Day 3: Pedra Furado to Alta da Portela - Monday, September 26, 2011

Bom Jesus church in Barcelos

We said goodbye to Herman and Marjet on leaving Antonio's as they were taking the scenic route. That involved a climb and we only do climbs when we have to. We met them again in Barcelos and no doubt our paths will cross again.

Barcelos
The Camino follows cobbled roads much of the way from Pedra Furado to Barcelos and was mostly downhill, making for a very pleasant morning. We arrived at 11am and spent the next couple of hours sightseeing. Barcelos is both interesting and attractive but why is photography banned in the beautiful Bom Jesus church?

Brierley advises the pilgrim to stock up on food and water for the walk to Ponte de Lima. Going through Barcelos we were on the lookout for some sort of supermarket or grocery store but found none. Fortunately we were able to stock up at a very small shop near the albergue at Portilo.

If the morning was relatively easy, the afternoon was tough, mainly due to the heat. The temperature at 11am had been 25C and it got hotter.

We felt a great sense of relief when we came to the sign which said Albergue Peregrinos 2.8km. Life got better minutes later when we heard a shout and looked back to see a woman who had come out of a vineyard to provide us with grapes. We were each given a bunch of the most delicious grapes; they tasted quite different from any I have eaten in the past.

Our albergue
That 2.8km turned out to be deceiving as it was uphill all the way. We were exhausted when we reached the albergue at Alto da Portela. The albergue, however, must be one of the finest on any of the Caminos.

Here we again met Nora and for the first time Manuela, another German. 




Barcelos

  
  
 
Pauline relaxing
 
Marjet and Liam




    


Churches we passed along the way


  
  
  
  
 


 
Next: Our Day 4: Alta da Portela to Ponte de Lima 



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