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• June 21st, 2014
• Agueda: Albergue Residencial Celeste (€10 for a dorm)
• Weather: Cool and rainy, 23 degrees

I woke to the sound of a torrential downpour and remembered the weather forecast had said it would rain today. I was supposed to be getting up but decided to stay in bed until the rain had stopped or at least calmed down a bit. It was lovely and cool when I did finally leave (perfect walking weather) but the dark clouds lingered and I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up wet!

I almost wet myself when this dog jumped up!

Enjoying Portuguese tiles

I hadn’t decided where I was going to stay yet but when the heavens opened again for a very heavy and long downpour, I was lucky to be outside a cafe where I could take shelter. The downpour lasted ages and by the time it stopped I had convinced myself to stay in the town I was in rather than push on another 20km.

I checked into the albergue Residencial Celeste in Agueda (€10 for a dorm) and bumped into Joanna and the Frenchman Gigi. The albergue is on the outskirts of town with a supermarket nearby so Joanna and I decided to go to the supermarket and buy a salad for dinner. I bought eggs assuming there would be a stove in the albergue kitchen to boil them but it turned out there was only a microwave and kettle (no bowls). The albergue had only recently opened and they were yet to install a fridge and stove. The owner’s brother wanted to help me boil the eggs so thus begun a slightly long and painful episode of boiling 6 eggs in a kettle! I was sceptical but it worked!

2017 – the albergue now has a fully functioning kitchen and pilgrim lounge, it’s a great spot

It was a lovely dinner and relatively easy day.

Boiling eggs in a kettle!

The albergue owner’s brother who helped us boil our eggs!

Residencial Celeste Albergue, Agueda

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