a chamsdorf adventure
Si was no better this morning so there was no chance of him being able to cycle any further than the train station. We arranged to meet in Santiago and I set off on my own. A quiet and beautiful stint through old woodland led to Caldas de Reis – best known for its hot... Continue Reading →
We left Vigo in the sunshine and showers that we had become accustomed to on our camino along this stretch of the Atlantic coast. After a rest and a good night's sleep I was hoping to felt refreshed and to have shaken off the lurgy that had afflicted me the day before, wrong! It only... Continue Reading →
Waking up to the sound of the rain pouring down onto the road outside of our bedroom window was not the start to the day we had hoped for. The previous evening´s cloud-free sky and spring sunshine had been replaced by a proper grey, wet and cold morning. Looking on the bright side, breakfast was... Continue Reading →
Rested and repaired, it was time to get going again and with a "toaster-free" breakfast becoming the norm, our dining experience did not hold us up for long. Soon out of the small town, we were on the familiar country lanes and seaside paths that were a highlight of this stretch of the camino. There... Continue Reading →
Much better coffee today at breakfast but the absence of a toaster confounded us a bit. We agreed that a return trip to explore more of Porto was a must. So it was with big smiles we headed down to the river Duoro and out towards the Atlantic. In July last year Cate and I... Continue Reading →
For me, pepper flavoured coffee is not a thing. Many guests at the hotel Dighton this morning may have shared my opinion at breakfast, but few of them were letting on. To be honest, we had bigger things on our minds. A quick glance out the window told us it would be another wet ride... Continue Reading →
No dramas last night, just a good night's sleep and a wonderful breakfast to fortify us for another long day. We were aiming for 85km today which would then make the following leg to Porto doable in a half day. Getting out of Coimbra was a little testing but soon we were pedalling along some... Continue Reading →
03:57 Sunday (April fool's day) I stared at the small black and white video screen by the door at reception and tried to focus. A face looked back at me with a mixture of desperation and confusion. This fellow hostel guest had obviously binned off his boozy mates in favour of an "early night", lucky... Continue Reading →
04:05 Saturday morning.Hello? Hello, I'm staying at the Hostel Santarém and the fire alarm is going off. There doesn't seem to be a fire, we can't get hold of the owner, can you help please?Standing on the doorstep of the hostel waiting for the fire brigade in the middle of the night wasn't what either... Continue Reading →
With the bikes fitted out with Camino shells and riders replete with pastels de nata, the time for action was upon us. And so it was that we began the Camino Portugués. Exiting the tight cobbled streets of the old city, we were soon moving quickly north along the banks of the river Tejo. As... Continue Reading →
Camino de Santiago: Camino Portugués 