Camino Portugués: Day 5 - Ponte de Lima to Rubiães

Brian had a good night of sleep for the first time since the start of this pilgrimage. At the risk of sounding high-maintenance, I must say that the air-conditioning allows us to shut the window and integrated window shutter without feeling suffocated. As I looked out the window, I noticed it was an overcast morning, and the city took on a completely different ambiance from yesterday. I am glad that I got to experience Pointe de Lima in such glorious weather yesterday. Since I woke up earlier, I took the opportunity to stroll around the historic center before breakfast. As I stepped out the front door, I saw Nicole in the distance, setting out for her trek today. In hindsight, I wished I had run up to her to give her a hug and farewell. Since she followed such an intense schedule, we will likely never see her again on the Camino.

Like architecture, the hotel’s breakfast buffet is very clinical and efficient. It had none of the charms but covered all the basics very adequately. I must admit that the American-style buffet for breakfast was very satisfying after several days of pastries. Scrambled eggs and bacon hit the spot. I took this opportunity to gorge myself with plates of food and four cups of cappuccino. By the time we finished breakfast, it was already nine o’clock. As usual, we let the hotel’s breakfast time dictate our Camino schedule. We certainly had our priority straight, didn’t we?

Before heading back to Camino, we decided to stop by the town parish church, which was closed the previous evening. In particular, I wanted to see this stained glass window we saw earlier. But the highlight of the visit was the Virgin Mary with wolverine claws. According to a nearby sign, it is supposed to be the Virgin Mary of Sorrow. But the more appropriate name may be the “Virgin Mary of the Fierce.” I bet they would get more pilgrims visiting with such a name change.

By the time we exited the church, the sky had cleared up. We took this opportunity to climb up the nearby medieval wall. Even though much of Ponte de Lima’s original fortifications were demolished, the remaining section retains many original features, including its adjoining houses on top. One of the remaining towers houses the tourism office. We were more than happy to collect another pilgrim stamp from there. Inside, we met another pilgrim from the tri-state area. It seems like Americans are suddenly everywhere in the past twelve hours.

On our way out of town, we came across this stop selling Ponte de Lima’s own local wine. We recognized that among them was the bottle that we had at dinner last night. At €6 a bottle, we marveled at how affordable the wine was at the restaurant. The same bottle costs only €3 at this tourist shop. We could probably buy this particular bottle for €1.50 at a local supermarket.

The massive Bom Caminho honestly scared me a little bit.

After staring at the medieval bridge all these times, we were finally happy to cross it. Looking back at the town, I wondered whether we might revisit Ponte de Lima. I felt as if we were scratching the surface of this amazing city. I constantly had to remind myself that we are pilgrims and not tourists. There is no reason why we could not return as tourists in the future. I need to stop stressing out about missing out on particular sights and focus on the journey. At the end of the bridge, pilgrims are greeted by a massive sculpture of a pilgrim’s head with the phrase “Bom Caminho” on it. The massive head is purported to be that of Saint James himself. I can’t decide whether I find this sculpture welcoming and menacing.

After popping our heads into the Church of Saint Anthony of Old Tower, we took our last view of Ponte de Lima and said goodbye. Within a block, we saw a colorful roadside display of various Camino memorabilia: the shell of Santiago, yellow arrows, a walking stick, a drinking gourd, and a boot. I could imagine all the Camino enthusiasts would be losing their “shit” over them. But I was more interested in nearby signs with Buen Camino written in more than two dozen languages from all over the world. They highlight the international appeals of Camino de Santiago. Of course, I was most excited to see all the Baltic languages represented. On the other hand, I found the English translation of “Good Way” to be just a little awkward.

These colorful signs and displays are the works of a local carpenter who operates a little craft stand nearby. At the front, there is a big sign for pilgrim stamps, so we naturally would not pass up on this opportunity. The guy was very friendly and genuinely happy to greet every pilgrim. After stamping, he directed us to a nearby board, his own “pilgrim counter.” He asks each pilgrim to update the count of pilgrims he met since he opened his shops thirteen months ago. We were more than happy to be the pilgrim no. 4,572 and 4,373!

Adding ourselves to the pilgrim counter.

Despite his friendliness, there was no sales pitch. Among the many items on offer are the ubiquitous Camino shells. Even before I arrived at Porto, Brian asked me whether we should get a shell to commemorate our first Camino. Up until now, I have been quite resistant to carrying a shell. For whatever reason, I associated the shell with the true Catholic pilgrim and did not feel right about carrying one. But over the past few days, I changed my heart as I saw how much pilgrims of all kinds and the locals embrace the shells. Perhaps I was a little too uptight. Given how friendly the guy is, we decided it might be great to purchase a shell from him. At €3 a piece, it may not be the cheapest shell along the Camino, but it does remind us of our little encounters. The shell is also dated and bears a hand-written message.

Could you tell this is a popular Camino path?

The path right outside of Ponte de Lima was delightful. One particularly memorable section runs parallel to a little stream. Because we started our day late, like yesterday, we had the whole trail all to ourselves. The overgrowth of vegetation made the dirt path “medieval-looking” and poetic. The path winds through vineyards and orchards. Along the way, we walked by Quinta de Sabadão, a recently restored manor house. Constructed in the high Mannerist style, the Quinta is considered one of the most magnificent Baroque residences in this part of the country.

Walking through the underpass of the A3 motorway.

Today is our fifth day on the Camino, and I am grateful we are again blessed with another day of good weather. The more time we spent on the trail, the more I feared bad weather. However, we were still surprised by how warm and sunny the weather was in late September. I wish I had brought an umbrella to shield me from the sun. For that reason, I enjoyed the trail sections below the A3 motorway. The shades and breeze were a welcomed relief from the ever-climbing temperature. And like highway underpass everywhere, there was no shortage of graffiti of numerous kinds to keep us entertained. This being a pilgrim path, there was, of course, graffiti related to the Camino. One even proclaims that John Brierley, the famed Camino “expert,” has not been here.

Why couldn’t the entire legnth of Camino as pretty as this?

Because of our “lunch debacle” yesterday, I have been particularly conscious about our lunch situation today. Once again, today’s stage did not go through big towns or villages. We determined that it would be important to get lunch as the first opportunity. The first place we came across was Pescaria Oasis do Caminho, a combination of a fish farm, campground, and pilgrim cafe. But after seeing their menu, we opted only to have a drink instead since they only had some old sandwiches on offer at the time. That said, it was a wonderful spot to take a break. At the next table were two young English pilgrims downing a few bottles of SuperBock. As much as Brian wished to have a beer on a hot day, there was a serious risk of dehydration on the trail.

We might be hungry and tired, but we kept our spirits high.

With faith, we continued on the path and hoped that another lunch spot would serve some hot food. I spotted a little cafe on Google Maps near Arco called Café Carneiro. This roadside cafe does not seem to cater to pilgrims. Instead, it was packed with locals, including a big group of construction workers, a couple of retirees, and some fancily dressed white-collar professionals. It was truly like a cross-section of the local community. Since the restaurant has no printed menu, we ordered their daily special. The platter comprises roast pork loin, potato, rice, and collard greens. We were astonished by just how delicious this humble plate of food was. It was the best plate of food we had so far on Camino. Together with mineral water, bread, and two expresso, it cost us a grand total of €15!

We insisted on a hot lunch because I knew the afternoon section of today’s stage was considered the most physically challenging section of the entire Camino. Not only will we be gaining more than 1,000 feet in elevation, but no pilgrim service is available in this section. I have been dreading it all day and chose to withhold this information from Brian until the last minute. We were ready to take on the challenge with a filling lunch in our bellies and a full water bottle. According to the Buen Camino app, the last stop to stock up before the ascend is at the tiny village of Codeçal; We actually ran into the English couple we saw a few hours ago there. Coincidentally, they were having more bottles of Super Bock again!

The following hour of the Camino was pretty tough. The path followed a particularly steep tarmac road through various little villages and was unrelenting. For the first time on this Camino, I wished we had trekking poles or walking sticks. It was not very reassuring that ladies in their 60s with trekking poles flew past us. In hindsight, we should have taken a long coffee break after our big lunch. Despite the physical challenge, the scenery of the surrounding valley was beautiful. Different parish churches popped into view in the distance from time to time, but I was too out of breath to appreciate their beauty.

Right before the real ascend, we walked by the Fountain of Three Spouts (Fonte das Três Bicas). This roadside fountain is denoted with a small Roman font marker. As the name suggests, the spring water seeped from three little cracks in a stone by the river. As we were taking a break on a nearby bench, I decided to fill up my water bottle at the fountain. Brian immediately said that was a bad idea; the fountain appeared a little “rustic” to be sanitary. Despite Brian’s skepticism, the adventurer inside was more than willing to take a leap of faith. Honestly, it turned out to be the best-tasting water I ever had. I only wished I had another bottle to fill.

With a full water bottle, I was ready to take on the main climb for the day. We left the villages behind and entered the woods. Soon enough, we encountered a giant yellow arrow carved into a boulder. I got to wonder just how often pilgrims used to miss this turn. From then on, the trail became quite rugged and even steeper. Interestingly, the trail appears less challenging because of the shade from the tree canopy. People often say that you would not necessarily recommend any daily stage as a day hike to non-pilgrims. This section of the trail might be a rare exception. Coincidentally, this section of the trail is also part of Via Romana, the Ancient Roman Road linking Braga to Galicia.

The Cross of the French marks the spot where the Napoleanic forces were ambushed by local fighters.

The climb became increasingly steep as we inched closer to the summit. Eventually, we had to scramble among the rocks. It was challenging but nevertheless quite exhilarating. With frequent rest stops, it was a lot easier than the earlier section. Soon enough, we arrived at a stone cross. Commonly known as the Cross of the French (Cruz do Franceses) or the Cross of the Dead (Cruz dos Mortos), it marks where the locals ambushed the Napoleonic troops in 1809. And for whatever reason, this became a popular stop for pilgrims to leave behind a stone they brought from home. Such an act is supposed to symbolize the shedding of one’s burdens in life. Unfortunately, neither of us brought a stone with us. Well, perhaps we will remember for our next Camino.

The final stretch of trail before we reached the summit, Alto da Portela Grande de Labruja.

It was only a ten-minute hike from the cross to reach the summit, Alto da Portela Grande de Labruja. At 1,338 feet above sea level, the ridge is the highest point of the entire Camino Portugués and an important milestone. From this spot, there is a panoramic view of the surrounding valley. Psychologically, I would like to think that it would be all physically “downhill” from here. Of course, I knew that was not true, but it was good wishful thinking. For pilgrims, Alto da Portela Grande is a wonderful picnic spot. I only wish that there was a mobile snack bar at this spot. I would kill for an iced coffee and a couple of Pastéis de Nata right there.

Alto da Portela Grande de Labruja is the highest point on Camino Portugués.

Immediately beyond the ridge, the trail descended downhill almost as steeply as the way up before. Before the descent, I noticed an unusual wooden fence on the Camino. It was unusually looking enough for me to have a second take. Lo and behold, this anonymously looking structure is an art piece partially funded by the European Union. Unfortunately, I did not jot down the information, and it was in Portuguese. I wonder how many pilgrims walked by without appreciating its “artistic merits.”

The trek down toward Rubiães was quite “treacherous.” It seemed as if much of the trail was washed away by a recent storm. I wonder whether it was the result of the cyclone that hit Portugal just before our Camino. I was glad we were going downhill for this section of the trail. It was so steep that I slipped a couple of times. At the base of the steep hill was another stone cross with many stones left behind by pilgrims.

This section of the trail may have been washed away by the recent cyclone.

The stone retaining wall has been blended with the stones left by pilgrims.

Before we knew it, we emerged from the woods. Even though it had only been a few hours since we entered the “wilderness,” we felt relief to arrive back in civilization. Within the first few minutes, we spotted a little shack with an English sign for “HEALTHY SNACK & JUICES.” I was a little embarrassed to say that we both looked at each other and said that was not for us. Rather, we saw a bar just a few minutes away. Being the first place to serve alcohol past Alto da Portela Grande, Roulote Bar teemed with pilgrims. We even saw the group of French pilgrims we met yesterday. Since we were almost at the end of today’s stage, Brian even decided to get a couple of beers.

So far on our Camino, the last few moments of the day’s stage is the most beautiful.

For tonight, we are staying at Casa Da Oliveirinha in Casco. It was a fifteen-minute detour from the Camino route. While scenic, this detour was mentally taxing; I wondered aloud why I booked a place that required a detour. Before making the reservation, I read many Google reviews for this place, and some past guests remarked on how “particular” the host, Fernando, was. Some even describe him as “harsh” and “very particular”. He called me yesterday asking about my arrival time and whether we would like to have dinner at the house. Even just based on our brief conversations on the phone, I could tell Fernando has the temperament of a drill sergeant. I just knew that this would be quite an interesting stay.

After ringing the doorbell at the gate, we were greeted by Fernando. He appeared to be a little guarded but still friendly. Just like his dress, the ground of the guesthouse was immaculate. Every inch of the garden was manicured with military precision. We shared the two-story guesthouse for the evening with a couple from Mexico City, Anna and Francisco, and a lawyer from Sonoma County, Peter. It just happened we were all on the Camino, and this would be my first Camino pilgrim dinner, albeit a very upscale one. Our dinner was served by Fernando and consisted of four courses.

Like most pilgrim dinners, the conversation flowed, and we learned about each other’s life stories. It turned out that Francisco was a major venture capitalist and funded the first online bank in Mexico. Anna was a celebrity chef with her own cooking show on national television. Peter is a retired lawyer who worked on major litigation in Silicon Valley’s tech sector. Honestly, their lives and careers seem a lot more interesting than ours. However, we could hold our own at the dinner table.

Magnificent garden of Casa Da Oliveirinha.

But the most interesting person in the house would be the host, Fernando. Fernando was born and raised in Angola, a Portuguese colony at the time. He was in the Angolan Air Force and served as an air traffic controller. During the Angolan War of Independence, he escaped on one of the last Portuguese military aircraft departing Luanda. The recounting of his story brought forward a sense of history. It was fascinating to learn about how Fernando negotiated the post-colonial world order. He talked about his first time returning to Angola, and how his family home was reappropriated to a black family, he did not know. However, he bore no resentment and was grateful to the current owners for allowing him to return and reminisce. Despite everything that transpired, I could appreciate his love for Angola.

The gang: Fransico, Anna, Brian, Fernando, and Peter.

According to Fernando, he has hosted many interesting guests throughout the years. While he said he was not at liberty to divulge names, he did mention that he hosted an incumbent Irish Taoiseach four years ago. Based on my calculation, I figure that it must be Leo Varadkar. He asked all the guests whether they might want to purchase the whole estate. His wife has been quite sick, and they are looking to move closer to Porto to be near the main hospital and their children. Amazingly, the asking price of this magnificent property is roughly the market value for our two-bedroom apartment. Perhaps Brian and I could have a second career as innkeepers in northern Portugal!

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Camino Portugués: Day 5 - Ponte de Lima to Rubiães

Camino Portugués: Day 6 - Rubiães to Valença

Camino Portugués: Day 4 - Tamel to Ponte de Lima