It has no end - the Way to Santiago

My 115km walk began in Tui- yeah right! Just over the border from Portugal, in Spain, is Tui- I caught a train up from Porto and watched the green damp countryside pass me, as I wondered how I would manage , on my own, walking through unknown places, using the 8 words of Spanish I know.
The train stopped at Tui station, and it was miles from my starting point of the Cathedral - the ticket inspector got off at the same time and offered me a lift up the hill, and a cheerful 'Bon Camino' - have a good walk. My first experience of the kindness of strangers.
My official credential was stamped by a cathedral official ( at one fo the few churches open- more of that later) , and I set off towards the north, after asking a surprised policemen to take this photo.
Although I did not know it, this first day set a pattern- a short wander through town and city streets, always the old pathways or Roman road, winding past small holdings, hens, dogs, women in overalls and sturdy shoes carrying long loaves of bread, then a stop at a church or council offices to get the stamp, a search for a cafe or bar, then out into the country lanes again.
The kindness of strangers- an old woman held my arm in Porrino, and blessed me; an elderly Spanish farmer and his French speaking neighbour gave me a very fast and animated alternative route when the yellow arrows has been covered over by r0ad works. there was much hand waving - to the left, to the right, straight ahead, todo direto, and we parted happily, except when I got to the top of the hill, the French man shouted at me and pointed me in the right direction, Au revoir!Bon camino!
Bst of all, in a cafe, in Cabaleiros, where two old men smoked, played cards and listened to the TV, and the female owner shouted over the din, I had a cafe solo-espressocoffee. One of the old men came over to me, talked, gestured, and finally stumped over to the bar. He brought the grumpy boss over, with her stamp pad and stamp, and with a great flourish, asked for my credencial, and stamped it.
This was a very useful piece of drama, as I realised that I could collect these stamps from any establishment, not just churches and council offices- much easier to find a cafe, bar,or restaurant, and besides so many churches are not open because of theft and damage.
So my essential evidence of my progress , on a spiritual journey, looks much more like a journey through the bars of Galicia- which it is! But the staff at the pilgrim's office in Santiago accepted it happily- more of that later too.
The first day I sarted in Tui at 11am, and walked 17 km, through Ribadelouro and A Rocha, to O Porrino. Part were romantic country lanes, but the last 7 km were a long straight stretch through the industrail outskirts of Porrino, with heavy trucks swishing water up at me. I did not like being a pilgrim at all, and was very pleased to find the Praza San Sebastian, complete wth a spring where the locals came to fill drinking bottles, and a bar for me to have a cafe solo.