Blogs from Northern, Portugal, Europe - page 18

Today we walked a lazy 20 kilometers from Barcelos to the tiny village of Lugar do Corgo, where we are staying at a small hostel. Not surprisingly we are the only Australians here: what is surprising is that the other 12 guests are all Germans - well two ar Austrians but that's the same thing isn't it? It feels very much as though we are house guests sitting in a friend's garden than pilgrims at a hostel. This is at once very pleasant and a bit disorienting. One keeps forgetting how we got here. It was the same a couple of days ago when we walked out of Porto along the coast. Most of the route was along boardwalks beside the ocean, and it was very beautiful and felt very different to any camino stage I've ... read more

We left our wine hotel to drive to Porto. When we drove around we saw some vineyards that looked like almond or olive trees. It was about a 2 hour drive to Porto. When we were trying to look for the hostel we went in circles and circles and circles to find it. When we finally thought it was one place, but two people said it was somewhere else. We did about 2 trips for our bags and went upstairs to our room. The hostel was called Wine Hostel. The room was very, very small but there was a cool common area which was nice and cozy. After we unpacked, Ania went shopping on her own and I went with Daddy to check out the city. I was looking for presents for my friends and chocolate ... read more

Hi Now 12 February and last day here in Porto. 9.30am and need to pack shortly but that will not take too long. No report last night as ,Guppy, was very low in power and connection here in the bar eating area were occupied. Yes drizzle so went to the photography museum which was good to see. One exhibition on world war one of photos of the trenches and life and conditions. Another exhibition was about immigrant of the 60s and 70s..... Spanish women going to Germany to work in the textile industry, Portuguese men going to Belgium to work in the mines, so was interesting. Then a slow walk to boavista square to get nd eat lunch. Was croissants and octupus. Next thought I could not leave Porto and not taste Port so headed over ... read more

Hi Monday evening 8.15PM and all is quiet in the TV area here at pilot design hostel. Not sure what is going on... perhaps a quiet night... always possible. Washing has dried so that is good. Clean clothes for a few more days. Still listening to Andrea bocelli until mid night last night, but till woke at 8am. Up at 9am and to the supermarket for some food as knew the route I was going did not find any near by.. well not the route I took last time. Did the tour of the tower as it was such a clear sky but a bit on the cool side. Great views from the top. Plus information about the architecture on the way up then was able to do a tour of the church high above the ... read more

Hi Now Saturday 7 February 9PM. Guppy has been playing up but going at present Am at sky hostel as went to book a few extra days at pilot design to find out it was booked out, which is why I am at sky... In the kitchen area and three Portugal females are eating pasta with meat I think.. Only two bunks in the room and with two duvets, so am warm. Yesterday by the time I had moved and settled in it was 11am. Nice day so walked to the palace gardens and had some ice cream... well plenty of it, ..just what I wanted.. then a walk around the gardens...... winter so roses cut back but Camillua are out ..... pink and white ones.. Then to 6PM Mass and a longer walk back to ... read more