starting from Lisbon is September 6th

[steve balfern]

Hi I am starting from Lisbon on 6th Sept 2015. I have read that Lisbon to Oporto can be very quiet. Anyone else heading off this time?
Steve

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Steve,
You will probably be alone a lot, at least till Porto. The "we love the caminho from Lisboa" group here on the forum will be interested in hearing how it goes for you. If you have the guides we've done (downloadable in the resources section of the forum, one for Lisboa to Porto, the other from Porto to Santiago), I think you'll be able to find your way without much difficulty. The marking is getting better and better, the route is getting more and more off road, and the Portuguese people remain friendly, helpful, and warm. I hope you have a wonderful caminho! Laurie

 

[steve balfern]

Thanks Laurie,
Last year I just turned up at st Jean pdp and followed everyone else. I'll prepare a bit more this time. I'll have a look at the guides and get back to you if I have a question if thats okay.
Thanks again

Steve

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks Laurie,
Last year I just turned up at st Jean pdp and followed everyone else. I'll prepare a bit more this time. I'll have a look at the guides and get back to you if I have a question if thats okay.
Thanks again

Steve

Hi, Steve, since you won't have anyone to follow this time, it is probably a good idea to get some general sense of things. You'll still have plenty of opportunity for spontaneity, and you will have a lot of surprises and unexpected occurrence even if you have the guides, I'm sure. And the Lisbon cohort on the forum will jump in to answer any questions you care to ask. Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[steve balfern]

Hi, Steve, since you won't have anyone to follow this time, it is probably a good idea to get some general sense of things. You'll still have plenty of opportunity for spontaneity, and you will have a lot of surprises and unexpected occurrence even if you have the guides, I'm sure. And the Lisbon cohort on the forum will jump in to answer any questions you care to ask. Bom caminho, Laurie

Yes I agree. Goodness knows where Id end up if I just 'set off' like I did on the St J.
Do you know if there is much Spanish spoken, my portugese isnt great.

 

[peregrina2000]

Yes I agree. Goodness knows where Id end up if I just 'set off' like I did on the St J.
Do you know if there is much Spanish spoken, my portugese isnt great.

Hi, Steve,
Very few Portuguese people speak Spanish, but most can understand it. Unfortunately, if you speak to them in Spanish, they will respond to you in Portuguese, and you will not understand it. Even my Brazilian friends frequently have trouble understanding continental Portuguese. But do not despair, because English is very widely spoken, much more so than in Spain. I wouldn't worry about communication, because the Portuguese people are friendly and kind, and you will be able to communicate in one way or the other, I'm certain.

 

[steve balfern]

Hi, Steve,
Very few Portuguese people speak Spanish, but most can understand it. Unfortunately, if you speak to them in Spanish, they will respond to you in Portuguese, and you will not understand it. Even my Brazilian friends frequently have trouble understanding continental Portuguese. But do not despair, because English is very widely spoken, much more so than in Spain. I wouldn't worry about communication, because the Portuguese people are friendly and kind, and you will be able to communicate in one way or the other, I'm certain.

Thats good to know. Thanks for your help

 

[cj2003]

You might need a list of accomodatiins as well - and if you really want to plan a lot, you might be able to use some of the maps on the second sheet of this list

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...gues-route-monacal-coastal.35534/#post-335936

 

[steve balfern]

Thanks for that. Good to have on my phone

 

[Albertinho]

Hi, Steve,
Very few Portuguese people speak Spanish, but most can understand it. Unfortunately, if you speak to them in Spanish, they will respond to you in Portuguese, and you will not understand it. Even my Brazilian friends frequently have trouble understanding continental Portuguese. But do not despair, because English is very widely spoken, much more so than in Spain. I wouldn't worry about communication, because the Portuguese people are friendly and kind, and you will be able to communicate in one way or the other, I'm certain.

I never had any problems speaking Spanish-Castellano - in Portugal and allways found what I wanted.
In the meantime started a study Brasilean Portuguese so during the last caminho earlier this year it was no real issue anymore because I more and more recognize the differences between Portuguese and Castellano.
By the way the grammatics are almost the same..almost..

 

[steve balfern]

I was in madeira earlier in the year and found Portugese easy to understand when it was written but, with many words completely different from Spanish, I kinda lost my way and ended up talking (mostly) nonsense. Gestures and hand signals will get me by hopefully

 

[Albertinho]

I was in madeira earlier in the year and found Portugese easy to understand when it was written but, with many words completely different from Spanish, I kinda lost my way and ended up talking (mostly) nonsense. Gestures and hand signals will get me by hopefully

I can imagine at Madeira of all places. The Portuguese word for dialect is "sotaque"
I was following some friends of us on the internet staying at the Açores the other day and downloaded the news of the Açores on my ipad so among others knew about the weather .
They used some other words as in Portugal. Even Brasilean Portuguese is different or the Portuguese spoken on Cabo Verde or Angola or Moçambique.
The Portuguese people in Portugal do understand you if you speak Castellano.

 

[steve balfern]

That's reassuring. Its the same in the UK. Some of the local accents are very different from standard English. They had to put subtitles for a scottish comedy television show when it was shown in England!

 

[vicbondo]

Hello Steve
My name is Paul. My wife and I are leaving lisbon on the 5th by bicycle. We are old and slow so you my see us in a ditch or stream on the way.

BOM CAMINHO! Paul

 

[Albertinho]

That's reassuring. Its the same in the UK. Some of the local accents are very different from standard English. They had to put subtitles for a scottish comedy television show when it was shown in England!

Howay man ! I used to visit many years friends in Geo'dy land..Sunderland Howay the lads.
I agree with you. Many different dialects.