Walk With Me - Porto to Santiago de Compostela

Days four-six - Friday 15 August - Balugães-Ponte de Lima-Rubiães The guidebook wasn't wrong. The trail from Balugães was stunning - mountains, cool forests, foot-friendly trails. I loved every minute of the 18+km walk. Ponte de Lima - a gentle, beautiful town - welcomed me in the early afternoon with an unexpected calm. It didn't buzz with international tourists like Porto did, but its charms feel all the more authentic for it. I arrived from Bulagães on a serendipitous note - the feast day of the Assumption, a public holiday in Portugal. My path into Portugal's oldest town was through an enchanting Avenue of Trees alongside the Lima River and there, where the plane trees ended, was my home for the night, facing a fascinating market. Oh, for the want of more baggage space - I could easily have loaded myself with delicious olive oil, sausages, condiments, and stunning rugs begging to be bought. Dinner was a local favourite - meat and sausage slapped between a bun and smothered with gooey cheese, the lot swimming in a delicious sauce with fries eager to join the fun. I was hoping to savour each bite with views of the river but the local flies had other plans. So, I packed the meal and retreated for an early night. A restful Saturday in Ponte de Lima It was a day to recharge the batteries but I still walked heaps.I visited the Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria dos Anjos to say my rosary and was moved to witness a Baptism Mass for some little ones. The joy was palpable. Next, I stopped by the old prison tower, now the tourism centre. After buying a few small tokens, careful to stay light, I crossed the ancient Ponte de Lima bridge. On the other side, I admired the stunning (they all are, really) Igreja de San Antonio da Torre Velha, then ducked into the rather magical toy museum - a whimsical interlude in a day already full of history and light. Back on the other side, the young waiter at the Almeda restaurant talked me into having the town's special for lunch - Arroz de Sarrabulho com Rojôes à moda de Ponte de Lima (rice and pork, lots of it, with plenty of bits and pieces). I loved the rice and complemented it with some of the tasty pork, all perfectly washed down with a chilled white wine. of course, I couldn't finish the meal - Portuguese serves are for very healthy appetites. After strolling the winding lanes, I went back to my hotel for a rest. Later that evening I found myself back on the riverbank sampling Sophia's farturas (churros). A stroll found me at the church and this time, I sat through the evening Mass. It ended just before eight and, after a simple soup in a nondescript cafe, found myself back on the riverbank watching the sun cast its magic in the evening sky as it slowly set. Those few moments - quiet, simple, personal - felt more loaded with grace than any grand gesture. Tomorrow, I walk again. Reflection: Sometimes, it is not about the miles we walk - but the quiet moments that walk with us.

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