Day 2 - May 9th: A Taste of Adversity
Day 2 started with fair skies and a perfect 60 degrees, waking up in my own bed in Vila Nova de Gaia. Since I only ran 21 miles on the first day, it made sense to head home for the night, see Monica, and grab one last dose of normal before the full plunge.
Last night turned out to be more memorable than planned. Monica and I ended up hanging out with one of our neighbors, a 29-year-old film director who just had his first success with a film picked up on Max. What was supposed to be an early night turned into a late one, with a few bottles of wine, a late dinner, and the kind of conversation that feels like a proper send-off. No regrets.
We packed up this morning for the final time and headed back to my tap-out point, arriving at 10am, right on schedule. My plan was to run another 15-20 miles and reach Barcelos.
By now, the clouds rolled in as well as a cool westerly wind coming off the Atlantic. After a few miles, I met a pilgrim named Micah. He had the fresh energy of someone just starting out, so I stopped running to chat. He’s a 21-year-old from Syracuse University, doing his first solo Camino, and already learning the hard lessons. Like many Americans abroad, he assumed Venmo worked everywhere until he tried to pay at his hostel last night and realized they had no idea what it was. He ended up borrowing €35 from some Irish pilgrims who, in classic Camino spirit, were happy to help him out.
Turns out, the coincidences ran deeper. He has a Brazilian girlfriend, is Jewish like me, had a Bar Mitzvah like I did, and his dad is a David Greenberg, my age, who grew up in Cherry Hill, the next town over from where I grew up in Voorhees, New Jersey. Who would have thunk!
Around noon, the rain came in hard, driven by a cold wind, giving Jax and me our first taste of adversity. We had been running past numerous pilgrims earlier, but as the weather turned, the trail emptied out. Jax loved it, though. I let him off leash for a while—something I don’t often do because he has a knack for finding trouble. He ran through woods, fields, and trails, completely in his element. At one point, he came up lame, and my heart skipped a beat. Turned out to be a thorn in his front left paw, which I pulled out, and he was back at it without a limp.
The sun broke through in the afternoon as we approached Barcelos, a beautiful town perched on a hill overlooking the Cavado River. I ran through the historic center, passing a brightly colored ceramic rooster—the iconic symbol of Barcelos and Portugal, representing good luck, justice, and faith, inspired by a legend about a pilgrim saved from execution by a rooster.
We’re staying at a small hotel called Top H’Otel, right by the river. Christina found a Thai restaurant that opens at 6:30, which is basically a miracle for Europe. Perfect ending to Day 2.
Thanks for the support.
Cheers,
David.
The most important packing items…13 pairs of running shoes.
Shoe change time!
