15.1 miles, 37,559 steps, 7 cats 

First question this morning: Why do Europeans hate bacon? How else to explain the fact they barely cook it? Just crisp it up a little, please! 

Started this morning along the water and about 30 minutes in, found the boardwalk ending at the sand and then a cobblestone road making a sharp right, away from the sea. Another couple (from Tennessee, forgot their names) came up and said their map said to continue on the sand. My hips said “no thanks” so I decided to just follow the road and somehow meet up with the official trail later. Walked with Margo and Cinda from the Netherlands (who also said no to sand walking) for a bit and then when they stopped for water, I kept going. Eventually met back up with Mr & Mrs Tennessee and we walked together for a mile or so. 

Toggling between Google Maps and the Camino Ninja app, I realized that I had somehow joined the Litoral route, which is more coastal than the official Coastal route (makes no sense), so after a bit I left the Tennessees (they wanted to follow the Litoral) and found my way back to the main Coastal route. 

Made a rest stop in an area called Belinho. Tried a pastry called Clarinha, which is a specialty of this region. Its pastry filled with pumpkin jam, cinnamon and lemon, deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar. Ahhhhh so good! I did notice a LOT of pumpkin and other squash growing in little backyard farms along the way this morning, so it makes sense they’d use it in their treats. 

The next section was actual HIKING. What? Was not prepared for this to happen today. Uphill, downhill, through a eucalyptus forest, scrambling over rocks, narrow footbridge over a river. Then up up up to Castelo de Neiva. So steep. Lovely little cafe at the chapel, clean bathrooms (yay!), so I stopped for a grilled sande misto (ham and cheese sandwich) and orange juice. Took off my shoes for 30 minutes, whew. 

I met a fun couple from Nova Scotia and we keep bumping into each other at each cafe or resting spot. They’re traveling with 2 other couples and the other couples keep getting lost. lol. It’s really not that hard to find the way, especially now that I’m on the official coastal route. There are yellow arrows everywhere and always more pilgrims ahead and behind. 

Just when I thought I was done with hills for the day, nope, more forest and hills, cobblestones, granite, pavement, just a little bit of everything, eventually leading down to the River Limia.

Knees are finally mad at me, but the bartender at the hotel (ooh, this hotel has a lobby bar!) gave me some ice. I also doordashed some more heating pad patches for my back. (The Farmacia was too far away to walk.) So fun to be old!

Tomorrow’s route looks like it might be the most miles of my whole Camino — so I just have to survive that and then it’s relatively easy days! I’ll be back along the ocean so it should be nice and flat. 

Just realized I haven’t been adding pics to the Photos page. I’ll try to add a bunch tomorrow.