Portuguese - Day 5 (8-Oct-2018): Ponte de Lima to Rubiaes (19.3km

We had pastry and coffee in our pensionne’s kitchenette and were walking by ~8am.  It was clear and cool so excellent for walking. We were in more rural walking conditions than previous days but still passed through small villages or clusters of farm houses.  Stopped after ~3km for a quick coffee and then continued. After ~8km we stopped for a sandwich at the last cafe we will see until our destination. Today also included the biggest climb of the Portuguese camino -- ~400m elevation gain from Ponte de Lima with most of that being in around 4km so pretty steep.  The final kilometer was a bit of a scramble up a trail to the summit and then downhill another bit until we were back on the rural tracks. The route continued downhill until our destination of Rubiaes - a small place with only two albergues and a little market/deli. We decided to stay at the municipal albergue and are in one of two rooms with 14 bunkbeds - fortunately we have bottom bunks as the place seems to be nearly full now.  For 2 euros we could run a load of wash so hung that out to dry on the line. We were told that there is a restaurant a half kilometer down the road so hope that’s true -- the day’s journey has worked up an appetite! We walked to the restaurant and each had a very large platter of food and shared a carafe of red wine. There were a lot of other familiar faces at dinner and we all had a good time. Now back in albergue getting ready for bed.

Restaurant full of hungry pilgrims

View of the albergue with laundry drying

Our dormitory - it was full but we did have bottom bunks

Pleasant descent in the shade

A steep and rough uphill bit

Nice bit under grapevines

Up and up

View of village across the way

And continues

The climb begins!

Stopping for early lunch

Walking between vineyards

Nice early morning coffee break

Statue & pilgrim

View from bridge looking upstream (east)

Morning view of the ancient bridge

Cindy in front of our place in Ponte de Lima