September 12; Day 5
Vila Praia de Ancora, Portugal to A Guarda, Spain 19.2 km
Fern has found an English book today and now I jealously wait for her to finish it and pass it on. We got a late start (10 AM) because we had to hunt for these Acai bowls we have been enjoying for breakfast. We leave Portugal today and are thinking this might be a Portuguese dish.
We are almost starting to take this beautiful scenery for granted. The beach walls are interspersed with natural trails through the forest today as we head to the ferry into Spain, but that boat stopped running three years ago. You could tell by looking at it. But this is the Camino and it always provides. There were several water taxis available to cross the Minho river.
By the time we reached Spain Fern was hungry again. She is always hungry. We stopped for our first Spanish lunch. I had the enselada mixt and she had the patata bravas. We both washed lunch down with cervesa.
Our destination for the night, A Guarda is absolutely charming! As you walk into town, the colourful buildings up the hill surround a quaint beach filled with little boats. Some sort of parade or celebration was going on with music (that went on for hours). 
As we walked in I opened Google maps and looked for hotels and the Basilica Hotel and Museum was almost right beside us. It was obviously going to be too expensive and highly unlikely to have a room available but we had to check. It looked so nice Fern had to ask, “What do we think is too expensive?” I shrugged, we don’t really have a set budget.
“Do you have a room available?” Si “With two beds?” A king she said, then laughed, “No two beds of course.” Finally “Quanta questa? How much?” 77 euro – what??? “We’ll take it!” Fern pushing her luck had to ask, “Sea view?” “No,” she says “Sorry”. Oh well, you can’t have everything. This mischievous woman enjoyed our faces when she opened the door to our room, revealing the most beautiful sea view in town. While I write these notes I am watching and listening to the ocean from our room.
I donned my bathing suit and spent an hour at the beach, soaking in the sea. I think that’s one of the reasons my feet and body feel so good. When I came up for a shower Fern was already in it so I grabbed my phone and a few euros and headed to the piano bar. With all tables filled I asked to join a single woman, Kate from New Brunswick. She ordered a second glass of wine so we could visit. The Camino is like that. When she left I had a great video chat with Ray.
Showered, Fern and I hit the first restaurant we came to. We found our first pilgrim menu and both had Spanish omelettes. I am dog tired tonight, laying in bed listening to the waves and laughter from the streets, although they are almost deserted now. It was my turn to lose clothes off the balcony. My shorts were mysteriously AWOL in the morning and we found them hiding in some bushes in the courtyard.
Tomorrow we are faced with a short day to Oia (13 k) or a long one Baiona (32 k). It looks pretty sparse in between so we’ve made a booking in a bungalow park, a little cottage by the sea right in between the two cities about 20 km away.
Buenos Noches
September 13, Day 7
A Guarda to a campground on the trail -20 kms
We hiked more concrete than we are used to, following a bike lane beside the highway for quite a way. There’s a rocky shoreline now, the beautiful beaches of Portugal behind us. These rugged shores sport their own beauty. We have become quite adept at finding our own route and managed to find some beautiful natural paths today.
On one of those paths two yellow chairs were placed, inviting pilgrims to rest for a while. Just as we accepted that invitation, David from Northern Ireland came by. We had a little photo shoot. Poor kid has over estimated his ability and planned to walk over 49 km each day. The first day did in his feet with blisters. We tried to walk with him awhile but he was just too slow. We saw him later at a restaurant and he was planning to take a taxi.
I ordered pizza for lunch and it was big enough for lunch and two dinners.
Our night is spent in a campground bungalow just past Oia. It’s adorable, with a sea view patio, gorgeous pool, a windmill and a private room for my restless insomnia that is only getting worse. We bought a bottle of red wine and shared the left over pizza for dinner. We are both drinking a lot of water lately, so much we are bloated. Heat, pizza not sure what’s changed.
The pool was gorgeous, perched on top of the rocky cliffs. An attendant handed out cloth bathing caps to everyone.
September 14, Day 8
A campground on the Camino to A Ramallosa – 20 kms
Early mornings continue to escape us. Even with best intentions we were out by 9:45 am. This is a far cry from the 6 am mornings of my last Camino, when loneliness often drove me onto the trail under darkness. Lots of concrete walking today, but because we were determined to see Playa de Cristos- a famous sea glass beach. It did not disappoint.
The Sea Glass Beach
A miscalculation took us out of our way along a busy highway for few hundred metres, where I got some pretty ugly bramble scratches. Several cars honked and shouted to us, warning us of an upcoming bridge that was not accessible. Locals taking care of two perigrinas.
We stopped for some live music and cervesa on the beach in Baion and then were drawn down the narrow streets of the city lined with restaurants. A table for two encouraged us to enjoy a leisurely, and boozy Spanish lunch before even securing a room for the night.
Surprisingly, after the rest and food we both felt like walking more and we made it to our original goal of A Ramallosa. Before we arrived we thought we should try and secure a booking but my phone was low on battery. We ducked into a laundromat to plug in and find a room. We had to overspend but we found a lovely place with two private bedrooms, a balcony with sea views and a gorgeous beach right in front. I swam, showered, had a glass of wine with Ray and a nice chat with Mary.
I have found a small blister on my left toe.
September 15, Day 9
A Ramallosa to Vigo 22 kms
Earliest start in a while @ 8:45 AM. Brilliant walk today from Ramallosa to Vigo.
We started barefoot on a beach and the walk varied all day from beach to steep streets. I wore my sandals most of the day.
Today we met Jules from Australia and she tipped us off on a way to avoid the busy industrial streets of Vigo by taking the 4 k Vigo Activity Trail. We walked it together.
Unfortunately after our lunch stop Ferns leg seized up. It was serious enough for her to make a visit to the local hospital. Unfortunately the doctor there diagnosed a ligament injury and announced “Your Camino is over”. We had just made two non-refundable bookings. I would like to change them so I can stay an extra day here, help Fern get whatever she needs and make new arrangements, but she insisted I leave on schedule.
Alone again it seems.
September 16, Day 10
Vigo to just past Cesantes – 18 kms
Fern insisted I leave, so leave I did this morning, starting the long city walk out of Vigo before 8 am. She plans to rent a car for a week to do some sight-seeing and see what her leg does.
Forecast is for 31 degrees so an early start is essential. The climb out of town was incredibly steep, but a great stretch for the legs.
What followed was a long beautiful shady forest walk, with beautiful views on our left and forest on the right. I say ours because, although Fern is no longer here every other pilgrim is. The 100 k marker is just outside Vigo, and that’s the least you can walk to earn a Compostella. All three Portuguese Camino routes have converged so the trail is busy. So many people asked about Fern.
Just before the long trek down I stopped for an ensenada and cervesa but really just needed to take off the shoes and socks and raise my tired sweaty feet on a chair – in a restaurant yet.
I snaked my way down into Redondela – feeling twinges from the knee that had threatened to stop me this spring. A long, long very hot walk through the city and on the highway delivered me to our stop for the night. Just as I was arriving I heard the “beep,beep,beep” of Fern’s rented car. We had arrived together. How fitting.
I’m so so tired. Every night is laundry night so I’m spending my evening reading (Fern finished the book) and turning my socks inside out. These double knit socks are so hard to dry without a blow dryer, but they were so wet with sweat when I arrived it was essential.
