DAY 14 MALAPOSTA - PORTO

Rooster crowing competition is in full swing at 6.30am as we leave the hotel. We have decided that the only way to start if we are doing over 20kms is by 6.30.


We have experienced the craziness of the Portugese drivers, and today was no exception. Leaving town, walking facing oncoming traffic a car driving down the wrong side of the road from behind us clipped Ed’s arm and stick. He drove on as if nothing had happened, thank goodness Ed was okay, just a bit shaken up!!! What a start to our day.


A hard (on the feet), and uninspiring pavement and cobbles slog to Porto today. The beautiful Monastery San Salvador de Grijó where the original buildings were consecrated in 1235, are an awe inspiring presence and certainly the construction highlight of the day. However a brief section from Perosinho over a hill to Rotunda was through a delightful and tranquil stretch of old Roman road, Calzada Romana, climbing straight up to a high point of 245m and over for approx 2.5km through gorgeous woodland and ferns


All the sore and aching feet melted away as we descended elated from Gaia over the bridge to Porto. The obligatory selfies were taken on the bridge before we stopped off at the Cathedral to get our pilgrim passports stamped.


We have completed our first stage of 3 stages en route to Santiago de Compostela . 387,2km done.