A Rough Night and an Early Start
The night was pure hell. I woke up drenched, sleeping bag and all. Ended up using it as a quilt, which was a brilliant move! My watch said the sleep quality was garbage, but I felt alright. Grabbed breakfast with Mindough from Lithuania, and I was on the road before 8 AM. Again, it was mostly roads and cobblestones. Hit my first milestone marker at kilometer 13.
Encounters with Nature and Another Pilgrim
Along the way, I saw loads of lizards basking in the sun, all sorts of sizes and colors. I was looking forward to a coffee stop with a stamp. Ran into Mindough again at one of them. We had coffee and a coconut cake. He speaks killer English, I speak zilch, but it was still a laugh.
Variety on the Trail
The route kept changing – a bit of forest, then fields. Often, I was walking on the road between two-meter-high stone walls, trying to dodge cars.
The trail was marked brilliantly; I only got lost once. Called home to let them know I was okay. While I was in shorts and a t-shirt, back home, the wind was howling, it was raining, and there were snowflakes falling.
Exotic Flora and Beautiful Architecture
I was constantly amazed by trees with citrus fruits instead of apples. Some of the fruit trees were shaped into beautiful forms.
Arriving in Barcelos
Around 4 PM, after about 30 kilometers, I rolled into Barcelos. It’s a beautiful city!
They have this interesting legend about a rooster here; definitely look it up!
Accommodation and Day’s Reflection
Found a place to stay. There are Germans, an American, a Japanese guy, and me – this should be fun! I’m feeling good, just my right ankle is acting up. Did a lot of walking today.
Check out the video of my route today:
