Life's a Stitch

24.5k (14.7 miles)

 

Our guesthouse in Labruge was comfortable, with a decent continental breakfast, which on the Camino can be toast and coffee. It’s always a bonus when there is cheese and meat on the table, but add in boiled eggs and it feels like a meal. They had an interesting solution to converting a tub to a walk in shower. 

Those crocheted toilet paper holders seem popular in Portugal this time.

 

I woke up at 5:00a.m., just like at home, but managed to go back to sleep. My alarm went off at 7:00 and it wasn’t raining, however with all the humidity our stuff was still damp. It amazing how much weight rain adds to your pack.

 

The first half of today was still along the coastal route we did last time. Most was familiar, but as our first stage was longer, everything was viewed in a different light of the day. It’s Sunday and there were many locals strolling the boardwalk, their town’s “cholesterol trail.” 

 

 

We walked into Vila do Conde feeling wilted, passing a huge fig tree in a garden. C asked the woman permission to pick some, she said to wait a minute, went into the house and returned with a bowl of washed fresh figs, indicating we could have as many as we want. Her English was excellent and we talked fig recipes – jam and chutney. Those sweet juicy figs replenished us enough to get into town.

 

Took a long break in Vila do Conde, then onto our diversion to the central Portuguese route. We had a lovely time walking through small villages while talking with a 45 year old German dentist. We left him at a higher end restaurant to enjoy his lunch.

 

 

It was a tough day. On our two prior Caminos, we took the first two days slowly. This time we went in full force, 23+k two days in a row. It was warm and difficult to stay hydrated.

 

Stopped for dinner, all C wanted was soup. It tasted like thickened Campbell’s chicken noodle with the addition of cabbage. I went for the pilgrim’s meal: same soup, generic meat (think it was beef), rice, potatoes, cabbage and fresh fruit salad. It was fuel for the body. We shared a delicious bottle of Portuguese wine.

 

Dinner was followed by a Google goose chase, where it sent us in circles, nowhere near our Air B&B destination. Not the first time. Then the excitement began.

 

We were looking forward to having a bath tub to soak away the pains of the day, however there was no hot water. The host returned and found a workaround that allowed us each a hot bath, luxurious after our first two days on the trail. When we drained the tub the second time the apartment flooded. It was as if we had tried to fill last night’s bath tub. The host came again to continue our efforts, sopping up the water with mops and towels.

 

He offered us an additional free night. As if. 

 

Now there’s no wifi, but I won’t bother him again. My Air B&B review will be: host 5, accommodation 1. 

 

The next couple of days will be about 16k (10 miles) each. Sounds easier, but it will be steep.