Ansiao to Rabacal - Portuguese Camino de Santiago

September 20, 2015

An Early Start

We have a shorter walk today from Ansiao to Rabacal. Only eighteen kilometers. Starting at 6:30am meant there was just enough light to see the arrows. And being Saturday meant a long walk before finding our first open café for breakfast. Worth a photo!

Petrol in rural Portugal on the Portuguese Camino de Santiago — Tractors need petrol too

It doubled up as a petrol station. The one very busy woman manning the café also dispensed the petrol. Everyone was very patient, definitely a Portuguese characteristic.

Saturday is busy

Saturday is the day for people to tend their fields. They go by car, tractor or motorbike which are seen parked alongside the fields where people are pruning vines, ploughing and hand picking grapes. Most were picking grapes.

Tractor for transport — Novel method of transportation

The Generosity of Locals

This group had finished their picking and were onto the next stage – taking the grapes off to make wine. We couldn’t leave without being given two enormous bunches.

Generous locals on the Portuguese Camino de Santiago — Gift of Grapes

And then the elderly couple were raised up in the bucket on the back of the tractor and off they went. Hopefully holding on tightly!

Hold on tightly — There they go holding on tight

An extended family had stopped work for lunch which they shared with us. A welcome glass of homemade wine and lovely fish croquettes.

Generous locals on Portuguese Camino — Generous locals

…… the Fosters T-shirt

Fosters Beer T-shirt — Australian relatives perhaps?

Taking pleasure in small things

I’m finding the smallest things are giving me much pleasure – like the small bar of soap and big bath towels we were handed on booking into our hostel for the night.