Portugal

Thursday 16 April – Camino Portugués, Day 2

Thursday 16 April – Camino Portugués, Day 2 Left Matosinhos this morning after a rough night. The albergue was full. Eight in the room, and between the snoring and the other usual sounds, sleep was patchy at best. Part of it. We didn’t rush out. Took our time and waited a couple of hours before … Read more

Camino Portugués, Day 1

Wednesday 15 April – Camino Portugués, Day 1 It begins. We woke up early in Porto, 7am breakfast at the hotel. Different feel this morning. Not rushed, but purposeful. Bags mostly packed, minds already on the road. We walked up to Sé Cathedral, where it all starts. Got our pilgrim passports stamped, took a moment … Read more

Penultimate Porto

Tuesday 14 April – Porto Last full day before the Camino. Spent the morning with Sophie just walking the city. No plan, just letting it unfold. Found a proper local place for lunch. Simple Portuguese food, nothing overdone, just good honest cooking. You can tell straight away when it’s the real thing. Picked up a … Read more

Porto 4.13.26

Monday 4.13.26 – Porto Good full day in Porto. Felt like we settled into it properly. We started at the Centro Português de Fotografia, set inside the old Cadeia da Relação prison. Proper solid place. Thick stone walls, big staircases, you can feel what it used to be. It’s been turned into a photography museum … Read more

Porto 4.13.26 (Part 1)

Monday the 13th of April, two days before the Camino starts, we spent the day going deeper into Porto and seeing more of the city properly. We started at Igreja do Carmo, the church with the famous blue tiled wall on the side. Up close, the detail is incredible, full scenes built into the tiles … Read more

Arrived in Porto

Sunday the 12th of April, three days before the Camino starts, we checked out of the hotel and had breakfast before heading into London. Took the tube to Victoria, then on to Gatwick, and from there flew to Porto. Once we arrived, we checked into the hotel and realized I’d messed up the booking and … Read more

London & Matt Rife

So today (4.12.26) was a day in London with Shaun and Sophie the day before I leave for Portugal for the Camino coastal route We had a fun packed day shopping in Fortnum and Mason, a great meal in Chinatown, at my favorite Chinese restaurant that goes back to when I was a student It’s … Read more

London T minus 4

The trip from Tulsa to London was almost textbook. Everything was on time or even early. My bag was the first of the carousel no problem at Security. Train was there to take me to London and then a tube. From landing to be in my hotel in London was about 2 1/2 hours and … Read more

Tulsa to DFW

After being mostly off alcohol now for eight weeks, as part of my training, decided to celebrate with an old-fashioned at Tulsa and then Dallas Part of these post how to get used to using WordPress again as it’s almost 2 years since I used it on the El Camino so please go with me … Read more

It begins

“Solvitur ambulando.” Meaning: “It is solved by walking.” Used to express that a problem is resolved through practical action rather than theory.