Good afternoon from Tui, in Spain. But back to our last couple of days in Portugal. Once over the hills we came to Rubaies and a pilgrim hostel named for Sao Sebastiao. Just down the road was a cafe offering the pilgrim's meal for E10, three courses plus the usual jug of wine. We swapped soup for desert. From Rubaies it was just 10kms to Pedreira through beautiful countryside, trickling streams, forest. Parts were like being on a NZ bushwalk.
Cyclists were a bit of a problem especially when they come up behind you so quickly. We met a couple of Aussies along the way, from Adelaide and Melbourne.
One of my goals yesterday was to find an ATM. Most places only take cash. We found one, in a small village, but another pilgrim had just used it and the machine had taken his card. We were so lucky not to have gotten there first. He had to call his bank to cancel his card. I was planning to use my main card, if we'd lost that life could have been very difficult. Someone, was looking after us. We breakfasted at a cafe/supermarket that reminded me of the old Omaio store. It sold everything from bread to machine parts, meat to dynamite - yes bags of dynamite powder sitting next to the baguettes. There was also a part set up as a classroom. The children had made presentations on 9 famous women. Freida Kahlo. Joan of Arc, Marie Curie, Coco Chanel, Malalia, Queen Isobel, Diana, Cleopatra, and a Portuguese singer. I left a note in their Pilgrim Book about some NZ women. Dianne Porter , you came to mind as we walked along some very stony paths. The stones were lovely colours and very smooth. I thought, thank goodness Dianne isn't with us we'd be collecting stones all along the way. At another village Mass was just starting so I popped in, but a 20 minute homily in Portuguese watching some of the locals sleep was a bit much. The mass was on loud speakers so we could hear it as we continued our journey.
That's enough for now, more about our stay in Pedreira later.
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