Pairs ...

JLife School often employs the method of teaching through opposites ...not necessarily to judge one as good, the other bad, but to respond artfully, as if good and bad were only concepts ... today's lesson is transport related, since travelling from Tavira to Coimbra requires more than willing legs, given the time constraints. .. an early visit to the train station finds a friendly young woman, modestly admitting to speak a little English ... she is fluent and explains the issues around the proposed trip: second class on the  15.05 Coimbra train is fully booked, and two of the local trains to Faro are cancelled ... the 14.02 connecting train expected to run ... also, for information, all trains cancelled on Monday, due to a strike ... this won't affect walking, of course ... as for the class question, an extra €10 solves the problem and 50% senior citizen discount makes this novel experience good value ... since mind is already on leaving Tavira and spending a little time in Faro, a bus alternative is researched, via a miserable and abrupt young woman at the bus station, who also speaks English (this is quite important to ensure accurate information given the appalling level of your writer's Portuguese expertise), and imparts the minimum information before turning her attention to her mobile ... offence declined and seat booked, albeit on the 12.00 bus, since the 10.45 doesn't run on a Saturday, a question we didn't have time to explore, though the printed timetable on display was clear enough ...

Before all that, Harald presents an elegant model boot cast in clay ... a kind and heartfelt gift and accepted gratefully and honestly with the information that the weight may be surplus to requirements, which, as an experienced hiker, he already knows ... some place along the road may be right for it ... perhaps a pilgrim hostel. .. unlikely to reach Finnisterre, where boots and other paraphernalia are traditionally dumped, sometimes ritually burnt, though the practice is discouraged these days ... a fond farewell also for David, intermittently at the hostel and enjoying the Friday holiday, though without pay ... a perk of organised labour, which has other axes to grind ...

At the dentist Joaquim, working voluntarily this holiday weekend, is open early, since he doesn't like patients waiting for the door to open ... gum stitches removed painlessly and information that next stage could start as early as mid-May and will require a couple of weeks between xray, impression and final fitting ... let's see, anytime after that is fine, high season best avoided, cold, neglected cottage waiting, volunteer drivers for Wheels to Meals less abundant than one might think, given the sheer joy of the job ...
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Bus trip gives another perspective of the Algarve along with the chance to meet another Italo-German Erasmus pair, this time young women ... they have been having fun at the Sports Festival on the Island, playing by day, dancing by night ... and convinced that in Europe, at least, national boundaries are finished ...

Faro looks lovely in the sunshine and aimless wandering, with two hours free for lunch, amazingly reveals the very vegetarian restaurant visited before ... self service, second helpings allowed, though not taken, since bread and cheese from breakfast, laced with beetroot from supplies, await the lucky first class customers sharing space on the train ... a glass of red wine for the pleasure of it ... a picture of Ray, from Liverpool, who skipped town in 2009, met a Portuguese woman, now working at Gingibre e Canela ... how he must miss those Scouse scenes ... drizzle, ferries across the Mersey, Beatle heritage ... if you are in Faro, good luck finding it ... though it seems google maps may help ...

Meanwhile, on the train, it appears first class mainly provides wider seats, though half of them still facing backwards ... the idea that wealthier folk have fatter arses is rather outdated however, maybe the extra space just enables less intimacy ... maybe, like 5 star hotels, the mechanism is mainly to exclude the kind of people the rich prefer to avoid ... anyway, the first class folks don't look much different to the peasantry and a complimentary drink leaving Faro and another after Lisbon are making the upgrade quite a bargain ... though it doesn't get us to the destination any quicker ... we all zip along at speeds up to 210 kph, though mostly closer to 140 ...

And so to Coimbra ... and a fair walk from the station to the Youth Hostel. .. route remembered from last time and at Reception Mariana and Joao from the last Portuguese Camino ... maybe a photo in the morning in case you forgot them ... in the room a Californian pilgrim, Loren, walking from Lisbon ... things are warming up ...

Training ...

Since tomorrow is train day and Sunday mooching in Coimbra with Diogo, today is for a little light training for legs and feet ... a steady off road wander to Fuseta ... mind entertaining the twin ideas of taking the coming Camino more slowly and maybe taking advantage of the extra light to try a 60 km stage ... mind and body now well used to the odd 50 ...

At Fuseta there are a couple of hours before the train and the vegetarian restaurant suggested by the French chaps, albeit after serving our omelette and chips last week, is discovered and relatively quiet ... the main event on Good Friday in a fishing village obviously marine life, now dead, barbecued ... the food is good, and happy to have not only found such a place, but also to have supported practically ... plenty of North Europeans around to sustain the radical break with local tradition ... hopefully ... though lots of livelihoods dependent on fishing, of course ...

It is said that in each existence we all have seven (some say four) dopplegangers and Antonio in Fuseta seems like a dead ringer for a friend from Weardale ... in looks and personality as well as both being in the hospitality industry ...  Weardale friends welcome to guess ...

Along the way, smells of Spring along with flowers sprouting suggest the corner has been turned, snow in Weardale and a few showers around Coimbra Monday notwithstanding ...

The unusual photo of a car parked on an already unlikely football pitch invites witty captions from footie fans ... whilst back in Tavira another form of culture with Harald and friends' exhibition ... pictured here with Synova, on her way home to Norway in the morning ...

Mandalas. ..

Morning philosophy begins at breakfast again. .. Stefan, resting today before returning to Germany tomorrow, bike needing its own box for travel ... Harald and daughter Synova (bringer of the Sun) join the party as the question of consciousness is examined ... specifically whether there is individual consciousness or just Universal Consciousness (capitalisation considered, though possibly contentious) ... whether the individual element is the processing of incoming information via previously conditioned brains ...

Sun comes and goes as a new weather system brings unsettled conditions just in time for Easter, a special time for Christian Conditioned cultures ... an old story of entrenched secular power sensing a threat from radical notions of Universal Love, Peace, Harmony ... and nailing its exemplar up for all to see, suffering because Fear prevented clearer vision and action ... and so it goes on ... where the chocolate eggs enter the tale not clear, though rabbits possibly linked to the pre-Christian festival of fecundity and Spring ...

The editor writes with encouragement, prior to abandoning the Disunited Kingdom for the more sophisticated pleasures of France ... specifically a book on, or maybe called, Walking and Philosophy ... maybe a combination to which Wear and Dao aspires ... whilst in the supermarket a bottle of red wine from the Dao is obtained, despite continuing antibiotic consumption ... and news from the Wear suggests a snowy Easter and more encouragement for the writing from friend and mindfulness teacher generates energy for a practical project based at the cold and lonely cottage, carelessly abandoned in February, combining the undoubted benefits of walking in Nature, meditation, simple home made food, tv free but with rich library ... A Place to Be, which has to be done, since simply being doesn't always achieve results ... let's see how that plays out over the coming wander to Santiago ... an idea gathering its own energy by the day ...

Routine trip to the market, fresh orange juice, fresh vegetables from familiar faces and back to hostel to find philosophy continuing with Stefan, Lukas and Shelly (from Northern Ireland - national identity, as always, offered as context for you, dear readers, rather than continuing stereotypes and differences) ...  all captured in the ritual of tobacco rolling and smoking, one of the more futile activities humans like to indulge in ...

A wander to the charity shop harvests five more books for the hostel library ... the return call to favourite cafe come bakery, where Fernanda spends a little time creating a pretty mandala in the crema on the coffee ... 33 years a teacher, now she indulges her passion for creating wonderful pastries and ice cream ... she and her husband, a builder, are on with an ambitious project to renovate a building in the centre of town, better to showcase the sweet temptations ... if you should be in Tavira seeking the current, rather obscure, location, first find the youth hostel, then carry on up the hill ... the place is in a side street on the right ...

Afternoon wander less arduous than usual, since time and space is needed to record some of the musings ... a stroll to Quatro Aguas where the clouds have cleared and promised showers disappeared ... maybe waiting for the public holiday tomorrow ... no ambition to cross the water today, the little ferry port has its own amusements, as well a providing comfortable benches to sit ...a favourite is to observe folks in cars parking in the turning circle with complete disregard for the nearby car park (which costs) or the signs advising us not to block it ... notable, since Portuguese drivers in general are very tolerant and patient, often stopping to invite pedestrians across the road even where no crossing is marked ... once an hour the tourist road train arrives with nowhere else to turn, rings its bell and blasts its horn, as offending drivers appear from various places to shift the cars ... for a while ... enforcement of the parking restriction somehow not in the programme ...

Convivial supper with Nils, Judge from Germany, cycling around Portugal, Shelly, Lukas and Stefan, sharing wine, food, philosophy ... tomorrow is Good Friday, a public holiday here ...maybe a longer walk to keep legs fit for next week ... let's see what the morning brings ...

Sunrise

Camera out early up by the posh Pousada for a sunrise shot for you ... nice, but sunrise and sunset pictures are always improved by some cloud ... an apt metaphor for life in general ...

Trip to dentist to remove redundant stumps establishes Joaquim happy to remove stitches Saturday meaning visit to Diogo in Coimbra before he takes off for Switzerland ... then maybe start walking to Santiago ... amusing also to have a dentist in Portugal, the result of toothache emergency a couple of years ago during the homeless experiment ... anyway the service is great and any excuse to return to Tavira welcome ...

Cast changes at the youth hostel, as Tony from Torquay, pictured yesterday, heads off to Lagos ... Thierry, Swiss summertime mountain guide also ... Lukas arrives via Germany, planning to walk the Via de la Plata next month ...

Another warm sunny day before predicted deterioration in weather again ... ferry to the Island, where sports festival is in full swing, and a long plod along the beach to Barril, with some body toasting en route, before returning via Santa Luzia ... tough going on the sand and a change for the feet to be free from shoes for a while ...

C

Another cloudless day creating so many options ...at breakfast a farewell to Giorgo, the yacht skipper with information from the parallel universe of the super-rich ... not happy, he says ... the business billionaires engaged with some form of reality, though never sure of the motivation of friends ... spouses and children in surreal world of conspicuous consumption, always complaining, never satisfied ... these days Giorgio works on day trips, where folks pay a good price for a little luxury and mostly have their feet on the ground and not, as Giorgio graphically describes, up their arses.

Stefan, cycling German architect, conditioned to Catholicism, but curious nevertheless, embraces the solitude ... engages in some philosophy ...

Meanwhile, rumour has it that Tavira Garden up past the N125 has books in English... sought since there is time to read but choice limited ... so, after regular fix of fresh orange juice (C) from the market, and a quick purchase of shorts at the shopping centre,  it's inland and along the road of death to the smart enclave of Northern Europeans and lots of books to borrow ... but none in English ... mostly Scandinavian languages apparently ... back along the newer part of town, exploring and popping into the previously exhausted charity shop, three boxes of books, five worth consideration and all for one Euro ... hooray!

Lunch at the hostel, then off to the seaside ... and ferry working overtime since there is a three day festival of beach sports, hundreds of sporty young people lugging camping gear, sports equipment, water, beer ... the restaurants have similar logistical challenges with gas canisters, food, drink, chefs, waiters all needing to cross the water ... Jose, new roommate from the Alentejo is working on the Island this week, then returning in May for the season, until November ...which is longer than most summer seasons ...

Plodding along the beach, Beatrice passes ... from Quebec, though not today. .. she is en route to a permaculture volunteering opportunity in the Serra Estrella ... and since the Sun is strong and the sea shallow the first swim of the year occurs, albeit briefly ...

D

After yesterday's cloudy with some Sun and blog free day (a stroll to Fuseta with Harald, lunch there and train return), today feels more like the Algarve as advertised ... cloudless all day, though the breeze still cool ... first task is the market for fresh vegetables, then an idea for a walk to the Island, via the ferry ... forestalled by a full boat, then finding a seat at Quatro Aguas congenial, what with people watching interspersed with Bill Bryson's amusing Notes from a Small Island, the longer walk is postponed and lunch prepared at the hostel ... where last night's young room mates Kai from Germany and Gianluca from Italy, Erasmus students on Easter break from their studies in Lisbon, check out ... heading for Lagos in search of surf ... Anna from France also moving on, up to Loule for a walk towards Monchique and maybe the Portuguese Caminho later ... Didier, retired French economist, still here and convinced that the world financial system is ready to crash anytime ...

Afternoon walk rather longer, to Barril Beach via Santa Luzia, and a view of the sea ... not easily available along this Eastern stretch of the Algarve and maybe a blessing in retaining some local authenticity and keeping the horrors of mass tourism further west at awful Albufeira at bay ...

The D in the title, by the way, refers to the almost palpable boost from the Sun today, Vitamin D deficiency being identified as a public health problem in shady climates ... modern indoor lifestyles also contributing ... maybe the migration so far north was an evolutionary error ... 

Another D is Dina, from Holland, keen to settle in a warmer climate, looking for community ... a common endeavour and more difficult than it needs to be ...

Meanwhile, Maritsa and her daughter Alma arrive from Seville, escaping from the rather over the top Easter Week celebrations ... part of a large exodus to the rather more secular Algarve apparently ...

Aspidistras flying ..

George Orwell's novel examining the toxic nature of money and whose melancholic hero spends most of the book sabotaging his life in the name of freedom from slavery, has contemporary resonance ... not necessarily here, though certain elements are worth a look ... interesting firstly to observe the dark mood influencing the mind ... the brighter ending also ...

Meanwhile, suffering is sought in the name of vanity, as dental surgery occurs with much drilling into bone to provide a more stable smile ... followed by more pills than have been swallowed for years, what with painkillers, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics ... so far so good, a week to wait for stitches to be removed ... then a couple of months to ensure all is well before fitting the new teeth ... meaning a return to Tavira later in the year ...

Back at the hostel young people still around along with new older folks, though Harald is here ... new roommate Giorgio from Genoa references Krishnamurti quite quickly ... others at supper include Anna from France, planning on walking the Algarviana, Susie from Germany travelling around after studies, Anthony from England wandering at 80 ...

The idea of calling to see Diogo near Coimbra and walking to Santiago from there, or Porto, takes shape ... but first a short holiday in Tavira ... why not?!

Faro to Tavira

Since the promised rain is not in evidence at dawn, since check-in at the hostel is not until four, and since the legs are ready for some action ... it's off eastwards, following the blue line of the ecovia, which theoretically offers a cycle route along the Algarve coast ... the line soon gives up and after a frankly dangerous circumnavigation of the main road and a roundabout outside the city, it's on to minor roads towards Olhao ... quieter than the main road, though without the benefit of the hard shoulder ... as it's rush hour full attention is required, left eye on the stumble, right eye on the oncoming driver, doubtless leaving several locals with the perception of a swivel eyed jaywalker on the road ... a request from Luzia, collecting her post, for directions, leads to a lengthy chat in French ... she worked near Perpignan for many years ... into Olhao for a coffee and out again in search of the elusive ecovia ... an enquiry at the Ria Formosa Natural Park office elicits the information that it does not go through the Park, or that it is really a thing ... helpful directions do provide an hour of off road walking, before the sea intervenes, as the rain starts and it's onto the hard shoulder to Fuseta, well soaked by now and ready for the train ...

A warm welcome from Joana at the Pousada de Juventude, along with information that two groups of young people have filled the place tonight. .. after that all is fine ... so, another night in a room, this one with welcome bath to warm up after the soaking ... 

Santiago to Faro

The half day in Santiago quite enough, the ancient energy of the Hospedario San Martin, with its pilgrim rooms in the eaves where monks once slept, palpable, the common spaces shared with posher pilgrims paying €60 ... their chance to mingle with the middle way peregrinos paying €25, even with the abundant breakfast double the price of nearby albergues ... meanwhile, on the streets, other wanderers washed up here, wondering what to do next ... panhandling alongside the local beggars ...

If the Camino is Life concentrated, the economic game is highlighted here too, with scores of bars and restaurants offering pilgrim menus in the historic centre, yet strangely none found focusing on vegetarian or vegan diets ... plenty of octopus though ... and whilst pilgrims have the chance to play the money game lightly, the business folks do too ... some clearly concerned with profits, others seeming sincere in their smiles and allowing the income to follow ... customers may measure and seek bargains, gorge on special offers, take too much wine at lunchtime (a common trap for this blogger and post-prandial plodder) ... or accept the games, keep it simple, be grateful, smile ...

Porto bus quick ... over the border without stopping ... passing towns previously walked ... body grateful not to be trying this trip today .. . brief stops at Pontevedra, Vigo, Brags, Porto Airport and finally to the bus station at Casa la Musica, leaving a decent walk in the Sun, armed with map and simple directions, to Sao Bento Station in plenty of time for the 15.47 express train to Faro ... and lunch first ...

Train fast and comfortable past Coimbra, Lisbon, through the Alentejo in the dark ... finally to Faro, with nothing booked, a late aimless wander to stretch the legs and eventually a rather trendy boutique hotel, with the very friendly Pedro checking me in ... legs well rested and soon ready for more action ... though no more 40kms for a while ... perhaps a wander up from Porto after visiting Diogo in Coimbra ... when the weather picks up ... rain forecast for the Algarve tomorrow ...

Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela

A clear sky and an early exit ... orange juice, coffee and chocolate pastry, followed by arrow mystery ... along with two others, eventually solved by ringing the bell of a pension and asking ... then a couple of hours on quiet roads and tracks, past the airport (and a brief thought of popping in to see if anyone is flying to Faro today), a halfway coffee and on past Monte do Gozo, the huge facility built a few years ago to house the thousands of pilgrims arriving to see the Pope ... whether the dodgy Ratzinger or the current incumbent, promoting a more compassionate image, is not clear without further investigation ... nor, indeed, is it clear whether the Pope or all the pilgrims started in Sarria ... walking to Santiago, obviously, is not a definition of being a pilgrim ... words, as ever, tricky entities ... sometimes explaining, sometimes constraining ...

The city comes soon enough and at 1.8km and 11.30 am from the Cathedral, Bar Londres provides pause for a pee, some paper towels as hankies, a coffee and a nice plate of tapas, with tortilla, churro and cake, a sincere smile and set for the nearby bus station, to check possibilities ... which by now are a 5 minute rush to buy a ticket to Porto or wait until the morning with 10 am and noon available ... Santiago energy for the rest of the day, Porto tomorrow ... maybe in time for the fast train to Faro, maybe a day there ... speedy walking has left options ...

The very special Hospedario San Martin has a pilgrim room free and the Sun is shining for a wander ... Jean-Marie, the Belgian bloke from yesterday is passing and takes the photo as well as showing how to solve the camera problem ... which frankly was not hard...perhaps the universe resetting the tablet to prevent persistent framing of moments, enabling Life to flow ...

Wandering the historic centre takes a while, though the born again Pilgrim House is not open today for theological discourse ... a second visit to the Museum of the Camino is rewarding ... the lounge of the Hospedario provides a comfy resting space, and the mind, having relaxed from the daily effort, is happy for the break ...

Palas to O Pedrouzo

Another long day on the road ...12 hours including some swift breaks and it means nearly 50 km again and an easy 20 km stroll into Santiago tomorrow ... weather rather pleasant, with barely a sprinkle and plenty of Sun ...

An early plod with no fixed plan ... Arzua at just under 30km lunchtime target ... Vivien and Frank from Sheffield appear after Melide, having started in Sarria, taking it slow, feeling guilty at skipping the dorms, though, as Catholics, guilt is part of the programme ... timely, since recent graffiti said:"Jesus didn't start in Sarria", a dig at the "turigrinos", though interesting to examine the assumption that pilgrims need some suffering and other qualifications ... the reference to Sarria is because it is a favourite starting point, being just over the 100km necessary to walk to Santiago to get the certificate .... stamps for the passport are also required ... more than just the overnight one, to make cheating difficult ... the whole concept ridiculous, as if such a personal journey needs a certificate ...

Graffiti, meanwhile, abounds ... folks obviously well equipped with waterproof markers and spray paint ...Jesus a key hero for the artist vandals ...

A quick rest before Arzua means the idea of a long lunch here passes by and other opportunities are missing ... somehow we are on the way to Pedrouzo anyway, step by step ... bread and honey from the pack sustains and a heartfelt exchange with bar owners 12km from home lifts the energy ....at least three different groups of young people in evidence .... Easter Week maybe ... anyway, an early encounter with a Belgian bloke, just arrived from the Northern route, which joins here, establishes his Albergue full of youngsters, tempting this curmudgeonly and knackered pilgrim into another pension ... handily next door to a restaurant with a great menu del dia ...preparing for an influx of young people, the first group of which arrives during the dessert course ... 9 American teenagers and their teacher ... swiftly to bed before the main influx ... Santiago tomorrow, maybe a Porto bus later, or Thursday ... let's see ...

Sarria to Palas del Rei

Rainy start in the dark and a steep climb to warm the system before settling to tracks and lanes with plenty of standing and running water ... an hour on and Alina, from Brazil, is coaxed from her shelter for some company ... married to an Italian, they both work on cruise ships ...she lacks gaiters, and since the pair in the pack are surplus to requirements she puts them to use ... and reduces the weight, which is great ... her handy Camino app advises coffee ahead, though is not advanced enough to know whether the bar is actually open .... never mind, we plodge on and find coffee and tortilla 10 km from Portomarin ... where we arrive and part at 12.30, she to an Albergue, me to find lunch before an afternoon shift ... lunch at the Mirador is wonderful, a great view of the lake, under which the original town now lies, Sun drying damp clothes, veggie soup followed by scrambled eggs and mushrooms, with Tarta de Santiago for dessert ... fed, rested and ready for the 25km to Palas del Rei, and Sun takes its turn with sleet and rain showers all the way ... one coffee stop at halfway, where a school exchange group of American and Spanish students are settled, discussing some theology earnestly, though without openings for sceptical elderly English pilgrims .. just as well, the Americans had that shiny faced look of the true believer ... into the zone for the afternoon, pilgrim free until just before home, when two Austrian blokes, three German women and five Spaniards are overtaken ... into town before 7, for another near 50 km day ... quite tired, but well set for Santiago on Thursday ...

Ruitelan to Sarria

Breakfast at 7am, with Ave Maria and other uplifting music, Pequeno Potala one of the best Albergues ... snoring brothers broke the sleep a bit, but that's dorms for you ... light rain to start, stopping for a while before turning to light snow as we climb steeply towards O Cebreiro, wher the snow has settled, making paths tricky ... this tough 9km is done by 9.30 and a quick rest and coffee before joining a procession of day tripping pilgrims just arrived by bus, mixed in with some with full packs who have just checked out of hostels here ... all hitting the hard shoulder to avoid the thick snow ... pretty much the story to Triacastella, though the day trippers cut out earlier ... the road drops steeply into town, leaving the snow behind ... lunch at two and it takes a while to recover for the afternoon 18km, on a much more scenic route, along quiet lanes, rain coming and going, a few sunny spells, a short rest and shandy 7km from Sarria and in by 7pm ... a challenging 50km day, rewarded with a Hostal room on the way in ... a hot shower, red wine with tapa and ready for an early, snore free, night ...only four days to Santiago now and possible to slow down ... but the challenges are hard to resist ...

Ponferrada to Ruitelan

A decent shift, keeping up the options for a Thursday finish ... around 40km in sunshine and showers, mostly on tarmac, apart from the mid-morning stretch through the Bierzo vineyards to a very amicable coffee and tortilla stop in Cacabelos ... Luzia, happy to practise her English learned many years ago on Hereford ... Vilafranca briefly provides a rest stop and a reminder of the epic day with Robert, starting here and finishing in Triacastela ... on to lunch at Trabedelo and Jo appears, having stayed in Molinaseca and finishing here ... on to Ruitelan and the Pequeno Potala, with Madrileno brothers Pepe and Fernando ... both fluent in English ... Jose, from Barcelona arrives later and a good communal supper is served by Luis and Carlos who run the place ...

Tomorrow starts with the climb up to Galicia ... after that Sarria is the target, leaving a steady four days ... let's see ...

Astorga to Ponferrada

After yesterday's half day of walking, half sightseeing, a big stage is needed to get to Santiago in a week ... a 7am start makes it possible and a good pace, a few rests, an alcohol free lunch at 2.30 after the serious climb towards the iron cross, with promised snow, and plodding along with Ponferrada, at 53km, in mind ...

Last night's pilgrim quota increased with cycling Spaniards, two Frenchmen having started in the Alps two months ago, some others, filling the dorm ... the normal form in hostels to cram everyone into the first room before opening another ...

Oats for breakfast again and a fast paced peregrina ahead overhauled and engaged in philosophical discourse for a while ... Jo, from Essex, Gloucestershire, New Zealand and now near Carcassone where she and her husband run walking holidays, is on day 20 and aiming for 40km a day ... she shares interesting information on energy, eternal consciousness and so on, before stopping for breakfast ...too early for a possible 50, when the bulk of the work wants doing early, so on we go, passing pilgrims, until the early lunch stop at Pilar's Bar and Albergue in Rabanal, where most of the subsequent pilgrims seem to have started ... a good chunk of tortilla and a coffee enough until Spanish lunchtime at El Acebo, on the descent towards Molinaseca and Ponferrada ...at lunch, other pilgrims gather, including an Englishman from Devon for a brief exchange, while more discourse is with Richard from Seattle and Lucy from Spokane, who both turn out to be Catholics ... she cuts out at the nearby Albergue, taking it steady after an ankle injury and maybe the first pilgrim encountered carrying significant surplus body weight ... she spent time in Uganda with the Peace Corps and is planning to start teaching after the summer ... her grandparents walked the Camino in the 50s, her inspiration ... Richard, meanwhile, having booked ahead for Molinaseca, calls a taxi to manage the last 8 km ...

Nothing calls at Molinaseca and it is only another 7km ... easy on the pavement all the way, with rain coming and going ... the Albergue is nearby, but it has no WiFi, drying clothes may be a hassle and dormitory life is not required after an epic stage ... so, dear readers, in order for you to have your daily episode sacrifices have to be made, hotel bills paid, bed linen and towels included in the rather pricy deal ... English humour at the enquiry as to whether the price was for a week lost in translation ... never mind, doubtless a writer can claim such expenses against tax ... if anyone was actually paying for all the erudition, inspiration and general rambling ... sorry no pics again, tablet on the blink, something else to put on the expenses ...

La Baneza to Astorga

Surprisingly swift early exit from town after soaked oats in Hostal, coffee nearby, picking out the general direction from Astorga bound road and soon enough the yellow arrows point the Way ... and with no coffee stops en route to delay the pace is quick ... a first stop on the outskirts of the city before midday ... time for a welcome coffee and tortilla, rest for legs, a little writing ... plenty of options from now on, but an afternoon walk is not one for today ... a passing chap suggest some light snow tomorrow as the Way gains height to the Iron Cross, where pilgrims metaphorically unload their guilt ... or something .... that's for the morning ... as for today, it's been dry, with some Sun ...

Third time in Astorga and finally a visit to the famous museum of the Camino ....housed in Gaudi's Palace ... before that, a tour of the cathedral, with handset information in English ... still waiting to hear who dusts the fantastic altarpieces ....

As for the pilgrims, Hegen, from South Korea, checks in second, having taken the bus from Leon ... no more as of 2 pm, but likely to see some walking from Hospital de Orbigo or even Leon ... no WiFi at the Albergue, so this had better go from the restaurant in case of later connectivity problems ...

Benavente to La Baneza

Probably not the best day to get lost, what with the rain and the proposed double stage .... sloppy research contributes, plus trusting the exchange in Spanish and advice to keep straight on ... no sign of yellow arrows, but on we go, until a chap offers fresh advice ... finally leading to the Way and the first coffee of the day, after five and a half hours, a good hour on top of time for actual route .... extra early start, in the dark, makes it possible, and promised rain holds off for an hour ... after that the kit is tested and at the coffee stop, actually the day's destination on Gronze.com, serious consideration is given to finding a bed there, as the intensity of the rain increases ... however, 1 pm is early to stop, and Astorga calls tomorrow with lots more pilgrims joining from the French Way ... none seen since carelessly losing Helmut and Anna in Zamora ...

After three hours plodding in the downpour, the rain eases off ... even allows a little evening sunshine ... room found in the centre of town, radiators working hard to dry everything out, and a special treat for the feet and legs, a hot bath ... no rehearsal for the morning since clothes are still drying, but it looks easy enough and the stage is only 25km ... a half-day after today's epic ...

Needless to say, the tablet with camera stays dry in the pack ... maybe some pilgrim pics tomorrow!

Granja to Benavente

The beautifully converted Casa Rural in Granja has heating, WiFi and a kitchen as well as useful things like sheets and towels ... however, the local shop is closed and bar limited for food, so the question of how much food to carry arises ... this pack weight conscious pilgrim prefers to travel light and take the consequences ... this morning's consequences are no breakfast or even coffee until two hours on the road produces a coffee and croissant ... another two hours another coffee, but no food .... the last two hours stretches out to two and a half before the rather beautiful Benavente in time for a very tasty and welcome lunch ... plenty of walking for today and well set for a long day tomorrow, then a shorter one to Astorga and the French Way, where the options increase, along with the pilgrims ... none of these seen so far today ... after lunch, with a little research on a bed for the night, the Paraiso Hostal appears and provides comfy lodgings in the centre of town and near a supermarket for some bananas and other light foodstuff for tomorrow, where facilities may be limited ....

Patricia, from tourist info says the municipal Albergue only opens next week ... and gives clear directions for the morning, when an early and easy start is required ... a rehearsal reassures and the 40+ day is prepared ... with rain in the forecast ...

Zamora to Granja de Moreruela

Out at eight after breakfast with peregrinos and hospitalero ... and a swift return having remembered the donativo principle a few minutes late ... bed and food all offered freely and the donation is freely offered ... a great way to subvert the traditional economy and enabling those few pure pilgrims travelling without money to eat and sleep ... the donations of the others has to balance it in the end and forgetful pilgrims may spoil the game ... anyway, for sure if this pilgrim had not returned the omission would have lurked in the mind for the rest of this life at least ...

The pace is fast, Anna and Helmut abandoned to relax into their native tongue, and the dirt roads are fine for the morning ... the short Gronze stage of 18 km completed before midday ... a tortilla snack and onwards, negotiating diversions round a new high speed railway line, onto more mucky roads then back to the reliable N630 for a mediocre 3pm menu del dia with a risky red wine ... after which it's hard shoulder all the way to Granja, spits and spots of rain, some Sun, a cool breeze and the 40k is done by 5 pm .. a friendly local taking care of locating the Casa Rural selected for the night ... municipal Albergue available, but unlikely to meet Zamora standard or to have pilgrims or resident hospitaleros ...

No people pics to post today, just the signs for the junction of the Via de la Plata in Granja ... the decision is for tomorrow, but Astorga still favourite ...

At the bar, cheese and tomato bocadillo filling enough for supper, whilst on the tv several young men in fancy dress torture a bull and finally kill it ... the few folks in the bar take little interest and the bull ring is almost empty ... the cruel charade is taking a while to die, but it will ... Spain very much a civilised country these days and such barbarism doesn't sit well ...

Cubo to Zamora

Morning arrives with revised rain predictions ...later in the day ... and since we can't afford streams deeper than ankles, not to mention sticky tracks, it's another hard shoulder day all the way ... at 28km a little shorter than the current marked Way and much faster in the conditions .. Helmut concurs and the company compensates for the severity of asphalt and the road to the horizon  .. following wind pushes us on and brings a few squally showers ... a short coffee stop elicits a friendly exchange with the owner, delighted with the compliment for her coffee and disclosing that she is Portuguese, like her coffee, which is, of course, the best in the world ...

A second stop at Morales is just 6km from Zamora, where the Albergue is easily found, along with hospitalero voluntario Luis and colleague Rafa, both seasoned pilgrims ... Anna arrived earlier having broken the stage from Cubo at the intermediate Albergue on the official route ... being a native German speaker, she offers some relief to Helmut, gamely switching between Spanish and English ...

After lunch with Anna and Helmut, a wander is in order, to establish the morning route and create an appetite for the communal supper at the albergue ... plenty of signs, so no problem, though a Portuguese alternative is to be avoided ... unless that is seen as an option, of course ... current plan is for Astorga and the French Way, where 40km stages are easier to arrange, with plenty of options for sleeping and eating .... more pilgrims too, though they are building up as Spring arrives .... before the main junction of the Via de la Plata, the Sanabres via Ourense, favoured by Helmut, or the French Way via Astorga, there are two short stages, or one long one ... and since the long one is a little over 40km, that's tomorrow's target today ... in the morning, as always, things are clearer ...

Communal supper convivial in Spanish, some understood ... anyway the pilgrim communication operates beyond words ... a special kind of Albergue and reputed to be the finest on the Via de la Plata ...

Trains ... Salamanca to Cubo ...

Julian kindly meets the Tavira train at Faro, having caught the earlier one, and proposes lunch at a vegetarian restaurant he knows ... then to the super duper express to Lisbon in just three hours ...landing at Oriente Station, a concrete design disaster, draughty, not at all user friendly and though the night train to Salamanca comes through, three hours in this place is not desired, so the starting station, Apolllonia is preferred ... and after walking hopefully for a while, stretching legs after sitting so long, a friendly road sweeper suggests a bus is required, since the walk is about ten kilometres ... possibly an exaggeration but good advice anyway and Apollonia turns out to be a proper old fashioned station, with tall booking hall and plenty of bars for snacks ... the train has beds, but a seat is booked and a few hours sleep are enough after the days of oversleeping at the hostel ...

Salamanca still sleeping in the rain at 5am when the train arrives and a little time is spent finding the way out ... assisted by another very helpful road sweeper, then it's head down and straight along the hard shoulder for six hours or so, avoiding parallel dirt track alternatives since they are claggy and prone to deep surface water in places ... a coffee stop at 9.30, then more or less non-stop to Cubo, where an open hostel takes a while to locate ... and well worth it in the end ... dinner and breakfast included, lucky since there are not many alternatives ... sunshine and showers the pattern and rain gear adequate for the task ... after a long nap to refresh the rather tired brain, Helmut has arrived from Salamanca ... retired German, he has been walking the Ways for a few years .... this time from Alicante, having started on February 18th and kept going through the rain ... tomorrow looks like another 30km, though far from hard shoulder ...

Filoberto and Loly from the private Albergue offer bed, dinner and breakfast, plus information about the area ... they started the hostel in 2012 when his building business crashed along with lots of others ... they seem to be enjoying the adventure and the regular company of an international cast of pilgrims ...

Rain

A rainy day with more in the forecast ... wandering quite weather dependent and today is for travelling ... before that a birthday breakfast with Harald, Cees, Carmel and Marc before a failed attempt to catch the 9.55 train, which actually left at 9.38 ... never mind, the Lisbon connection is after 3pm so plenty of time with the 11.39 ... Johannes of East Portugal Caminho fame turns up with tales of deep snow in Galicia .... turning the mind to alternatives, though the weather system seems pretty much Europe wide ... Africa maybe?

Since wifi is unpredictable later, the post with pic is sent early ... and arrival in Faro before 12.30 leaves other options open ...

Respite

Joaquim is free to see the evidence of the oral disaster zone and advises the specialist will take a virtual look before visiting on the 24th March and a window of opportunity opens ... a day to Salamanca, 14 days to walk to Santiago, a day back to Tavira ... possible with some long stages ... let's see!

Meanwhile, arrangements may be made by email and optimum route for Salamanca appears to be train to Faro, Lisbon and a short night on to Salamanca, arriving before 5 a.m. and more or less straight on the road to Zamora to pick off the near 40k stage early enough for lunch and a siesta ... well, that's Plan A today, the morning, with promised rain, may look different ...

In Tavira International Women's Day is celebrated with balloons around town, and Carmel, who arrived at the hostel yesterday, is off to Santa Luzia with 30 or so others for lunch ... Happy International Women's Day to all female readers ... supportive men too, of course ...

Soap opera

This mini soap opera at the Tavira Pousada de Juventude continues, as core cast stays put awhile ... drama more real for Diana, Joana, Paolo and Carlos, who guard the inmates as best they can ... perhaps the younger customers, the Juventude in the title, are livelier and more challenging than the current cast, mostly pensioners ... though being children of the dawning of the Age of Aquarius we have our rebellious moments ... perhaps wandering about far from home is proof of that ...

Cees starts early with the philosophy, musing on the importance of unconditional love in personal development ... Harald follows up at breakfast with an extract from his current reading "The Power of Now" ... these different forms of love a general topic ... Universal Love, the Ground of Being, Tao or whatever we name it, being accepted conceptually at least ... though living in harmony with it and avoiding the trap of trying to describe it perhaps a bigger challenge ...

Since yesterday's grey sky and occasional sharp showers are replaced by sunshine and light cloud, a decent walk before this afternoon's xray is in order ... Fuseta is the destination, with return trains at 11.55 and 13.15 ... so, a brisk trip, more or less non-stop, on mostly sandy tracks, stretches the legs and tops up the vitamin D ... all before lunch ...

The visit to the radiology place is a cultural experience of its own ... joining waiting rooms with locals, wondering what conditions folks were investigating ... some looking worried, of course ... anyway the picture was taken and a disc provided for the dentist to peruse ... another appointment needed before deciding next steps ... and Santiago starting to call ...

Rhythm

Interesting to review the writing to understand how the richest days are not always well conveyed to the readers ... finding the spaces to write while the mind is fresh not always easy and yesterday was not only full of walking, but talking too ... lots to process in the dialogue with Harald ... fit new information into current narratives ... hopefully open to new narratives as well ... anyway, by the time the walk, train trip and supper, swiftly thrown together from what was left in cupboard and fridge ... finding cooking and eating space in the rather small kitchen ... and then taking writer responsibilities seriously, throwing together some words with the photograph, before gratefully heading for bed ...

After breakfast with Marc and Harald, some more philosophy, before seeking out an organic farm shop on the edge of town, recommended by Julian ... there is a leaflet and a map, with the Aldi, handy for the nearby by-pass, as reference point ... luckily, since the leaflet seems the only concession to publicity, and sign posts absent, even at the entrance to the rather run down farmstead the organic gardener has rented ... all blown down by recent heavy winds ... meanwhile in Aldi, a decent selection of processed organic produce to complement the home grown fruit and veg ... two worlds converge perhaps?

Today is the 66th anniversary of the birth of Cees ... whose early career as a professional footballer in the Dutch second division was cruelly curtailed by injury ... other careers in related professions followed, physiotherapy, swimming teacher ... another sun seeking refugee from Northern Europe finding the energy of Tavira and its Pousada de Juventude congenial .... with occasional forays along the coast to other hostels ... Faro, Lagos, Arrifana and more ...

The early tourist season has started and plenty of couples from different countries in evidence (coupling being optimal for holidays maybe), along with the large group aspect, observed on the main street and appearing as a herd, following the leader, random locals and bloggers standing aside to avoid being trampled, or worse, being sucked into the parallel universe of commoditised tourism ...

The point of the title, as far as blogging goes, is that early introspection and reflection, combined with mid-morning drafting, later editing, some photos, and plenty of walking, of course, appears optimal ....

As preparations continue for a full on birthday party at 6pm, a short stroll to Santa Luzia for chocolate and cake is in order, since lunchtime rain has cleared ... a couple  of sunny days in the forecast, though not much help to English couple at adjacent table who are leaving tomorrow, after two weeks holiday with two days sun. .. a shame, though they seem sanguine enough,  probably having learned that whilst we cannot control the weather, we can control how we feel about it ...

Meanwhile reading continues with Kate Mosse's "Labyrinth", entertaining enough and introducing time slipping, our heroine Alice moving between her 2005 life, linked with that of 1209 ... in the always fascinating context of the Cathars of Languedoc. ..

A day on the Camino ...

...but not the unfinished business along the Via de la Plata ... this was the 25km leg of the Eastern Portugal Way, previously tried up the Serpa. ... and thanks to a diversion and the extra 3km to Vila Real to pick up the train, that's about 30km ... a good day's walking in sunshine and showers and in company with Harald, from Norway, a serious hiker ready for a decent stretch ... pictured with the latest addition to the Eastern Way, a handsome marker giving an idea of the scale of the task ahead ... if you choose to complete it, of course ...

Scandinavians well represented, with Danes, Anne-Marie and Ole checking out today, Gudmund still here after a flying visit to Seville for a casino ... and whose great question "If there had been no birds, would humans have decided to fly?" is left unanswered, like all the best questions ... Harald himself, though no Swedes or Finns so far ... are Finns and Icelanders Scandinavian? Hmm must ask Google about that one ...

Quiet in the hostel ... a French couple converse in the kitchen, names and photos yet to be obtained ...

Itchy feet a little happier, though it will be a week before they get going in earnest again, when Spring is properly sprung and, hopefully, teeth sorted for another few years ...

Sunny walk to Fuseta

Sun shows his face after going missing most of the past week or so ... looking fair for a while and the whole organism is game for a decent walk ... after breakfast it's off West along remembered route, swift enough without diversions for coffee, which comes after nearly two hours by the Ria Formosa nature reserve and a fish restaurant with 50 or more covers set for Sunday lunch ... on to Fuseta and checking train times find 20 minutes spare to pop into the shop for some eggs to add to the salad waiting in the fridge ... train shared with jolly group of English holidaymakers, heading for Tavira and some drinking ... though they are in their own bubble, so no space for philosophy ... pursued in the delightful silence of the three hour walk, seeing how the land has gratefully absorbed all the rain, preparing for drier days to come ... though not just yet according to the forecast. ..today a brief respite before rain returns ...

Back at the hostel, Julian, from near Brighton, is waiting to check in, having been west to Faro, Portimao, Lagos ... while Vento and Paco are waiting for the 4pm bus to Seville, having missed the earlier one ...

Anne-Marie and Ole, on holiday from Denmark, discuss things political and social while the thunder rumbles outside ... otherwise very quiet in the hostel ....

Interbeing and Fado

Blogger, the free platform from Google, requires ownership of the content and use of it to develop linguistic elements of ever growing artificial intelligence ... which means vigilance is essential to ensure that what was written, albeit with one finger on the tablet, appears on the screen, since auto-correct often substitutes what it already knows for words and expressions unrecognised ... perhaps this is how humans learn too? Anyway, the title of this post amusingly changes to "Intervening and Dado", which would make no sense to the stories to be told today ... though, who knows, maybe none of it makes much sense anyway ...

Vento, a lawyer from Colombia and his husband, Paco, a chef from Spain, share a glass of good Dao wine ... together 11 years already, and doubtless noticing major shifts in attitudes to sexual identity in that time ...

This morning's coffee meeting with Look, from the Almond Blossom Sangha, the Algarve department of Thich Nhat Hanh's Interbeing movement, with its monasteries around Plum Village, is very deep ... our first meeting since his partner of 32 years, Jane, passed last year ... the teachings on ongoing consciousness are discussed, the suffering involved in the practical experience palpable ... the eyes show it ... Thay himself using a wheelchair and able to communicate, though not verbally, spends summers in France, winters, wisely, in Thailand, where the weather is gentler. ..

After lunch with David and Marc, a cultural outing to a concert of Fado ... nice playing, singing rather shouty, though in tune as far as this untuned ear can tell ... a big space to fill in the church and she certainly manages to project into that space ... content rather a surprise, since previous information suggested Fado originated in the sadness of the economic emigration over generations ... maybe lightened a little for tourist consumption ...

Outside, the rain returns after a dry, albeit cloudy morning .... just in time to provide an extra challenge for the cyclists enjoying the weekend of the Algarve Bike Challenge 2018 ... whilst back at the hostel Gert has left for Faro and his bed has been taken by a young Dutchman who likes to sleep a lot, according to Marc, who is experimenting with black bean dahl. .. Marina has made bortsch. ..there is rice in the cupboard and fresh veg from the market this morning ... fresh air certainly improved the head last night, maybe skip the wine as a bonus tonight ...

Urinal Art ...

A rainy start and a wander eastwards ... capturing an amusing and cheeky artwork in the men's toilets at the shopping centre ... obviously some caution is required when taking photographs in public toilets, but it's quiet and all is well ... the other objective is to buy some small headphones to enable discreet video viewing, since there is WiFi at the hostel and several more days to stay there waiting for x-ray appointment to sort the teeth ... though enough breaks in the rain to enable some walking ... maybe a trip or two along the coast on the train ...

Johannes has been busy painting yellow arrows pointing to the Eastern Portugal Way and time for  a few kilometres along the route, through the salt pans, towards Castro Merim, where it swings left alongside the Guidiana ... long before that a cycle diversion is marked through a muddy tunnel, soon followed by a closed bridge and a choice of climbing over to see what's going on, turning back for the diversion, or just heading back to town ... and since lunchtime is approaching and there are leftovers in the fridge, that choice wins ... good to stretch the legs though, and clear the head ... a little muzzy in the mornings, whether due to lack of oxygen in 4 bed dorms, constant WiFi, red wine or full moon, is not clear ... maybe a combination ... Diana says she turns her family wifi off at night, which seems a sensible precaution ...

Gert has opened a window, wine may be moderated, WiFi and Moon beyond our control ... let's see ...

Meanwhile, Joana sends a link to "Walk With Me", the wonderful film from Plum Village ... watched thanks to WiFi, of course!

Oat Slime and other delicacies. ..

Marc experiences the joy of porridge for breakfast, after an early couple of coffees along the street. .. hostel has many good points and breakfast included in the price (rising to €14 today) is one of them ... quite substantial and fine if you like cereals, white bread, processed cheese and ham, butter, jam, plus a poor relation of coffee, which is the best in the world in the bars ... however, porridge is the healthier option and oats easily found in the shops. .. Marc's command of English is excellent, philosophy easily discussed ... porridge, however, requires translation and it turns out to be a very descriptive, literal combination of main ingredient and its texture when cooked .... oat slime ... mmmm yummy, though unlikely to catch on as an alternative in English ...

A trip to the market secures more fresh fruit and veg ... including some small purple sweet potatoes, perfect boiled in their skins and eaten with a little oil and salt ... learned from Aljesur, where they have an annual festival of sweet potatoes ...

And so to the dentist ... and another tv set with American cultural crap on ... with sub-titles, though nobody seems to be watching, harder to screen out the almost known spoken language, weirdly familiar voice, laying out the particular crime being explored in today's edition ... with perfect irony, this channel is CBS "Reality" ... which is the hell realm such rubbish creates ...

More comings and goings at the hostel, Nick, Ukrainian working as computer programmer and able to work remotely more or less anywhere ... another facet of the new economy ... Ophelia and boys return from trip along the coast ... one boy on tech as expected, but the other has found "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night Time" in book form and seems engrossed ... Daniel, from Leeds, sometime pilgrim, lands in room 101 for a night, before returning to snowy England tomorrow ...

Heavy rain this morning has turned river red and very full ... windy enough, too, for the walk out to the Island, where the ferry is not working due to weather ... which changes rapidly as the wind picks up .... Nautical Club perfect spot to watch it  .... not at all as you may picture a Nautical Club dear reader ... no formal dress required, coffee just €0.70 and a slightly eccentric woman running the place ....