25/10 Agucadoura to Marinhas

The Night Before: 

Rosa's place is a little too plush from that I've gotten accustomed too in the albergues. The worst thing is the lack of humanity, it feels cold & dead, well at least lifeless. I turned the TV on for company long enough to learn that a shitty weather front was due in from the Atlantic. Four days rain; three of light drizzle followed by a bucketing.

I cant say whether its my swim in the surf or relative freedom, but I lay adrenalised most of the night, unable to sleep. Delaying bed time, I laid out my gear for tomorrow & bought wet stuff in at dusk & hung it in the kitchen. 

After what I've endured on the Camino Frances I'm not going to let a little moisture get me down.  Its just weather & no great drama.

My tomorrow goal is Marinhas only 18k away. By Monday I hope to be close to CAMINHA which happens to be the last cheap albo in Portugal where I'll park until the rain finishes. 

     X.    X.    X.    X.    X.    X.    X

0630: 

After a restless night I powered out the door, headed west 30 metres, then turned north at the waterfront. The Way mostly followed the dunes above the ocean, only swerving away for swampy ground, rivers, sewer works & other industries that pumped stuff into the surf.

At one point, in the dark, I had to take to the sand.  Obviously I needed to go inland but I'd run out of trail. I saw a clear slide off the dune & scrambled up to a small trail through scrub. In a clearing I had the strangest feeling under foot. A little alarmed, I crouch to feel grass, not rough tufty grass, but fine leafed manicured lawn. A golf course! On the limit of my phone's torchlight I sought a way. I prayed to Philomena ( the patron saint of Lost Causes), & once again she came good.

rosa's place

church, south of Fao

Fao

River at Fao "European Surf Destination"

 Biggest arrow yet, Fao to Esposende.

South of Fao I walked bushy trail over sand with a pine & gum tree canopy. There was a British woman with three dogs living in Fao, we talked dogs.  Then I  discovered a beachy town with a wide river to its north. I ate a banana roll, biscuits & strawberry juice. The local  Bomberos were celebrating their 100yrs anniversary with a static display at the station.  I inquired about a hat or shirt but no luck. Dang!

Fao by the coast where its a €1 for coffee - short and black. No Pilgrims spotted. A bit suss? Yep, I'd gone offtrack, first to  MARINHAS then mistakingly backtracked to Espo' then had to return to Marinhas Albergue. While waiting I met cute Samantha of Latvia while awaiting the hospitalero. She was a voluntary medic & machine gun operator- ready trained if Putin starts anything. 

The WiFi at the Berg is shit. I dit in the common room, listen to ABC quizz podcasts & download two Kerouac books; On the Road & Dharma Bums. I'm hoping the carefree rambling vibe bites me. 

Samantha asks if I'm going to dinner. Nice, but I think I'd be totally distracted. I sleep in one dorm, she in the other. That's it. Good night. Oh I get to sleep in, my phone has been an hour fast since arriving in Portugal. 

Brief plan: 

1) Walk 25 a day for three days to clear Portugal.

2) 25k days into Spain will put me in SdC around 3/11. 

3) Get a second Compostela & some Bomberos merch.

4) Head east on Frances till Sarria, bus to Madrid for 11/11 flight.