Povoa de Varzim to Esposende 22 km
Total distance 63kms
Climb 440m
Total climb 460m

Today was such a different day to yesterday. A 22km day, which is pretty comfortable for us, but the big difference was no wind. Calm until mid-morning and then just a gentle sea breeze. A warm day but we were out of the sun under a canopy of trees for a couple of hours. We left the hotel in Povoa de Varzim at 8.20am and reached the hotel in Esposende at 2.20pm. Check-in is not supposed to be until 3 pm but maybe they took pity on two old pilgrims. 

Today felt like a real Camino day. Lots of people walking and we got to chat with some of them. Barbara with three guys from Australia, me with ladies from Belgium and Switzerland, and a mother and daughter from California at lunch. 

For the first half of the day we walked along the coast and leaving Povoa de Varzim it was very built up with row upon row of apartment buildings. The most interesting thing we saw was piles of seaweed on the foreshore and these being spread out on the sand dunes to dry. On this part of the coast seaweed harvesting is still viable, the seaweed being used as fertilizer on the farms inland from the coast. Seaweed has been used here in this way since the 14th century. We were on boardwalks again including one that went the full length of a golf course. 

We saw the ruins of old windmills, just the stone towers mostly. We stopped at a little cafe for coffee after about 2½ hours walking. It was a tiny little place out in the country all on its own, called The Mill. It had a small windmill on the roof and a waterwheel inside and it looked like it may have had some accommodation as well. Not sure if the windmill or the water wheel were genuine but they looked the part. When we arrived we were the only customers but by the time we left it was buzzing with pilgrims.

Mid morning there was the option of continuing on the coast or going inland through horticulture farms, mostly vegetables. Without realising it we ended up on the inland route and this was a good option as it was along country lanes and under trees, quite a few of them pines and gums. We also came across blackberries but they were tiny, the size of small peas, and tasteless. Lots of corn fields but also green vegetables and carrots. It didn’t seem to be very mechanised with quite a few people working in the fields. Other than dogs and a few cats we haven’t seen any farm animals, no cattle, no sheep, no poultry, no pigs or horses.

At the village of Fao we came across the three Aussies again at a lovely outdoor cafe and they recommended the French toast and praca baguettes, so we stopped and had some of these with another coffee. It was very pleasant, outdoors under umbrellas in the shade, Four French pilgrims next to us and the Californian mother and daughter asking us what we were having and would we recommend it.

As we entered Esposende the fog came in and created quite a strange atmosphere. We were walking up a narrow estuary and what had been clear on the other side all but disappeared.

The Hotel Suave Mar is quite a grand affair, An older hotel but classy, built around a large, ornate swimming pool.  The restaurant has a large menu and larger drinks choice. Our evening meal is included but there is a separate perigrino menu, similar to last night. Starter of bread, olives etc, entree of soup or salad, main of cod or chicken (with potatoes, not fries) and desert from a trolley. All very nice, but dinner didn’t start till 7.30 and took an hour and a half. Way too late and  slow for tired pilgrims.