Day 2 – We left Vila Cha around 7am. We knew it was going to be another big day as we were going to Povoa de Varzim, approximately 12 km away, then cutting back to the central route along a 15 km stretch of cycle way.

We were all smiles to begin our day…

Our morning walk took us along board walks and through sand (where the board walk had disintegrated!).

The coastline once again was stunning.

So while I was all smiles in that photo, my feet started yelling at me early and I knew I was in trouble. I made the mistake of putting in new insoles before I left and didn’t try them out properly. I had two massive blisters brewing from rubbing on the insoles. No problem, I’ll put the original ones back in and … or maybe I wouldn’t since I left them behind! Out came the compede and some hikers wool and I limped for the next 20km to our stop for the night. I was not a happy pilgrim.

I also suspect the new boots I’m wearing are contributing to my foot pain. You might remember my last Camino and the ugliest shoes in the world I wore then. Those boots were Keens brand. I’ve changed to Merrells. They’re a little prettier. I think this was a mistake. There’s a Camino lesson right there! Sometimes what you know is better than the alternative.

We stopped for breakfast at a local cafe in Vila do Conde, about 7km in. 2 coffees and a cake cost us less than 2 euros!

Today started to feel like a real Camino when I met the lovely Anja from Germany who is walking the Camino with her husband’s ashes. She told me he died 7 years ago and she misses him terribly but he still goes with her everywhere. she joined us for breakfast, shared her beautiful story with me, and then we said goodbye as we went different ways. I always say it’s the people you meet that make the Camino special.

We cut inland from the coastal route to the central route along cycle way to Rates. It was a really tough walking day, due mostly to my growing blisters and the hot sun.

There were endless fields of corn, and I saw my first poppies of this Camino.

This gorgeous dog just watching us pilgrims as we walked on by…

We passed the church of San Tiago, the patron Saint of this Camino. Check out the beautiful blue sky!

Some random street art along the cycle way…

Last night we slept in the municipal albergue in Rates. It’s always a challenge to get a good night’s sleep in a dormitory, so we all woke up quite tired. But it was a great morning for a walk!

Rates was a sleepy small township, who’s claim to fame is that the church houses the remains of St Peter of Rates, the first bishop in the area who was ordained by St James (Santiago) himself.

We found these tombs behind the church-some were open! We left soon after…

This fountain was used by St Peter and is said to have miraculous properties to cure sterility. I’m not sure what that says about Peter!

We ended Day 2 with cervezas at the bar across from the Albergue. The bar tender was a young man from the town. His mates were there and they were all laughing at his attempts to speak English with me. Well, I promptly began directing my conversation to them! To their credit after a bit of encouragement they started telling me they were in their final year of school. A couple were hoping to go to University to do sports science and others were staying and working in the family business. One young man said he couldn’t know what he was doing until he got his exam results. Good call, I said. I wished them well and left them alone. Young men with their whole lives ahead of them!

This morning (Day 3) we set off for Barcelos, about 20km away. It was a beautiful morning’s walk from Rates – we are now in farming country, and corn seems to be the crop of choice in these parts. Also walked through eucalyptus forests which was a nice reminder of home. I was hopeful that my feet had miraculously cured themselves overnight. It turns out that today was not the day for that miracle.

Not far out of Rates we came across a dedication to pilgrims on the trail. Mementoes left behind, the iconic gallo (rooster) and even a poem! legend has it that a pilgrim was accused of a crime. He pleaded his innocence and declared that the cock would crow to prove it. Well you can probably guess what happened

We made it to Barcelos. I limped in to the city in excruciating pain. We didn’t find accommodation in the city because of a fiesta in the town. So we’re staying 5 km away in a 16th century farmhouse. Not what I had hoped but sometimes you need to be open to a change of plans. We had lunch with some pilgrims. Sandy from the US who has been volunteering at the pilgrim office in Santiago . And Marcus a lovely young man from Germany.

Sandy was telling us that accommodation is scarce from here on so she has booked everything ahead. Then Marcus booked us all into an albergue 23 km away for tomorrow night. Today he was my Camino Angel.

Here’s what’s been on my mind over the last couple of days…(in no particular order):

• My feet, and how pain distracts you from thinking about anything else.
• Why there doesn’t seem to be many walking this Camino, and yet accommodation is scarce
• How good conversations and good friends go hand in hand
• How delicious that first cerveza is at the end of a long day of walking

We ended Day 3 drinking cubos (scotch and coke) at the cafe of a car wash in the burbs. The things you do on Camino!