Viana do Castela to Afife

After our long day yesterday, we were having a somewhat short day today. According to Google 12 kms. By now I have now worked it out following the camino route, be it the coastal way or the central way is very much different to Google. The camino way tries to keep you safe and off the main road. Where people seem to drive very fast.

Went down for breakfast and the tables our very close to each other, we were seated next to a couple. As per normal pleasantries you make small conversation. They were on the Camino too. Then it came out that they were from NZ too, they were from Auckland. As we kept talking the man says was it you who signed the book in the church? the previous day. They had met the guy who loved to talk too. So it was very nice to meet a fellow country man.

We were not going to start walking till 12.00. Before we started we wanted to go and see the church on the hill. I had read the view was magnificent. We just got to our room and the reception rung to say that luggage carrier was here. Holy Molly, I had forgotten to take our luggage down, it should normally be at the reception by 8.30 . Now it was 9.30 and we did not even have the bags ready. Wet cloths that had not dried over night were thrown in with wet shoes, clean clothes worn the night before got chucked in with plugs, cream and what ever. Honestly I need my head examined. Luckily we were in our room. I cringe at what could have happened had we not been in the room.

You could take a tram (fununcular) up the hill, or else if you were keen you could walk up 6 kms. No guesses for what mode of transport we opted for. Catrin had spoken to me the previous night to say she was in a alburger (hostel) just behind the church. So we called her from the tram, and she was there waiting for us when the tram reached the top. The church was different in its simplicity, and the view oh well........ WOW.

Back to the hotel, packs on our backs and we were off. Following the receptionist instructions we found led us on a de tour, but we saw an old neglected fort at close sight due to his incorrect instructions. Finally we got to the coastal route and after an ice cream we were on our way. Kept to the coastal route for about 7kms and then came on to the main road to get water and lunch. Then we followed Google. But tried as much as possible to keep to a road that was parallel to the main highway.

In a previous post I mentioned how everyone was into their veggie gardening, the dirt here seems to be so fertile. No wonder things grow so well.

When we got to our destination the owners were not there but the maid was waiting for us. It is a B&B place, very nice. The owners came in later. They had gone to Porto. The wife has stomach cancer for the last 3 years., and she had an appointment at the hospital. Shyama by now is feeling very tired, when they called us I had asked if their was any restaurants close by. So when we were offered a meal by them once they came back we gladly accepted their offer. I did not know then that they were actually going out for dinner. But she made a lovely soup for us quickly, she had offered to make a salad, which I had declined as I did not want to make more work for her, and fruits from the garden for desert.

Please note I had not written my journal for the 19 and 20th these have now been updated. Make a cuppa, and sit down to read it.Read more