Viana do Castelo

Day 4
Marinhas to Viana do Castelo

Well, I knew I shouldn’t have got my hopes up! The meal the pilgrim was cooking yesterday evening was actually for himself and his friend. Honestly, I cannot believe they could have eaten so much! 😂

That left us having to find a pilgrims’ meal outside the hostel, which we did, and we were joined by Sabine and Max.

A rain delay this morning meant a forced picnic breakfast of sorts at the hostel. Everyone brought out whatever they had, and somehow it turned into a breakfast picnic. 🥐☕️

We walked in the rain, with thunder rumbling on and off and a lightning show just to keep us on our toes!

Most of the day was pavement and cobblestone surfaces, so you can imagine our delight when we finally hit some bushland. The bush is full of eucalyptus trees, which made me a little homesick.

Antonia met us later in the morning at a super-fun stop, with great music and the sweetest man running the place. He provides food for pilgrims in exchange for donations only — true Camino spirit. ❤️

Antonia is this gorgeous, free-spirited wild soul who also happens to be almost finished with her PhD in biotechnology. She decided last night to camp! Yep, she’s bought her tent and all the other camping bits to make it happen.

It was such a lovely walk through the villages — churches on every corner, walking past fruit trees, grapevines and even free tomatoes! 🍅

It’s starting to feel more like a Camino as we get further into the rural areas of Portugal.

We finally made it to our hotel, and my feet and legs are quite sore. I think the four days of walking are finally catching up with me!

I wasn’t going to head out tonight as I was so tired, but a last-minute decision to go was just the best.

Pizza, sangria, and a night full of laughter. ❤️Read more