Stage 25: Sāo Joāo - Porto (Part 1), 25 kms, Cloud and Sun, 20

The People Along The Way

First the sunrise. First in a while!

A lot happened today. As I walked I thought about what I could share in this open journal of mine. I gave it much thought and had many ideas. I could tell you about just how rough the walk today was with all the busy highway walking. It was pretty depressing...I put my music on to drown out the heavy trucks and noise.

I could tell you about the many miles of cobble roads that have crippled and blistered so many peregrinos on this route. They were so numerous today. Yet not a single photo did I take. I simply plodded on through them. Here's more of what we often walked today though. Thankful for my music.

I could have told you about the dichotomy between the better off areas we saw today and the often very poor areas. There were more of the latter than the former. It was a bit sobering.

But then I met this lady in a small village, doing something that has been done at this spot for such a long time. We exchanged a few words and she agreed that I could take her picture and she proceeded to give me the nicest smile.

And I had my subject for the day. To say that the Portuguese people have been warm and welcoming on this journey would be an understatement. Every day we have experienced acts of kindness and support that are genuine and sincere. Without any thing more wanted in return than to hear a simple thank you, obrigado. I've been watching the locals for a while from the children in the school yards, to the working people, to those obviously unemployed...there are many. All ages have been helpful and encouraging along the way, and today was no different. 

So as we walked along the noisy, polluted highways with diesel fumes pumping out of both cars and trucks, along came this long string of cyclists, likely not on Caminho. Suddenly they were all yelling encouragement and ringing the bells on their bikes. Very moving I thought.

Then there were the older retired types who simply wish you a Bom Caminho and a safe journey to Santiago as you pass them in the small villages or while they work in their yards. Not at all uncommon.

You see the retired everywhere. Their pensions rolled back since the economic turmoil of the late 2000's. 

They are usually not too shy. These old friends having picked up their bread walk together for a time...

She says goodbye.

And he walks on alone. I felt like I was watching something as very much a third party. And I was...just passing through.

The village washer ladies.

A typical bar where locals gather to visit, gossip, watch football on tv and help peregrinos!!

I find the Portuguese look after their property as well as anywhere. Sometimes it's just that the building they live in might be a couple hundred years old and need further upgrades. We all know what that feels like, even with somewhat younger homes.

Then there was later today. We made a decision to take a bus into Porto for the last few kilometres today, something that I'll cover in the blog post tomorrow. First we decided to have lunch. Neil was hungry!

I spoke with a nice woman behind the counter about getting the bus and how/where. The whole back counter during the busy time of lunch gathered to sort it out. As we left the bar I asked at another bar where there was a bit better language connection. As I exited the second bar, I discovered that an older lady had taken three of our cohort in hand and was organizing them. 

She sorted us out in Portuguese and even chased down a bus to confirm times and the bus we would need...she literally ran after the bus! She then waited with us as others came by to check in. A real gathering in the village.

The bus arrived and this lovely lady spoke with the bus driver...and then she said goodbye and simply walked away. We each touched her arm and said thank you. But the story doesn't end there. We climbed on the bus...

And the driver basically told us in Portugese how this would play out. I thought I had the gist of it, but in those situations I've learned that basically all you can do is simply trust. Things like this usually work out, and of course it did. He drove us until finally pulling up behind another bus and stopped. He took us to the door of the next bus and explained what we wanted to the second driver, put us aboard and said his goodbyes. The new driver drove us into Porto and when we tried to exit the bus a bit early, he told us (in Portuguese) to wait a bit longer, and then dropped us in a better location. Amazing what happens on the Caminho. Tomorrow I'll tell you the full story which will show how amazing this really is in the bigger scheme of things. 

It's now almost 22:00 and I've had more than my share of wine...we all have. So I'll tell the other story tomorrow. Time now for a Magnum bar! Yummmm!

Bom Caminho!