Santiago de Compostela (Saint James, in Galicia, Spain)

Pilgrims, or tourists as is more the case, can buy a credential for €2 at some important points along the way, such as the Porto Cathedral or the Tui Cathedral, where they register a stamp at landmarks on the itinerary, such as important churchs, bars, hostels, etc.

 

Crossing the international bridge between Valença (Portugal) and Tui (Spain) over the river Minho which is the natural border between the two countries in the North:

 

Inside Tui:

 

St. Mary's Cathedral in Tui:

 

Isn't that the same Tui where Sr. Lucia of Fatima spent some time in the convent and had the vision of the Blessed Trinity? https://fatima.org/the-apparition-at-tuy-1929/
Did you see the convent?

 

Yes, that's right, that is the same town where Sr. Lúcia lived secretley for some time under the name "Doris" to avoid being recognized. I actually passed by there again yesterday but only on the highway...

And no, we haven't seen the convent. The group I joined on the way to Santiago is not religious, some of them are actually anti-Catholic woke people. With them, it even becomes difficult to find a few minutes to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament in any church that appears open along the way. I suppose I'll have to go back there alone or with my family to see the dorotheas convent, maybe I'll drive there with my family soon.

 

God has a plan! I’m sure you wish you were with the “religious” group but who knows the spark of conversion you through the good grace of God are kindling in the wok folks. Peace

 

Before the pandemic, I had started a solo pilgrimage from my home near Penafiel south to Fátima on foot to fulfill an old promise. I've already done more than 100kms and stopped in the city of Aveiro, then the pandemic and other things came along that made me stop and I'm trying to gain the courage to pick up where I left off. I think I've already achieved a great goal, I don't know why, but when I leave the granite area and enter the limestone area of my country, it feels like I am in another world.

On this pilgrimage where I am completely alone, I take my earphones to listen to some reflections, I pray the rosary, I go into all the open churches to pray, I really feel like a pilgrim. I usually leave the car near a train station where I finished the last stage and walk to another train station in another location from where I will return. The further from home I am, the more difficult the stage becomes.

However, on this Camiño de Santiago it is something else, it is pleasant, beautiful, but more fun than spiritual, honestly. Maybe if I were alone or with the right people it would be different.

 

I don't see how fun and the spiritual can be mutually exclusive. Aren't we supposed to lift up our hearts and be joyful because Jesus has won the battle?

It's a great idea to bring your car. It means that you only have to carry the provisions for the stage of the pilgrimage you are on and can leave the rest in the car.

 

Excellent travelogue, Basto, thank you.

 

Does anyone ever bring their dog?

 

Yes, you see a little bit of everything, also many on bicycles.

 

Great reporting Basto and lovely photos. Thanks so much for sharing. It all sounds wonderful. Yes of course God has a plan.

 

Tomorrow I will return to the trip, God willing.
It's not going to be easy...



Our bus will leave the town of Lousada, in Portugal, at 6 am towards the village of Mos, in Spain. This next stage, which is my 2nd but the 7th of the Portuguese Way from Porto, will be from Mos to Pontevedra. It's supposed to be one of the hardest stages but also one of the most beautiful. And there is rain in the forecast...



But I'm prepared...



Thank you for your support.

 

This the local church in the village of Mos, Spain, where we finished last stage and will restart tomorrow:





And in this photo, it's me and my friend José on the way to the bus where there were only two people missing to get back to Portugal:

 

So beautiful.

 

We were warned that today's stage from Mos to Pontevedra would be difficult but I didn't think it would be that difficult. It rained all day, we encountered a lot of mud and very steep climbs and descents. But we did it. I met some people along the way with whom we exchanged some impressions during part of the journey, including a Portuguese couple living in France and two ladies from Manchester.

We started the jouney in the village of Mos, where I bought a rose-scented Santiago rosary at this local store. I had one exactly the same bought in the city of Santiago de Compostela more than 20 years ago, but as I moved cities and houses so many times, it ended up disappearing.





And then I started walking in heavy rain. We all started together earlier, the group ended up breaking up because of everyone's different walking rhythms.