Barcelos

April 25, 2024

Because Gaio to Barcelos is 26 miles and it’s not always easy to book accommodations, we planned to walk part way, then taxi to our destination, returning the next morning by taxi to where we left off and start again. I hope this makes sense to you. We walked a slow ten miles. At about the eight mile mark, again, my dear hamstring dictated that I had another two miles left in me and then we would try to find a cab. We walked those two miles into Arcos, and smack dab in front of us was a taxi, with a nice Portuguese man, just sitting in the driver’s sear waiting for a fare. Angels among us.

He drove us the rest of the way to Art ‘Otel in Barcelos, another great place to stay.

Our walk this day was filled with sunshine, more interesting sights, and a few John Deere tractors roaring down the road leaving a dust storm in their wake. But we also had so many fragrant roses hanging over stone walls, and loads of hydrangeas blooming or getting ready to bloom like mad. And the birds were singing. The three of us were singing too. Hymns, “What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love, ” and more I can’t remember. Oh, and some Sinatra, “Fly me to the Moon” (Judy’s favorite) and while sitting on some ancient stone half wall resting, “When I was 17” came up.

One more thing, we had the best lunch at some restaurant that was obviously a local hangout. The most beautiful octopus you would ever want to eat. Yesterday was National Freedom Day for Portugal so lots of people were out celebrating and we were in town just in time for a parade of motorcycles. Pictures to follow of parade and octopus.