On Tuesday I spent a really interesting day with Rudi Dillo a journalist from Die Zeit - a popular and very reputable newspaper in Germany. Rudi had come to the Algarve to wite about and walk parts of the Via Algarviana (Algarve Way) and unlike most journalists that I have had dealings with Rudi was a real walker (despite a hip replcement 3 years ago). Together we walked the last section from Vila do Bispo to Cape St Vincent; it was perfect walking weather and this section of 17.7km was completed by us in just under 5 hours. The photo is of Rudi gazing out to sea at the Cape.

The past two weeks in the Algarve have seen the most beautiful weather and overhead there have been raptors circling in abundance waiting for the best winds to take them south for the autumn migration. The most common have been Egyptian Vultures and both cyclists and walkers alike have been treated to clear sightings of these magnificent birds.

My web guru Rob has reworked our Pedal in Portugal site, making it more user friendly (have a look for yourselves http://www.pedalinportugal.com/) the problem I now have is that I now have some great bike rides and new walking tours in both Spain and France - do I launch a new site or add them in some way to the existing sites.................... I still cannot make my mind up!

Fully recovered from a great weeks walking, it is back to the computer and local walks. This week the Algarve experienced the first real rains of autumn, the worst day being Wednesday - our walking day. Thunder and lightening as dawn broke I fully expected not to walk - how wrong I was! More than twenty diehards (or fools) were at the meeting point. I suggested perhaps a coffee and nothing more, this was firmly rejected in favour of walking and off we went. At the half way point it was not too bad but then the heavens opened for 15 minutes!! Yes we arrived back wet but we were all laughing and all agreed we had had a good time.

I've just walked the Camino with Julie

And we had one hell of a hoolie

There was Patrick and Steve,

Arn and Diane

Galena and Olga who talked of her man.

From Tui to Porrino

A good day had by all

But fiesta time was brewing

So we hardly slept at all.

Then on to Arcade

A mere 22 clicks

Where they served great paella

Which was good for those Russian chicks.

Pontevedra was our next stop

A very up-market town

Where we had a great dish of pasta

And red wine to swill it all down.

We skipped through Caldas de Reis

And on to Padron

To the hotel Rosalie

Next to the station.

Now on the home straight with much up and down

Santiago is in our sight

We've had a ball and then some

What a shame it all ends tonight.

SD (Camino Portugues September 2009)

The pilgrimage officially ends when you place your foot on the shell in front of the Catherdral.

All made it and all received their Compostela,

Caldas to Padron

A misty foggy, morning through the Bermana river valley and after coffee the sun shone through. We walked down through woodland to the Volga river before passing through hamlets and over the river at Pontesecures for a welcome beer / and or water. 20 minutes later and we made it to Padron and the group got their stamps at the church just before a funeral arrived!!!! Tonight gin and tonics were the order of the day for some as they prepared for the final push to Santiago - we all agreed it was another fun day!

Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

This is long stretch - 14.8 miles but we all managed it with good humour and the beers at the end tasted great!