Newbies (mfg)

Most people who walk the Portuguese Way start in Porto, so today is either their second or third stage, aka Day of the Blister, or the one when adrenaline wears off and reality sets in.

We feel like veterans. When we arrived in Porto, Bill wanted something to differentiate us from the newly arrived. He looked for a Lisboa patch, to no avail.

However, any fears that the miles we’ve logged might be overlooked were overblown.

Yesterday and today, we came across several pilgrims who were sitting by the side of the road, looking miserable, shoes off, massaging their feet. We stopped a few times to offer help.

We met a woman from Washington state in the woods. She said every step was painful because she had blisters in the balls of both feet. Her plan was to find a church in the next town, call an Uber, and get some rest at her hotel. We thought of her for the 30 minutes it took till we arrived at the next town. It certainly took her longer than that.

We also encountered a couple by the side of the road just a 1/4 mile before the bridge into Viana do Costello, where we are spending the night. The wife looked bereft, just spent.

Truly, there was no need for a marker. Our energy, confident stride and dirty shoes are enough. We are grateful for the feet that carry us, the stamina we’ve built over the last 14 days, and the luck we have enjoyed - nearly blister-free - so far.

We were newbies just a few weeks ago and can still relate to the innocence and naïveté. No matter how much you read, plan, and hope, you really don’t know what’s possible until you’re on the road.

Bill did find a souvenir shop near Esposende with a shell and salesman willing to write Lisboa 2024. Arriving at that airport feels like a long time ago.