Food

Food in Portugal / Spain is so different from South African home or restaurant food.

Have a look at this article about special Portuguese dishes.

Portugal - breakfast was sweet cake

Portugal - grilled sardines in Porto is a must. Found in the city and at Matosinhos, on the coastal promenade

Portugal - in the mountain area trout is common

Portugal - Bacalhau (cod) is cooked in different ways, found all over

 

Salads are very popular

Francesinha eaten on the beach promenade in Porto

Bar food

Pintxos eaten at a bar

See the pimentos - sometimes hot

Sausage in a bar - sausage above burning oil 

16 June - Teo to Santiago de Compostela - Stage 12

Set off for Santiago

Arrived in a cool city

Collected my documents

Had accommodation in the huge cold Seminario Menor Albergue de Peregrinos. How priests lived in those rooms I do not know.

View from the albergue

  

Craved food, not all bread. Went to a bar and order nine pintxos. 

Compostella from the Pilgrim Office

15 June 2013 - O Pino to Teo – Stage 11 - 18.4km

Left the awful hotel of Mosteiro at O Pino and slowly walked on. All alone, one person passed me. As I walked into Padron I saw tents where they either sold or auctioned or ate pulpo (octopus). Then saw a long building which was the market. Wandered through and bought cake. I then saw kids from Assisi (Italy) – they had taken a taxi as one of the girls had a bad foot. Joined Alexander and family for rolls. Then I walked on to Teo. They got to the albergue just as I arrived.

Then had a shower and fixed the flooded bathroom. Met Petra in the shower, then we went to a bar for food. Two Cavalier King Charles spaniels arrived with their owner. Met my first snorer in an albergue but no worse than Gizmo.

In the albergue they pushed us in – never been so close to other people. All pilgrims must put their sleeping bags on their beds to book it, or else they have no claim to it. Petra had had trouble at the albergue and had moved to another one. 

Had dinner with Alexander and his family from Assisi.

Lunch in Padron

Clean river in Padron

Sore foot

Famous poetess’ statue

THE Padron

Lunch time snack with Petra after arrival in Teo. See the pimentos from Padron.

I used to have this breed. Look so good.

Dinner with lovely Italian father, his 2 daughters and friends

The hostel at Teo

14 June - Portela to O Pino – Stage 10 - 21km

Believe I cried during the night from pain.

Left the albergue with a bottle of water and an orange (from the bar yesterday). Missed the bar where I could have had breakfast – only found food on Caldas de Rais. Passed one couple walking and only one person passed me. Alone.

Walked through forests, over streams, and past farms. Old men and women on farms worked very hard.

Feeling so strong in body. Decided to walk extra 90kms to the end of the world at Finisterre. Have enough time as I am ahead of schedule.

Not many places to sleep on this section so decided to stop at O Pino instead of pushing through to Padron which would have made it 29kms for the day, much too much. Went to the Mosteiro hotel with 16 rooms. Think I am the only guest. They do not have a functioning bar or restaurant!

Anyhow the town of Caldas de Rais with its hot springs is lovely but too busy. Had to compete at the springs with a group of schoolchildren. Put my feet in the hot water – lovely. Stopped at a bar for the first food of the day – 2 coffees and a roll. Then I powered off.

This route seems much more demanding physically and mentally than the French route. I would not recommend it for novice pilgrims unless one is on a tour with portered bags and hotels every night.

Albergue where I spent the night

Getting less

She has blisters

Three people are working here

Nursery school crossing the bridge with the help of a policeman

Clean rivers

We competed for use of the hot springs

13 June - Arcade to Portela – Stage 9 - 22.8km

Left the wonderful hotel of Isape in Arcade at 8.30. Walked through town in the rain to the narrow bridge over the Verdugo River. Probably took the wrong route but walked on the road until a woman stopped and spoke to me, telling me I was on the wrong road. I turned around and walked back about 10 meters and saw where the correct route intersected with my route – then walked through damp forests with streams and ferns – magic.

Saw a sign and went into a wonderful strange bar. Had coffee and bought fruit. Canadian ladies were there, and as I was leaving the family from Assisi arrived. I ambled on.
The weather became warm at odd times. I put on and took off the poncho, repeatedly. I reached the city of Pontevedra, and looked at the church and fountain. I stopped in the old part and order a Caesar salad and a glass of wine. The salad was full of walnuts, sunflowers and pumpkin seeds. Expect the headache but it has not come yet.

Ambled on. Forgot time. Only one couple passed me the whole day. Reached Portela. Had a beer at a cafe then went on to hostel – only 4 people! Bunks are high. Can sit up. No food but a staff member drove to the nearest bar and came back with a roll and a beer – not what I ordered but fine. The albergue not up to the normal standard but it is not as officious as other albergues. Bridge over the Lerez River is lovely.

Wonderful day!

Fruit and veg delivered. Note peppers, strawberries and cherries.

Wet crossing

Strange looking tree

Lovely unusual bar, found on a wet mountain

Mama in the bar

Fountain at Pontevedra

Church

Caesar salad

Moving from one side of the city to the other

Lovely

Mmmm