Life's a Stitch

September 15: 22k+ (including a detour)

C's least favourite Camino day so far, but let's back up to last night, which was amazing. We experienced dramatic foreshadowing when it came to finding our accommodation, Ofirina B&B, using Google Maps. After walking through a beautiful but maze-like neighbourhood, a local landscaper walked us to our destination. 

There are no photos of our stay, so the good memories will be left to our hearts and minds. Host, Grace, has recently bought this house and started her business. She was just what you dream a B&B host should be: welcoming, friendly, helpful and generous. The bedroom was as described, the first one on this Camino, large enough to turn around in. There was some mapping confusion as to our next destination, so Grace took us to her Camino contact at a local cafe. 

Off we went as it started to rain. Not-so-Accuweather strikes again. This time I packed along my $5 survival umbrella. C, who refuses such extraneous items, fashioned his own, not without comments and looks by the locals.

They can't be too critical. I saw a woman using a large purse on her head for rain protection.

No boardwalks today. Most was on cobblestones through small villages with a fair bit of incline. Then came the trail through the forest that reminded us of home except for the trees, mainly oak and eucalyptus. Camino signage is getting better.

There are many bridges on this route, this one not so intimidating as the river ran fairly shallow.

The final section was not so good. Due to a typo in the host's email, Google Maps took us 5k out of the way in finding our off Camino accommodation. Five K off when C was feeling the heat to the point of illness. Got to get that boy on my electrolytes. One phone call and our host came to the rescue and all's well again.

Too tired from an exhausting day we resorted to backpack food for dinner: tuna pâté, the Portugeuse equivalent of cheese whiz and canned pimento. It worked. 

The good parts: a clothes washer, meeting a group of seven young Polish pilgrims (such energy!), and a magnificent sunset.

Hoping for a better day tomorrow.