Often breakfast provided a great opportunity to meet other pilgrims also choosing this scenic route.
After walking for a few hours, it is time for a light lunch of crackers, spreads and fruit consumed with new friends at a resting point along the trail. These designated points were some of the most beautiful spots on the Camino, even if they were just big rocks on the coast.
At our destination each night, we would have a discounted "Pilgrims' Dinner." This was a set 3-5 course menu costing 12 or so euros (about the same in USD). These were some of the best meals I have ever had, such as Bacalao (salted cod) mac-n-cheese or a Francesinha (fancy meat sandwich served with a hot cheese sauce).
Astonished, I didn't go to Portugal or Spain expecting the variety and evident passion of the people here for their food. Especially not after a whole day of walking 30 kilometers! In the village of Apúlia, I had a pilgrim's meal of Bacalao mac-n- cheese which was so good that when the owner, an old Portuguese man, asked me for my opinion after dessert, I was physically compelled by elation to grab him by the arm and confessed this was the best thing I had consumed on my trip around the world. The man teared up.
In Portugal, nearly every shop is small and family-owned, showing a passion for trying to do something special. Owners often revive centuries-old recipes for inspiration, as in the case of the Bola De Berlim. Everything grows in Portugal with ease and abundance, and this allows people to create large and healthy home gardens.
