Peter Ball is …….

Bob and I slept in the same bed last night. We both miss Val. Its a strange feeling being in the house alone. I feel quite lonely. That’s not a new emotion for me, I’ve been there before; I can handle it, I just don’t like it.

I read today that people who keep a journal/diary are much less likely to suffer from dementia. 

As you may know over a long time I’ve tried to keep this blog going. I don’t find it easy keeping a diary. Lol, my life isn’t that interesting. I have several blogs on blogger. see https://peter-ball.blogspot.com/

We are thinking about our friend Susan in Seattle who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Our hopes are with her.

Val has gone to York to see Lizzie and the family. Lizzie recently had an accident and broke her ankle which has stopped her, James and William coming down to Norfolk to see us and the rest of the family. I’m here to keep an eye on Bob 🙂

This Christmas day I will be doing social work helping to give a good day to people who are less fortunate, homeless people, lonely people and others

I will be on the door of the kings centre welcoming people between 10.00 and 14.00

After Val and I had visited the houses of parliament we found a restaurant for lunch then walked to Tate Britain.

The Tate is on the embankment and is very different to its partner Tate Modern. I took a few pictures. We had a good visit and will be back

Interesting fact just revealed. Those of us who went through sugar rationing at the end of the second world war appear to have less health issues than those who  have grown up with sugar. What does that tell you?.

Sugar’s the problem

I’ve been a member of the ZOE programme for quite a considerable time. In Dec last year I signed up to a programme where they test me on a 3 monthly basis. The initial test is for blood sugar and testing poo for microbes positive and negative.

I had tests done in Dec 24, April 25, July 25 and this month Oct 25. The results have been very interesting. Currently ZOE tell me I have 33 out of 50 good bacteria (that they have identified). The bad bacteria has risen to 11 out of 50 (5 up from last time)

2025 Oct 20th

Today my newest purchase from vinted arrived. A pixel 10 pro XL. It arrived in a box that hadn’t been opened and I’m very pleased with it because I got it at about 400 pounds under list price.
The setting up process is absolutely so simple unlike phones of 10 years ago. It simply speaks to the phone that you’re replacing via Wi-Fi and transfers everything that you want it to. The only bit that needed extra work was anything to do with banking.
It’s not a good day weather wise it’s rained most of the day so far which means it’s been a good day to set up a new phone

We recently went to Porto to walk part of the Portuguese Camino. Here’s our record/blog. Mostly written by Val. You can click on the pictures to see them in better detail if you wish. I hope you enjoy reading it. Part 2 is planned for Feb/March 2026

Day 1 Arriving in Porto 2025 Sept 29th

 We were excited to travel to Porto and to begin our Camino after 7 months of planning and preparing. 

We landed in Porto at about 11.30 a.m. and after consulting Google maps, then seeking advice from an airport employee, we were quickly directed to the correct metro platform. Payment was easy, using card or phone. 

The 40 minute journey was interesting ,as our first view of this part of Portugal. Once we left the metro (Bolhao stop) it was only a few minutes to our accommodation, which was in a busy shopping street!

We  arrived at 1 p.m. and dropped off our small suitcase then headed for the city. After watching Michael Portillo’s programme, we were keen to sample  the white wine and small fish plates in the market, which wasn’t far from our accomodation. This was a great experience. The weather was beautiful  & we quickly fell in love with Porto. 

We collected our Credencials (pilgrim passports) at the Cathedral then it was time to check into our room. 

After a breather we headed out for our evening meal. After a stroll downhill to the old part of the city we found a cafe that look suitable & we sat in an outside area, entertained by a kids’ martial arts class then a busker. 

I had the local rice & seafood soup, Peter had sardines. At the next table were a couple from the Peak district who had just spent 2 weeks helping friends on an olive farm. 

On returning to our room, it was still busy outside with shoppers, a saxophone busker and people enjoying the bars and cafes. Not exactly tranquil but the noise stopped eventually and we slept well enough. 

Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Day 2 From Porto to (just past) Matosinhos.

 We had arranged for our small suitcase to be transferred to each destination by Pilbeo (7 euros per day) so our case had to be in reception by 8 a.m. 

We had coffee and a snack  for breakfast, at a cafe next to the hostel  while chatting to an Australian man. 

The route started from the Cathedral & cut down to the river. There followed a long stretch alongside the river, past the police training building, vintage trams and the famous bridge. We finally reached the coast and treated ourselves to a coffee stop, and enjoyed some banter with a group of young Australians. 

We were pleased to arrive in Matosinhos and visited Tourist Information to gain our first stamp (after the Cathedral). We were tired and hot so popped into Matosinhos market for a lunch break: beer and tasty wraps with aircon! Just what we needed and good value. 

We had a lovely afternoon of beach walking. We didn’t see many pilgrims, until we crossed the bridge just after Matosinhos; then there was quite a procession!

We continued on to our accomodation, Casa Velha, arriving just after 3pm. We had ‘nagged’ Pilbeo when they seemed to have forgotten our bag (it contained a tracker) but we were reunited at around 4 p.m. 

It was a little cool along the sea front & it was typical for restaurants to open for the evening at  7 or 7.30 pm. So, we had a drink to watch the sun setting then headed to a kebab place! Peter wisely chose a vegan burger while I enjoyed most of my Lahmacun kebab, all washed down with a bottle of red!!

Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Day 3 To Vila do Conde

 We left Casa Velha at about 8 a.m, alongside an American couple who we started chatting to: Susan and Steve Jones from Seattle!! 

There were lovely views of the beaches as we walked with the rolling Atlantic waves. 

They are a lovely couple & had walked the Camino Frances 8 years before, but Susan was dealing with Thyroid cancer (1 month post op) and a very recent broken toe. We walked and talked so the miles passed by easily. We had  a longish coffee stop then arrived at Vilo do Conde at about 2 p.m. 

We enjoyed a delicious sardine lunch together on the riverside, close to our accommodation. Susan and Steve went on to their accommodation; a 10  minute walk uphill. 

Once we had checked in and had a rest we explored the  town: the aqueduct, the convent/hotel & the square & church. Finally we had a little walk along the river then a nightcap at one of the restaurants. 

Thursday, 2 October 2025

Day 4 Vila do Conde to Apulia

 As usual, we were out of our room by 8am and wandered up the hill to meet with Susan and Steve. 

We left Vila do Conde and again reached the coast, plenty of boardwalking today. 

We  reached a point with toilets, a distance marker etc where several pilgrims paused, took photos and exchanged  a few words. 

We met up with a young German, Sebastian. Steve walked ahead with him. 

Meanwhile, I had spotted a good review of a restaurant in Agucadoura, called Cafe Maranhao. To access the cafe meant turning off the main path, towards the village. Although we tried to attract Steve’s attention, he did not take the turn off.

The lunch certainly lived up to the reviews: a pilgrims’ menu for 15 euros each: soup, omelette (or other choices), salad & chips, served with wine, followed by a delicious chocolate and ice cream dessert then coffee and a coffee liqueur!. The French couple running it were delightful. Definitely our best lunch.

We sat next to a couple from Norway & Denmark. (Susan’s grandmother was Norwegian). 

We hit the trail again  and were very relieved to see Steve sitting & waiting for us. The afternoon walk seemed quite long & headed away from the coast through  delightful woodland. We finally reached our accommodation ( House of Pilgrims D’Apulia). We had a lovely welcome from the host. Susan & Steve were able to wait there for an Uber to their accommodation for the night. 

We strolled to the seafront then ate at a tapas bar, eating some small plates between us, which proved more filling than expected. 

The accommodation was ok, apart from a broken shower & quiet, apart from people using the shared bathroom! 

Friday, 3 October 2025

Day 5 From Apulia towards Viana do Castelo

 Everywhere was shrouded in mist as we set off along the boardwalk. We expected to meet up with Susan and Steve en route as they had been staying in Eposende. However, we received a message from Susan saying that Steve had gone down with Covid. They had decided to stay at their hotel so that he could recover and she could work on writing her books!

Our walk soon brought us to the outskirts of Eposende, where we found a nice little gift shop. We bought a few small items then a little further on we came to a good coffee stop. 

The day brightened up  and much of the first part of the walk was on beach side, sometimes on sand, sometimes on boardwalks and sometimes on tracks through the dunes. It always felt companiable having other pilgrims walking nearby There were no pit stops so when a lunch stop was required we took a left up to Belinho, where there were cafes along the roadside. 

We chose one that had a good value pilgrim menu: soup, chunky breaded fish fillets with salad and fried potatoes with beer then a choice of cake and coffee, all for 9 euros each. There were several other pilgrims, including the Norwegian/Danish couple from the day before!

We continued along the route to our accommodation, which involved a lot of street walking, mostly uphill. The last mile is always the longest and we were pleased to see an oasis in the form of a supermarket/cafe. The ice cream and cold beer stop was much appreciated. Most of the other oilgrims were English for a change!

Finally we  arrived at Minho at Home, our favourite stop. The rooms were large, airy and clean, the hostess was delightful. She had even made  delicious chocolate cake for us! The property was in peaceful surroundings and included a beautiful garden. We had our best night’s sleep!

Saturday, 4 October 2025

Day 6 Through Viana do Castelo to Casa do Sorrio

 Breakfast was provided at Minho at Home. It included a good selection: yogurt with figs and granola, a choice of fresh fruit, croissants, rolls, cheese, ham and scrambled eggs were offered. We chatted with our host and another guest, from Taiwan. 

It was another misty start. We wended our way back towards the coast. We had a coffee stop then received an update from Susan. She was taking an Uber to meet us along the way, and walk together for a while; the Uber would then take Steve and their luggage to Viana do Castelo. After some online discussion and use of Glympse we achieved the rendez-vous at a cafe, a short distance before the bridge into Viana do Castelo. It was good to see Susan, and wave to Steve!

The day continued misty and drizzly. The walk over the bridge seemed to go on for ever, with a narrow pedestrian walkway and constant traffic. We headed for a cafe, again due to a positive review. The meal was fine, but it was oversold and not good value. Still, we were rested and nourished. The drizzle had turned into persistent light rain. My poncho was in the suitcase so when we popped into a small outdoor clothing shop ‘just to look’ I bought a lightweight waterproof jacket. It was bright orange so it was also useful protection near traffic, or for spotting me from a distance! A think that Viana do Castelo would be a good place to re-visit on a brighter day.

We walked on to our accommodation: a duplex on the edge of town, with a kitchenette. It was reasonable, the only disadvantage was  the steep stairs down from the bed to the bathroom. 

Sunday, 5 October 2025

Day 7 To Praia de Ancora

 This morning started brighter but the wind from the sea was cool. We stopped at a delightful coffee shack where we had some warming coffee. I also had a snack (breaded fish!) and added some clothes. We were joined by several South Koreans who  criss crossed along the path with us throughout the morning. 

The day warmed up and the walk was lovely, on a mixture of boardwalks and woodland tracks than ran parallel to the coast. We also saw a few forts. 

We had news that Susan would be walking with us so we headed to the road to meet up. My bright orange jacket helped her to spot us! We went on to Vila Praia de Ancora, a lovely seaside resort. Some of the restaurants were closed, as it was Sunday, but we found a popular restaurant in the square and enjoyed a lunch of salad and Pizza, along with a cold beer. From there, Susan continued to her next stop, in Caminha. We walked a short distance to our accomodation, Casa Ribeiro. We had a nice room in a quiet residential area. Most of the other residents were German. 

We had some energy left for a stroll, so we headed to the beach. I fulfilled my wish for a paddle but the Atlantic waves took me by surprise and I got more than my feet wet!

We promenaded with the locals, enjoyed a glass of wine  and chatted with a couple who live in Spain, though he was originally from Holland. We  returned to the square where we’d had lunch to enjoy coffee and crepes to round off our day.

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Location: 4910 Vila Praia de Âncora, Portugal

Monday, 6 October 2025

Day 8 to Vila Nova de Cerveira

 We had an early start from Casa Ribeiro with pleasant walking by the sea. There was a nice little chapel for our daily stamp. The walk was  a lovely miixture of paths along the coast and woodland tracks. We were joined for a short while by a man from Denmark, who had been advised to do spend a week or so walking to help with his recovery from PTSD. 

At about 10 a.m. we enjoyed a coffee stop in Caminha with Susan, and Steve. Steve was feeling much better. We met up with two other walkers, one from Halifax and one from Australia. 

This was where we said our farewells to Susan and Steve as they  were taking the ferry to Spain to complete their Camino but we were walking our last stretch, to Vila Nova de Cerveira, along the river. 

This part of the walk started along the road, then we found a track that crossed the railway line, to a park and track along the river. We found a seat to eat our breakfast of hard boiled eggs, then continued along the way. 

Not far from our hostel, we saw signs to a restaurant. We were tired and hot and it was a steep walk uphill to the restaurant. We  were relieved that it was  open. It proved a lovely site with a view of the church and a welcome breeze. We decided to treat ourselves to a long lunch to mark the end of our Portuguese Camino, for this year. 

After lunch, we headed downhill, then up again to our accommodation: The Pilgrim’s Rest. 

We were a little disconcerted to be informed that no shoes were allowed inside and unimpressed by the two small towels that we were given. When we found that there was no hot water we realised that this  didn’t matter!

Still, we joined the other guests, who were American and ebjoyed some time chatting and debating with them. Then it was time for our communal meal which was a delicious selection of vegetarian food. 

So, some pros and some cons to staying in something more like a hostel. 

Tuesday, 7 October 2025

Day 9 Back to Porto

 We left the hostel before 8. For a change, we were not leaving our suitcase at reception, but taking it with us. We made our way to the railway station. Thank fully it was all downhill this time. 

The station was unmanned and had seen better days but we were reassured to see our train was scheduled. We had time to walk up to the garage for coffee (twice!). It was possible to buy tickets online, via the Omio app or on the train, by card or cash. 

It was interesting re-tracting our steps of the previous 7 days. The journey took about an hour and 20 minutes. 

We dropped our case off at Change the World Hostel, did a small amount of souvenir shopping then headed back to the market for lunch. This time we treated ourselves to a meal at the vegetarian restaurant: a delicious tagine. We started with tasty spicy roast nuts and lupin seeds. 

We checked into our room then returned to the shopping area. We found an excellent , relaxing ,healthy eating cafe (Honest Greens) where we enjoyed iced coffee and I had banana bread. The food looked excellent and would be worth trying another time. 

We went to bed early to prepare for our early start but the street outside was even noisier than last time. The saxophone busker was replaced after a while, by a violinist. People were still chatting at the outside bars and cafes. Then there was the distant sound of clapping and drumming that grew louder and louder. Eventualy a procession passed by amidst more clapping and cheering. We assumed that they were football supporters. We probably managed a little sleep before the alarm went off at 2.a.m. 

Wednesday, 8 October 2025

Day 10 Back home

 Another walk downhill with the suitcase brought us to our bus stop for our 3 a.m. bus. We were surprised to learn that cards were not accepted on the bus, it was cash only, and we had no cash.

Thankfully the Camino spirit was still with us and two young ladies from the Czech republic lent us the 5 euros. 

We arrived in Stansted at about 10 a.m. and had our first experience of charging a Zoe away from home (while drinking over priced coffee!).

We arrived home at around noon and while unpacking and doing the laundry, began to process our Camino experience. We made the decision to spend more time doing things that we enjoy doing. 

We were keen to return to complete our Portuguese Camino in 2026 and within a few days, decided to return in early March. Flights were soon booked and the process of selecting accommodation began. 

Coming soon: Our Portuguese Camino Part 2!!