Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Ancora
Did not sleep well. Awoke around 3 or 4 and tossed and turned until 6:00 alarm. It takes me almost 2 hours for aches to subside so by 8:00 breakfast most of the aches are gone.
A lot of stress this morning about what hotels to change in the future dates to avoid being crowded into rooms together. We thought dormish style places would be okay before we left home, but now we realize they won’t work very well for us. I guess a resolution will have to wait for another time.
On our way about 9:20 .
Another beautiful day. Hopefully the expected rain this afternoon doesn’t happen.
I did repack my day pack to have my rain gear easily available.
Follow the river less than 2 miles before we made our first pit stop at a pastry shop along the way that had a Camino sign. I picked up a yummy raisin bread roll for later. The friendly ladies running the place offered their very beautiful stamp for our Camino passports.
I had to make a pee tube stop at 3 and 1/2 miles. How to find the right spot. It’s very open here but there were some trees I was heading for. When I got there I realized it’s the same spot everybody else uses.
I just saw a beautiful bird but by the time I got my phone ready to take it. He flew. I waited. He came back. I missed him. He didn’t come back. I left. I looked back. He’s sitting there again.
I found my bird again later. Got a shot. I’ll identify it later. My luck it’ll turn out to be a sparrow.
Keep passing marshmallow fields.
Quick lunch at a makeshift bar under a sail. One guy, one little food truck sort of and a window to order a few items and drinks. We had our own sandwiches we brought from breakfast so I ordered a fresh orange juice. Yummy but overpriced. As we were leaving he gave us a marker to write on the back of the truck. Everybody writes something as they leave. Legal graffiti, is that an oxymoron?
We are prepared for rain. I didn’t use my poncho thinking the wind would carry me away. I also have a rain jacket and pack cover. I opted for them and hope they work.
Tina put on her rain poncho then her backpack. What’s wrong with this picture?
Further down the trail it got too hot had to shed the rain gear. My p tube is getting a lot of use today. I lost everybody and when I checked the map I was way off the trail. But then again so was everybody. I guess it didn’t matter cuz we all met up together back on the trail. This part of the walk has almost no facilities of any kind.
Quick stop to eat my chocolate wafers.
Trying to arrange dinner and massage for arrival at the hotel while walking. Pilgrim multitasking.
I’m using the Camino Ninja app to navigate. I guess it has a few bugs since we ended up in a dead end in a farm field. We backtracked got on the other part of the trail, contrary to Mr. Ninja and met up with another pilgrim Joana had met earlier. Walked with her. Decided we didn’t like the cobblestone so now we’re taking another path that should meet up with the trail someplace in the future.
Walking through a jungle area. Two bikes come the other way and the woman has three loaves of bread down her shirt. I guess it works fine as a grocery bag.
Passed a little booth set up with cookies and water and even a Camino stamp and you just make a donation in the little box. So I got some Maria cookies left some money, stamped my passport and we’re on our way.
Last half hour to go a little heavier than drizzle but not much more. This time I’m using my fancy poncho jacket that I bought. It’s perfect. I don’t have to take off my pack and put on a jacket like I did earlier. I just throw it over everything. It’s great. There is an amazing small bridge over a brook but it was during the rain poncho business so I forgot to get a photo and it’s impossible to describe so it will remain in my memory for as long as that’s possible.
I scheduled a full body massage in an hour and a half. I hope I make it. We’re only supposed to be 30 minutes away and I have to arrive and shower. Should be ok.
Rough walking through cobblestone streets uphill and more uphill and more cobblestone uphill and then a little bit more uphill. Everybody helps along the way. Somebody stopped and looked it up for us and said yep you got to go out of town and up the mountain.
Just saw the most amazing bottle brush tree ever
30 minutes and still going uphill but it went from cobblestone to tarmac. We are almost there. 6 minutes to go. I don’t know if it’s 6 minutes at a snail’s pace. We’re pretty much down to snail.
Should arrive by 5:30. My massage is at 6:30 perfect!.
3 minutes to go more up up up up and rain coming. Trying to beat it. Finally arrive thru a welcoming arch to Quinta da Quinhas
Just over 15 miles.
A real quinta. Gardens with fruits and vegetables.. Wish I arrived earlier to enjoy them. I guess it will keep until tomorrow.
I have a spacious private room tonight. First stop
the shower. Only problem with the room is toilet seat is not attached. I’m told the part won’t arrive until tomorrow. Hopefully I don’t fall in.
My watch just told me I need a recovery day. It’s smarter than me. Head to my relaxing massage. We pre-ordered frozen dinners since we are far from restaurants (at least by foot) and don’t want to cook. I ate my lasagna dinner with Evany . It was actually very good. We followed it with tea and sweets. Everyone else had already retired to their rooms, can’t blame them, it was a long day.
Bed