East of the sun(and west of the moon)…

This is the second donkey 🫏 iv come across on this trip if u have been following the blog?….the first one had a really long face…😜

Today, following a few days respite, I’m continuing the journey slowly south, towards my eventual departure from Porto. A cloudy start again but still keeping the sea on my right. As I approach ‘Viano do Costelo’ the coast gets rocky and the cobblestones get more unbearable on my non-existent suspension. I walk…

As I approached, I couldn’t resist riding up the long, protruding length sticking out from Viana do Costello out to sea…🤐

Iv got to get my little hairy sticks over this erection tomorrow…the Ponte Eiffel, yes, also the maker of the famous landmark in Paris…so quite a trophy!

The ‘Bastoners’ were in town when I arrived and practicing in every narrow street and square.

 

A colourful lot of Catalonian stick dancers with little tinkling bells, like Portuguese morris dancers and equally as boring looking!

A bit of jazz today with a chilled Diana Krall track, with quite a clever link (IMO)…as DK is married to Elvis (Viana do)Costello..it’s not just thrown together!!…like the beer, it’s crafted! 

Steady as she goes…

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and can coast down them”…said Ernest Hemingway.

“You have no such accurate remembrance of a country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle”.🚲 

I read recently, that I actually stayed in the very same place in Burguete on my first night of the Camino Frances as old Ernest frequented, back in his day!

I’m thinking of switching the Brommie for the next bit down towards Porto ….

…but not sure what model to go for??

Anyway, no more hills, coast all the way as I prepare to leave the lovely Âncora tomorrow.

“Steady as she goes" is an idiom that means to maintain your current course, speed, or routine without making sudden changes or erratic adjustments. It encourages calm consistency and perseverance, especially in the face of ongoing challenges. 

A bit of Jack Black for today’s track in ‘one of his many bands’ this time, The Raconteurs.

This is the sea…

A ride up the coast to visit Caminha and a dip on the way back at Praia de Moledo. 

This is the sea…

This isn’t…

I heard it through the grapevine…

Day 26 now - The hillside hideaway is a perfect base to explore a bit of Portuguese life from and also a few days off not lugging all my clobber around too. A little bit away from the well-worn tourist/druid track enables me to shop, eat and drink in local spots and get a real feel for the place. 

Two streets back and busily frequented with local folk is usually a giveaway. This is where you can find local food at incredible value for money and to also to research, explore ad enjoy the wines grown in this area.

Vinho Verde is not a grape variety, but a unique Portuguese wine region in the lush, rainy northwest of Portugal. The name literally translates to "green wine," which refers to its young, fresh style meant to be consumed soon after bottling rather than its color. 

The Demarcated Region of Vinho Verde stretches across the historical Minho province from the Douro River north to the Spanish border. The Atlantic Ocean creates a cool, high-rainfall climate, keeping the landscape extraordinarily green. Vineyards are traditionally trained on high pergolas (enforcado) to keep grapes off the damp ground and prevent rot. 

What a song and a fantastic version here by Amy at her soulful best…with the added bonus of Weller and Jools…

Steal my Sunshine…

Day 25 - Heading from Baiona south into Portugal today. It would seem that the rest of the planet is enjoying some baking hot, scorching, skank holiday, weather and no doubt frying eggs on the pavement. So spare a thought, and maybe say a prayer, for this poor pilgrims efforts as for me, it’s a real pea-souper here, with this wonderful, panoramic view out to sea this morning…

Later, I could actually see the sea…

The Portuguese Coastal Way (Caminho Português da Costa) is one of the most beautiful and popular pilgrimage routes to/from Santiago de Compostela.

It was a fast exit from Spain into Portugal for lunch.

Diaria?…I ordered the €8:50 special that came with a free toilet roll!

Steal My Sunshine" is a hit alternative pop song released in 1999 by the Canadian alternative rock band Len. It served as the lead single from their third studio album, You Can't Stop the Bum Rush, and became a massive summer blockbuster. (get the irony?)🤐

Mandinka…

A pathetic few miles around to the other side of the bay to Baiona was all that was achieved this morning.

Enough for a sunny Sabbath.

The endless stream of druids, heads lowered, head towards me, with their daft hats and stupid sticks tapping along the tarmac, wearing 16 layers of protective clothing, clanking along like Mr Saucepan Man with the additional weight of multiple 5 gallon water bottles that were heating up in the hot sun with every accomplished and cherished mile.

I hope they make it, some don’t look like they will…or have!!

Anyone fancy a brew??

I have often wondered how a can get this track into a blog and this is the closest I’m ever going to get…a bit of a lame link but here it is, Sinead at her very early, very raw best and wow, that voice …turn up and enjoy! RIP Sinead, sad loss.

You get what you give…

Day 23 - The Spanish seem to go out of their way to be miserably unhelpful. 

Pulpo á Feira: The most iconic dish. Fresh octopus is boiled (traditionally dipped three times into boiling water to curl the tentacles), sliced onto a wooden platter, and drenched in high-quality olive oil, coarse sea salt, and smoky Spanish paprika (pimentón).

Last night, in Vigo, a strait laced woman read out the menu, parrot fashion. She owned the only copy, cribbed in a little notebook, she didn’t care whether I understood or not, and went through the entire thing, despite a glazed/bemused expression from me…

I heard her read out the same thing at least 6 times around the restaurant and all I heard was…

Thinkos

Unos

Thekos 

Thientos 

Interos 

Plantos 

Pescados

Sardinos 

Ramos 

Ballie…

They have such fantastic, tasty produce and culinary skills a plenty, but no time for foreigners wanting to embrace a taste or god forbid experience Galician food, and never seem prepared to help or advise…I had done my homework and ordered the octopus, it’s the local thing, ‘pulpo a Feira’ , it was a signature plate, a local specialty and what I wanted, it was fantastically simple as it was all about the source, and as I had predicted, came with not a smile, an acknowledgement, no appreciation of participating and enjoying the local cuisine or suggestion of a wine to accompany … I stopped myself asking if it was local or had been caught in Scottish waters..Annoyingly, these buggers really have a lot to learn about honest hospitality and I find this so surprising.

Anyhow, not too much to report today, apart from an early start with a belly full of sloppy octopus and Rioja. 

Down to the beach today for a swim at ‘Praia de Patos’.

Not sure how planning permission was granted for this…?

And then a local albergue for the night at Saians, overlooking the coast…not a bad spot to end the day.

I’m slowly, slowing down as I head towards Portugal.🇵🇹 

‘You get what you give’ is my sentiment, and that of the New Rads from back in th’day.