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Porto, Portugal
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April 5th, 2017
I arrived in Porto at around 8 o’clock in the evening and caught the train into the Central Station, where I walked to the Dom Henrique hotel in the dark without getting lost.
The hotel is downtown which is quite ironic considering it’s at the top of a big hill.
I spent the evening watching yet more excellent football on television while having yet another risotto (the joys of being gluten-free in Spain & Portugal).
My information pack was waiting for me and the reality of what I’m about to embark on has hit home.
There seems to be a lot of tarmac and cobblestone walking on my Camino. I have yet to meet any fellow pilgrims but did have a brief sign language chat to 3 middle-aged Austrian woman in reception who had walked from Lisbon.
I spent the morning exploring to establish where the cathedral was, where I got my certificate stamped to show the start of my journey. I need to get two stamps per day from Hotels, Cathedrals and restaurants to prove my Compostela.
The cathedral is the starting point for the Camino and where I will be first thing in the morning to walk 17kms to Vilar de Pinheiro.
I did the tourist thing by jumping on a river cruise to check out the city from the river & then mooched up the city to try and find the city markets. Then prepped for tomorrow by sorting out my luggage and having a late lunch to people watch some more.
It is quite hot today so an early start is called for. Just the one Cervaza tonight I think. Although it is 98% water…mmmm
STEPS: 10,610 mostly uphill with a few more to go
MLC THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Can cities have an MLC? Porto has had better days with many dilapidated buildings, dirt and graffiti. Of course it still has its charms and the ability to make you go Wow! every now and then, but the days of being the centre of attention have passed it by. Perhaps renovation is the key to restore the former version of itself?
SECOND MLC THOUGHT OF THE DAY: If me reclining naked on a horse in a painting makes people want to lose their breakfast 😀 perhaps a statue might be a better idea?
WEIGHT: 89.4 est.
PORTUGESE: negative 1 and I am finding it a tough language to master.
WILLERTONS WORLD 