Carreco to A Guarda (16.10 miles/26.00 k

Today was a short day in both time and distance. Some of that was because we crossed into Spain which is in a different time zone, one hour ahead. So when we got to A Guarda about 3:00, it became 4:00, close to my usual intended stopping time.

I started about 7:30 this morning and decided to go back on the alternate Camino along the coast. The casa where I stayed is actually right next to the main Camino, so I had to go a little further to get back on the Camino. I turned down a cobblestone farm road that ran through a corn field when I saw Helen, a German woman I met at the casa. She was coming up the road and obviously lost. She was happy to see me and we ended up walking together much of the morning. It was great to be back on the costal Camino as the scenery was beautiful like yesterday. The Camino went through areas of sandy and rocky beaches, and even some forested areas, which was nice because we could still hear the waves breaking. There were also long stretches on boardwalks, much of it in bad shape. We were on the boardwalk until it came to an area where the boardwalk was completely cover by sand dunes. It was impossible for me to pull the Wheelie through, so I took an alternate path to get around it.

It wasn’t much later that I ran into Paul, who was waiting for me on the Camino walkway. We stayed on the Camino, which ran along the beach area towards Spain, until it reached the Rio Minho. There it turned inland along the Rio Minho for several miles to the ferry crossing. We reached the ferry about an hour before it was scheduled to make the crossing, and Paul wanting to keep going early made arraignments to take a small skiff across instead of waiting for the ferry. It turned out to be a good decision as it only took about ten minutes, and it was much faster than the ferry. Besides, it was fun to do something different and it got us back to trekking much faster.

There are two ways to A Guarda, one around the peninsula, which is almost twice as far but mostly level, or the way we went, which was less than two miles but over a small hill. We got to A Guarda about 3:00, Portugués time, but Spain is one hour ahead, so it was really 4:00. I decided to stop at A Guarda because of the time, and Paul continued on. He had not walked much before we met, and I had trekked about seven miles, so he wanted to walk a little further for the day.

I had not booked a place for the night and found most of the limited lodging in A Guarda full, and the few that were available were a little expensive. I sometimes have the option of an albergue, but I find it very difficult to write my blog with all the distraction there. Most of the time I am so tired my brain is barely functioning, and then having to write my blog is really a challenge. Not having much choice, I booked a room at the Hotel Celta.

After my usual end of the day Camino chores, I walked a half block to a little restaurant and had a pizza for dinner. Surprisingly, as I had been told, things are more expensive in Spain than Portugal, including dinner.

My shin splints on my right leg was troubling me today and it is a little swollen. I have pain when I walk, which is more noticeable on the steep downhills. As I mentioned, I have never had an issue with this before, and I know it was caused by going downhill too fast the day I came into Porto. It was my fault for not being aware of the caution I usually take on the downhills. I am considering a zero day, as I have gone fourteen days without stopping, and this may help it heal the shin splints.

Overall today was a good day, and as always, I can’t wait to see what the Camino brings me tomorrow.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.

If you would like to see the Alzheimer’s Association website, see our team page, and donated, please go to:

act.alz.org/goto/tedstrek

Starting out in the morning heading down to the alternate Camino running along the ocean

That blue dot is me on the alternate Camino noted in red. The main Camino is noted in blue.

That is Helen, from Germany, who I met last night at the casa. I ran into her while coming down to the Camino and she was lost. I ended up walking with her some of the morning.

The Camino across a section of sand.

Passed by what looks like an old fort

Part of the Camino boardwalk, which was not all in great condition.

Some of the boardwalk was in disrepair and a little dangerous

Some areas of the boardwalk was covered by beach sand and a little tough going

My look of frustration because there was lots of sand ahead and no other way!

A surfer! Yes, there are surfers here.

This was the path that lead me off of the Camino. I finally came to an section that was on large dunes that I could not cross with the Wheelie, so I took this alternate way

Beautiful alternate way that crossed the river and then came back to the beach

On the other side of the Rio Âncora

The walkway along the beach at Portinho

Fairly early in the morning and people were already going to the beach on this warm day

Back on the nicely paved Camino. That mountain peak in the background is in Spain

Almost in Spain

Walking along the Miniho Rio, which divides Portugal from Spain, on the way to the ferry.

The ferry that we didn’t take

Loading the Wheelie on the skiff that took us to Spain for €5 each. The regular ferry was not leaving for another hour. Good and fun choice!

Holding on for the ride

Wow, good choice Paul! Love the cool breeze.

The captain told me to put on my chin strap

Spain

My hotel for the night

A little too fancy for me, but not much choice unless I wanted to trek another few hours. Sometimes I just didn’t have many choices.

Ok, a room with a tub made it worth it. I felt great to soak my right legs bothered with shin splints in a hot tub of water.

View from my balcony

Vegetable pizza again, but it was good

Traditional Spanish salad with tuna

Not totally flat as it was a little bit of a climb from the river over the hills to A Guarda

My trek today

My trek today