This morning started with a breakfast of bread bread and more bread. It was a communal breakfast and, although Fernanda wasn’t herself up, her husband was up feeding the masses and washing dishes before heading off to work. They certainly went out of their way to make people feel comfortable but it also seemed like a hard job for both of them opening their home to so many others every day. Although they did explain that they take time off when needed by closing for a few days here and there.

After the cat incident I was concerned that people would not believe such an evening could have occurred in their midst. I was also concerned that they had been disturbed by my crawling around on the floor (a feat of extreme difficulty with my knees) and shining the light under their beds during the night.

The fact that I had rescued so many packs from cat pee through my vigilance and persistence went unnoticed. Only the Fräulein knew how much of an impact my work had had. After all a dog had peed on one of her friends packs last year and I had seen Olga cleaning bird poop off hers in Viana!

Anyway we bid farewell to our new camino family and wandered off into the countryside. We walked slowly through the villages enjoying the peace and quiet of the country roads. I watched my Danish and Canadian friends wander off into the distance.

It was such a lovely day and there was hope that the Young One would break the 30km mark and meet us at the Juvenile Detention Centre. (At least that’s what I called it.) It’s real name was Pousada Juvenile or something like that. Basically it was a youth hostel that seemed to be mainly used as a Camino Albergue. It was a little way out of town but there was an absolutely beautiful tree lined boulevard to walk through before arriving at the town centre and there were only 4 beds to each keycard lockable room.

Anyway we were wandering through another wine region and the tractors were coming and going today more than the pilgrims.

My biggest concern today was these green and yellow signs that purported to show us the way. They seemed too professional. Too clean. Too new. And quite different to any “normal” camino arrows. But as it turns out they were leading us the right way so I had to accept them. They were camino arrows.

But I was much happier when I could see a real arrow!

As soon as we arrived at the reception desk at the Juvenile Detention Centre we had a message from the young one “Where are you” moments later she came walking down the stairs! It was such a pleasure to see her. Last time I had seen her was when she left the hospital with us and joined us at our hotel with our package of things we had forwarded to Santiago and a cake for my beloveds birthday!

Anyway we headed into town and discovered some nice and not so nice restaurants. I had been wanting to try some Portugués roast lamb for some time and was very happy with my food but not so much my two German friends.

After not eating all my meal we wandered around the village admiring the architecture and the many monuments and statues along the river. It had been a relatively easy day for me but even so I was happy to head back to sleep at an early hour ready for a longer day with the steepest climb on the morrow.

Our hand washing dried with a fan by the window on my trusty carry everywhere washing line. One of the things others call extras that i use almost daily!

Hasta Mañana