To Vila do Conde

Leaving Porto was a pleasant walk along the River Douro until we reached the ocean and turned right to follow the coast- easy! This morning we passed surf lessons, joggers and sand tennis games- people were out and about having fun very early today! It was also very foggy and so the ocean didn’t appear as I’d seen it before- each time I’ve been here the weather has been different- same walk but various conditions make it seem brand new again and of course it’s different walking with Luke! He doesn’t know a stranger and so we chat and joke and make new friends as we go along. We passed the memorial to the fishing fleet that was wiped out during a storm in the worst fishing tragedy in Portugal’s history- so sad. Walking through the little traditional fishing villages that dot the coast is an adventure- people sell fresh fish on the streets and the seafood markets are bursting with many varieties. The smell of salt and fish is heavy in the air. Our lunch was delicious-I had sardines that were fat, salty and briny- yum! As we walked we passed lots of restaurant chefs outdoors charcoal grilling fish and it smelled so good! We also passed ancient Roman tanks carved from stone that were used in salting and preserving fish and beds for drying water to obtain salt- this area has been dedicated to the fishing industry since Roman times or before. Fish from this area is considered to be the best in the country. Today was a boardwalk day- it stretches for miles and miles along the shore. Once the fog burned off, the wind kicked up and it was so windy in our faces that it was hard to keep a hat on! We visited the chapel of San Sebastián and also the Nossa Senhora do Socorro chapel just before we made it to our hostel in Vila do Conde which is the old Palacete Melo- very fancy for a hostel! We checked in and really felt our legs were so tired but rightly so because we discovered that in the end we had walked 19 miles! After a shower and nap I went out looking for a grocery but instead ran into a food expo/fair, a “feira de gastronomia”! It was all local foods and the people were out sampling everything- such a surprise! This area is known for ship building and lace making - the town is a summer destination and tonight it was hopping with the expo and locals out and about. We are tired so it’s lights out for us- tomorrow will be more adventures I’m sure!Baca lagi