Stage 23: Alfeloas - Albergaria-a-Velha, 32 kms, Hot & Sunny, 30

Umbrellas!

Honest, I had plans to write about something more profound, but after a late lunch and a beer, this is about the best I can do. The more profound post will have to wait for another time. Perhaps that's best for all. 

Paul, a promise is a promise. Seth, no doubt you'd like this part of the trip as well?! For that matter so would Bryan. Imagine if you will...an Irish pub in a very small Portuguese hamlet. But there it was. Excellent meal last night elsewhere, the cod here is so beautifully prepared.

Started the day into a cool, dreary low cloud. My favourite...not. To cap it off we started out on hard roads again today. Eighty percent of the route today was on highway and hard road with at least two major industrial areas to pass through. We were off the Caminho last night so finding in the early morning dark made for a cheery start! We finally walked to the N1 and put our heads down braving all manner of trucks passing at high speed in the early light. Finally we cut the Caminho trail...not exactly correct terminology...'road' and stopped for breakfast.

Pity the poor guy on the left of the photo. He had to walk a long, long way to put his trash out. No complaining ever again about road side pickup folks. 

We stopped for the usual peregrino silliness to try and kick start our day...amazing what happens after the first coffee!

And if that wasn't silly enough...

I can't believe Neil stopped to take this photo...it's pretty childish.

Yup, I took one first;-)

So we walked and we walked in the grey, grey, grey, grey morning.

Liked Don Quixote. Odd that he was in Portugal when he should have been in Spain? Dog was ok too.

Walked and we walked through the grey, grey, grey morning. It was grey and broken..

And we walked.

Met new friends...

But man it was grey.

"Where's the sun?"

Not there...so we walked on in search.

And we walked...

But then, in the distance...could it be the sun?

Nope, but almost as good. Umbrellas! Many colours!

And flowers too!

And flowers with umbrellas!!

Amazing!

It was like the sun came out for me...grey place gone, colour arrived!

We had a morning snack, go team!

It was even ok that Neil had his Tilley on backwards! Then a few more umbrellas.

And we went off to find the real sun, and it didn't disappoint. We popped some bubbly to celebrate!

Everyone was happy...

We continued to walk on as it heated up. Met this nice old fella who had a real job to do.

It all goes here for the winter feeding.

We passed a very cool old door. For you Caitlin. Note the flowers.

The sun changed everything. The colour and depth of field was suddenly there.

The trees looked better. This one was special.

Then we went down into a valley and found a Roman bridge. That's new I thought? Put it in for Rob.

Then I went solo for the rest of the day, about 8 kms. Found my pace, turned on some tunes and had some fun! Yup, that's a bridge. A long high bridge with loads of fast big trucks on it.

Where did I walk? That's up for you to guess. I know the answer:-)

Did I tell you that football was big over here?

Walked in ahead of our cohort, found the albergue, made arrangements for the four of us to have our own room and waited for everyone to arrive chatting with a young lady from Belgium who has the usual 5 languages. Laundry done, shower had, out for a nice late lunch...I think I mentioned the beer. Now in the albergue listening to some very nice Portuguese fado music, rehydrating and writing. Nothing too deep, but then it was grey earlier and I'm still recovering from that. Happily I've seen very little grey this trip.

Time to post this and then figure out tomorrow. About 30 kms, but except for all the roads it's easy walking. Flat with a few small hills to keep me happy. After that one more long day then a short 10 kms into Porto, planned this way to have almost two full days in Porto. Neil and Sarah very excited to see Porto. 

Bom Caminho!

All about the football!