Day 18 - To Ponte do Lima

Walked today: 20.6 km
No of steps: 26,605 steps
Total walked: 266.7 km

Jacinto woke up to make breakfast for us.  Everyone joined except the Danes who left very early.  We were out before the gang but we knew they would pass us. 

We stopped at a coffee shop after 3 hours and we saw several of them there.  We also stopped in the same place than 2 years ago to pray the rosary and where Antje met us and waited for us.

We arrived to Ponte do Lima at 1:30 pm, very hot and very tired.  We saw a thermometer that said it was 36 C.
We took the first place we found which happens to be a very nice, modern hotel.  The bad news, Brenda checked my foot.  Blister number one is now about 4 cm, larger than a loony.

After shower and wash clothes, we went out to eat, to find the church and the bus stop.  After that was done we crossed the old bridge to go looking for our friends at the municipal albergue.

We found Maria (Brasil) and Nicola (Australia), after some jokes and more pictures we met Zuk Zuk (Korea) and Barbara (Slovakia).  When we told them there was a mass all of them decided to meet us there.

We went back to town, waited for Mass time, and participated in the Eucharist.  Somehow, in a foreign church in a language I barely understand a word, the church makes me feel at home.  My Jesus and my holy mother Mary are there. Pilgrimage somehow makes feel closer to my God.

After Mass we went for a snack with Nicola, Barbara and Zuk Zuk.  I really enjoyed their company.  Too bad the girls are going to Porto so we will not see them again but we agreed to meet Nicola in Tui.

And now under the protection of mother Mary I go to bed.  Ave Maria.

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