Nighttime Adventures at the Hostel
My pilgrimage kicked off sooner than I anticipated. The night before the start was wild – one of the guests was puking his guts out from 3 to 5 AM. Couldn’t sleep, but I did admire his buddy who looked after him, even swapping beds so the sick guy didn’t have to climb into a bunk.
Morning Porto and the Road to the Cathedral
Finally crashed and woke up at 7:30 AM. Packed up fast and headed for the cathedral to grab my credencial. Stopped for coffee at McDonald’s on the way. Morning Porto surprised me – empty streets, just seagulls squawking everywhere. Unfortunately, the morning magic was marred by the mess from the night before, the smell of urine, and some unfortunate homeless folks.
First Steps on the Camino
A few pilgrims with backpacks were already milling around the cathedral. For two euros, I got my credencial and was ready to roll. Took me a bit to get my bearings, but I eventually set off on the inland route.
First Stamp and a Long Haul
After twenty kilometers, I finally hit the first spot where I could get a stamp. Grabbed a coffee at a cafe, even though it was already afternoon and I’m trying to avoid caffeine this late.
Arriving at the First Albergue
After 31 kilometers, I made it to my first albergue. It was original – located in a monastery!
There are six of us in the room, everyone gets their own bed, no bunks. Luckily, I’m not the only guy, though we do have three daytime kittens in the room.
Day One Route
Check out the video to see where I walked:
