Up very very slowly. Hardly could move. Could walk a little bit better. Buffet breakfast at 8. We didn’t actually leave till after 10:30. Today’s still a long day but not as long as yesterday.
There’s something about still life with boats that I really love
Passed a wooden replica. Tina says it was supposed to be the the pinta I think but I’m not sure
I learned how to set my phone volume button to take the picture and I actually used it today. And of course I pushed the power button instead of the volume button so I’ve turned off my phone. Forget it eventually
Not only is Joana a good nurse and she wrapped my toe. She also had me turn my hat from inside out to the right way along the way.
Gorgeous beach walk on a promenade that everybody uses for bikes and whatever
Lots of spring flowers
Stopped for water since the bladder (not my body one) was empty and my water bottle was empty. We added on a bathroom break and then I had to get ice cream to please the cafe owner.
Further down the trail was a huge blue and white ceramic wall of fisherman scenes.
Stop for lunch at Albatroz in Povoa da Varzim recommended by a friend of Tina’s. She met us there. We had the 10.99 euro lunch special: chicken with soup, rice and potatoes, Vino verde option (I decided to live dangerously) and coffee. 2 euro extra for dessert. More food than I could eat.
Back on the trail
We decided to make a bet.. We all kick in a euro and first to have to use the pee tube wins. No one wants to win that one.
Lots of boardwalk today. Followed the ocean. Wildflowers in bloom everywhere.
Some guy used recycled plastic bottles to make wind spinner sculptures on the beach.
As the day went on the number of pilgrims got fewer and fewer until we were the only ones left. In a pretty deserted area we saw a sign pointing down a narrow lane for Cantinho dos Buzios. Perfect.. Just in time for a bathroom stop.
We did our obligatory purchase of water and ice cream and used the facilities. Everyone is extremely friendly wherever we go. They want to know where we are from and always wish us ‘Bao Caminho’ and carry on conversations we sometimes have to cut short so we can continue walking.
We walked and walked on we’ll maintained boardwalk thru dunes and farms and even the edge of a golf course. We soon were dancing to ‘Under the Boardwalk’ courtesy of Spotify.
More walking.
Nature called again with no options in site. Time for me to win the bet. With a guard on each side of me, one facing North one facing south to stop any straggler walkers, I pull out my pee tube. It actually worked, my faux make genitalia worked. Of course I remembered the sailors adage ‘pee to lee’. Joana was next. She never sailed so her shoes didn’t remain dry. Tina decided on the old squat method.
Feeling good again we were off. We already lost Cynthia but she kept texting so we knew she was safe ahead of us someplace.
We had a cobblestone path through the trees and it reminded us of The Wizard of Oz so we broke out into a rendition of ‘I’m off to see the wizard’.
We came to a crossroad each being about equidistant to our hotel.
Tina took the high road, Joana and I took the low road and we all arrived at the same time,
at 8:09. We broke our lateness record but then again we started late.
Somewhere between 15 and 16 mi today.
Very friendly hotel staff at Apulia Praia Hotel.
Andre and Evany checked in early and had our luggage upstairs (up elevator).
We were exhausted but not as bad as the previous day. We tried eating at the hotel but they were too crowded with a tour group so we went down the street to Forno and had a fabulous fish dinner, Robalo/sea bass for the table.
Then showered and sleep within seconds.