Wednesday, 3 July 2013

A Rest Day In Tuy-much needed and appreciated....

We awoke in a very comfortable hotel with the unfortunate name, realising we did not have to spring out of bed,don our walking gear and head away, instead we could have a leisurely breakfast and make decisions about how to spend our day.Bliss!
The skies are foreboding-heavy black clouds and a cool temperature. Back into the warmer gear-so pleased we had the gear we did as most days I have worn my icebreaker at least in the evenings. We decided to explore Valenca first, a fortress town on the other side of the Minho River.We traversed it on our way here yesterday and decided it was worth another look so we set off mid-morning to explore-on foot of course! Shank's pony is not getting a break for awhile yet.

The path led over the bridge and up the old fortress entrance into the town via the battlements-over the border and back into Portugal for lunch,so easy in a modern era, fraught in medieval times I imagine.It is hard not to think of what life might have delivered its residents in past generations.This city reeks of historical events and conflicts played out on the borders of these two old settlements.
I liked Portugal and I am sorry to leave, people are friendly and courteous and there is a great spirit of goodwill here, albeit they are in the tourist trade but they do it well.

We spent the morning looking around the town, exploring the lookouts from the stone rampants and secret lookouts, took lots of photos and explored the shopping.Lovely linen took my eye and the pottery reminds me of Eugenia's home.The bed covers were very desirable, just as well I would have no room to carry them home.

We ate in one of the cafes and talked to some Americans visiting for the day who were wondering if they grew the cotton in Portugal for the linen goods!They were keen to know about the Fatima route so we talked about the blue arrows running opposite to the camino and passed some time with them before heading back to Tuy.
The trip has been noteworthy for these random encounters we have had with people we may never meet again,yet friendly and interesting insights into other cultures.We also met another American sitting on the steps leading from the town, she was overcome with painful swollen feet and blisters and not in good shape so we spent some time talking with her and giving directions to a sports shop where she might be able to get better footwear. Poor thing, we have been lucky on the foot aspect of the walk. No blisters to date.

Back to the hotel for a siesta-everything shuts down for some hours over the afternoon so we joined the habit. Later we went out and explored Tuy,visiting the Catedral. We got our compestella stamped and then paid to climb the tower to see the view from the cloister walk, walked in the gardens and had a brief encounter with the treasures of the sacred order.

The catedral dates back to the 11th-12th century beginning as a gothic design but altered and is now a prime example of a romanesque design with an impressive facade and great acoustics.We heard some organ music played while in the body of the church.Spine tingling.

The antiquity of the place is what captures me. The old stone lanes,shutters on windows,metal frames and iron bars guarding entrances to homes and apartments-little evidence of life existing behind the walls as they are so well guarded and silenced by the materials used to safeguard the town.About 15,000 people live here most in the newer part I expect.
We had all our warm gear on tonight to venture out for a meal as it is very cool and the rain has chilled the air.We ate at a Gallician cafe -a delicious type of pork and chick pea stew which I tried making for Lou once I got back to London. The whole meal included coffee and wine and bread for  five euros!
So nice to amble back to our hotel after a low key day. Tomorrow we are off again on the first leg of the Spanish side of the camino.