Camino Portugués: Day 3 - Rates to Tamel

Last night was horrible, and neither of us got much sleep. I have never been so keen to get out of bed so early. But on the upside, a horrible room meant we were not interested in lingering. We were out of the door as soon as we could. I hope this was as bad as it could get on this Camino. Of course, our laundry did not dry because of the dampness of the room. In hindsight, we should probably redo them because we washed the cloth with the brown water.

Early morning hours in the historical center of Rates.

We took a slight detour through Rates’s old center on our way out of town. I did that on purpose to visit the Fountain of Saint Peter. According to common legend, Peter of Rates was kneeling at this spot when he was caught and beheaded by Roman officers. For whatever reason, the locals believe that water from this fountain has the power to cure infertility. Over the centuries, women have been coming here in search of cures. Some farmers even brought their heifers and mares here.

Today, the fountain is marked by a historical plaque and azulejos depicting the fountain before modern renovation. Given this tale's legend and historical importance, I was very much surprised by the state of the fountain during our visit. Not only was there no flowing water, but this immediate area also had a foul odor because of a nearby dumpster. To add insult to injury, a car was parked right in front of the fountain. According to tradition, there are supposed to be two indentations at the base of the fountain, which Peter himself left. Unfortunately, we couldn’t spot them after looking for them for a few minutes.

The Fountain of Saint Peter definitely did not get the level of respect it deserves.

Soon after, we rejoined the official Camino route at the other side of Rates. We walked by the municipal albergue, the oldest pilgrim hostel in Portugal. There is also a minimarket, a chapel, and two pilgrim-oriented restaurants in the immediate area. No wonder why many pilgrims did not even bother going to the old center. Getting out of Rates was easy by following the main road, which was not that busy. The scenery at this time of the day was stunning. The forest in the distance was still shrouded with mist. Now I understand why most pilgrims insist on walking on the trail right before sunrise.

This was the classic Camino that I imagined in my head.

It did not take long before the road turned into a dirt path, and we pilgrim had it all to ourselves. Compared to the preceding two days along Sanda Litoral, there were considerably more pilgrims on the trail today. In the early morning, everyone seemed to have their heads down and tried to clock in as many kilometers as possible before the mid-day heat. In this section, the scenery alternated between idyllic farmlands and eucalyptus forests. However, we were quite amused by how many farms are dedicated to growing corn. Having both lived in the “corn belt” of the United States, we never considered corn a popular crop in Europe. I can’t imagine Portugal’s corn production could be as ruthlessly efficient as we have back home.

This was definitely our favorite morning on the Camino yet.

Being our first full day on Central Route, we were excited to witness all the pilgrim infrastructure along the way. Aside from ubiquitous waymarking, there seem to be many rest areas set up by the local community for pilgrims. Many are decorated with different symbols of the Camino. Among the people’s favorites is a row of hiking boots that were left behind. Observing the excitement these Camino symbols could elicit from our fellow pilgrims was really fun. We could all agree that our reactions to these things could sometimes be a little over the top. At the same rest stop is a giant fiberglass sculpture of the Rooster of Barcelos, Portugal’s national symbol. It just happened that we were only five miles from Barcelos.

As we got closer to Barcelos, a succession of concrete signposts appeared. We haven’t seen one since Porto Cathedral at the start of our Camino. Although they are mass-produced and “impersonal,” we still could not help ourselves by posing with one. We saw that we officially covered 42 kilometers in the past two days. Of course, these markers denote distance along the official Central Route, not the Sanda Litoral route we took. One thing that we wished we had brought was a piece of stone from home. According to popular tradition, pilgrims would leave a piece of stone at crosses or Camino markers to signify the relief of one’s burdens.

Because none of the cafes at Rates was open on our way out of town, we were looking for a place for breakfast for an hour. You can imagine our excitement when we saw the sign for Real - Café & Restaurante. The five-minute detour was well worth it. Given our hunger, we cleared off the cafe’s pastry case. Ultimately, we got three pieces of pastry, two cappuccinos, and an espresso for a grand total of €4.50. Such a low price was almost criminal if you ask me. I imagine an identical breakfast in New York could easily cost four or five times more.

The eucalyptus forest has been slowly taking over Portugal.

With several doses of caffeine in our system., we were ready to soldier on. For the first time, we felt energized and relaxed. Today, we had the option of ending the stage in the city of Barcelos or further afield in the countryside. Barcelos would make this a very short stage today, allowing us time to explore one of the most storied cities on this Camino. However, I do worry about having such a short stage this early. It is probably prudent to budget one or two rest days somewhere down the line. But more importantly, spending a night in Barcelos would entail a whopping twenty-two-mile stage tomorrow, a prospect we dare not contemplate. Ultimately, we opted to end today’s stage at the little village of Tamel.

Just as we got used to the tranquility of quiet country lanes, Camino brought us back to a few sections of road walking along N306. We just can’t get a break from the heavy traffic for just one day. Although the traffic here seemed heavier than yesterday's cross-over route, this section was more enjoyable. For the most part, we had adequate sidewalks, and there was a handsome church or stone cross every ten or fifteen minutes. But the one major difference was the number of pilgrims on this route. Drivers were different and more conscious of passing pilgrims here. As they say, there is always safety in numbers.

Who knew corn was such a major crop in Portugal?

The first village we came across was Pedra Furada, which means “pierced stone” in Portuguese. The village owes its name to Saint Leocádia, a fourth-century martyr from Toledo, Spain. She was captured as part of Emperor Diocletian’s prosecution drive against Christian. According to common legend, she was buried alive but managed to pierce a hole through the stone sarcophagus because of her Christian virtue. That stone is now situated next to Pedra Furada’s parish church. I honestly don’t know which is less believable: the historical accuracy of this alleged miracle or whether such an important contact relic would be displayed so haphazardly. If it was an authentic relic, wouldn’t you expect the church to build a major shrine around it?

As a non-believer, I am happy to put aside my own rational thinking. Like everything related to religion and traditions, whether the miracle or not is almost moot. What interests me is all the cultural practices created around it. At Pedra Furada, there was a long-standing tradition that any single girl who managed to get through the “hole” could find a husband relatively quickly. This practice persisted until the 1960s. But judging from the size of the hole, love came easier for skinny girls.

The chapel of Our Lady of Guia is dedicated to prayers for those in purgatory.

On the way to Barcelos, several scenic detours of various lengths and difficulties were available to pilgrims. We have learned that detours are planned for a reason and are almost always worth the time and effort. On a psychological level, it was also great to extricate oneself from the Camino race. Even though we all acknowledge that everyone should walk at their own pace, there is still mental pressure to keep up with the flow of pilgrims. And in the case of a detour this morning, the walk through the forest was just out of this world.

When the weather was good, even a random public cemetery looked glorious.

To me, the modern revival of Camino de Santiago is a nostalgia for a simpler time and a contemporary reaction against the pace of modernization. Pilgrims longed for the world before the arrival of automobiles and urban sprawl. As much as we look forward to visiting bigger cities like Porto or Vila do Conde, walking through the industrial outskirts is never fun. The approach to Barcelos was no different but manageable. After crossing the highway interchange of N103 and N205, it was only ten minutes to get to the medieval bridge over Rio Cávado.

Chapel of Our Lady of the Bridge sits just at the head of the medieval bridge.

The Medieval Bridge and the ruin of the Palace of the Counts of Barcelos.

Barcelos is one of the most celebrated stops along Camino Portugués. Settled first in Roman times, the city was once the seat of the House of Braganza, the royal house of Portugal. The founding member of the royal house, Duke Alfonso I, constructed his palace at the town’s fortification immediately uphill from the medieval bridge. Unfortunately, the palace was destroyed during an earthquake in 1755. When the authorities decided to tear down the palace ruins, they faced protests from the local population. Today, it is now a national monument and an archaeological museum. Right next to the museum is the city’s grand parish church and a graceful pillory, often considered a masterpiece of Portuguese Gothic.

The Collegiate Church of Barcelos and Pillory of Barcelos.

To visit Barcelos, it is important to learn about the story of the Rooster of Barcelos, which I saw earlier. According to a common version of the folktale, a Galician pilgrim passed through Barcelos on the way to Santiago di Compostela when a local landowner accused him of stealing the silvers. The pilgrim was sentenced to death by the judge and scheduled for public hanging. Insisting on his innocence, he asked the executioner to bring him in front of a local magistrate before the execution. At the time, the magistrate was at a banquet with other dignitaries. The convicted pilgrim proclaimed the roasted chicken on the banquet table will attest to his innocence to crow during his execution.

On our way toward Largo do Apoio, the center of the medieval Barcelos.

The magistrate was unmoved by the pilgrim’s appeal but decided not to eat the rooster. The execution proceeded immediately after the banquet. Just as the pilgrim was hanged, the rooster resurrected from death and crowded as the pilgrim predicted. Naturally, the magistrate was stunned and understood that he had made an error of judgment. He bolted to save the life of the pilgrim and stopped the execution just in time. In another story version, the pilgrim was saved by a poorly made knot. He was immediately freed and continued his pilgrimage. Years later, he returned to Barcelos to sculpt a crucifix to express his gratitude toward the Virgin Mary and Saint James. This crucifix now stands on the ground of the Archaeology Museum.

A tall tale like Rooster of Barcelos is difficult to believe by modern standards. While it was an interesting legend, it is surprising that the rooster is now elevated to be a national symbol. While it was historically popular, dictator Antonio Salazar proclaimed the Rooster of Barcelos as a traditional symbol of Portugal. A staunch conservative, he saw it as a symbol of tradition, faith, honesty, and justice. Not surprisingly, the rooster symbol is everywhere In and around Barcelos.

But many attribute the rooster’s popularity to local artisan João Domingos Côta da Rocha. He was the first to model the rooster with his distinctive folk design. The oversized rooster crown and flamboyant colors became an instant hit and were widely copied across Portugal. His craft was carried down by his families, Parazeres and Júlia. His iconic design is now ubiquitous across the country and is commonly sold in souvenir shops. But for those interested in traditional craft, the Côta family still manufactures their own hand-painted roosters. On the outskirts of the town, we even saw a giant mural celebrating the family’s artistic contribution to the city and Portugal.

The medieval tower once formed part of Barcelos’s fortification.

After passing by many massive rooster statues, we arrived at Largo do Apoio, which is often considered the medieval heart of Barcelos. The surrounding architecture and a 15th-century medieval fountain are reminiscent of a rural village in France or Italy. The ambiance was perfect for lunch, so we picked one of the outdoor tables at Historial Caffé. After our nine-mile walk this morning, I just needed the dish of the day and a giant glass of white sangria. Speaking of alcohol, we were amazed by just how much some pilgrims drank. We saw a guy who finished an entire bottle of wine and two beers. I hope he was not planning on walking this afternoon.

Since we still have a six-mile hike planned this afternoon, we had a very abbreviated tour of the Barcelos after lunch. Our first stop was to collect a pilgrim stamp at the city’s tourism office. As you would expect, the stamp bears the iconic rooster design. The visitor center includes several exhibits and more sculptures of the famed rooster. Even though Portugal does not have the same siesta culture as Spain, we did not see many pedestrians in the middle of the day. But unlike in Spain, most stores seem open throughout the day.

The Chuch of Glorious Lord of the Cross.

Honestly, I did not research much about Barcelos except for the legend of its rooster. So we dec decided to have the Camino doubles as our sightseeing route. In the center of the town is the Chuch of Glorious Lord of the Cross (Templo do Senhor Bom Jesus da Cruz). Located in the middle of Campo da Republica, this modestly sized church marks where a black cross was “miraculously” discovered in the 15th century. This cross inspires Barcelos’s most important annual festival: Festival of the Crosses (Festa das Cruzes). The church is a magnificent example of Portuguese Baroque. The octagonal-shaped building has an overwhelmingly grand pipe organ and gilded altarpieces. Of course, any good church in Portugal would have some beautiful azulejo tiles.

After a few scoops of gelato at Daisy - Ice Cream Parlor, the Camino pass out of Barcelos took us to many back streets. Even though many houses and apartment buildings were not the most attractive, the neighborhood is extremely well-kept. The Camino trains us to appreciate many of the less-loved corners of a city. I particularly love this one building where the apartment on each level has different colored wall tiles. They may be done haphazardly, but I found the color composition stunning.

Just down the block was a building with a red hammer and sickle insignia. It turned out to be the regional headquarters of the Portuguese Communist Party, which is still a political force in today’s Portugal. Portuguese politics is known to be quite left-wing, partly due to the scare from the regime of Antonio Salazar in the middle of the 20th century. With far-right politics ascending across Europe, I have read that Portugal is one of the least susceptible nations in the West. Of course, things got a little awkward and complicated after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when the head of the party refused to condemn Russia for their military aggression.

Brian and I were both surprised by how pleasant the northern suburb of Barcelos is. Because the road leading out of town was a gentle climb, we had a wonderful view of the surrounding landscapes. By now, we felt that we had gotten used to the rhythm of the Camino and had begun to notice more details along the route. The most beautiful things we saw were dozens and dozens of interestingly looking flowers on the side of the road. With an octagonal-shaped pistil, they were unlike any other flowers we have ever seen. With help from mother Google, we identified them as a vine called Blue Crown Passion Flower. It turned out to be an invasive species from South America.

From Vila Boa Parish Church onward, the path returned to its rural setting. The vineyard and farmlands once again surrounded us. There were plenty of farm animals and dogs to keep us company. I have heard that Portuguese guard dogs could be particularly vicious, but I found them relatively well-behaved. After going through some patches of woodland, we did find ourselves doing an illegal railway crossing in the hope of making a brief shortcut. Although I found it exciting, Brian was very nervous about this apparent legal transgression. He even asked me to look up what the criminal penalty would be. I was the reckless one in this household.

The dirt track was our favorite on Camino.

I found it quite surprising that we only saw a handful of pilgrims this afternoon. Based on my understanding, we were behind on a typical pilgrim schedule. From everything I read, pilgrims typically wrapped up their day around 2 or 3 pm. Well, that is not us. I must be honest: I was disappointed that we have yet to make friends with other pilgrims. Perhaps this was the downside of walking the Camino as a couple; people may feel it intruded on us by striking up a random conversation. And I was confident that not staying in a public albergue certainly did not help.

But it did not mean we did not meet any interesting pilgrims today. While taking a coffee break across the street from the Chapel of San Sebastian in Lijó, we saw an unwashed pilgrim lumbering through the street with a donkey in the opposite direction of the Camino. He was clearly on the way to Fatima and quite eccentric. He was probably closest to my imagination of a medieval pilgrim. I can’t help wondering whether he bought his donkey halfway through the journey. Despite our curiosity, he did appear a little “crazy” for us to strike up a conversation. However, we did see that his pilgrim credential was five times longer than ours. He was boisterous in sharing his extra thick pilgrim passports with the staff.

For tonight, I booked ourselves into a rather “swanky” hotel named “Leonchic Guest House.” It is located along a slight detour of the official Camino route. The path was very scenic as it winds through more vineyards and the grand parish church. Even though I was tired, I genuinely enjoyed every moment this afternoon. The craziest thing about Camino is that we started to appreciate things that are quite ordinary. There are thousands of country lanes as beautiful as this one back home, yet we would probably never set foot on them. Perhaps we all need to carry the Camino spirit home with us.

With a name like “Leonchic,” I did not know what to expect from our lodging tonight. The hotel is located along a very quiet country road. From outside this guesthouse/hotel, I wondered just how busy this place could get. We knocked on the guesthouse door, and somebody took a few minutes to answer it. The lady asked us whether we had a reservation, and we said yes. Without asking for our names or passports, she led us to our room and asked whether we wished to have dinner at the adjoining restaurant. It took us a few minutes to realize we were the only guests staying at this eight-room hotel. The place was virtually abandoned during our stay. It seemed like the only “staff” around the guesthouse’s premises were two neglected chihuahuas.

We were finally here: Leonchic Guest House.

Given our horrible night of sleep yesterday, I was beside myself that I booked another room with no air conditioning and bad ventilation. Once again, the room was hot and stuffy, and I was surprised that electric fans are not commonplace in Europe. We have at least an enormous outdoor terrace to hang our laundry and catch some fresh air. The views of the surrounding countryside were simply serene. But more importantly, the water was not brown and disgusting like last night, at least. We were very excited to rewash the laundry from yesterday.

Like our check-in process, our dinner at their adjoining restaurant was equally unusual. It was immediately apparent that we were the only diners in this 50-seat restaurant the whole night. The interior decor was a cross between a trendy nightclub and an Italian restaurant in New Jersey. We also learned that the property hosts a nightclub, which opens on Friday and Saturday. For dinner, we were given a choice between fish and chicken. We both opted for the fish dish because we were in Portugal, but it was clear that the fish fillets we got were frozen. For €20 a head, we were fed loads of food. However, it does resemble typical banquet food.

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Camino Portugués: Day 3 - Rates to Tamel

Camino Portugués: Day 4 - Tamel to Ponte de Lima

Camino Portugués: Day 2 - Labruge to Rates