My Camino Story – Part 3 Pedro Furada to Aborim

My Camino story continued on the third day with an early start as I had to walk the 13 km to Barcelos and find the Western Union agent before 1 pm.

In the previous post I had written about making arrangements to overcome my lack of cash. With that problem solved, I had washed two teeshirts, a pair of shorts and two pairs of socks. There was no washing line or drier so I had hung my wet clothes on a fence around the orchard below the dormitory. I was grateful that I had remembered advice from veteran members of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims to take safety pins to secure laundry. However, I soon regretted not heeding the advice to wear quick-dry clothing.

It had rained during the night, my tee shirts were soaking wet and weighed a ton. I put them in a plastic bag and felt the extra weight every step that day.

There were no facilities to make tea at the hostel, so I had a glass of water for breakfast and set off at 7 am. That was a little early as it was still dark and difficult to walk on the cobblestone sidewalks. My walking poles saved me from falling a few times.

Magical Moment in My Camino Story.

The early start did provide me with one of the most magical moments of my Camino story. As the sun started spreading a rosy blush over the crests of the Eastern hills, I was walking over the shoulder of Monte Franqueira a hill of 295m. The trail meandered downhill through a woodland of Eucalyptus and Pine trees. Mist was rising from the river in a distant valley, slowly uncovering the twinkling lights of village houses. The only sounds were my feet on the path and the crowing of an eager, village cockerel. It was beautiful beyond words. I was reminded of the famous lines of Alan Paton’s South African book “Cry the Beloved Country“

There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills…”

I travelled that road to Ixopo in the first year after I moved to Pietermaritzburg in South Africa.

The emotions it released in me, brought tears to my eyes. I felt as though God had put me in exactly the right place at the exact moment I needed to be there. I felt joy, some melancholic sadness for people, times and places in my old life that had gone forever. Above all, gratitude for being healthy enough to make the pilgrimage and having the opportunity to do so. It truly was a divinely inspired moment.

Flow

I walked on oblivious to the feel of my feet on the gravel trail, the weight of my pack with its extra load of wet clothes. The slight ache of a niggling foot injury and the feel of the straps of my backpack on my shoulders all disappeared. I was walking on air. I experienced that rare feeling of “flow” which previously I had only ever known on the back of a galloping horse or running long distances. Eventually, I reached the next village, the trail turned to paved lanes and roads. I came back to earth, no longer in quite the same state of bliss but with a wonderful feeling that all was well in my world.

Barcelos

I arrived in Barcelos at 9:30. The city has a population of over 120 000 and is an enchanting mix of medieval and modern buildings. It was established in 1298, with the oldest surviving structures built in the 15th century. Its early origin dates back to Roman times. With the aid of Google Maps I soon found the street I was looking for but could not find the shop. Google told me I had arrived but I could not see a Western Union sign or a street number. After walking up and down a few blocks several times, I asked at a nearby mobile phone retailer and a very helpful, English speaking man led me to a small shop that sold women’s fashion accessories. There on the bottom of the window, just above street level was a minuscule Western Union sign.

Having found the right place, getting my cash was a simple and quick process and a huge weight off my mind. I no longer faced the prospect of starving and sleeping in fields.

Wandering through the city, I found a cafe that advertised English tea. I enjoyed a pot of tea and a pastry then set off for a sports gear shop where I bought a quick dry running shirt. Finding my way out of Barcelos and back to the Camino route seemed to be beyond both my and Google’s capabilities. As I was standing at an intersection looking at the map in my guidebook, I was approached by a man who spoke English. He told me I was about 2 km away from where I should be, then escorted me back to a street I had already walked and pointed out the Camino scallop shell route markers embedded in the paving stones which I had missed.

He was one of many helpful and kind people I met on my journey and who filled my Camino story with rich encounters.

Pressing On

The guide book suggested that the 3rd stage should be from Barcelos to Ponte de Lima, a distance of 35km. I had already walked close to 20km by the time I found my way out of Barcelos at around 12 pm. Another 35 km would make a very long day arriving well after dark and make it difficult in to find a bed.

The map showed an Albergue at the top of a hill at Tamil S. Pedro Fins a distance of about 10km. That seemed a good target for the day and would leave a comfortable 25 km to Ponte de Lima the following day and keep me on schedule to finish the Camino in 10 days.

Casa Santiago

Somehow, I missed the Albergue and followed the road to the village of Aborim at the bottom of the hill. I saw a sign for Casa Santiago, a private hostel and soon found it right on the route. Run by Mario and Anna who had retired from careers in Lisbon to enjoy the peaceful village life and provide accommodation to pilgrims. Mario and Ana Maria were delightful hosts who went out of their way to make guests comfortable. Their English was excellent and they were knowledgeable about the Camino and the local area. If you are planning your own Camino, I highly recommend Casa Santiago as a stop for a night. email is casadesantiago2019@gmail.com phone 253-056-585.

At 20 euros for the night, it was more expensive than the Albergues and blew my 25 euro a day budget. But it was worth every cent. Two beds to a room with a bathroom shared by two rooms. I was on my own in my room. A comfortable lounge and dining room, a well-equipped kitchen with bread rolls, tea, coffee, cheese, ham and fruit all included. Toast and cereals were provided for breakfast and a fridge available for pilgrims to use.

I made use of the laundry facilities to rewash my still wet clothes and my last pair of dry socks. I hung them all to dry on a drying rack, looked at the cloudless sky and felt sure they would be dry by morning.

That evening, the other three pilgrims, Franciso from Holland, Dave and Theresa from California and I walked to the village and shared a pizza and a jug of red wine. We walked back under the stars on a warm evening. An enjoyable chapter in my Camino story.

I recorded 27 km walked that day, 22 km on the route and 5 in Barcelos – 3 in error. With the magic of the morning experience, the relief of having enough cash, a full stomach and a comfortable bed for the night, it had been a good day. It was the first time I felt completely at ease on the journey and I looked forward to the rest of it with great anticipation.

That sense of well being was enhanced by the simplicity of life on the pilgrimage, no worries, no distractions, just living in the moment, enjoying and appreciating every encounter, every sight, sound and smell.

For the record, my expenses for the day came to 32 euro excluding my new shirt.

More about my Camino story in the next post.

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