We took our time exiting the hotel this morning due to breakfast and a stop at the pharmacy for professional medical advice. While I waited I ran down to the water and bought two tickets with a boat taxi service to save some time. Once packed up and checked out, we headed for the water again. I got a bit turned around – but it turns out that was a good thing. A lady who had stopped us yesterday with taxi boat flyers flagged us across the street. Her boat was on the way and could take us immediately. I thought it curious that the other service was loading customers into vans to take them elsewhere. She said the other spot they’re going to doesn’t have a ramp for the customers to get in to the boat – and at the Spanish side, everyone has to jump from the boat to other dock. Sounded like a really bad idea. So we bought tickets with her instead. It wasn’t much. The only other pilgrim in our boat was Larry, from St Louis, Missouri. It was a quick boat ride – but just like I didn’t take my phone out to photograph the bridge – there was no way I was taking it out on the tiny boat that was traveling full speed across the channel.
On the Spanish side safely, we parted ways with Larry.
After several tries and translation assistance from a bar tender nearby, Susie was able to book us a cab to get us to the closest bus stand in A Guarda. Due to her health, she needed to bus it to the end point today.
But, what a madhouse at the bus stop! There was a regional festival happening which was a battle of the bands unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Every bit of the plaza near the bus stop and all down the street was crammed with marching drum bands. Mostly drums but a few other instruments mixed in. And they were all playing as loud as they could, trying to be heard over the others.
We were able to find the timetable and an older lady who said she was going to Mougas as well. I asked Susie to also double-check with the driver just in case I hadn’t understood our new friend correctly. And I left them together and bolted off through the sea of marching bands as fast as I could get to the other side of them and down the Camino path. What a relief when the sound was in the distance!
Susie made the next bus – which she said was beautiful- and rode 35 minutes down the coast to Mougas with her new friend. Price of the ride: €1.55. Bargain. She was able to check in when the hostel opened, get settled in, and take a needed siesta.
Meanwhile – I walked my first day in Spain this year! It was so good to be back. The landscape was rocky but also heavily covered with foliage.
The path was mostly along the ocean – but a few times it veered inward and led me along the wide yellow shoulder of the main road.
I came across a mysterious structure that looked a bit like a bunker or abandoned fort wall… but was about half submerged under sea water.
I walked out into the walls and chatted with a Frenchman who was there with his family. Apparently, it was a fishing reservoir. When the storms are too bad to be on the water, the locals can still catch fish and shellfish that live in the reservoir. Ingenious.
About 3:00 I came across what seemed to be the only lunch place open today. Twenty pilgrims were peppered around the garden area. Such a welcome site! I ordered my first Spanish tortilla of the trip. Delicious! Three simple ingredients – but the trick is in the technique. I must improve my method of cooking it when I’m back home.
Was invited to join a group of four university friends (originally from the UK.) They are hiking the Camino to celebrate and commemorate Clara’s achievement of earning her Masters degree. She’s a structural engineer and her specialty degree from a university in Porto is in old buildings. Great place to have gone for that! We had a pleasant lunch together.
Shortly after lunch I came across the first horses I’d seen today and stopped to feed them the apple pieces from my breakfast.
A bit further on, just outside Oia, I came across a tiny beautiful chapel that was open to the public. Stopped in to get a stamp and light a candle and pray for Susie’s health.
As I was walking out I met two pilgrims, young ladies from North Carolina and we chatted a bit.
Oia is a gorgeous little town with a huge church along the sea wall at its center. Parts of the building are abandoned and in disrepair.
It made me wonder how Clara perceives such a site when she comes across it. Probably not in the simplistic, novice manner that I do. “Wow – that place couldn’t use some love. I wonder what that would take to fix up?!” She would know exactly what it would take.
Just before heading out of Viladesuso I heard someone behind me calling my name. Shocking in a place where I feel like I know no one. It was Larry, walking along with the two girls from North Carolina, all waving at me! We stopped and heard about each other’s days and they offered encouraging words – only 2.8 kilometers for me to go… about two miles.
The hostel overlooks the ocean and my private room with a window that opens to fresh air and the sound of waves is such a luxury.
Sue and I reunited. Heard about each other’s day over my dinner (Sue had already eaten), combined a load of laundry, and planned housing a few more days in advance. Then we walked out to a nearby field to get a glimpse of the sunset over the ocean. Great day.
More later…
https://www.charitywater.org/marilyn-peterson/marilyn-s-camino-for-water-2025