Transition Day – Back to The Beginning

 June 21, 2015

Yesterday I was getting ready to transition from Vila do Conde to Porto and I realized that my trip started on May 20 and we got to Porto on May 22.  Pretty much a month has passed and I was heading back to the city where it all began.

Here I am in Vila yesterday thanks to an nice Dutch couple who are visiting their son and his family in Portugal.

  

So I’m packed and ready to find Santa Clara Metro station to take me into Porto. I was told to follow the river.

                

Ok, I’m here at the Metro stop with a pretty good view of Santa Clara Church and the aqueduct too.

The trip into Porto was uneventful, faster and much less scenic than our walk on May 24.

I got to Porto too early to check in so I dropped off my backpack and took a look around.  A couple of people I know will like the first picture.  I wasn’t very hungry but found a place where I could get a fresh fruit crepe.

    

I saw this church last time.  It’s by the funny bookstore.

  

I wanted to find the Crystal Palace, but found this park and then this wonderful view instead.

    

San Joao celebrations are going on and some neat graffiti.

    

Very hot, even walking by the river so I ducked into the wine museum.  Very cool and also cool presentation.  The first picture is of Santiago figures.

           

Had to go finally but after being on the river a bit more I went up a hill and found myself on Rua das Flores.  This is a pedestrian zone with lots of shops and restaurants.   I came across this building where a musical presentation was going on.

            

I had wanted to see San Bento Station before and here it is!  The next picture shows the temperature.  About 105F.

    

A nice church in the way back to the hotel.  My room is ready!!!  More tomorrow about what I did today!  My day never quite turns out like I think that it will!

   

Vila do Conde – Market And Beach Day! YAY!

June 19, 2015

I woke up this morning thinking about this being my last full day in Vila and I really need to make it a beach day.  It started out that way, but as I went towards the center of town I discovered that it was Market Day!!!!!

For some reason I’m unable to resist these sorts of markets.  They usually have clothing, fruits and vegetables and home goods.  Even if my feet are tired I have to go through a market.  Most of the time I don’t buy anything, but this time I bought some really good looking cherries and one other item. Here are some pictures.  This was an exceptional market.  It even had people shouting!          While I was in that area I went up a hill to check out the local church (Matriz Church de Vila do Conde, begun in the 16th Century) and also saw the aqueduct again.  I’ll see it close up tomorrow!

  

   

I had to go back to the hotel because of the cherries and saw the local kayak and crew clubs in action!

    

By this time I’d been walking around a bit so I had a second breakfast and also noticed that it was fairly hot according to the local pharmacy. According to my handy converter 31C equals 87.8F.  Definitely time to go to the beach!

    

I just could not delete any of these pictures!  So nice!  I finally plopped my bottom down for a few hours.  One of the things I noticed is that you can rent beds at the beach too.  I did NOT do that!

             

I could see St. John the Baptist fort started in the 16th century from where I was playing on the beach.
 

Nossa Senhora da Guia Chapel, one of the oldest in Portugal was right by me also.  References to it start in 1059.  Very pretty chapel at the beach.

     

After awhile I figure that I had cooked my body enough so it would be good to get some food and water and take a walk along the waterfront.

      

On my way back I saw these houses.  I like the architecture.  There’s something simple but attractive about it.

    

One final picture.  The cherries that I got were pretty fair sized and reminded me of Bings.  These were my dinner!

 

Busy night here, lots of activity so I’m not asleep yet and it’s almost midnight!  Good night!

Vila do Conde – I’m Listening To Portuguese Folk Music As I Blog!

 June 18, 2015

While traveling, whether it’s on a Camino or after a Camino like I’m doing right now, one needs to be flexible.

I woke up this morning at 530am listening to my neighbors get ready to leave.  My first thought was…..back to sleep, that’s not you!  

I got up at 8am thinking that I’d have to change rooms after breakfast, but was able to work out an agreement with the owner to stay in the same room for the next 2 nights!  Yay!  Time to do my wash! Hand washing clothes has never been my forte.  Look at how dirty the water is just from one pair of underwear!  This is from walking and sweating for only 8 miles.  It’s even dirtier when I do more.  

  

After washing and posting yesterday’s blog I set out to explore Vila do Conde. It’s festival time right now! There are lots of monuments and lots of fishing boats.

        

While I was out and about it felt really hot, I looked at a pharmacy sign (they always have the temperature listed) and noticed that it was 33C (91.4F).  Wow, time to eat and take a siesta.  Too hot for me and it was after 1230pm and no stores were open anyway!

    

I waited until the temperature got into the mid 80’s (after 5pm) and set out again.  This time I decided to explore and see if I could follow the river to the Foz (mouth of the river). They’re setting up for a carnival there too!

  

Here it is, guess where I’m going tomorrow?

         

I walked about half-way to Povoa de Varzim and decided that it was time to turn back.  I wanted to go the fruit store before it closes at 8pm.  Here’s a couple of pictures along the way.

    

Since I’m on my own I don’t tend to venture out after dark, but here’s a picture from my window.  A wonderful concert of Portuguese folkloric music is going on, much better then the serenade that we got on our entry to Vila do Conde when we were on Caminho! I’m going to enjoy it some more! Good night!

  

Transition Day – Viana do Castelo to Vila Do Conde

June 18, 2015

I woke up in Viana do Castelo yesterday wondering if there was anything else that I wanted to see there and when/how I should get to Vila do Conde.  I knew that I wasn’t going to walk…..been there and done that.

After breakfast I went first to the train station to check out my options.  Very close to the hotel.  I saw these beautiful verbena plants on the way.  One of my favorite plants!      

The train doesn’t stop at Vila do Conde, but goes to Porto.  I could do that and then take the Metro to Vila do Conde. The other alternative was to take the bus, but only 2 leaving that day.  So I decided to check out of the hotel, store my backpack there and explore some more.  The place below was hard to find in spite of the map.  This is a former Peregrino Hospital (albergues).  It’s being renovated.

  

Exploring is hard work.  I needed a snack! I wanted to take one last look at the decorations in the town square.

    

The Museo de Trajes (clothing museum) is just off of the town square.

    

As I was walking towards the Castelo (castle) I saw this building, but the picture doesn’t do it justice.

  

Nice tile work on ordinary buildings and a different type of roadwork done here than what I’m accustomed to see.

    

Ok, I’m on the other side of town and here’s the sign. The school of hospitality and tourism is housed here along with the Porto and Northern Portugal tourism.  

There wasn’t that much to take a picture of here.  I was a bit disappointed and hope that they work on this!

      

I took another way back and found this street sign reminding me of my Santiago Caminos.

  

At this point it was getting hotter and I felt ready to move on.  The next bus wasn’t going to leave for a few hours so I took the bus to Povoa de Vazim and then took the Metro to Vila do Conde.

In Vila do Conde the Metro station is not close to the tourist area, but I did recognize this!.

According to the literature this aqueduct was started in 1626 and finished in 1714.  It was built to ensure a water supply for the Santa Clara Convent and is the second most extensive aqueduct in Portugal.  I remember Liz pointing this out to me on our walk out of Vila do Conde a few weeks ago.

  

The town getting ready for the San Joao (San Juan) celebration this weekend.

   

  

  

I kind of knew what direction to go based on the aqueduct, but I had to ask a lot of people where the Rua Cais de Lavanderais was located.  Very nice people.  I finally reached my destination after only one “oops.”  It was very close to where Liz and I had had dinner by the bridge that we came in on.

Here’s where I stayed and the view from my room. 

         

I’m not sure why this ship is on the waterfront but I noticed the kayaks too.  There’s apparently a kayak club across the river.

      

Really hungry by now.  Couldn’t get dinner though until 7pm.  Basically this was a chicken pot pie empanada (empanadilla) in Spain, but in puff pastry.  Au gratin potatoes and salad to accompany it.  Couldn’t pass on dessert.

    

Very full and satisfied.  For those that have read my previous entries one of the funny things about our 2nd Caminho day, from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde was the parade that greeted us in Matosinhos and the loud music that greeted us in Vila do Conde.  Well, in Vila do Conde the music started up at 750pm.  Very loud!!! There was also different music coming from the park across the street.  Fortunately once I got back to my room I couldn’t hear either!  What a relief!!!!!

Today I’m doing wash and walking around town a bit .  I think that tomorrow I’ll go to the beach!