All of my most frequented places are still here.😊 It does seem a bit busier though. And I hear lots of English being spoken, more than I remember from last year. Arrived at the apartment about 5:30AM. Took a nap and then went in search of familiar haunts. Mike is stopping by this evening. Tomorrow I am going to make sure the three parks in my neighborhood are still here and tranquil: Mziuri Park, Vake Park and Turtle Lake Park via the tram.
Look who stopped by this evening. So glad to see Mike!!
Pictures: top to bottom, left to right. Paris in Georgia—I can still get my hair cut. Georgia’s version of IKEA—I bought extra hangers. Carrefour (grocery) and its mini-mall. And my favorite grocery, Agrohub, where I just completed my first shopping excursion of this trip. My two favorite coffee shops are still here too—Perogico and Lui Coffee. My keyboard doesn’t have the Georgian letters to show you their crazy names in Georgian.
First picture in Tbilisi. Weather is good. You can see the ferris wheel in the background.
PS I don’t think I am seeing as many street dogs so far this year. And for all you fashionistas, wide leg jeans are definitely all-the-rage. In Spain, Portugal, Munich Airport and even here in Tbilisi.
Munich Airport
Ok, since I spent about six hours in the Munich Lufthansa Senators Lounge on Monday, I thought it only fitting that I should add a few pictures. Hands-down, Munich and Istanbul get my vote for the best lounges. I ate for Monday and Tuesday—food was pretty good and I was so bored. It was busy earlier, but not so much now. My gate was just posted, H02; on time, 22:10. Time for one more dessert. ; ) I don’t know why every flight into Tbilisi lands at 4AM?!
Lufthansa Senators Lounge, Munich.My favorites were the Oriental cream of pumpkin soup with chickpeas (back left) and the Swabian noodle mushroom pa with tomatoes, fried onions and leeks (right). Vegetable stew with beef and carrots looked good too. I passed on the chicken fricassee with basmati rice and rice.Salad bar. Of course, I ate some olives and carrots.Desserts. Nougat pudding with salty caramel sauce and peanut crumble and vanilla pudding with red fruit jelly. I tried the nougat pudding—very good.Candy, snack bar. I refrained!The wine and beer bar. And they had a whole bunch of other options (I kinda cut them off at the top of my picture). I had to refrain—I am so tired! And I still have a four hour flight to get to Tbilisi leaving at 10PM. Mike, it is a good thing you are worth it!. ; )
Early Monday off to Tbilisi. Can’t wait to see Mike! I’ll check back in on Tuesday—takes me almost 24 hours to get to Tbilisi.
Left Karen and Phil in Santiago de Compostela on Saturday morning directly after breakfast. Phil had been fighting a cold all week and Karen came down with symptoms yesterday. 🤧 So, unfortunately no great goodbye, hugging, selfie photo at the end. They were wearing masks and I was fist pumping without actually touching. 😉 I still feel good. 🤞 I do wish I had taken a picture of them with their masks though. Weather is rainy here at present, but I’m not complaining, we really lucked-out on the bike trip. And even now it is a steady drizzle not crazy downpour.
I never made it to the Pilgrimage Museum or the cathedral rooftop tour because the lines were crazy long.
Pictures from Saturday and Sunday sightseeing. Walking around a lot and enjoying the sights, food and Santiago at a leisurely pace.
Apostle St. James in the Cathedral.Museo Cathedral de Santiago.Altarpiece of relics, displaying some of the most important gold and silver work pieces in the Cathedral.Saint Ferdinand’s Treasure Chapel was appointed in 1677 and a sculpture of the saint by Juan se Seoane was place there. Currently at the Neo-Renaissance altarpiece.Sculptural set probably made by Master Pero’s workshop, active in Coimbra in the first quarter of the 14th century. Representing the Annunciation and Mary’s virginal pregnancy at an advanced stage.Altarpiece with scenes from the life of Apostle Saint James. Nottingham workshop, ca 1456.El Columpio. Cartoon de 1778/1779. F. de Goya.
Next pictures were taken along my stroll to Alameda Park. The park has fabulous views of Santiago’s UNESCO World Heritage Site old town.
In Alameda Park. As Marias—it is an iconic statue in the city and it is difficult to miss the sisters with their bright attire, cheeky wink and a friendly hand reaching out to meet passers-by. Here I am with the two elderly sisters who used to go for a walk in the park every day at 2PM, dressed in their finest, regardless of civil war, dictatorship or inclement weather. Reminded me of us: Ellen, Mary and me/Nancy, sisters!
I must confess, we didn’t ride today because of the rainy weather. We were lucky though, we rode every other day. The weather ended up being decent for our entire trip.
The final day of our Portuguese Camino explored the spiritual variant of the Camino, which follows the Translatio—the legendary route taken by the remains of Saint James to the city of Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, we were lucky to discover the Rías Baixas wine region, home to albariño wine, which has the Protected Denomination of Origin status.
Our day began with the spectacular Monastery of Armenteira, a beautifully-preserved 12th century Cistercian abbey. From there, we enjoyed a beautiful route through the forests and vineyards of the Rías Baixas, passing by Cambados, a fishing village that has been inhabited since the first century AD. At the monastery I purchased a medicinal eucalyptus liqueur—going to enjoy with Mike, Evan, Lindsay and Sam in Tbilisi. I also purchased some cookies—not medicinal. ; ) But will still enjoy!
We crossed over the longest bridge in Spain (at least we were told) for a quick tour around the beautiful Illa de Arousa, before finishing our route at a charming winery set in a historic Galician pazo (manor house), to enjoy a delicious lunch, paired with local albariño wine.
Lunch
Lunch at Paço Granbazan Winery. Started with a pear and Cabrales cheese—the king (or queen) of Spanish blue cheeses on a delicious accordion shaped thin, flakey pastry shell. Next, octopus with pineapple on a aioli sauce (my personal favorite today). Followed by pork tenderloin with mushrooms and roasted potatoes. Finished with cheese cake dollops in an out of this world berry sauce topped with fresh blueberries and blackberries. Everything was so delicious! Yum! The wine was a crisp white, Granbazan, Albariño, Etiqueta ambar and complex(?) Bai Gorri with aromas of freshly picked black fruits and spices. All I can say is double YUM!
Dessert!Leaving the winery.
We made it.
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The arch cathedral basilica has historically been a place of pilgrimage on the Way of St James since the Early Middle Ages and marks the traditional end of the pilgrimage route. The building is a Romanesque structure, with later Gothic and Baroque additions
And since we didn’t ride today, I am not tired. Karen, Phil and I have dinner this evening at A Curtidoria. A restaurant serving classic Spanish rice dishes with Galician ingredients plus fish and meat in an elegant venue.
My hotel for the next few days. The Parador de Santiago de Compostela is one of the oldest and most luxurious hotels in Spain. It is in the Plaza del Obradoiro next to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, one of the most visited cathedrals in the world, and has witnessed the passage of thousands of pilgrims over the centuries. It began as a Royal Hospital with the Catholic Monarchs to offer them shelter and today it’s known as Hostal dos Reis Católicos.Pilgrims everywhere. Plaza del Obradoiro is the main square of Santiago de Compostela.It is formed by the meeting of the south facade of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Casa da Parra, Monastery of Saint Pelagius of Antealtares and Casa da Conga.The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Today, we’ll enjoy a boat trip to the beautiful Cies Islands, often called the “Galician Caribbean” due to their pristine white sand beaches. Giving our butts a well deserved rest! These islands were a refuge for pirates back in the day and are currently an uninhabited paradise. There are no cars, no hotels, no bikes and the number of visitors each day is restricted.
Natural paradise in the Vigo estuary, the Cíes Islands are part of the maritime-terrestrial Natural Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. This archipelago is made up of three islands: North or Monteagudo, Del Medio or do Faro, and South or San Martiño. The first two are linked by the sandy area of Playa de Rodas and a breakwater. The Cíes Islands were declared a Natural Park in 1980 and included in the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia created in 2002.
I also have to do laundry this morning. Some pictures of my walk to SpinTUB at 8AM. Back in plenty of time to catch the boat.
View—walking down to SpinTUB. Beautiful marina at the bottom of the hotel fortress.They have these rings outside of the stores to hook your dog’s leash on. Very dog friendly.SpinTUB. Seemed clean. It was easy enough to figure out. And for any who have ever followed my past blogs, there were actual dryers—machines that tumbled with heat. What a luxury!Morning view of our hotel from the marina/street level.Fortress walkway.Still on fortress walkway. Almost there. 7,500 steps later and it is only 9:30AM.We are walking down to board the boat.Are we worried? ; )Lunch with our captain. It was delicious!A walk on the island after lunch. Our view of the Atlantic from Spain.Delaware and New Jersey are just behind us. Latitude here is about 40 degrees.Our captain, Havier, and our sailboat. Putting up the sails. Sailboat about 30 feet.We were on the boat all day. Getting tired.The end of our boat trip. We had a good time. Seas a tad rough.All of my island photos were taken on Illa Do Norte Ou De Monteagudo.
Coastal ride today. 38.4 miles, 1613 feet above sea level, 98% paved. For full disclosure, I skipped the first seven miles because I thought it was going to rain. Never rained so I hopped on the bike at the first rest stop.
PS The ride was great, but 98% was not paved . . . ; )
More about The Camino de Santiago. It is more than just a popular route; it’s a globally cherished treasure. Since 1993, Camino has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an impressive endorsement! With its various paths, each offering a distinct charm, the Camino attracts seekers, adventurers, and pilgrims from all corners. Today most of our journey was along the coast. Views stunning.
Along the journey this morning. Other pilgrims. Great view of the Atlantic Ocean from this side. The sheep a bonus. The boat ride from Portugal 🇵🇹 to Spain. 🇪🇸 To hop back on the journey.First lunch in Spain. Delicious!One of the unpaved sections. ; )Along the Camino pass. Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Oya.Inside the monastery chapel.A candle for loved ones we have lost.
A mix between a medieval castle and a Galician stately home, our hotel for the next two nights—the Paradores Baiona, offers regal and elegant rooms carefully decorated that takes you back in time to another age. The current Paradores occupies the site of the old fortified town of Baiona, founded in 1497 by the Catholic Monarchs. Its strategic position made it a key factor in the wars between England and Spain.
The Paradores Baiona as we arrived.Picture closer up.View from the hotel before dinner.
Very nice dinner. Another exciting adventure. To bed; I’m tired.
Today, up the river, back down the river. Hopefully kinda flat. 37 miles, 2,439 feet above sea level, 98% paved—I have an app. ; )
Part of breakfast—delicious!Locals we met along this morning’s ride.Here we are with another local, Manuel (on the Juliette balcony), getting ready to cross the new bridge, further north from the original Romanesque bridge, he is trying to sell us his home. It looks gorgeous!Church of Santo Antonio da Torre Velha. At the foot of the original bridge. Beautiful.Today we got to ride across the bridge. I really wanted to ride the bike across this bridge!! You can see the Church of Santo Antonio da Torre Velha on the left.Selfie on the bridge.Karen and I posing on the bridge.Karen and Phil on the bridge.
Weather perfect. Ok, so we had a slight glitch . . . Karen’s bike had no electric. We had a slight delay in Barcelos to try to fix a software issue. The battery was not the problem.The bike had to be left in Barcelos for the day to rectify the issue. Karen and I split the riding today and everything worked out fine. Bike back, hopefully fixed; tomorrow is another day. 🤞 for decent weather.
And we’re off! Leaving Bracelos now.Karen cruising. Phil and I getting ready to take off after a short break.
Next stop was Ponte de Lima. It is one of the most characterful and charming towns of northern Portugal.
The town sits on the slow-flowing Lima River, and has been the primary river crossing since the Romans constructed a bridge here in 1AD.
Ponte de Lima is also one of the oldest towns in Portugal, and this is reflected delightful assortment of medieval houses, pretty plazas and ancient religious buildings found throughout the town.
Jardim Adelino Sampaio in Ponte de Lima.The main symbol of Ponte de Lima, that together with the river that names the town, is its bridge. In reality, it’s a composite formed by two bridges: a medieval part, which is bigger, starting on the left bank of the river and stretching to the church of Santo António da Torre Velha and beyond, for the length of two more arches. After that, starts the roman part of the bridge. It is only five arches long, starting from the big arch already lying on the old, dry riverbed.Both classified as buildings of public interest, just like the wall connecting both towers, the tower of Cadeia Velha and the tower of S. Paulo (that was also once known as Tower of Expectation and Wicket Tower) are the most prominent witnesses of what is left of the old wall of Ponte de Lima, which, besides the walled structure, was composed by towers and doors, a group of buildings erected during the reign of Pedro I, in the 14th century.Our final rest stop today, the town center of Ponte de Lima.Ponte de Lima. Last picture before we head off to our hotel. Only five miles to go!Only five miles to go! Last leg for the day.We made it!! Our hotel — Paco de Vitorino. The Paço de Vitorino has its origin in the 16th century, having been completely rebuilt in the 18th century. It is now restored, and opens the door to tell us its stories… On the very bank of the Lima River, a family house opens to us, offering a relaxed and sophisticated countryside environment
Great dinner here at the hotel, now I am off to bed. Tired. My butt is not too sore, but I feel it in my legs. 😬
My breakfast for the last two days. Croissant, yogurt with strawberries and granola, a medium latte.Plus fresh squeezed orange juice and eggs benedict with salmon. It was delicious but I couldn’t figure out how to order separately—could only eat half of all of this!The Porto Cathedral (Portuguese: Sé do Porto) is a Roman Catholicchurch located in the historical center of the city of Porto. It is one of the city’s oldest monuments and one of the most important local Romanesque monuments.Down-home pastries. We sampled a few.More pastries.Pilgrims from Portugal, mainly Lisbon and Porto, have traditionally taken this route. These two beautiful UNESCO World Heritage cities remain popular starting points for the Camino Portugués, though you can begin your journey at any point along the route. This is the route we will be taking by bike.Our walking group today. Today we dedicated to old town. L to R: our guide, me, two recent university grads from the UK and a nice young couple from the UK, but currently living in Germany. Great group.Vila Nova de Gaia is a city immediately facing Porto across the Duoro river. Half of these people were from yesterday’s walking tour. Don’t ask me who. Our guid met up with his friend at the end of our tour and we took a combined group picture/selfie. : )
Tomorrow we head out for our bike trip. Still keeping 🤞for good weather!
Right around the corner from my hotel, a flea market. So much fun to walk around.Where I met my group. The fountain in front of the University of Porto.Clerigos tower — baroque tower in Porto.Picture perfect walking day!It was kinda hot — 72 degrees(ish). And I am in black! And sweating.Iron bridge. Designed by a student of Gustave Effel.You can kinda see another iron bridge in the background. This one was designed by Gustave Effel.On my way back to the hotel. Igreja do Carmo — church in center of Porto
Dinner this evening — Oficina, Porto. Out of this world delicious!
A view into the kitchen.Tuna with celery purée and seasonal vegetables.With a great Spanish red and a tawny port—Rozes Colheita, 2011, matured in wood, Porto.Port paired perfectly with my petit gateau de caramelo and caramel salted ice cream.
Tomorrow I meet my biking group. 🤞 for good weather over the next few days.
I had a really great time in Madrid. It was wonderful to see Julie and Julian. We had fun. I feel like I saw and did a lot during my short three day stay.
So now I am on my way to Porto for the bike trip. I think I gain an hour back in Portugal. Hoping for decent weather!
I’m flying Iberia Airline. The flight is one hour and 15 minutes. The Iberia lounge. Good selection of beverages and food. Nice and clean, lots of stations to hook up electronics.
Arrived Porto on time. It was easy. I’ll have some Porto posts tomorrow.
Dream to Travel from NCM 