Camino Portugues - Stripped Down to the Essentials
After years of flirting with the idea, a couple of weeks deciding on the route, and a few days of - loosely - preparing, the day had come to finally embark on the Camino Portugués. The alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. 😴 Excitement and a touch of fear made sleep elusive. A quick ride to the airport, a short nap on the plane, and by 8:45 a.m. I found myself in sunny Porto - the perfect welcome to lighten my mood. At the Sé Catedral I picked up my Camino credentials, followed my first yellow arrows, and rewarded myself with a warm pastel de nata and a cachorrinho (local hotdog) recommended by my Uber driver. Too tired for the city crowds, I hopped on an early train to Vila Praia de Âncora - my chosen starting point. An evening by the beach, early dinner, and quiet time at the hotel helped me feel mentally prepared, physically overpacked 😂, and ready for whatever lay ahead. Day 1 – 28 km / 6 h 10 min I left at 8:30 a.m., the sun already rising over the rugged coast. The signs were...