BLOG: Our daily adventures,
Week 21: Praia da Leirosa to Praia do Muranzel
May 28th to June 3rd
- Day 141: May 28th: Praia da Leirosa to Figueira da Foz - 23 km
Today, Casey is trying a little trick recommended by Alberto an Italian and hiking fan that we met a few days earlier in Nazare. Ladies hygienic pads to absorb the sweat in his shoes.
After the ants, the aftermath of an oil spill black tide.
Fishermen laying down their very long fishing nets on the beach.
On both side of the bridge leading to Figueira da Foz, we saw fish farming ponds covered up with grids/nets to prevent Seagulls to storm in and steal the fish.
Figueira da Foz streets are lined up with Catalpa trees, it gives its inhabitants shade and a feeling of fresh air.
After a quick dinner break on The fortifications of the city, we headed toward a small city square surrounded by little restaurants to play some street music. The locals rewarded us with a glass of red wine for providing entertainment.
After our musical evening we walked out of town and into a small eucalyptus plantation to pitch our tent. The young eucalyptus bushes are glowing silver white under the light of our headlamps...the accumulation of the evening myst water on their leaves is responsible for the enchanting scene.
Early morning the next day we are woken up by a car honking at us..we inadvertently camped in a private property..the french speaking portuguese owner is not delighted by our presence and our poor choice to set our camp right in the middle of the dirt road. We pack our stuff, still semi sleeping, as fast as we can to leave the premises.
23km done for a total of 1845+23km = 1868 km
- Day 142: May 29th: Figueira da Foz to Praia da Costinha - 14 km
Always a butterfly's wink to start the day...
Sunday mass is attracting us to this little church, we could hear the beautiful songs of the choir from the neighbouring street.
After Alcoutim's first sculpture of a cat made out off rubbish, here comes this one in Figueira da Foz. Again, this could be a great solution to our overuse of plastic..upcycling, turning our trash into a piece of art...God knows there is plenty of free material/plastic waste floating or laying around to do so!
The cement factory nearby has digged its ways through the cliffs, harvesting the impressive layers of stone for their profit.
The lucky owners of this piece of land have built themselves a swimming pool and tennis court on the cliffs with a stunning view over Quiaos beach...sad they have left it decay.
Traveler
woman or man, young or old...
rich or poor...
in a group or alone...
if you make your way here; may god be with you
woman or man, young or old...
rich or poor...
in a group or alone...
if you make your way here; may god be with you
A very fancy Surfer's hotel built with containers. Casey's dream of a house materialized...
We are rewarding ourselves with a little stop at Quiaos beach bar's BART. Two grizzly-bear size dogs welcomed us cheerfully. People there were super friendly and talkative. A group of Italians chit chatted with us to inquired about our hiking plans. We met also a young couple of Ukrainians, sitting at the table beside us: the woman lives in Frankfurt since 2 years and speaks German, her friend Andrew lives in Portugal since 7 years and owns now a restaurant the "Caravela" in Figueira da Foz. As we mentioned my singing along our hiking path, he asked if I could play a song or two for them.
Overhearing one song, the owners (Sonia and her husband) turned off the background music and I ended up playing for all the customers and the owners for an hour. They all sang along and paid our bill to thank us for our little improvised concert.
Lucas, one of the customer, gave us also good tips on what to see next in Portugal and Northern Spain. Very fun evening!
Overhearing one song, the owners (Sonia and her husband) turned off the background music and I ended up playing for all the customers and the owners for an hour. They all sang along and paid our bill to thank us for our little improvised concert.
Lucas, one of the customer, gave us also good tips on what to see next in Portugal and Northern Spain. Very fun evening!
14 km done for a total of 1868+14km = 1882 km
- Day 143: May 30th: Praia da Costinha to Tocha - 18 km
Since Ericeira, we are using Mapsme to find our way. It's an App, recommended by Jaouen at the Vinzinha. Since then and until now, it has been our saving grace, indicating all the little hiking trails necessary for us to avoid walking on the side of paved roads: an upgrade compared to Google map.
However, today, we followed its lead but to end up stuck in the bushes...Mapsme is so efficient that it shows you even the paths which are not taken care of by the locals.
However, today, we followed its lead but to end up stuck in the bushes...Mapsme is so efficient that it shows you even the paths which are not taken care of by the locals.
After walking 5km in circles, we decide to go back to where we started and walk again along the beach.
At last we reach the next village, Tocha, we are running out of food and we hope to find something still open despite the hour. It is quite late already: 9.30pm. The small mercados here are all closed and the restaurant along the promenade too.
Exploring the village more inland we are lucky enough to find one open restaurant: Cova do Finfas. As we are walking between the tables on its patio, Casey trips over the base of an umbrella and cuts himself right on the tibia of his right leg.
The waitress, seeing the pain on his face, must have said something to the owner who came quite quickly outside to welcome us with her large grand-motherly smile.
Exploring the village more inland we are lucky enough to find one open restaurant: Cova do Finfas. As we are walking between the tables on its patio, Casey trips over the base of an umbrella and cuts himself right on the tibia of his right leg.
The waitress, seeing the pain on his face, must have said something to the owner who came quite quickly outside to welcome us with her large grand-motherly smile.
She takes our order: fish soup, plus the catch of the day: dorade on the grill, chocolate mousse, bottle of wine, 2 coffees...the full meal ended being offered by the house. Super happy to have found this place with such a generous good hearted owner!
The owner of the restaurante Cova do Finfas is an obvious cat lover. Inside the restaurant, the decoration is a collection of cats statues and trinkets.
After half an hour, a group of locals and their german friends came in and invited us to join them at their table. Carl, Bjorn, Dinamen, her brother in law Ricardo and his mother are sharing their meal with us and inviting us to sleep at their place: a beautiful home located on the promenade and facing the ocean. We spend an amazing evening with them. I play for them a mini concert: a few songs to thank them for their hospitality.
18 km done for a total of 1882+18 km = 1900 km
- Day 144: May 31st: Tocha to Praia do Palheirao - 14 km
In Tocha, we learn all about the traditional fishing: Xavega-Art.
14 km done for a total of 1900+14km = 1914 km
- Day 145: June 1st: Praia do Palheirao to Praia do Areao - 16 km
It is now the 4th dead dolphin we've seen on our way. Once more, its dorsal fin and back fin have been cut out...(probably to release them from a fishing net where they were entangled?).. Just a few meters beside this sad scene...this landfill of a beach:
Mira's lodge park...the consequence of mass tourism: rows and rows of identical bungalows lined up along the lagoon.
Lunch break at the lake Barrinha in great company: Daisy, Donald, Mickey, the little mermaid, hello kitty and Denver the dinosaur as the figureheads of pedal boats... are floating lazily behind Casey's happy face.
Not unlike ski resorts, these 2 trucks are flattening the beach, shoveling sand instead of snow...preparing for the touristic season and limiting the spread of the sand dunes.
These 2 churches in Mira are perfectly illustrating what we've observed so far in the coastal cities of Portugal: the charm of the Old and the ugliness of the New.
Casey is puking out the sewage that has been very obviously released by the neighbouring cities directly into Ocean...Today won't be a "joyfully-jumping-in-the-Sea" day for sure!
Nature's beauty always prevails despite human pollution...these wild roses are a proof
And this!
16 km done for a total of 1914+16km = 1930 km
- Day 146: June 2nd: Praia do Areao to Praia Costinha - 18 km
Perfect tool for my seafood lover!
Today was a long stroll on the beach..at the end Casey's holding our reward.
We've found ourselves the perfect little land/garden by the Sea...the charming crooked old fence and the wild flowers are already provided..
How to flatten the grass, Celine's style!
18 km done for a total of 1930+18km = 1948 km
- Day 147: June 3rd: Praia Costinha to Praia do Muranzel - 20 km
After a few km, we reached the Barrio dos Pescadores...
Here we see the disadvantage of leaving by the Sea, the Salt deteriorates everything and especially the houses facade. Therefore the majority of the inhabitants of the city are choosing to have their home tiled from top to bottom...
Here we see the disadvantage of leaving by the Sea, the Salt deteriorates everything and especially the houses facade. Therefore the majority of the inhabitants of the city are choosing to have their home tiled from top to bottom...
Little biblical scene on the tiled facade of a house...
Very populated little garden! The Portuguese love thus kind of trinkets...
As we've seen yesterday and today again (Beaches polluted by the sewage), the Sea definitely starts here!
We had to stop here, Casey's idol bar! We authorized ourselves a coffee and a good soup just at the right time, 5 minutes after we sat at our table it started to rain cats and dogs.
Costa Nova do prado and its colourful striped facades.
The traditional fishing boats here in Portugal are elegantly carved, beautifully painted and still used like in the old times in the fishing villages we've passed by.
Discovery of a new flower on our way with a very peculiar design: multilayered, the passion fruit flower!
Today, we have to cross the Aveiro lagoon from one peninsula to another. We are taking the ferry connecting Forte da Barra to Sao Jacinto on the other side. Casey's childhood memories of the ferry at the lake of Constance are resurfacing.
In the quiet village of Sao Jacinto, nicely kept houses are neighbouring this improvised home and in the outskirts the remains of a factory.
My right foot is complaining as we are crossing the reserva natural das dunas de Sao Jacinto. Despite the pain, I walk blissfully among the secular trees appreciating the change between the sound of the roaring ocean to the harmonious melody of the birds...A little respite for our over-exposed ears.
Little pause on a fishermen's dock before heading to our next camping spot.
20 km done for a total of 1948+20km = 1968 km