Like this everything started again:
Urse brought me with all the luggage and the giant bicycle box on a breakneck manner to the airport. The front head was sticking at the windshield screen.
At the checking my "luggage" was not accepted, because I put all my panniers in a garbage bag (extra strong). I had to get everything wrapped in plastic. Also my big red bag was included. It looked like a huge cocoon. Most important was, that it got accepted.
Everything arrived in time and save in Lisbon.
The advantage when you arrive at lunch time, you can take all the time you need. Very relaxed, in 42 minutes I had all assembled into a roadworthy bicycle.
and immediately I cycled into the city along the promenade.
I had a very nice welcome at Beate's and her families place. Due to the fact I've been in Lisbon a couple of years ago, have already seen all the highlights, and because I had itching legs, I took off again the next day.
Very nice along the river Tejo. There was a wonderful cycling path as well, which stopped suddenly and I had to find my path between the sandy beach and the railways until I found a subway. Going back was again no option.
Since I cycled to the far end of the Tejo's mouth, it was really quiet. There is nothing going on anymore. There were even enough space for a bicycle path again, although this wouldn't have been necessary. Further on it was more often the case, if there was nothing going on the road, there were the best bike paths. At least I was able to continue on the sea side of the road, a few meters better views.
Afterwards there were high cliffs, I had to climb long high mountains. This was not what I needed on my first day with all the luggage. Sometimes you have no choice. A young lady wanted to give me a lift in her Mini Cooper. I must have made a very slack impression, which was not so misguided.
Then I got to the pretty fishing village of Ericeira.
There was even a camp ground which was just as cheap as everything else here.
Finally back to sleep in a tent, it was like coming home.
Even if it was not wild camping. Cause of the many bush fires it is not allowed here.
Next day I continued over the cliff.
because of the view and because everything flourished so brightened, it was quite bearable.
Although it was very quiet this time of year yet, I tried to avoid the Route Nationale. Thus, even this not very spectacular cycling in Europe was a bit exciting.
At first the shortcut have chosen, was quite OK. It was a narrow road with many stones, then there were parts with sand, always a 100m long pushing stage.
and as usual, if it is already bad, it gets even worse. Suddenly I was standing in front of a puddle / mud hole
Looked really interesting. After 1-2 meters I was lucky enough to turn into the bushes.
It took quite a while, until I reached a little town only a few kilometers further. However, it was a wonderful track, where I was bitten by mosquitoes, at least it was a touch of adventure.
Then just up the hill again and off on luxury good bike paths that were just as empty as the road aside.
It was almost idyllic how it went through the caoutchouc forests.
The villages were getting prepared for the big rush in a few weeks, new cycle paths are created and sprayed red.
It's not a very populated area here and the tourism seems the only source of income. Therefore it's also worthwhile to prepare the nice villages. Costa Nova, for example, all houses are striped lengthwise.
Then I was immediately in the historic center of Porto
A couple of years ago I've been already here and again I liked it very much. I could have sworn that we had been in Porto at a campground, but the lady in the tourist office said there is no camping. Well then, she should know it, no contradiction. Too bad I couldn't stay here very long, didn't matter very much with the bike you've seen everything very quickly.
Catia and Pedro had already told me also that after Porto there is as well a beautiful bike path and that you are allowed to ride on the timber paths.
That was really great, so that the dunes are protected, there are over kilometers this way.
Unfortunately at one time this was over again, and I had to go over 30-40km on cobble stone, pretty annoying. There is no possibility to ride fast on it. Then a headwind came up, I had problems with my stove, which I wanted to solve finally, and Pedro has meant Viano do Castello is a beautiful city. So I decided to finish the day in this city, not bothering the rapid drop of my average number of kilometers. :-)
It was a good decision, because even if you are "only" cycling there are always plenty of other things to do.
At the next day I was faster than expected at the border to Spain. With a ferry I could easily cross the river. Luckily I still had to wait half an hour so I could write the last postcard with a Portuguese postage stamp.
Unbelievable how the landscape changed on the other side of the river in Spain. For the first kilometers it was over with sandy beaches only cliffs, beautiful and picturesque.
Quickly I was in Baiona, a small seaside town, which I liked quite well.
Behind the port there were the first serious mountains. They probably already belong to the Pyrenees.
Over these and some others, I had to ride, not very far, and I was in Santiago de Compostela!
It was quite late in the evening when I arrived there. The daylight is very long , you don't notice how late it actually is. At some point, you are just so tired that you only want a place to sleep, as it was the case here.
For now, my interest in the cathedral was very limited, simply a place to sleep was more needed. At first I walked through the narrow streets
to the tourist info, there I've quickly decided to spoil me with a hotel in the city.
The next day I had a closer look to the historic center. At 11am the cathedral was already packed full, more than at Christmas at home. Everywere there were backpacks laying around.
The city was full of pilgrims,
young and old,
but each made a really happy impression, that they reached this holy place. In front of the place they could get their certificate they had to queue up for hours. I imagined already that it looks like this along the whole Camino.
Santiago is a beautiful and interesting city, but with all the pilgrims I had enough after one day. On Friday the 13th May further I went further.
