Rubiaes to Pacos

Last night our host drove us a couple of kms down the road to have dinner at a popular restaurant. It was packed with pilgrims who were staying at various albergues or othe hotels around the place. I had a big chicken salad with the vinho Verde house white, which is slightly sparkling and very refreshing.

I had a good night's sleep in my room at Quinta das Leiras. This is a very modern and stylishly decorated place. My bathroom was black and red. The host and hostess and teenage son all spoke excellent English, the son from watching films on TV all the time!

The forecast for today was up to 28 degrees, so I knew it was going to be a hot walk- not too bad along shady woodland tracks but boiling on any asphalt. After stopping at two places for

a fresh orange and then a cider, I managed to reach my destination of Quinta Estrada Romana at about 1.30 pm. This is a lovely conversion of an old farmhouse with a small albergue and a private room upstairs.

This is the track as I set off this morning, with broom in flower hanging down on both sides.

Here all the pilgrims are relaxing in the garden. This is an artist's impression of the place:

We can sit outside watching the odd pilgrim go past high up to our right, as the Caminho goes right past.