Camino Portuguese, Day 21, Saturday, September 14, 2019

A Guarda to Tui (21.72 miles/35.00 km)

Last night I decided that instead of continuing north along the coast I would go inland on the alternate Camino. along the Rio Minho, to the main inland Camino in Tui. My shin split had been troubling me and was swollen and painful, and the steeper downhill on the last section of the coastal route had me a little concerned.

This morning was the first day on the Camino that the alarm actually woke me up, even though I set it every night I wake up before it goes off. This is definitely an indication I need a little more rest, especially since it’s been over two weeks since I had a zero day.

To get on the Camino to Tui and I had to go back across the Rio Minho to Spain, where we caught the skiff yesterday. I started out the door at 7:45, after trying to get a cab the two miles back to the ferry terminal, but the clerk could not get one. I usual don’t get transportation, but I figure I had walked here from the ferry. I got to the terminal about 8:30 and did not see one other person on the dock. I saw the posted schedule of the ferry and it wasn’t coming until 2:00 pm because of the low tide. Oh no!

I wandered around the terminal building trying to thinking of what I should do when I heard the sound of the skiff pulling up to the dock, with two pilgrims getting off. Hurray! I frantically yelled and waved at the man driving the skiff, and it turned out to be the same incredibly muscular captain (The Incredible Hulk) as yesterday. I think he heard me crying and thankfully waved me over. It cost me another €5 ($5.50), well worth it, and I was back in Portugal and trekking by 9:00 am. Not bad, and how blessed and fortunate!

The Camino parallels the road all the way to Tui, and to keep from irritating my shin I stayed on the road as much as possible. Traffic was light in the morning and increased by afternoon because it is a weekend. Most of the way was through small villages and spread out residential areas.

The temperature started increasing as I got further inland, and by 2:00, Portugal time, it was 91 degrees (33c). Even after being in the cooler weather of the coast, I still made it a pint to carry at least four liters of drinks, and today I drank most of it.

I picked up some fruit at a farmer’s market along the road in a small in village. I miss picking the grapes and figs, but €1 for several nectarines and plums isn’t bad.

I got to Valenca around 4:00 and the traffic had started to increase. Valenca is on the Rio Minho and is directly across from Tui, in Spain. Valenca is big tourist attraction because the ruins of an old fort city, Fortaleza Valenca, which is located on the river. There were tour buses and hundreds of tourist on the sidewalks. I was a little distracted by all the activity and made the mistake of following some other pilgrims on an alternate route along the fortress walls. It was beautiful and interesting but it lead to a winding cobblestone street and then down a very long stone and steep stairway back to the main Camino.

It was just a short distance from there to the bridge across the Rio Minho into Tui.

I stopped at a mercado and noticed an obvious friendliness in the owners or clerks. Tui is the second most popular starting places, after Saris, where pilgrims can started the shortest section of the Camino and still get their Compostela, or certificate of walking the Camino. I think because the Camino is a big part of the economy here, the people are very friendly.

It must be written somewhere in the rules of the Camino that the last city, or places of lodging, on a stopping section of the Camino, must be on a steep hill. It never fails, but at the end of a long day when you tired and finally reach that town or village, there is a steep uphill to your lodging. It is usually short, but at the end of the day it always seems like miles. It really wasn’t that bad, but it really is true and funny!

I did walk up a steep street to my pension and happily found that it was near the Tui Cathedral and Central Plaza area. I booked the room because it was one of few available and fairly reasonably priced. Locations can be questionable, but this time the location was great!

When I checked in, the husband and wife managers where very friendly. After checking in he brought me a hot steaming glass with very dark, and very sweet, coffee, almost like a dessert liquor. Wow, what a nice pick me up after a long day.

Then when Arlena was showing me the room, I asked about a place to wash my clothes. She told me no place, but give them to me and I’ll wash them for you for free. Wow! After my shower and settling in, she brought my washed clothes to my room with a rack since they were not dried.

The room was small but nice and clean, and it has air conditions! As has been my blessing, I got another room with a balcony and great view all the way down the plaza, and it was about $40.

Arlena recommended four restaurants, and there are probably twenty or more within a few blocks, and most are on the street in front of the pension. I went to the Peregrinus restaurant because it was a half block away, and it turned out to be a nice place. As always, I sat outside, which is normal for most restaurants here, and besides, it allows you to people watch. Now back in Spain, unlike Portugal, there was a pilgrim menu, which is a complete meal with a drink, for a reasonable price. I ordered the thinly sliced chicken breast, rice, fried egg, salad, bread, a bowl of mixed nuts, and a beer, for €6.95 ($7.70). Now that’s a typical pilgrim meal and price!

Walking around I can almost pick the various starting points of the pilgrims here. Everyone’s Camino is Their Way of course, there is a distinct difference in how there are dressed, and the backpacks too of course. Those pilgrims that overloaded their backpacks in Lisbon are emptier. The pilgrims that started in Porto are still fresh looking. And then the pilgrims that are just starting here look the mist cheerful. And then there are people like me that have lots of experience on Caminos, and who is human, and is limping around with an injury.

Today my shin splint was painful and I noticed it was a little more swollen more. I am only about 75 miles (121 km), maybe four more days from Santiago, but I am concerned that the downhills will increase the pain and swelling, so I have decided to take a zero day tomorrow. Tui seems a perfect place for it, as I have a nice inexpensive place for lodging, and I am closely surrounded by numerous good restaurants, the cathedral, and other sights. But I have to remember to rest and not wander all around Tui, which will be difficult. I will sleep in and lounge around before walking to breakfast and having a good zero day.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.

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