Camino Portuguese 2015 :Time to Mount the Bikes Again We are off to tour in Portugal

We fly to Portugal on July 4th and arrive in Lisbon on our 25 anniversary! Gord has informed me that the 25th anniversary is the pvc plastic anniversary, so I am expecting some rather nice plastic bling!

Today is the last day of school and now I have a week to obsess about what to pack and what to leave behind. Even though we have done this a lot I still spend far too much time  revising the packing list, and I always throw in more than I need.

The plan, as much as we have one, is to begin in Lisbon and  follow the Camino Portuguese up to Santiago de Compostella.  We have nine weeks, so after Santiago de Compostella, we will have lots of time to explore more of Portugal.

Blog Contents
i. Camino Portuguese:Time to Mount the Bikes Again We are off to Lisbon
ii. One More Sleep 
iii. First days in Lisbon
iv. Lisbon and Preparing for the Camino Portuguese
1.  Lisbon to Vila Franca de Xira 44Km
2.  Vila Franca de Xira to Santarem and Santarem to Alcobaca
3. Alcobaca-Batalha - Fatima 
4. Fatima to Tomar
5. Rest day in Tomar and then on to Ansiao
6. Ansiao - Conimbriga - Coimbra
7. Coimbra - Albergaria - Porto
8. Porto - A few of our favorite things
9. Porto to Vila do Conde - A few more favorite things
10. Vila do Conde - Guimaraes, Guimaraes to Ponte de Lima
11. Ponte de Lima to Viana do Costelo, Viana do Costelo to Valenca
12. Valenca to Pontevedra
13. Pontevedra to Santiago 
14. Galicia after the Camino
15. A Little Stone House in Branda
16. The Descent from Peneda Geres
17. Bom Jesus

18. Into Tras os Montes
19. Prato do Dia
20. Parque Natural de Monteshino
21. Parque Natural do Douro Internationale
22. Filthy Little Devils

The Camino: Not just a walk to Santiago. Reflections on the Camino Frances 2011

Gordon and I at Muxia

The prospect of walking all the way to Santiago is the initial hook for many of us, but the Camino de Santiago is not just a walk. In fact, I would argue, that the profound experiences found on the way can be achieved without walking much at all.

Those who have already made the pilgrimage know that the journey is in the head and heart as much as in the feet. I started my Camino with my husband Gord on foot in 2009 from Le-Puy-en-Velay in France. 440 kilometers later we were hooked and planning our return journey the following year. That year however,  I had a terrible time with my back and our walking days became shorter and shorter until I was taking the luggage transport more than walking. Finally I had to make the difficult decision that we had to stop at St. Jean Pied de Port at the French/ Spanish border. I had walked 760 km but was faced with the reality that I would likely never walk to Santiago. Packing it in, however, was not an option.

In the summer of 2011 Gord and I returned to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port but this time I brought my folding bike Friday and a trailer.  If I can convince just one person who would love to experience the Camino but is limited in some way to at least consider other options then I am happy. On the Camino I saw people walking without packs, walking with sticks, riding on horses and donkeys. I saw a woman in a wheel chair and two men on unicycles. I even saw a Duch man pulling a home built cart while his wife walked beside. There are many ways to Santiago.

Before the Camino Gord and I took our bikes with us for most holidays and biking works really well for me. On all of our trips I have always had to push myself to keep up with him. This trip was very different. Gord was walking between 30 to 40 kilometres each day which is a strong day for a walker but a very moderate day for a cyclist even with side trips. It worked brilliantly for both of us. I believe that I may be the record holder as the slowest cyclist to ride the Camino Frances, and I believe that it was the best possible way to do it... at least for me.

Santiago de Compostela

We arrived yesterday with just under one thousand others. In Santiago we wanted to see the Cathedral, attend the Pilgrims Mass, eat Coquille St. Jacques and reconnect with many of our friends from the Camino.






We were successful on all counts and lucky on many others.

The mass concluded with the swinging of the botafumiero, the largest incense burner in Christendom. Eight men must pull the ropes to make it swing the full length of the transept.
During the mass we also spotted Maja and Gilde, who had just arrived. We collected Tunga in the square and the five of us had a wonderful final meal together. It only makes sense that the Camino, which began as a wonderful moving community should finish with reunions and friendship.

Location:Rúa de San Roque,Santiago de Compostela,Spain