Camino Portugués: Day 2 - Labruge to Rates

After our first day on the Camino, I slept through the night like a baby. Unfortunately for Brian, he barely slept because of the size of our bed. The first thing on our minds this morning was whether our laundry dried overnight. Even though we did some test runs on our laundry at home, we were curious to see how things performed in the “real world.” Given the damp breeze by the shore, I was shocked that all our clothes were dried and ready for packing.

Elisabete was very happy to get another pin for Taiwan and the United States onto her globe.

At the check-in yesterday, Fernando gave us a full selection of cold cuts, cereals, and baked goods to pick from for breakfast. Since we would like to get our day started as early as possible, we opted to have breakfast at 7:30 am., the earliest time slot available. Elisabete served us the breakfast. If Fernando was friendly the day before, Elisabete was on another level. The breakfast spread was massive and individualized based on our pre-selection. It was probably the most lavish continental breakfast we ever had at a guesthouse. I must have four cups of her homemade cappuccino during breakfast.

Because we were the only guests having breakfast then, Elisabete enjoyed chatting with us and treated us like royalty. I have never met a happier and more enthusiastic innkeeper in my life. They decided to transform their home into a guesthouse after their kids moved out, so they spoke with their next-door neighbor, who runs a guesthouse catering to pilgrims. It took them two years to go through construction and permitting, and their attention to detail is amazing.

It was time to set off on the second day of our Camino.

Elisabete was genuinely excited to meet guests from all over the world. At the front desk, she kept a geodesic globe and invited every guest to put a pin on the globe. She was happy to have another pin for the United States and the first pin for Taiwan. I have always read that the best thing about Camino is to connect with the people you meet along the way. As much as we enjoyed our walk yesterday, we did not get to connect with any pilgrims or locals. Oddly, we felt that Elisabete became the first member of our ‘Camino family.’

After a big hug, we bid goodbye to Elisabete. Before we left, she gave us a good morning preview of our walk. She described it as one of the most serene sections of the Camino and encouraged us to take it slow and enjoy it. Among the most interesting things she mentioned was a section of trails swallowed by the sand dunes, which sounded very intriguing. It was immediately obvious that this initial section out of Labruge is particularly scenic and peaceful. In the early morning hours, very few people were on the beach. However, I did see a couple of swimmers braving the cold water of the Atlantic.

Psychologically and physically, Labruge seems like a dividing point of Sanda Litoral. Not only did the drinking fountain disappear in this section of the trail, but the duckboards also appeared less well-maintained than in the section we discussed yesterday. However, I would gladly trade the water fountains for our morning solitude. The early morning sun created a mythical atmosphere that is difficult to describe. Despite our sore feet and exhaustion from the day before, we somehow felt refreshed when we put our backpacks back on. It may sound crazy, but it was almost as if we were suiting up for an impending battle.

The views from the Geodesic Vertex of São Paio were fantastic.

Just a few minutes north of Labruge is the Geodesic Vertex of São Paio, which is said to be the highest point along this coastline. A geodesic vertex is a conical-shaped structure that denotes various points of cartographic position. In Portugal, they are marked by a conical shade structure resembling a funerary monument. The view from this position was stunning. According to a plaque by the side of the trail, there are a couple of prehistoric etchings on some rocks nearby. Unfortunately, we did not linger long enough to find them. Hopefully, we will have another opportunity to see these etchings later on the Camino.

The first town we encountered this morning was Vila Chã, a fishing village with an adorable little piazza. But what made this place truly memorable was an outsider art installation of what appears to be a band of local fishermen. It is made of various trash items found by a local artist. The installation is creepy and sharply contrasts the quaint Portuguese village. The tip box out front made it seem like a commercial enterprise geared toward passing pilgrims; I felt slightly conflicted by even writing about it here. On the other hand, am I just too cynical for my own good?

I can’t really decide whether I like it or hate it.

Speaking of artistic expression, we also found an interesting house filled with numerous mosaic panels and sculptures. The house obviously belongs to someone artistic and slightly eccentric. Not much is known about the artist, but behind the decorated walls is a restaurant called Salitre. And judging from the reviews on Google, it is one of the best restaurants in the area.

Compared to a typical vacation, one of the most unique aspects of Camino was the opportunity to walk through less-traveled places like Vila Chã. While Lisbon or Porto are scenic and historic, they do not necessarily represent Portugal as a whole. Camino opened our doors to appreciate the workday Portugal not catered to tourism. As an architect, I am particularly interested in the architectural makeup of a “typical” Portuguese village. So far, I have been impressed by how tidy the country is compared to the United States. However, I am most impressed by the high level of acceptance among the Portuguese for modern and contemporary architecture.

Beyond Vila Chã, the trail tracked slightly inland behind the sand dunes. This was the section that Elisabete warned us about. The sand dunes have fully taken over the duckboards at some parts. It demonstrates the power of Mother Nature over human interventions, and it is best not to fight it. While that may be an inconvenience for some, we both find it quite a thrilling experience. It brought back the memory of our time in the Omani Desert. My immediate concern was whether it was prudent to take off our shoes and walk barefoot through the sand. In hindsight, that would make it a far more comfortable experience.

Climbing the great sand dune of Vila Chã.

By this morning, we have encountered about a dozen other pilgrims along the trail. It seemed like this route was not particularly popular with solo pilgrims. We saw quite a few older couples on the trail, and we have yet to have the opportunity to go beyond a simple “Bom Caminho” this morning. We knew connecting to our fellow pilgrims should be a big part of the Camino experience, but we have yet to crack the code of striking up conversations. Perhaps it would be slightly more spontaneous once we crossed the Central Route later today.

We could see the city of Vila do Conde on the horizon from the sand dunes. The city of eighty thousand was the first historical city we visited since leaving Porto. The tourist within me could not wait to get there and explore the town. Vila do Conde is often considered one of the oldest settlements in northern Portugal and a historical port. For whatever reason, this is the one place I researched the most out of all the towns we will visit on this Camino. I am glad that the arrival into town did not disappoint. The city stands out from the banks of Rio Ave, like a beacon drawing pilgrims in.

Rio Ave and the Monastery of Santa Clara.

The skyline of Vila do Conde is dominated by the Monastery of Santa Clara. Perched on the hilltop, the monastery is said to be the largest convent in the country. It would be easy to mistake it for a royal palace or a military fortress. For casual visitors like ourselves, the most intriguing thing about the 14th-century structure would be the legend of Sister Berengaria. According to the story, the nuns at the convent once became lax about religious rules and began abusing their privileges. When the abbess died, a power struggle ensued among the sisters. As a temporary solution, the sisters elected Sister Berengaria only as the temporary placeholder because she was the only one who was devoted and not interested in powers.

An anti-bullfighting billboard in downtown Vila do Conde.

To the absolute shock of everyone, Berengaria took her new responsibility seriously and refused to step aside when the sisters rescinded their vote. Facing a rebellion, she stood her ground and sought spiritual help from past abbesses. She invited all the past abbesses to prey with her in spirit. To everyone’s surprise, the spirit of all her predecessors emerged from the grave and vowed for Berengaria’s authority. Astonished by the apparition, all sisters submitted to Berengaria and returned to the religious way of life. Of course, this is just a legend, but a very good one. Unfortunately, the convent was under restoration during our visit. While disappointing, I must admit that the building looks gleamingly new and magnificent.

Replica of the sixteenth-century *caravela.*

Luckily, plenty of wonderful historical monuments in Vila d Conde warrant a few hours of visit. The town's state-of-art visitor center is just a few blocks south of the convent. We took the opportunity to receive today’s first stamp for our pilgrim credential. Just outside the visitor center is Nau Quinhentista, a 2007 replica of the sixteenth-century caravela, instrumental to the Golden Age of the Portuguese Empire and the source of the country’s enormous wealth. This impressive ship is the work of a local shipbuilder and a part of the local maritime museum. The ship was placed here as part of the riverfront revitalization project.

Custom House Square and its massive sundial.

Just steps away from the ship is the massive Custom House Square. I could not find much about this place's history or design, but the design was magnificent. A massive sundial is complemented by a fountain and the most beautifully composed cobblestone designs I have ever seen. We climbed several stairs to the nearby Chapel of Our Lady of Socorro to get a better glimpse of the pavement patterns. This little church is curious-looking. It resembles more a sultan’s mausoleum than a Christian church. I spotted its unusual appearance from the other side of the river before I entered the town. I later read that Gaspar Manuel, a chief navigator on voyages to China and India, built the church. The architecture of the Orient must inspire him.

It is easy to mistaken the Chapel of Our Lady of Socorro to an Islamic mausoleum.

At this point, we were starving and looking for a good place for lunch. Many restaurants in Portugal are closed on Mondays. After a quick search on Google, we settled on a restaurant called O Mestre, which seemed hugely popular with the locals. I took this opportunity to finally try out Francesinha, the most famous dish that originated from Porto. In case you haven’t heard of this dish, it comprises sandwich bread, ham, sausage, cheese, and beer sauce. As you can guess, it is probably the singularly least healthy dish there is. I ordered the house special, a fancy version of Francesinha but just as indulgent. I could certainly understand the dish's appeal, particularly among youngsters. Given all the calories we burned on Camino, I allowed myself to pig out.

After our leisurely lunch, I was eager to explore more of the city. Naturally, I wanted to pay a visit to the cathedral and the nearby city hall. Luck just had it that both institutions happened to be closed at this time. Nevertheless, I still took my time to explore the exterior and soak in every bit of the historic atmosphere. By this point, Brian was concerned with just how many kilometers were ahead of us until we reached the end of today’s stage. Like a medieval pilgrim, he reminded me of the “sins of curiosity” and emphasized that we should keep our eyes on the balls. Of course, I could not help myself by routing our exit via another famous city landmark: the Aqueduct of Santa Clara.

A beautiful mural commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of José Régio, a local son of Vila do Conde.

As the name suggests, the aqueduct was constructed to bring water from the nearby spring in Póvoa de Varzim to the Convent of Santa Clara we saw earlier. Stretching over two and a half miles, the aqueduct is the second longest in Portugal and comprises 999 arches. In comparison, the aqueduct we visited recently in Querétaro was only a third of the length. The impressive construction is not only an engineering triumph but also a testament to the wealth and power of the abbey. While many sections of the aqueduct had been in disrepair for centuries, the section closest to the abbey is now faithfully restored.

As I stood at the base of the aqueduct, I was faced with several choices when it came to the journey ahead. The cross-over route from Vila do Conde to the central route is far from being well-established. While most guidebooks recommend trekking along the roads parallel to Rio Ave, I also read that some pilgrims chose to take the so-called “aqueduct route” that runs parallel to the aqueduct for a mile and a half. But as far as I could tell and observe, this route is not sign-posted or marked with any yellow arrows. Instead, most pilgrims improvise it with the assistance of Google Maps.

Even after one and a half days of walking, we were still within the reach of Porto’s Metro.

This was a topic that I researched extensively on various online forums back home. Most pilgrims seem to follow the guidebook’s recommendation. Many seem to soldier on without even making a stop in Vila do Conde at all. But no matter which route you take, the consensus is that this “cross-over section” is everyone’s least favorite in their entire Camino Portugués. Well, that was comforting, wasn’t it?

Ultimately, I decided to do a little hybrid by trekking along the aqueduct for a few blocks before veering inland toward the Vila do Conde’s metro stop. Before leaving the town, we stocked up at Requintado Supermercados and received a “Bom Caminho” from the check-out lady. It was reassuring to know that we were not the only pilgrims on this route. The next half hour of walking without the sea breeze was quite dispiriting. Not only did we not see any other pilgrims around, but the route was lined with warehouses, highway underpasses, and big box stores. Worst of all, there were limited shades this time of the day to shield us from the intense heat and sweltering heat. We had to take shelter from tree to tree to get some respite.

For most pilgrims, the most unpleasant aspect of this section is the safety concerns. On many parts of this route, the narrow roads have very narrow or no pedestrian sidewalks. And with vehicular traffic still whizzing by at fifty miles an hour, we could only pray that drivers here would not text and drive. Given my upbringing in Taiwan, I was used to walking on the road without any sidewalks. My immediate concern was whether local drivers are used to pilgrims on the shoulders. Out of concern over excessive heat and traffic safety, I admit that Brian and I discussed taking a taxi. But in the end, we decided to stick with our plan of swearing off motorized transport until we reached Santiago de Compostela. Rather, we took frequent breaks and hoped the temperature would moderate somewhat toward the late afternoon.

An absolutely charming corner of Rio Este.

Objectively speaking, this cross-over route did pass through many neat villages and housing developments. There are a few sections of this route that are quite scenic. Particularly memorable is a medieval bridge over the Rio Este. We could see another smaller stone bridge and a charming cottage next to the cascading stream from the bridge. That was the most charming corner of the Portuguese countryside we saw thus far on the Camino. We also came across a few charming manor houses and vineyards along the way. However, all my mental energy focused on spotting the sporadic yellow arrows and ensuring we would not take a wrong turn. The absence of other pilgrims made me question whether we were the only ones bothered walking this section.

Nothing could stop us from getting to Santiago.

Just fifteen minutes past Rio Este, all vehicular traffic suddenly vanished because of extensive road work. The entire road section was torn up, with massive mounds of dirt everywhere. We had to climb over them beside an active excavator to continue our pilgrimage. I did wonder whether the construction crew knew we were pilgrims or just random hikers lost in the Portuguese countryside. The road work was a mixed blessing. While we did not have to worry about any speeding vehicles, the torn-up asphalt and cobblestone were not easy on our feet either.

Chapel of the Lord of the Pattern in Junqueira.

We were mentally and physically exhausted when we reached the parish of Junqueira. As we sat under the shade of a tree, we both wondered aloud why we did this to ourselves on our vacation. I knew every Camino has its own low point, but I didn’t expect it to arrive so quickly. I have read that Junqueira’s impressive parish church down the road signals the final stretch of this cross-over route. It was just the mental encouragement I needed to push myself through the finish line.

After crossing over the A7 motorway, it was a short walk before we saw the sign for the parish of Arcos, which is the meeting point with the Central Route. It was remarkable how quickly the scenery changed. Gone were the asphalt and busy traffic. The trail transformed into a quiet country lane surrounded by squat stone walls and corn fields. I couldn’t help wondering whether our foray via Senda Litoral was worth it. The Central Routes seem very idyllic, after all.

The parish of Arcos is the juncture point with the Central Route.

Since we were now back on the main Camino route, the ubiquitous yellow arrows returned and were everywhere we looked. The destination of today’s stage is the little village of Rates. In hindsight, we should have stayed in Arcos and rested up. For a while, we were checking our apps incessantly to see how many kilometers were left for the day. It took me half an hour for my anxiety to eventually ebb, and I started to appreciate the tranquility of rural Portugal. The two-and-a-half-mile path to Rates was truly beautiful. I started to recognize many familiar elements that we often associate with Camino Portugués, such as eucalyptus trees and barking dogs. But none got me more excited than seeing our first hórreo.

Seeing our first ever *hórreo* was such a thrill.

Hórreo, or espigueiros in Portuguese, are stone granary structures most commonly associated with Spain’s autonomous region of Galicia and Asturias. I did not realize that they are also popular in Portugal as well. For veteran pilgrims, the sights of hórreo are nearly synonymous with Camino, like the yellow arrows. The hórreo's design prevents rodent infestation and maximizes ventilation with its wooden screens on the sides. I am curious to see whether they are relics of the past or are still in active use in this part of Portugal.

One observation that intrigued me was how the Portuguese used stones for general construction. It was surprising to see how many walls in the field were constructed of naked stones, often without mortars. In part of upstate New York, such stone walls are also prevalent in some communities, but they are not as beautiful and well crafted as in Portugal. Many posts that hold up the trellis for grape vines are also made of stone. I spot tilted stone pillars framed into the wall. I wonder what they are for.

Before we knew it, we had arrived at Rates. Pronounced as “rah-tess,” this little town is Roman and a major historical pilgrim stop on the way to Santiago de Compostela. The town is best known for a mythical bishop: Peter of Rates. Based on historical tradition, Peter was ordained by Apostle James in the first century and appointed as the first bishop of Braga. Peter was later martyred for preaching and became one of Portugal's earliest saints. The town grew considerably following the foundation of the Romanesque Church of Rates, which held the saint’s remains until being transferred to Braga’s cathedral in 1552.

The romanesque Church of Rates is widely considered the preeminent masterpiece of Romanesque architecture and art in Portugal.

Today, the Romanesque Church no longer dominates the town’s skyline but still retains an aura of mysticism. I have always been a sucker for Romanesque churches. The dark interiors seemingly transport us back to the world of early Christianity. Since we arrived in Rates so late in the day, we practically had the whole church to ourselves. The way light streams through the window is a metaphor for Christ’s triumph over darkness. Even for non-believers like us, the simplicity and sublimity of this church still inspired us.

There is a sleek museum dedicated to the archaeological history of the Romanesque Church of Rates.

After a long day on Camino, we looked forward to a nice warm shower and a good night's sleep. Despite a major pilgrim stop to Santiago, Rates has surprisingly few private accommodation options. Besides its municipal albergue, there were only a few guesthouses in the area. We were “lucky” to book one of the last available private rooms in town with Casa da Vila Guest House about a week prior. But it was the worst place we have ever stayed in recent years. The room was damp and lacked any ventilation. To make matters worse, the tap's water was visibly brown and had a faint smell of manure. It was certainly not a place that we wished to linger longer than necessary.

The light right before the sunset was absolutely gorgeous.

Fortunately, Rates’ quaint old town was a joy to explore. Around the Romanesque church is a wonderful collection of historical buildings and public squares. I was quite surprised by just how few pilgrims we saw around town. At times, it seemed like we were the only foreigner around. I read that many pilgrims chose to stick close to the municipal albergue on the official Camino path on the other side of town. Many do not even bother coming to see the great church that Rates is known for. That would be almost criminal if you ask me!

There was only one option for dinner on this side of town. Macedo´s Bar seems to be the catch-all place for your morning espresso, dinner, cocktails, and karaoke. Given the place was practically empty when we arrived, we did not have high expectations for this place. Our enthusiasm was further dampened when we found out the restaurant had the same owner as our horrible guesthouse. While the food was nothing to write home about, the server took stamping our pilgrim credential very seriously. He even “demanded" a photo of us to be posted on their Facebook page. I guess there are some pilgrim-only “privileges” that I did not know about.

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Camino Portugués: Day 2 - Labruge to Rates

Camino Portugués: Day 3 - Rates to Tamel

Camino Portugués: Day 1 - Porto to Labruge