Day 20 to Esposende

You never know what you are capable of until you have to dig deep into the depths of your soul for every ounce of strength that you have. Today was that day for me. Sometimes it takes prayer, sometimes it takes music. Sometimes it takes a whole lot of self talk and self love to get the inspiration and the determination to see things through. 

As beautiful as it was, it was a tough walk today. It was a little bit of everything. There was some city walking, some walking on boardwalks on the very windy beaches, a little tiny bit of forest and a ridiculous amount of cobblestone. I walked 29kms to Esposende...and felt every single step. My back is feeling strong as long as I don't cough, sneeze, hiccup or otherwise move suddenly...ha!

My right foot however is a mess. Not much I can do other than nurse it at night and pretend it doesn't hurt during the day.

I was on track this morning and left at 0745. Might be my earliest yet. I was snapping pictures in the ancient streets right out of the gate. 

I made it about 2kms and had to stop for jet fuel. After 5 seconds of coffee, I was off again. It was rush hour and the roads were busy. I had the joy of seeing all the kids heading to school and I thought of my own kids and their school days. I sure do miss them.

It was only 4kms to the next town of Povoa de Varzim and when I arrived the town was just getting started. 

I found a church and read something that I liked... 

I did just that...walked the way of the sands. The beachfront, although lovely, was cobblestone so I walked on a smooth bike path for as long as I could. 

The wind was already strong but a bit less ferocious than yesterday. 

The boardwalks began just at the edge of town and I walked on them for the majority of the day, even when they veered away from the shore and passed through a nature preserve. 

There was also a golf course along side at one point but I can't imagine anyone having an enjoyable  game in that wind.

I stopped for another coffee and took refuge from the battery of wind at a little spot beachside. As soon as I entered, sitting there was Will from Holland. The only pilgrim I know by name. He looks so much like Peo from Sweden from Camino Frances in 2018. He also has 4 kids.... and is another suspected alien hahaha!

After my 2nd jet fuel, I tried music to get me moving but that only worked for a short time. I went back to the sounds of nature and started thinking about lunch. Not because I was hungry but because eating the food I was carrying would weigh less if it was in my belly!

After staggering with fatigue  along the boardwalk it eventually led me to a  cobblestone lane.

 I tried to walk on the sandy shoulder but the slope was even worse... what I needed was to get off my feet for a while. I was about to just drop everything and sit on the roadside but I knew if I did, I would likely struggle to get back up. My eyes kept scanning the path ahead for a boulder or a cement wall or a bench but nothing for a long while. Finally, a big flat rock appeared, roadside... nothing fancy, no protection from the wind but I would be able to actually sit. I kept my boots on though my tender toes were screaming for fresh air, I knew it would be a short rest. I stayed long enough to peel and inhale an  orange.  Then I saw my gluten free buns in my lunch bag and thought, should I just make a ham and cheese sandwich and stay a while? Then a giant gust of wind almost blew me right off my perch. It was a sign... and with that I knew... it was time to go.

I got back on the road and pushed forward, patiently waiting for the right spot.

A few more kms and there it was, a quiet neighbourhood and a gorgeous brand new  church. 

I went inside, got my self a stamp and then sat on the church grounds leaning up against its stone wall fence, sun on my face and no wind.

I made 2 sandwiches and with each bite my eyes rolled back into my head with sheer delight. 

The church was named after St Miguel...and everything about this church was beautiful. After about 30 mins of rest time I started to clean up and pack up...it was almost 2pm. The church bells started to ring and I thought it would be 2 rings... but it kept going and going and going and it was so loud. I couldn't help but laugh. A sign, perhaps, I overstayed?

Then I made another oooops. As I followed the yellow arrows out of this quaint little hamlet, I saw a tiny chapel. How strange I thought, to have a giant Cathedral and also a little chapel in the same tiny town. The door was open so I put my mask on as required and went in. To my shock, there was a casket in the middle of the chapel and a family surrounding it in mourning. I tried to be silent but have such a wide load and my stick too, both banging and knocking things as I tried to go unnoticed. I turned quickly and left the chapel saying oooops. I felt like such an intruder.

I walked away as quickly as possible hoping to leave my feelings of awkwardness behind. I ended up in a much needed forest setting. Still a hard gravel path but I needed to be among the trees for a while. 

The trees led to a small town, and a giant bridge over very rough water. 

It was very high off the water and the wind gusts were still very strong. 

The last 7kms from here were excruciating. Cobblestone and wind and my feet were in agony. I'm staying in a guesthouse. I've got the 3rd floor all to myself so I have a rooftop terrace and a view of the sea not from away.

The host and hostess are a lovely couple and this is their home. They were warm and welcoming and honestly, I feel like they are family. 

Maria will make me breakfast in the morning but dinner was on my own. I went to the closest place I could find and asked for wine.

The owner brought out the most disgusting wine I've ever tasted. It was pale and almost brown in colour. It smelled like it was farm fresh like a brandy wine. I actually spoke up and said, " I'm so sorry but I can't drink this. Do you have a better wine??" I felt like such a wine snob but it truly stank like farm rot.

The new glass from a different wine was much better and it washed down my steak and egg and salad dinner. 

I made it home in time to catch the sunset on the terrace and now I MUST  sleep!! I am truly exhausted!

Beijos xx