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Published: August 31st 2019
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After yesterday’s trials and tribulations, I was hoping for a better day. It was, in most ways. I didn’t have to walk nearly as far.. only something like 27 kilometers. Also, I made sure to eat lunch along the way. The only real problem was upon reaching Fao, my destination for the day, I found out pretty much all the inexpensive lodging was full!
When I left Vila do Conde around 7:30am, I quickly got lost again. This time it worked out because I accidentally took the not-well-marked river route and ended up getting ahead of a number of pilgrims that had left before me. I stopped for a coffee to celebrate, and left my trekking poles behind, walking several blocks before I realized it. Just before I got back to the café, a lady who worked there was coming across the street with my poles looking for me. Not only did she have my poles, but she also handed me several Euro coins that had fallen out of my pocket when I was leaving!
Before leaving the beach, I remembered to stop for lunch. Good thing I did, since the next place was many kilometers further along. I
decided to try one of Portugal’s most famous dishes, Francesinho (sp). It was basically two slices of bread with beefsteak and ham inside, covered with melted cheese and a delicious sauce. It was so big I couldn’t finish it. I continued along the beautiful and busy beach, arriving at the beginning of a very looong boardwalk… something like 3 or 4 kilometers!
By the time the boardwalk ended I was starting to yearn for a rest stop and coffee. The yearning lasted for 5 or 6 kilometers before entering a smallish town where I left the older Italian couple I’d been walking and talking with, to walk a few hundred meters off camino to a café. After a coffee and foot break I went back to the Camino and walked another 4 or 5 kilometers to Fao, my destination for the day. When I asked a couple female pilgrims about lodging, they told me everything was full! Not a good thing to hear after walking over 25 kilometers. I asked if they’d checked the Sleep & Go Hostel I’d seen advertised along the way and they said no, so off we went another kilometer or so across a bridge
to Esposende. Unfortunately, we were told they were full too, and the next possible place was another kilometer or so further. The two ladies left when the hostel called the next place for me, checking to see if they had one bed for me. They told her no, but they could give me a bed on the floor. Before I could say okay, she offered to do the same for me, but a rollaway bed in their salon. I quickly agreed.
I dumped my stuff and went for a walk since it was only 4pm. I wanted to find a place to eat dinner. After quite a walk, I found a large supermarket and decided to check it out and at least get a couple cokes for later. While I was there I found a frozen lasagna dinner and added a chocolate pudding that I could eat in the hostel, then walked back. While I was working on this blog, a group of 8 or 10 young guys from Germany arrived, desperate for lodging. The owners gave them a room that had been reserved but a no show, and a tent they could put up in the yard. They
were happy enough with the arrangement and even offered to trade one of their bunk beds with me!
Well, tomorrow I’m off again, this time getting this hostel to reserve a room in the next place for me. I can’t say enough about how friendly and helpful the folks in this hostel have been. See you tomorrow.
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