BLOG: Our daily adventures,
Week 22: Praia do Muranzel to Porto then Avintes
June 4th to 10th
2000 km milestone!
- Day 148: June 4th: Praia do Muranzel to Praia do Torrao do lameiro - 12 km
The effect of having a nature reserve nearby is directly seen on the beach we are now walking on...clean turquoise water as opposed to the filthy one experienced before the lagoon of Aveira. This time, we jump in the ocean enjoying also a quieter sea with fewer waves...pure delight! We are refreshed and ready for another day of walking along the deserted beach.
The only traces of life here are our footsteps and a group of Seagulls flying off as we pass by.
Just before the village of Torreira, this traditional, beautifully painted, fishing boat, ready to go, fishing nets neatly piled up in mini trailers around it.
Torreira on a Saturday: a soccer game tournament ..ladies running in the sand, loud music and the audience of locals sitting along the promenade cheering the athletes.
Again, the remedy against the sand and salt, tiles all over the houses facades.
We allow ourselves a little pause in the shade...Casey dosed out for a good hour while I blog.
The big city square is empty...not much going on out of the touristy season.
Heading out of Torreira, again, a fishing boat...these are pull in and out of the Sea by tractors along a metallic railing...in the past bulls were doing the job, quite an heavy load to carry.
12 km done for a total of 1968+12km = 1980 km
- Day 149: June 5th: Praia do Torrao do lameiro to Praia do Furadouro Norte - 17 km
Bright and sunny day which started with a dive in the Ocean...the best to wake us up!
Again today will be a long stroll along the beach..the Sea is calmer than usual giving our ears the chance to recover from its constant high decibels roar.
No one in sight excepted this sailing boat in the distance...my sailor is already yearning for ou next adventure where he'd like to hop on one of these.
Airplanes over Porto in the distance drawing a "rewind" sign on the blue sky.
The little fishing village of Ovar and its Praia Furadouro exhibits a new kind of architecture: the oldest home are all mini-chalets made out of wooden planks..another technique to avoid the rust.
It's the first city where the main avenue is flooded by people on this beautiful sunny day.
Behind us, an old man is selling his catch of the day from a rusty trailer hiding himself under the shade of his umbrella.
Behind us, an old man is selling his catch of the day from a rusty trailer hiding himself under the shade of his umbrella.
Back on the beach for the last stretch of the day...fishing nets are ready for the evening fishing.
Casey is enjoying the declining sun while I am sorting out some administrative tasks on skype with a representative in Canada...time to close a chapter.
17 km done for a total of 1980+17km = 1997 km
- Day 150: June 6th: Praia do Furadouro Norte to Praia de Paramos - 13 km - 2000km benchmark done!!
New scenery today: on our right, bushes have started to grow on a thin layer of humus on top of a mini cliff of sand.
The sea is calm and the sun makes us sweat...time for a jump in the Atlantic.
Second big milestone: we've reached 2000km today!!!
After a quick coffee+pastel de nata at the miradouro bar in he small village of Cortegaca we cross the main city Square, a quite nice avenue leading up to the beach. What a contrast with the busy village seen yesterday: On a monday it is totally empty!
Our two great findings today: One to enjoy with your tastebuds and the other for the pleasure your eyes to marvel at nature's design.
From one minute to the other our sky becomes greyish.
No worries, nothing can affect Casey's enthusiasm.
My right shoe got a little upgrade...a pink heart to cover up a hole that appeared a few days ago and was allowing sand to accumulate between the layers of its fabric. I am quite happy with the result.
13 km done for a total of 1997+13km = 2010 km!!!
- Day 151: June 7th: Praia de Paramos to Parque de S.Paio - 25 km
25 km done for a total of 2010+25 = 2035 km
- Day 152: June 8th: Parque de S.Paio to Porto - 15 km
Our little courtyard served as a washing and drying station...little counterproductive when a flock of Seagulls chooses to release its fragrant bombs right upon our drying tent...
15 km done for a total of 2035+15 = 2050 km
- Day 153: June 9th: Exploring Porto
- Day 154: June 10th: Porto to Avintes - 12 km
Stefano and Vera, the owners of the little snack bar "A casinha d'Avintes" , kindly invited us to set camp on their private property with a beautiful view of the Douro. Today is Portugal's day, commemorating the death on 10 June 1580 of Luís de Camões, a poet and national literary icon.
It is also a very popular karaoke night at the bar...we slowly allow ourselves to drift to sleep while listening to portuguese fado songs as lullabies. Some of the locals had truly amazing voices.
It is also a very popular karaoke night at the bar...we slowly allow ourselves to drift to sleep while listening to portuguese fado songs as lullabies. Some of the locals had truly amazing voices.
12 km done for a total of 2050+12 = 2062 km