Day 15 - To Barcelos vía Porto

Walked today: 11.2 km
No of steps: 14, 510 steps
Total walked: 220.7 km

Rest day; as I said we wanted to stay in Porto but it was impossible.  All the hotels we called had raised their prices to double and still they were full.  So we tried the next stage, Vilarinho, and the same story.  We had to skip one more stage to Barcelos.

We found ourselves in the 9 am bus to Porto.  We were there at 10 am, took a taxi to the train station and got tickets to Barcelos in the 1 pm train. 

We had enough time to go and find lunch and McDonald's is half a block away so a big Mac it was.  We went to get a brace for Wonder Woman's carpal tunnel which flared and we still had time for mass at the Igreja dos Congregados.

The train trip was only one hour so we were in Barcelos by 2 pm. After a short rest we went for a walk, there is a huge street market in the plaza in front of the hotel on Thursdays.

They sell everything you can imagine. We talked to a lady vendor who happens to be my age.  She gave us an Euro to be deposited in the poor box in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. I promised to say a hail Mary for her in Santiago de Compostela.

We went to look for Manuela, a lady we met at the church of Santo Antonio two years ago.  When we got in touch we agreed to met at Mass this evening.

We walked a bit more and we found a restaurant for Portugués people - not for tourists - and we had a great bacalau dinner.

When we went to the church, fray Jose Carlos, a priest we met 2 years ago,  was at the door. He took in and sat us at the front in a section he has reserved for pilgrims.  He also provided us with a mass book in 8 languages.  Manuela joined us there and after Mass we had some pastries with her.  She said next time we come we have to stay in her home.  She make us feel like family.

Over the pastries we talked about Our Lady.  I think she is more devout of her than me.  I was touched. I think our Lady is very important for her and for me.

We agreed to meet for dinner tomorrow and attend Mass together again. I really like her, she reminds me of my cousin Yolanda.

Hail Mary full of Grace

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