Day 7: Ponte de Lima to São Roque
On the road again
Willie Nelson
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
Willie Nelson’s song keeps playing in my head. Because I took a rest day the day before, I have a whole new crew I’ll be walking with & I realize that this will be the crew for the rest of the journey. Also since I decided not to have another rest day, this is the beginning of the last journey – in 9 days I will be in Santiago & only 2 more days in Portugal.
It’s weird to in a way start over again with new faces & new feet. I keep thinking about how the other crew has already walked these paths before me & I would never catch up. It reminds me of Emerson’s poem “Forerunners“.
The bridge out of Ponte de Lima and the small town on the other side was a lovely way to start the day. The classic pilgrim stop with the man celebrating each one of us also made me feel like part of something bigger. I can’t believe how many people he has added to his roster – I’m assuming his tally is encompassing all the years he’s been greeting pilgrims, not just this year.
The trail is much busier today. I don’t know if it’s because of when I left or because Ponte de Lima has more lodging options. But it’s still morning & I’m not quite ready to get into the social game yet.
The path feels very different today – complicated & narrow, industrial, wooded, hilly. It’s funny that the sound of the highway & the sound of rushing water sound so similar but have such a different effect on my psyche. They also both drown out the birds, so when I walk away from either, it sounds like the birds have suddenly appeared, when I know they were there the whole time. It reminds me that there are things in life that may seem to have disappeared but really haven’t.
There is a big hill coming today. I don’t know where it is on the trail, but I know it will have to be tackled before I am done for the day. The anticipation of it won’t leave my mind, but I also know that I’ve got this! The fact that I don’t know the exact plan is part of what I love about this journey. I am usually the one with the itinerary – the one scouting out the trails and checking the map, but here I have given myself over to the Camino. I don’t look to see what’s in store for the day, and I don’t worry about what is to come. It’s freeing to just follow the arrows set before me.
Made it to the top of the hill & it was definitely a climb. It felt more like going for a hike than going for a walk. I think this is more what the Camino Frances is like & I’m happy that so far most of the Camino Portuguese has been meandering through small towns and the countryside.
On the way up the hill I came across a pile of sticks. I had gone back and forth about buying trekking poles & until today I felt like I made the right decision, but my friends who climbed this stage the day before suggested I find some for the hike, so I feel like the forest gifted me a pole. It took awhile to find one that was the right height & heft & then I had to try to remove the bark to make it smooth enough, but I made it work & happily put it to good use on the loose stones on the way up.
Stopping at the top for lunch gave me a chance to see the small green lizards skitter out of hiding, let the small bugs float around me, and pick up on the lone cuckoo bird’s calling. Soon all the people I left behind at the cafe start trickling up the path. But the cafe & the hike definitely spaced us all out.
The way down the hill was much easier than expected & soon I was at Roulote Bar, which feels like a must stop for all walkers. Spoke to my first people from this wave of pilgrims & met someone with my same name – a rarity for me, especially with the same spelling.
My end point was just a little bit later – I definitely could’ve kept going – I arrived at my albergue for an afternoon of relaxing in the hammock & watching the pilgrims still on their journey walking past. I know I could do more each day, but I’m also happy that I haven’t been miserable at the end of the days. I like being able to enjoy the experience instead of dreading the treks ahead. And when I end in a town (not today), it gives me a chance to take in the local flavor.
Day 8: São Roque to Valença
Today started out uneventful. I started out earlier than I needed to because the albergue was not conducive for chilling, so I just started to walk. It wasn’t the worst thing since it’s supposed to be in the mid 70s today, so getting out in the cool of the morning is better than walking in the heat of the afternoon.
The scenery has been fine but nothing spectacular. This is the final day in Portugal, so I want to fully take in the last moments of this country. I find myself saying “Bom Dia” more than in the past because soon it will be “Buenos Dias”. I also feel touched when locals take the time to say “Bom Camino” to me. I wonder what it would be like to live along the path – I guess similar to those who live along the AT (Appalachian Trail).
One thing I missed out on in Portugal is trying the coffee; because nowhere had lactose free/non dairy milk, I never got to sample it. However, fresh squeezed orange juice isn’t a bad alternative.
It’s nice to see what a Saturday looks like here. Last Saturday I was bracing against the wind of the coast, so it wasn’t the day to get a glimpse into everyday life. Today people are biking, hanging laundry, bringing their cows to pasture, gardening, and enjoying the lovely spring day.
As I walk, it starts to feel more and more like the suburbs and not the countryside. I’ve been told that the camino in Spain has more towns and amenities, so this might be the end of the tranquil country life.
But even as I make my way on the asphalt, not cobblestone, streets into the edge of Valença, there are still elements of the countryside. A narrow row of vines between the busy road and me , a cock crowing from a backyard, sheep grazing under the power lines. And there are people to greet you – the young man from the Soares family selling treats, the massage therapist offering hugs and well wishes. As the city comes alive so does the Camino family.
And then as the industrial suburbs turn into the city, the pilgrims disappear and the city denizens become the focus.
Valença’s old city is surrounded by fortress walls – actually two fortresses that together form a star shape. Grassy knolls have grown on and around the walls, so the exterior of the town has lots of places to perch and enjoy the views of the fortress walls, mountains, farmland, and river with Spain across its banks.
This is the busiest place I’ve been in Portugal. I guess the Spanish travel here to shop – mainly linens and clothes – and people visit to enjoy the walled city. Live music emanates from the plazas and people socialize over coffee and drinks.
From here on out I have to get 2 stamps a day, but if this last stretch is any indication it will be harder to get less than 2.
This journey has been pretty magical so far. I’m excited to see what changes and what stays the same as it continues through Spain to the final destination of Santiago de Compostelo.
Mac On the Map 
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