people learned that I’m walking Portuguese Camino and they offered their regards and best wishes to me. I recently read a book by the manager of a Harvard study that started in the late 30’s and follows people their entire life. The single biggest factor responsible for longevity is relationships
I am blessed to have such wonderful friends and family and my Camino family is part of that.
Yesterday I arrived Porto via bus and walked 2.5 miles to my hostel. I slept wonderfully in a room with five others and left at 8:00 am after having some breakfast that the hostel made for me. I had trouble finding the hostel as you can see in the picture below. No real markings except the little “A” plaque near the small door.
Porto was dead at 8:00 am on a Sunday. I walked to the ocean, turned right and never turned again for most of the walk. It was almost totally flat since it followed the beach. I walked 19 miles today and I believe 10-12 miles was on a wooden boardwalk. It was hot walking and hot now as I lay in bed typing with no AC. It will cool down over night.
My Bose sleep buds did the trick keeping me from hearing snoring roommates.
When I arrived I took a wonderful shower and washed my stinky shirt in the shower. Again tonight I am in a really nice room with five others. They even gave me a terry towel and sheet.
I haven’t eaten since 7:30 am but it feels so good to stretch out on the bed that I’m not going to go out right away. Restaurants probably aren’t open anyway. Tomorrow is a 14 mile day. Tonight I’m in Vila do Conde Portugal and tomorrow night in Esponde Portugal.
255km is 158 miles
I think that’s it for today. I was thinking as I walked that I need to keep in mind that this is a marathon and not a sprint. There were times today when I caught myself walking fast and I need to stop that.
Best wishes and Buen Camino, Pop