Camino Day #4: Cepães - Viana do Costelo 16.17 miles
Day #4 was wet, wet, wet, wet, long, hard, unpredictable, and windy. So very windy.
(Nicole Roberge Smith recap)photos not in order.
Rain
Rain
Rain
Again
Woke around 6:30 and had the breakfast items we bought at the grocery store. \240We had enough leftover to make a sandwich for each of us for lunch.
We left around 8-our hosts were not around, so there was no goodbye.
We found our way to the litoral route and walked by the beach, on the beach, on rocks on the beach, on dunes on the beach, then onto some country dirt roads. \240The route cut inland, and we had to wind in and out of pastures, and tiny villages. \240We stopped in one tiny village for coffee. \240The owner of the cafe was so generous - he served us four coffees, four pieces of cake and two moonshine shots through a little window as we sat at the outside table under an awning directly below the window. \240 When Chuck went to pay, he only wanted 4 euros. \240Chuck gave him 10. \240Pressed on- more coastal inland through woods and fog and uphill to a church/cemetery. \240Then more fog and woods and rocks and hills and woods and rocks and mud. \240We made it into sao sebastao and found a cafe (we had to wait a little bit to get a table because of the bus full of kinda Camino walkers.
Had beers, french fries and the sandwiches we made at breakfast. \240Phil was there! \240(We have seen him 3 times so far). We pressed on and there were more hills and river beds. \240It was long and rainy. \240Our ponchos kept us semi dry but also served as parachutes when the wind blew. \240We made it to the bridge to Cora’s into Viana do Castelo around 5. \240The crossing was the scariest thing! \240The rain was sideways, the wind was fierce, the pedestrian line was narrow, and the cars were fast and careless. \240It was the longest bridge, and the land on the other side was the best gift we could have been given. \240We climbed the steps at the end of the bridge and went under the bridge to stay dry while we consulted maps to find our hotel. \240We were, thankfully, just a couple of blocks away. \240We had trouble locating it because we came at it from the opposite side, but one of us had the wherewithal to turn around and the giant letters heralded our long awaited accommodations. \240After scalding hot showers, hanging clothes, and a few minutes of respite, we donned our wet ponchos in search of food. \240Chuck asked the front desk for a recommendation; we reluctantly headed out by foot in the rain and found it closed. \240 Back to the hotel. \240Take two. Chuck asked for another recommendation and a cab. \240The cab picked up others and Google said the restaurant was closed. \240Take three. \240Chuck got the front desk to call another cab. \240The cab driver and Chuck struck up a conversation in English, Spanish and Chuck’s best Portuguese. \240Chuck asked for a restaurant recommendation for good seafood and meat. \240Driver knew of a place and called the owner. \240She said she could take us. \240We drove up an alley to the pier’s end and stopped in front of a restaurant where panic ensued for the three of us in the back seat. \240“Michelin star” was visible from the back seat of the cab. \240We were in leggings, shorts, ponchos, hiking sandals and not prepared for fine dining (plus what the heck would it cost!!?!?). \240We got inside and had to wait on the foyer area. \240We explained to Chuck what we saw and he panicked. \240Now we were all on the same page. \240YOLO became the saying for the evening and we all ordered what we wanted, including a bottle of wine. \240We were sure we’d be washing dishes in the back after our sensational meal, but it ended up being affordable. \240They called us a cab and pilgrim pins when they learned we were walking the Camino. If you are ever in Viana do Castelo please visit Tasquinha da Linda. \240We made it back to the hotel and promptly crashed.
Scary river crossing into Viana do Costello
