Day 7 Castro Daire - Vila Pouca

Today started with some grim news. Germany was putting Portugal on the red list - any Germans who stayed in Portugal after a few days time would order into two weeks quarantine on their return. Apparently Merkel was annoyed at the Portuguese government's refusal to obey orders and ban British tourists so Portugal had to be punished. We can't allow these small countries to think for themselves...

So, it's a problem. If Germany puts Portugal on the naughty step, then the BBC who, unlike Portugal, always follow the EU line, will start criticising Britain for not following suite. And Boris will feel under pressure to do what he is told to do. So there is a chance Portugal will turn red.

So, decision. It's 6 days walk to the border and 7 days from there to Santiago. If I skip the central part, leaving a few pages for stamps in my credencial, then I can walk from the border into Santiago. Then, when I have a week to spare, I can nip back. So today it's all about getting to the nearest town on the way which has a covid test centre - apparently one needs a test to enter Spain. 10 minutes of frantic browsing tells me the sensible place to get to tonight is Lamego. It's a Saturday but there should be somewhere to get a test.

But first a walk. It's only a few km but when I come back I want to start somewhere different from Castro Daire. First I go and take a photo of the famous fountain at Castro Daire. Castro Daire has a reputation for the best water and, although the fountain doesn't look great the water certainly tastes cool and clean.

Then it's a gentle walk out of Castro Daire and into the countryside where I meet cattle wearing the most bling cowbells ever.

Then to a nice little restaurant / bar in Vila Pouca - with a great garden - from where I can take a taxi to Lamego.

It feels a little strange to be whizzing past part of the camino but I comforted myself with the fact that I will re-start the camino, when I come back, at Vila Pouca.

Lamego is a nice town. I'd booked into a little hotel at which I seem to be the only guest. The hotelkeeper had no real English but we communicated by mime and I headed off into town to find somewhere for a covid test. By chance, the tourist information office was open and the woman there sent me to a testing centre. It was closed - of course - but there was time for a drink at a bar in the main square.

When the testing centre opened, the staff of one - a young woman who is receptionist, accountant and tester - was unconvinced that one needs a test. She explained that her boyfriend works on the border with Spain and nips across to get his petrol because it is cheaper there. Technically though, one is meant to have a test, so I hand over my €25 and get a stick shoved. up my nose in response.

Then it was a free afternoon. There is a sanctuary on top of a hill in Lamego, the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, reached by an over-the-top Baroque staircase of 686 steps. Had to be done.

Of course, by the time one has gone up and down those steps, it is definitely time for another drink or more. I can thoroughly recommend the A Presunteca de Lamego which has nice seating on the side of the hill of the sanctuary.

Dinner was back at Augusto's Tapas & Wine Bar in the main square where I had had lunch. I tried to get into a couple of recommended restaurants but, it being Saturday night, everywhere was fully booked. One was quite rude which was unnecessary.

Still, the sunset put on a good show.

And then it's back to the hotel and I make the mistake of drinking spirits in the hotel bar. It's all a bit surreal.