Another wet and blustery start but an invigorating walk along the coast with pounding surf. I had heard it during the night but had no idea we were only a block back from the esplanade. 
Before we set off Bill and Irene went to charge their phones while Anne and I visited the church. The ladies cleaning the church drew our attention to the glass cupboard with a statue of St James and so we were able to get a stamp for our Pilgrim Passport. We lit candles for Sophie, Anne’s daughter and our families. They wished us well and bade us Buen voyage with such warmth.
We also ventured into a jewellery store where the traditional Portuguese filigree jewellery was displayed. I haven’t bought any souvenirs in Portugal so I bought a small pair of traditional heart of Viana earrings. Irene bought a modern pair and Anne bought a pair too. The jeweller was having a good morning! He was also happy to talk to us.
Irene said the young woman who served them at the phone shop was doing the Camino 1 day a month and was so excited to talk to them about it. All up we didn’t leave town till nearly 10 am. We were having a short day though and before we knew it we were in the next town. The cooler weather was easier to walk in and we we are getting stronger. Anne was not so good because she seems to have developed a sinus infection and found today tough. I had added nothing to my boots today and my feet felt fine. No cobblestones and a short day, perfect. Caminha was an important fortress town for the Celts and the Romans. It sits near the mouth of the Minho River. It was a major port until Viana de Castelo was developed as a port. In the 16 th C. Today it is just a small fishing village with a ferry to Spain.
TheTorre do Relogio clock tower dates from the 13th century and was once a gateway to the medieval defensive walls of the city.
We need to catch a ferry across to Spain from here and it only goes twice in the mornings, 9 and 10 am. Hence our very short day. We wandered around town to find a lunch place and until we could check in at 2.30. The weather had turned cold and foul so we were grateful to get into our rooms. This hotel is called the Design and Wine. It is very modern with rooms having musical themed names. Anne and I are in the classic room which has a Mozart digital type print on the glass bathroom wall and musical notes on the wall. It is another hotel where there is no privacy on the toilet. The shower at least has frosted glass but the toilet stands exposed in all its glory. It also has this fancy shower I couldn’t quite work out. It sprays from the wall and the roof too! I couldn’t work out exactly what all the knobs did but I managed to shower and wash my clothes anyway.
I showered first and washed my clothes while Anne took to her bed. She had got some other Sudafed type drug this morning from the pharmacy to help the sinus but felt completely washed out.
The weather outside was like winter so we decided to stay in and eat at our hotel. Everything is very quiet. We opted for a paella tonight and it was delicious. Anne and I followed with a taste of Portuguese which was a Swiss roll filled with marmelade paste( think quince paste like) and cheese and grapes. It seemed odd but the cheese complemented the cake and the grapes were refreshing. All through the meal there was lightening and thunder. We hoped it would be gone in the morning.
Tomorrow is a public holiday for Liberation day. We are sorry we will miss the celebrations because we cross into Spain.
fleetfootkath 
This paella looks delicious Kath and those beds particularly comfy. I hope you all had a great night’s sleep. Nine x
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Beds have been comfy but the lack of privacy in the loo is abit challenging.!
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