Tough Hiking

Turns out the weatherman was right. Too right. We awoke and saw that it had rained in the night. It took us a little longer to get organized so that we were prepared for more rain. We started out in a light drizzle and that quickly turned to a steady downpour. We soldiered on.
Our walk today was well away from the coast. It was a pleasant mix of cobbled laneways and trails and significant portions of the day were on hilly forest tracks in between small villages with striking churches. The ever present aroma of eucalyptus or Australian gum trees and the mixed forest of pine and native oaks were a pleasant change from the frequent sections of cobbled road. The arbors of grapes ready for harvest were amazing in front of each house.
By mid morning, the rain had soaked us through and we saw a sign for a Café/Museum which required a detour. It was well worth it for the coffee, but more importantly for the Porto FC memorabilia and especially the Che Guevara photos and kitch!
We continued on over hill and dale until mid afternoon, the rain ever present and we were starting to feel the day would never end. We stopped for a quick lunch and discovered we still had another 7km to go. In the rain.
Finally, now late in the afternoon, with the sky showing signs of clearing, we found Pension O Laranjeira in the narrow streets of Viana do Castelo.
Warm showers, laundry, and a drink before dinner were elixirs for a very long day.Read more