4.4.15 - Rubiães | Fontoura | Valença | Tui

Saturday Easter with sun and heat, the old desire to walk by Caminho de Santiago and a group of friends - one that even I was born! - that is to doing it on stages. These were the ingredients that led me to accompany them. The formula was simple: start at the hostel of Rubiães and walk to Tui, in Spain.
The beginning of the trail was extremely beautiful and peaceful by the Coura river small waterfalls,  Roman bridge, seeing workers in the field, sheep grazing. The more bucolic than Alto Minho can offer and that we can enjoy. Despite the inclination to São Bento da Porta Aberta, breathing the calm of the mountain, walks very well.
From São Bento is about 15 km down to Minho river, with Tui in sight. The landscape is changing and the miles pass.
In front of the chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Aflitos, in Fontoura, we found a small restaurant with free wifi and crowded with pilgrims. People frm Spain, Ireland, Germany and Sweden, which joined us in a tasting of beer, nails and roast smoked sausage. All teachers or consultants - as in "my group" - we talked about travelling the world and live the true spirit of it: an inner reflection but also with the spirit of sharing and fellowship very much present, allowing us to meet people from all the world, with the most diverse experiences.
From Fontoura to Valenç



a, at one o'clock, with a marvelous sunbathing and talking about cinema. In the fortress awaited us a "mini" because, after crossing the bridge, is just "cañas".
The Valença fortress has moved characteristic of a street-trading city, and where pilgrims are distracted between the windows and the search for the path of arrows. From the top of the wall we see the Minho river and Tui Cathedral, the goal.
However, before that, we have to cross the iron bridge that links the two sides and make it seem like Portugal continues to Finisterre. For me, I confess, a special milestone: the work of engineering, for its beauty and its meaning.
Up Minho river to the cathedral door was the last part of step that led us "to Spain on foot." More than 20 kilometers of living, knowledge of current stories and other times.
To my traveling companions, desire a good way to Santiago. One day I will also do.

22.2.15 - Vidago | Chaves | Braga

Leaving Vidago to Chaves by the "Route of Thermal Water," the sky threatened rain; however the way too Chaves was required to buy local pastries. And they were very good!
Hence the final destination was Braga, pointed to arrival for lunch.
The N 103 - making small deviations by N 312 - scoured villages that, one day, people live; today only the loneliness lives. Villages lost in the middle of the mountains, where people fled to the city, losing there.
With the rain and fog, in the absence of light to shoot, I left me talk and hear stories of large families, chaplains, doctors, politicians from yesterday and today.

Vieira do Minho until the route was drawn by a deep and Portugal desert, where no one is interested in showing and analyzing.
By contrast, Caniçada dam. One of the doors to the Gerês and some try - with an atrocious nouveau-riche  - become a sort of Lake Como from Alto Minho.
Fortunately the landscape overrides all this and you can find nature at its purest state.
Down to Amares and then heading to Braga, quickly, because cod and Alvarinho expected in S.Frutuoso.

21.2.15 - Vidago | Pitões das Júnias | Lindoso | Soajo | Monção | Vidago

Based on the peaceful village of Vidago, once famous for water and the way to Santiago, was gifted by a cold day and, like we say in Portugal, with S.Pedro as a friend: disappearing rain and bringing the sun to illuminate a path way through peaks and valleys, with plenty to see and water from Vidago up to the heart of Geres.
Leaving Vidago towards Boticas, after crossing Tâmega river, the road is winding through the curves and its inclination. Reached the top we may think " it worth", "it's beautiful". The harshness of the stone extends to Rabagão river and Pisões dam. A huge water mirror reflects the sun, clouds, blue sky, making that heavenly place.
Leaving behind Rabagão the zigzag continues to the upper Cávado dam: a spectacular given by the size of Rabagão becomes cozy by the smallness of this dam.
Entering the Peneda Geres National Park, a plateau region, we will towards Pitões of Junia and the landscape of hardship compresses us: how to inspire the neo-realistic?!
Herds of the best Barrosas - a specie of cow - copies greet us on the road and hardly let us continue way.
To whet your appetite for lunch, a small trekking to enjoy the waterfall emerging from the rock and the monastery. With the strongest sun, higher, visualized a perfect postcard.
Speaking about lunch, "Casa do Preto" due to the friendliness of the owner, I had tasted "ceboleira" and barrosã steak, accompanied by an Albariño. The restaurant is not referenced in the Michelin guide or the slow food chains but the quality of presenting is superb. Clients eat what the earth gives, literally!  Photography of cows, goats and chickens are exposed on the menu, touring the country and the identification of the producer.
After the excellent lunch it was time to head to Spain to get back to Portugal by Lindoso.
At Mugueimes, and Lobios we saw Lima river grow:  broad and narrow, with dams creating the landscape.
Getting in Portugal by Lindoso, the course was the Soajo.
The granite granaries - or canastros, as they say in some land - rise up to heaven by keeping the income of the earth. With high crosses, seem to ask God to be always full.
The return was made by the route of Vinho Verde, by Monção, through Brejoeira Palace.
Then back to Spain towards Verin,

then Chaves and Vidago.