A couple of nights ago we arrived in a family run the albergue in the village of Albergaria-a-Nova. We had walked a long day, much of it in the sun and were tired, the daughter was checking in another pilgrim so I lowered myself to the nearest seat with an enormous sigh!

When it was our turn to be checked in we asked about where we might get dinner that evening and watch the match (Portugal were playing Spain in their first game of the World Cup and we thought it might be fun to join the locals) The young girl asked if we would like to join her family that evening for barbecue, we explained that I was vegan but that it wasn’t a problem I could eat salad etc.

It was a lovely sunny afternoon so after freshening up we sat in the garden drinking cold beer and sodas along with the other pilgrims staying at the albergue and we exchanged stories.

When dinner was ready the Valente family barbecue was joined by Jamie from Washington, married and living in Guatemala, who was biking the Camino, Cliff and Melanie from Colorado who are taken time out from traveling the world as house-sitters to walk the Camino, Phillipe a tall, thin Frenchman from Marseille, on his eighth Camino and Gabi from Spain. We feasted on delicious food, (they had prepared beans for me) drank wine and port, we talked, laughed and cheered on Portugal in support of our hosts.

It was a wonderful evening, a slice of life and a true Camino experience.