LP and VQT

 Posted by LP Photo - VQT bought me these lovely socks, mostly green with sheep all over (with a Camino de Santiago label)  Photo - VQT and LP after dinner this evening (salad, asparagus, Padron peppers and vino tinto) Photo - elaborate green door, very close to this evening’s  hotel in Vigo The taxi driver today was very excitable…lots of hand gestures, shouting, honking of the horn and driving very close to the car in front  Hotel staff and guests are being very kind to me, offering assistance and guidance on how to get better I am very sad that I am not walking with VQT, but I am coming around to the situation and feel fortunate that this is the extent of my problems  Thanks to everyone who has sent supportive messages, you are very much appreciated 💚

Posted  by VQT I walked the Littoral route today.  It follows the shoreline except when it doesn’t.  Was not well marked and zigged and zagged around houses and other developments on the coast.  Always knew I was headed in the right direction but not sure I was on the Camino path.  At one point around noon (?) I sent LP a WhatsApp message that no one was ahead of me or behind me.  Then I turned a corner and 2 Camino people were there.  We exchanged greetings and both of us said, “ it had felt like an apocalypse or the day after an apocalypse because we had seen no one”.   Never found anyone to walk with today so was solo almost the whole day.  Had planned to download an audio book for tomorrow but I’m going to meet Jane & Arthur in the morning and walk with them.  Tomorrow is about 9 miles.   Photo: Old boat on the sea   Photo: Harbor with boats. 

 Posted by VQT Photo: Yellow Camino arrow and shell.   Photo: cascading angel trumpet flowers.  Photo: pink flowers.  Maybe someone can identify?   Off to Vigo today.  It’s about 20 km (12 miles).  Weather is mostly cloudy.   Jane & Arthur stayed in a town last night about 3 miles behind me so I’m going to leave later this morning in hopes they catch up and we can walk together partway.  I walk today and for 3 more days then we take a boat one day and then on the fifth day from now I will walk into Santiago de Compostela.  

 Posted by VQT We followed the hotel receptionist recommendations on a dinner location.  But, we didn’t specify time we wanted to eat.    So here we are - it’s 6:30 pm and the only things we can order are breakfast items.   And glasses of vino tinto.  Bon appitto.  Photo: Our hotel tonight  

 Posted by LP - photos c/o VQT Photo - a large and grand green door Photo - a tatty green window frame  Photo - a green door in a large stone building 

 Posted by LP I’ve been told I am not being clear about my health - this is me being clear….I am not walking the Camino, I am traveling by taxi - my knee injury had returned with a vengeance and apparently I do not yet “have my groove back” from my various other health dramas from the first half of 2026 - I am ok, nothing life threatening  Photo - 3 lovely Spanish women who shared their taxi with me this morning (sitting in the back seat) - they were very interested in our Camino plans, why I was not walking and exactly what body parts I had removed earlier this year (they were very friendly and very insistent)

 Posted by VQT After 4 Caminos we know that it takes several days to get past the initial aches and pains.  I think I’m at that stage or at least I hope so.   Today I left the hotel at 7:30 and saw no one until I walked into a cafe an hour later.  And the 4 Camino walkers there were all women. And the person that walked in after me was a woman.  People are expressing concern that I’m going solo - it’s very safe for women.  (Like anywhere there’s always the possibility of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.).   There was a very long and steep uphill about 2 hours into the walk.  Later in the afternoon I met two young women who were stopping for the day because they were exhausted from the earlier uphill.  Even though I felt their pain I had miles to go.  Remember it’s a pilgrimage you’re supposed to suffer!    Here are some photos.   Photo: A friendly goat.  Photo: a painted rock showing a bird on a branch. ...

 Posted by VQT Photo: Horses in a pasture overlooking the ocean.  Today I head to Nigran.  Looking at the guide book it’s about 15 miles.  But as we have mentioned often the book, the Camino signs, our step counting phones never match.   Will look for green doors to get a photo of for LP.   Last night we ate at a restaurant across the street from our hotel and had a tasty but interesting (different) pasta and vegetable entree.  

 Posted by LP Photo - green glass and metal fish decor (in restaurant) Circumstances have conspired against me completing this Camino - I am sad that I won’t be walking along, taking photos of green doors, complaining about my feet, being passed by other (younger, faster) pilgrims…..not on this particular Camino anyway - I simply have not sufficiently recovered from my various 2026 health issues to make to Santiago on my own steam - nonetheless I will make it there with the help of taxi drivers (who are very happy to converse with me, even though we are not both speaking the same language!), and the support and assistance of VQT - but don’t worry, I am not missing out on the fun parts, I am all for celebrating VQT’s walking achievements at the end of each day 💚

Posted by VQT Yesterday LP and I were in our hotel room and we heard this ringing noise.  We looked at each other and both of us said,”it’s not my phone”.  It was the hotel room phone.  When was the last time you were in a hotel room and that phone rang?  Our British friends, Arthur and Jane, had walked over to our hotel and asked the receptionist to call our room but they only knew our first names.   Receptionist was able to find our room and call it.  Arthur and Jane invited me to walk with them the next day!  They knew I would be solo.  Isn’t that the kindest thing?   Left at 7:15 and arrived around 12:15.  It was approximately 11 miles.   Photo: Jane and Arthur on the path   Photo: a giant golden Buddha.    

 Posted by VQT We are in Spain!  Looks like a fine day,weather wise,  to go for a walk.  Headed to Villa de Suso. Maybe a 12 mile day? Photo: ocean front bench painted with a bee and flower.  Photo: Bell tower in Caminha.  This is the last town in Portugal.  Here you take a boat across the Minho to reach Spain.  

Posted by LP I have a couple of health concerns that are interfering with my love of walking….but they are not interfering with my love of vino tinto 💚🍷  

 Posted by VQT Another rainy morning then it cleared up and then it poured rain for a short time.   Today is a very short day and a short day is really needed after yesterday’s slough in the rain.  Our friend Alessandro, who’s many decades younger than me, talked about how hard yesterday’s walk was when he joined us last night.  So a short walk today was perfect.   Photo: Krystain and VQT.     Met Krystain from Poland walking out of Âncora.   T Photo: VQT walking down Camino part.   Photo: a lonely donkey with the sea in the background.  Photo: Arthur, Jane and VQT.  I walked part of today with them.   Photo: iron sign of a boot at the shoe repair shop. 

 Posted by LP Photo - blue skies and fluffy clouds over the beach at Vila Praia de Ancora Yesterday the weather definitely changed for the better only a short while after VQT arrived (totally dripping wet) Today is the end of Portugal for this trip, we cross into Spain and stay in A Guarda 

 Posted by VQT  All the restaurants by the sea were closed except the one where I met LP when I walked into town like a drowned rat.  Our hotel wasn’t open otherwise I’d have gone there.  So we went into the square by the church to find dinner and vino tinto and Camino magic occurred.  Photo: seagull on top of monument.   Photo: Church lit up with lights.   And Alessandro was walking across the plaza and joined us.  Made our day!!!   Seriously was a such a pleasant surprise.  We thought our Camino group had all moved onto the next city.  A very pleasant ending to a wet and otherwise challenging day.  

 Posted by VQT Left our hotel at 7:40.  Went through the usual frustration of finding the way out of town.  Camino is almost always well marked except in cities.  Ended up walking with a Bulgarian woman who lives in Germany along with several other lost & confused Camino people.  Part of the problem today is you can walk one of two routes - coastal or inland - the Camino markings didn’t distinguish which route they were for.  I wanted to walk the inland route.  It took a while but finally was on the correct route.  Then the rain started.  The Bulgarian woman went into a cafe and I thought I’ll stop at the next one - there wasn’t a next one!  Eventually stopped at a small open church where two high school girls were selling drinks, protein bars etc to raise money for a trip to World Youth Celebration (I think) taking place in Korea next summer.  Got to sit down - that’s one of the problems with walking in the rain there’s no rest...

 Posted by LP Photo - Green doors and windows on a green tiled house (taken a couple of days ago…..you can never have too many photos of green doors!) VQT is bravely walking in very heavy rain - last heard, making good progress despite the horrible conditions  LP took a taxi to destination and is sitting in a ocean side cafe - lots of tourists (non Camino) running for cover  Taxi driver said this much rain is not typical for August in this region, nonetheless much more rain is forecast 

 Posted by VQT Photo: wayside tiled map of this route.  Photo: Roadside niche with stone pilgrim.   Another rainy day.  Our Camino weather luck has left us for now.   Headed to Vila Praia de Ancora.  It’s about 18 km or just under 12 miles.   Photo: elevation profile from guidebook.   LP is taking a rest day.  VQT is heading out into the rain because walking in the rain was so much fun yesterday - not really but I’m going.  

 Posted by LP Photo - Portuguese words over the kitchen at the cafe where we at breakfast at 7am - they translate as “success is made of small daily efforts - thanks to those who always support us” - of course this is appropriate for us as Camino walkers as it is for the small family bakery that fed us this morning  Photo - very fancy green door, arched with pots on the wall above - first photo I took after it stopped raining this morning  Photo - VQT taking photo of ceramics and plants on the wall outside a fancy villa  Photo - Camino sign of yellow arrow and shell, on which someone had added googly eyes :) Photo - wall painting inside a church of pilgrim and Camino shells Photo - rainbow seen from our dinner spot (pizza, salad and vino tinto) - over the Lima River in Viana de Castilo I am doing fine, but either I have under estimated the Camino, or over estimated my recovery (from several health issues) - a good night’s sleep will be wonderful 💚

 Posted by VQT Photo: starting end of bridge.   Photo: Ending end of bridge.   Photo: info on the bridge.   This is what we had to walk across to get to Viana do Castelo.  I don’t care that Eiffel designed it.  It’s terrifying to pedestrians.  There’s a narrow walkway protected from speeding vehicles by pylons a quarter  the size of a swimming noodle and spaced 4 to 5 feet apart. And there’s a train underneath that shakes the whole structure when it crosses.  The wind was blowing so I took off my ball cap so it wouldn’t blow away - then my hair was blowing across my face (at least it screened the terrifying view).   Leaving we head away from the bridge so don’t have to cross it again.