When I got up, I felt as though I’d walked 30km the day before, but perhaps it was just down to the hard mattress. I had a look at the route for my last walk whilst sitting by the pool in the sun.
I quickly left the noisy town behind me and was relieved that the path led through a eucalyptus forest once more.
Eukalyptus Forest
I reached a small village with a beautiful church, but I didn’t look for a stamp because quite a few Portuguese people were just heading to the service. I rested for a few minutes outside, as I was feeling a bit dizzy and queasy, before I carried on.
Graveyard
I followed the path, which now ran solely alongside roads, some of which became really dangerous. I crossed to the other side of the road several times so that I could at least walk with some protection or on a narrow sidewalk. After a serious situation, I used my walking sticks to mark my personal space, and the cars kept a bit more distance from me.
Dangerous StreetPerhaps the heat of 24°C is the reason why my two little toes suddenly started to ache today. As I write these blog notes, I’m sitting on a bench with a table, rubbing my feet with deer tallow, changing into thin toe socks and refilling my bottles at a drinking fountain.
Were 200 km actually too much for me?
Rest area with drinking waterThe ointment wasn’t to hand Fortunately, the last 2 km to Vilar do Pinheiro metro station were a bit more relaxing to walk and took me through the woods. I took the metro to the centre of Porto (Trindade) and decided to pop into exactly the same restaurant, opposite my first accommodation, to end my Camino round trip with the same delicious food and beer. On the way there, I bumped my head slightly against a low-hanging traffic light (it hadn’t exactly been my day so far).Déjà vu – just like two weeks ago
But after that lovely beer, I took a detour – to soak up a bit more of the city’s atmosphere – on my way to my new accommodation, where, for once, I’m staying for two nights.
DemonstrationLively City
And after I’d checked in, unpacked and had a shower, I took another stroll through the bustling pedestrianised area at night and bought a few bits and bobs from the supermarket and the pastelleria. All the shops were open.
