We have been in the Central Valley of Costa Rica near Grecia for the last 3 weeks. The region is mountainous with several volcanos and the hills are scattered with coffee fields and sugarcane. Each ridge of the volcanos have a different community and to access them you either have to drive to the bottom and traverse back up or cut across on windy backroads that are cut into the side of the mountain. The houses sit perched on the edge of the ridges offering sweeping views of the valley below. It is a stunning area of the country.
Coffee in bloom
We have spent most of our time hiking through the coffee fields. By and large it is all private lands that have been farming coffee for generations. Most owners allow people to cross through their lands and we did not have any troubles or get turned away. Hydrangeas grow around the perimeter of the fields in what I assume to be companion planting to detract insects from the coffee. We arrived at the end of the last harvest for the year and most fields were quiet with the occasional worker spotted with a machete cleaning up. The harvests here are still done by hand with many transient workers hired to hand pick the harvest. A very labour intensive process.
We did hike up to the Bosque de Las Nino’s or Children’s Forest. It is a forest that was planted in 1979 by the children of the region and it is a well maintained natural area about halfway up the Poas Volcano. The hike to get there is not well marked and we took a few wrong turns here and there but eventually found it. I was on the hunt for a toucan and a sloth but sadly saw neither. The region has both the 2 toed and 3 toed sloth but they are very hard to spot and most people use a guide to find them. I did eventually see a toucan but it was from my backyard, it just landed in the tree out back and started making its call.
The weather here is ideal. Warm days around 25 Celsius and the evenings drop to 15 or so. No need for air conditioning and a nice breeze is always blowing. One downside though is that the Poas Volcano is really active right now so for one we couldn’t visit it and see the crater and secondly, the air quality was awful. It was ok early in the morning when we walked but the afternoons were terrible. The air was full of sulphur and we would hide out indoors. We did get a little rain for a few days as well, we are on the shoulder of rainy season starting and it was refreshing to get a good soaking.
Poas volcano
We housesat a dog and a cat while we were there and the dog Chloe was just a dream and Leo the cat liked to cuddle on his terms and would take a round out of the dog once a day or so just to show who’s boss. All in all, an easy sit. We met the neighbours across the street, Trixie and Ingo who took us under their wing and introduced us to the community, They are originally from Houston but have lived in CR for 20 years. Trixie is also a big walker and we would head out each day with the dogs and she would show us new trails to explore.
Farmers market
This was our second time to CR and we wondered how we would like the mountains compared to the beach vacation we did the first time. The thing with Costa Rica is that it is stunningly beautiful, the people are incredibly friendly, and you can’t beat the weather however, it is really expensive, the cuisine is so so, and it kinda feels like a retirement community. Especially just coming from Mexico. I think I would go back though, to visit new friends and explore new areas. There’s always something new to see…..
Costa Rica border controlNicaragua border controlLong, hot walk out to be Nicaragua proper
We arrived in Nicaragua crossing at the land border with Costa Rica after a hot, long day of travel. We were up and out the door in Grecia, Costa Rica at 6:45am to go get the Ticabus (ticabus.com) which was due to leave at 8am from the the Cruces de Grecia on the side of the highway. Our tickets were $33 USD each and the trip was 6 hours including 2 hours at the border exiting and entering. We found the stop by 7:30am and I was feeling very pleased with myself for getting there a little early as I didn’t want to miss it. Nick was pushing to get there a little later as he likes “just in time” travel. Very stressful for me. At any rate, he was right. This is Central America, nothing happens on time. 8am came and went with no bus. It finally arrived at 8:25am; the bus driver offering no apology for being late and jokingly said my suitcase broke his back loading it into the bus. I did offer to load it myself, however no self respecting, Latin American man is going to allow that to happen.
It was interesting waiting for the bus though as it was a Sunday morning and hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts go out for a group ride. We saw all sorts of bikes and people dressed up in costumes. There were also a few specialty car groups that whizzed by. One thing we noticed is that the regard for your own life is low when you ride a motorcycle. They weave in and out of traffic, go way to fast, have no protective gear and some even forgo a helmet while driving on the highway. Bananas. Sadly it was about an hour later up the road that we saw our first motorcycle crash and we don’t think the driver made it.
The journey itself was lovely, lots to look at along the way and we could feel the temperature rising as we descended the mountains and made our way to the coast. The bus took the Pan-American Hwy and I always imagined cycling this road on our way to Patagonia; but it is just like every other highway in Latin America; windy, narrow and no shoulder. I would not want to cycle it. There’s very little shade as well. About halfway through the journey we stopped at a roadside cafe for 20 minutes to stretch our legs and grab a snack. It had clean washrooms and a buffet that you just pointed to the items you want and they dish it up for you. It was typical rice, beans, chicken, mystery items and an omelet of some kind. Pretty tasty and quite civilized.
Rest stop
We arrived at the border at noon and we had to line up on the CR side, pay a $8 USD exit tax and have our passports stamped. So we get in line, wait about 20 minutes to get to the front and the customs guy points to a machine at the back of the room where you electronically pay the fee. Sigh. Why no signs Costa Rica? We were told to bring cash but the procedure has changed and at the border you must pay with a credit card. So around we go again, pay the fee and line up again. However, we learned later that you can pay this fee online before you arrive, it links to your passport on their system so no paperwork required. When we paid with our card at the border, the machine said there was an error and no receipt printed but we did get an email confirming the payment though which did offer some peace of mind. If you pay in advance, the land exit tax must be paid through Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), either online with a credit card via the BCR website (www.bancobcr.com) or in person at any BCR bank in the country. Also, keep in mind that the machines at the border are often out of service; so we got lucky.
After exiting CR you then drive or walk across no mans land (currently under construction) which is full of semi trucks and get to the Nicaragua Immigration Office. Before you enter you have to pay $1 USD per person (not sure why but bring small bills as they don’t like to give change) in cash to the person blocking the door. Seemed official…ish. Then you line up to clear customs into Nicaragua. The line moved fairly quickly and it was a mix of locals, backpackers, and young surfer families. When we got to the front the customs guy asked where we were staying with an address, phone number, how long we would be staying, and what our profession is. Then we were finger printed and had our photos taken. Seemed drastic. Then we paid a tourist tax of $13 USD each (in cash, to the customs agent) , passports stamped and we were on our way! Ran our suitcases through an ex-ray machine, easy peasy and walked out into 33 degree heat across a barren parking lot and into Nicaragua.
Our housesit host was waiting for us and we went and did a little grocery shop in Rivas then and made our way to her place to get the lay of the land and meet her pets. It was a little confusing in the grocery store as we had to start thinking in another currency. Basically 50 cordobas is $2 CDN but most people use USD down here. I paid with my credit card and then got USD cash from the bank machine. Interestingly, our cards wouldn’t work in banks ATM but it did at the standalone bank ATM in the local AM/PM store.
The home we are staying in is about 2 miles from the town centre in an area called Barrio del Oro, it has a sweeping view of the forest with the hills and ocean beyond. The owner is building a food forest that covers a few acres and she is currently growing flowers, native plants, a vegetable garden, bananas, papayas, starfruit, chiles, mangos, lemongrass, kaffir, and tons of other herbs. Its really quite spectacular and such a lot of work. We are also caring for 2 dogs and a cat. They all keep us very entertained and are easy to look after.
Sunset from the houseSimoneBanana palmsWillowLooking back at the house from the forest
The last few days we have spent beach hopping and exploring the area. San Juan del Sur (SJDS) is a laid back beach town that has most everything you need and although it is April it still has a sizeable tourist trade moving through town. There are also quite a few expats and there is an international school and tiendas that cater to this crowd. Thankfully it is cheaper here than in Costa RIca and the sticker shock has gone away. The food has been quite good, and my highlight so far was the fresh ceviche. We also bought fresh fish to cook at home and it too was delicious.
The town takes up a bay and there is a small marina here filled mainly with fishing boats and panga boats. Unfortunately, there is one road in and out of town which causes quite a bottleneck at times, especially after work when the locals are hitchhiking to get home. The road spills over with people, dogs, bikes, and taxis just stop and park wherever they want.
Yesterday we spent a big chunk of the day at Playa Majagual, a local beach north of town that was recommended to us from a local. It is an expansive beach that has a restaurant called Juanitas Kitchen along the front. The drive in is a long dirt road that descends into the middle of nowhere and then right before the beach a little town emerges and the main road is currently being paved. Its very odd and I wonder who is paying for that? We took the dogs with us which was quite an adventure as the big dog does not like the car and drools is his stress response. It was like an ocean of water pouring out of his month the whole time in the car. Then today when we were going to beach he took one look at us and shot off into the forest to hide.
We are staying in the El Oro Barrio
Then today we went to Playa Hermosa which is south of town. This beach access is via a resort where you pay $100 cordobas each and you can park and enjoy the restaurant. There are hammocks, couches, freshwater showers, loads of palapas and a very big break for the surfers. We played scrabble, swam, and generally chilled out for a few hours. You are not allowed to take coolers in though. So we emptied ours into our bags and happily walked in. We did order a few drinks from the restaurant to support the waiter though. Overall, a great beach, not too busy, shallow water for dipping and miles of lovely sand.
I should also mention that Nicaragua is undertaking a massive infrastructure project and is building a coastal highway known as the “Carretera Costanera,” which aims to connect the Pacific coast from Masachapa in the north to the Costa Rican border in the south. Currently, these small, rural communities and beaches are only accessible via long, windy, and dusty dirt roads with no signage. This investment will fundamentally change the coast of Nicaragua and I wonder what it will look like in another 5 years.
New Highway in purple.
Overall, Nicaragua so far reminds me of Mexico 20 years ago; the poverty is everywhere, the dogs run free, and it isn’t that easy to get anything done. And I love it, its missing Mexico’s music and culture but there is something pretty great about it. It’s hard to get here for one, which means there are no big hotels and thumping music. And no one hassles you on the beach or in town to buy something. Downside: more rules than Mexico. The security that patrols the promenade are next level. I have been told off several times and told to move on but I am not 100% sure why.
I have a couple more days of work and then my sister flies in for a few weeks and we get to experience Semana Santa or Easter week together. Apparently the town swells from 15,000 people to over 50,000! Should be interesting.
Lastly, animals I have seen in one week in Nicaragua: parrots, magpies, howler monkeys, a toucan (the fruit loop variety), 3 sloths, a tarantula (Nick saw it in its nest, I was too chicken to look), praying mantis’, and a million dogs and chickens. Oh, and the bomberos were out tonight to get rid of a hornets nest in the Barrio and I got stung while watching. Not happy I saw one of them up close. I’m an idiot for staying to watch.
National beerHowler monkey in the yardDog seeking coolness in the showerToad? Not sure but it was huge!
I love this city. It is vibrant, fairly easy to navigate, bursting with culture, and so beautiful. It also has a great temperature. Warm in the day and comfortably cool in the evenings.
We spent about 2.5 weeks there, most of it in the Centro and 5 days in the most beautiful housesit EVER. I was working in the day and in the evenings we would explore different barrios, occasionally eat out, or go to the zocalo to people watch. Not sure what Nick did with his days but it definitely involved art galleries and most likely looking for panaderías.
By and large it was a quiet few weeks, early nights and early mornings. There are several large mercados in Oaxaca and we explored Mercado Benito Juárez (opened in 1894) and Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Both focus primarily on fresh produce, meat, and flowers with the periphery an assortment of clothes, housewares, plastics. They also have several family run restaurants within the market along with elderly ladies selling tlayudas at the entrances. The selection of spices, cocoa, chiles, moles, etc. speaks to the rich diversity of indigenous Oaxaca culture. It feels and looks like the traditions of the different regions of Oaxaca is alive.
Grasshopper tamales
We also went to the Central de Abastos de Oaxaca. This market was created in 1974 to lessen the traffic in and around the other more central markets. It is located about 20 blocks southwest of the Zócalo and across the street from the second class bus station. Be forewarned. This market overwhelms the senses and is as inspiring as it is chaotic. It’s also impossible to see it all. It’s just too big. It covers 4 acres and has over 2000 businesses. The area itself is a little seedy, for example, we walked down a street to get there where the bars were open and the girls were working outside. It was 9am. I was warned by a woman in the market to put my phone away as pick pockets and snatch and grab is common. Nevertheless, I loved it. So much going on, friendly people, and beautiful fresh food. We tried to navigate it in a grid but it’s impossible, there are too many nooks and crannies.
Oaxaca has a reputation of being a very politically active city. There seems to be protests daily, women’s rights, indigenous rights, student protests, and of course, the marches to demand action on missing people. Almost everyday we would hear the shouts and banging of drums, road closures and megaphones from the square. And honestly, in the current state of the world where free speech is being taken away it is refreshing to see people taking it to the streets.
All in all, it was a great to be back in the City and we have already decided to spend some time there. Bring a car and explore the surrounding areas. Perhaps spend a winter.
Getting to Puerto Escondido from Vancouver Island in February isn’t easy. It takes determination and while transiting via ferry’s trains, airports, and Uber’s one must keep the memory of warm winds and the sea air at top of mind. We left the Island on the 4th during a snowy cold snap and made our way to YVR to catch the red eye on Aeromexico to Mexico City where we had a long layover before our connection to Puerto. For anyone who hasn’t been to Benito Juarez Airport in CDMX prepare to be underwhelmed. In fact I am writing this blog sitting on the floor in Terminal 1 of said airport waiting for my airline to open so I can check my bag. There is woefully little seating landside and the glaring white lights, unintelligible loudspeaker, and thumping music is enough for me to consider other hubs to transit through.
Main lobby at Vivo
At any rate, we made it to Puerto and spent 2 weeks at Vivo Resort with our good friends and neighbours Shari and Mark Selva. The resort itself is lovely, 3 pools, a restaurant, spa, and bar. We had a top floor oceanfront condo where we would sip coffee each morning and watch the whales swim by. Simply spectacular; a sandy beach for as far as the eye could see and as the resort is out of town, hardly anyone on it. We fell into a rhythm with our days and would spend a few days poolside followed by a day out exploring. Our friends hadn’t been to the area before so we were sure to take them out to explore the city, as well neighbouring beaches.
Views from VivoBaby turtles, parrots and great food!
We went to a fiesta in Chila, the nearest inland town where we watched Pelota Mixteca, a traditional handball game dating back to pre-Hispanic times. The game itself is quite dangerous but somehow we ended up in the caged field watching for a few minutes before a women came up to us and said in English “get out of there, it’s so dangerous!” We skirted out of through the gate and watched from the outside. I never did get the gist of it but the players had a leather glove on that had a large boulder sewn into it. the opposing team would bounce a small rubber ball towards them and they have hit it back with this glove. There were several games being played at the same time on the same field and apparently teams came from as far as Mexico City to compete. We also watched a football game that was on a beautiful new pitch. A huge investment for a small farming community.
Refreshments!
The highlight of the fiesta is the fireworks and castillo on the last night. It brings 100’s of people to the area to watch and there is also a huge street market and fair happening at the same time. Nick and I have seen castillo’s before but we have never seen anything like this. The show is amazing, so many firecrackers accompanied by a live band. Ash and embers were falling down everywhere and the kids were squealing with delight.
We also rented scooters for a few days and what fun that was. We got them for $300 pesos a day (about $20 CDN) and it was well worth it. We explored La Punta, Zicatela, and also went north up past the lagoon and popped into small towns along the way. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant that had a beautiful pool that we could use. We were the only ones there and we had an amazing fish lunch and cooled off in the pool.
La Punta
Nick has a favourite seafood restaurant in Puerto that we discovered last year. We managed to find it again and ate there a few times and it was just as delightful. It is called El Curandero located about 4 blocks south of Playa Carrazalillo if you follow Benito Juarez to the roundabout and veer onto Avenida Hildago.
We also checked out Playa Coral which is a beautiful little beach one bay over from Playa Carrazalillo. It is accessible via a short trail (steep in places) or you can pay $50 pesos at Hotel Villa Mexicana and they have a paved walking path to go down but you have to access by going through the hotel. There is a bar, bathrooms, and outdoor shower available beachside as well. You can also rent an umbrella for $250 pesos.
The beach is tiny and the swimming is great. Not too crowded and also a great spot for sunset.
Before we knew it was time to leave Vivo Resort, our friends to head north, and Nick and I to carry on to our next adventure. We had such a great time, made so many memories and are looking forward to the next holiday together.
We had been watching the weather closely as we knew a system was coming with severe rain and wind. Most likely the first signs of Hurricane Kirk that came through a few days later. At any rate, we woke up to torrential rain.
There was talk amongst us of just calling it and hopping on the train. Our spirits were low and Coreena’s toe was a going concern. We thought about cutting out the toe in her shoe but in the end her and I swapped shoes for the day and that seemed to give her some relief. The toe box of my Altra’s is big enough that no pressure was on the foot.
Day 5 – So off we went from Caldas de Reis to Padrón (18km), a shorter day thankfully however we had 96% humidity and A LOT of rain.
Leaving Caldas there was a steady stream of people all trying various ways to maintain a level of dryness. We saw ponchos, fancy rain gear, plastic bags, umbrellas, umbrella hats, etc. But nothing can withstand the rain after hours of walking. Not a poncho or Arc’teryx, Patagonia, whatever. Everyone and everything was soaked through within a hour or so.
Respect for the attempt to keep his feet dry.
Despite the weather, it was a beautiful walk. The scenery was stunning and I can only imagine how pretty it would be on a warm spring day. There are still lots of flowers in bloom and many people had gardens bursting with produce.
33km left!
We didn’t stop for a break and pushed through to Padron. None of us could face having to put our wet jackets back on or sitting in wet clothes. We arrived to ferocious wind and rain to a town that looked quite industrial and a little Eastern Bloc. Unfortunately, we couldn’t check in to our Airbnb yet so we found a little cafe and had a giant plate of pasta with tea. The chill had set in by now and we were eager to get changed.
We eventually found our place and decided to eat in that night and made a feast with chicken, vegetables, salad and wine all for under €15. I can’t get over how cheap food is here. Or the wine for that matter.
Over dinner we decided to call it and take the train for the last 26km. Coreena couldn’t walk with her black toe and the forecast was awful. So we stayed up late and had too much wine. It was lovely.
The next morning we woke up to a fairly mild day. It wasn’t rainy nor was the wind blowing. While nursing a slight headache I decided to walk. I just needed to finish the damn thing. So Jen and Coreena stayed behind to get the train and I went off on my own. I left about 10:30am turned on some music and started following the Camino.
Day 6 – Padron to Santiago de Compostela (26km)
My Apple watch didn’t track the whole journey as it was too wet and kept turning off.
It was pretty quiet when I first set out, I left pretty late and most people are on the trail by 8am. I saw a few folks though and passed with a nod and a smile. I was making really good progress and before I knew it I was 13km in.
This was a river of mud to navigate through. These are everywhere- they used to be used as communal washing facilities. The women would meet here to wash clothes.
I ended up meeting a fellow traveller named Karston from Germany with about 8km left and we fell into step together and chatted the rest of the way. This was his 2nd Camino and he agreed that the 1st Camino provides lessons on what to do differently next time. Also, what is realistic for distance each day, how many rest days to take, etc. I found that 18-20km is my sweet spot. I can walk that everyday without feeling too uncomfortable.
This day though was 26km and because I am stubborn, I walked straight through, no breaks, no food and hardly any water. What a dummy. The last 4km was rough and the hilliest part. I kept waiting to see the cathedral in the distance but it seemed to take forever. Finally, I could see the old town, throngs of people and we rounded the corner to arrive in the massive square of the Cathedral. It took me 4.5 hours.
Done!Karston helped me keep up the pace.
This city sees as many as 5000 people arriving everyday in the summer from various routes. On this day there were about 2000 and I saw flags from all over the world. It is a site to see, people of all ages and abilities all culminating with this common goal. Pretty inspiring.
The girls had a lovely 25 minute train ride and met a couple from the UK who were on the Camino but due to a foot injury also had to call it. We met in the square to celebrate and then I hobbled to our hotel. I needed to regroup and dry off.
We celebrated that night with an amazing dinner at Meson 42. A very unassuming restaurant with the best seafood paella I’ve ever had. Afterwards the girls went out for a drink and I went home to bed. My legs were done and I was exhausted.
Monday morning we were up, collected our boxes from the post office and set off for the airport to fly to sunny Malaga, Spain for 5 days of R&R.
A brief moment of blue skies
So would I do another Camino? Yes, absolutely. I would do it differently though. I would give myself more time to take a rest day to explore spots I liked, I would only carry a day pack, I would use a different water bottle, and I would stop more instead of marching through on a mission. I’m sure better weather would encourage more breaks.
Jen and Coreena on the other hand are one and done. They are not interested in tackling another route. Perhaps they will change their mind once the sting of this one eases.
Overall, it was a great way to celebrate us entering our 50th year and we are already thinking about our 60th.
We awoke on day 3 to NO RAIN – hallelujah! We packed up once again, stowed the rain gear and headed off on the trail. Today was Redondela to Pontevedra (20km) and we were feeling good about day albeit still moaning about how heavy our packs were. For the record, Coreena and Jen were coerced into carrying everything. This was my idea.
Nick sent me a message with a link about 7km in that we were very near a post office and could buy a box and send some of our stuff ahead to Santiago de Compostela. What??!! Clearly we were all on board to see if we could figure it out.
Vigo in the distance
After a quick coffee break we found the post office and ended up buying 2 large boxes to send. In the end we offloaded 20 kilos! Honestly, we were giddy to only be carrying about 15lbs each. Nick for the win on this one and we were so grateful.
Best €50 ever spent
We ran the rest of the way to Pontevedra. Haha, just kidding. We walked, chatted, listened to music, and fell into a rhythm for the day. We found that we like to stop for food/drink about an hour out from our destination each day and on this day we found the best bar ever. It was tiny, catered to the Camino primarily and we accidentally ordered a feast.
Food here is sooo cheap. I think all of this with our drinks was under $15 CDN.
The last 5km went by quickly and before long we rolled into town which was very beautiful and had many great restaurants to choose from.
I was fighting a cold and was not feeling great so when we arrived we got cleaned up, the girls went for a wander and I had a nap. I met up with them later in the square at a lovely cafe where we shared a bottle of wine and some great tapas. The waiter insisted we finish with a digestive drink which tasted like baileys. He kept bringing them out to us and we had to refuse forcefully after the 2nd one. Pretty delicious though and we all slept well that night.
I should also mention that Coreena’s big toe was not doing well by the end of day 3. It was very swollen and it looked like she may lose the nail. She decided to walk the next day in her Birks as not to put any pressure on the nail.
DAY 4 – Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (21.7km)
Another day of no rain and it was a pleasant walk through the countryside. Mostly uneventful and Coreena taped up her foot, wore Birks for the first 10km and then switched to her shoes. She never complained once but it must have really hurt.
As per the previous days, we passed by small vineyards and farms as well as small villages with medieval churches and lovely cobble lanes. Again we stopped for a late lunch and I had soup (finally found some) and a chorizo sausage that was cooked at the table. Once restored we carried on for the last leg of the journey.
The town of Calais de Reis is known for its thermal pools throughout town. There are areas all over town that have various sized pools to soak your feet, etc. the water is incredibly hot and it definitely takes a second to get adjusted.
View from the balcony
We were feeling well rested and ready to tackle the remaining days however we knew a terrible storm was coming with torrential rain for our last 2 days. It was a bit defeating to be heading out into the dark, dreary weather.
I don’t know where to start with this post. The last 6 days has felt like it flew by but also like it was the longest days of my life. I also learned I can hike 15km as a warm up.
We started on October 1st, walking at noon on a rainy, blustery day in Valenca, Portugal. We quickly crossed over in Spain and picked up our Camino passports in Tui and our packs felt particularly heavy. The trail itself wound through the city and out into the countryside and it all was very pretty and new. We saw a few other pilgrims walking and offered “Buen Camino” as we passed by and commiserated about the weather with those who spoke English. And then we just marched, our destination O Porrino approximately 20km away.
We passed through little villages with winding pathways and stopped for a well deserved hot coffee and lunch along the way. I commented that we looked like teletubbies as we battled the rain.
We arrived at our destination about 5:30pm and were very happy to get our packs off and have a hot shower. We washed our muddy clothes and went to find dinner. We had one rule for the evening: everything had to be within a 1 minute walk as our legs were not working so well.
The next morning greeted us with another very rainy day and we scurried to a laundromat to dry our clothes and then went and found breakfast. In Spain, breakfast seems to be bread with thinly sliced meat or a “tortilla” which is a Spanish style omelette served cold. They also serve this when you order a drink, tapa style. So we had an excellent coffee, a tortilla, and hit the trail again.
I will add that we overpacked for the Camino. I was determined that we carry ALL our gear even though we were also carrying stuff for the following week. Honestly though, our packs were too heavy. The recommendation is to carry a max of 10% of your body weight and we were all carrying over 25lb. With that note, we were struggling. Our bodies hurt and we all were digging deep to stay upbeat as we walked.
Day 2 was O Porriño to Redondela (16.2km) and very few photos were taken as everything was wet.
Soggy chip pub. Soggy grey landscape
Arriving in Redondela was magic. The city is so pretty with ancient architecture and a beautiful waterway. However, we saw very little as we were exhausted from the weight of our packs. We went for a lame dinner and went straight to sleep.
So after 2 days of walking roughly 35km we were feeling beat down. And then Coreena started having trouble with her foot. Her toe was not happy and we were a little worried for the next few days.
More on that and our remaining adventure later.
This is what I think about when walking all day (mostly in order):
Excitement about what I’ll see that day.
How many hills?
I wish I had a different water bottle.
If I won the lotto what would I do?
Everyone keeps chickens in their yard and grows grapes, corn, and brussels yet I can’t seem to order any of those items in a restaurant.
What am I going to eat later?
Who maintains the Camino?
Am I going to get an infection from walking in wet shoes everyday?
What a journey to get to Europe. First, just getting off Vancouver Island is lengthy. We left for the ferry just after 7am and although it was stormy and windy overnight, the morning was beautiful and the crossing left on time.
Saw whales on the crossing as well!
Coreena picked me up on the other side about 11am and we made it to YVR about an hour later. Jen rocked up to the British Airways counter just as we were checking our backpacks and we were through security shortly afterwards.
Our flight left on time and all in all it was comfortable and we were well taken care of. We managed an hour or so of sleep but not much more. Then we arrived at Gatwick at 9am. Ugh. We had to clear customs, pick up our bags and turn around to drop them again and clear security. All was going well until the TAP Portugal attendant noticed a small tear in Jen’s passport. She was pulled aside and there was much discussion, frowning, and head shaking about letting her travel. Thankfully, they waived her through after many phone calls and a stern warning to have it replaced.
Then I was pulled aside in security and my bag was rifled through after a long wait. Looking for explosives apparently. Maybe I look shifty, not sure.
Finally, we made it our gate and our flight was delayed. We felt like Gatwick had it out for us and were very pleased when our flight finally left. I put my earplugs in, eye mask on, pillow arranged just so and I was out before take off. I woke up when we hit the ground 2 hours later. Refreshed and ready to go!
We arrived at our rental in the heart of the historic district by about 6pm Portugal time. This was Saturday. So many, many hours of travel with about 3 hours of sleep. We were all dozy and jet lagged however we pulled it together to go get dinner before calling it a night.
I had arranged for a driver to get us from the airport http://theroadbutler.com and he supplied us with a list of hidden gem restaurants to check out. We chose Restaurant Za and it was amazing. Great wine (so cheap!) and the food was so fresh and delicious. It was a tiny place with 6 tables or so and we squeezed in to the one. Then it was a slow stroll home and straight to sleep.
View from our placeRestaurant Za!
Sunday brought a slow start, a fight with the coffee machine ( it won, we lost) and then a wander around town to the river and across to Gaia. The sun was shining and it was a great time getting our bearings and seeing the sites. We stopped for a latte and a famous pastel de nata which is flaky pastry filled with custard. Really nice and not too sweet.
Nick arrived later that day as we are doing a house sit in Porto for a month and he is going to hold the fort while I am hiking the Camino. I’ll meet him back in Porto on October 12th.
So it was more site seeing, more food, more wine, more everything! We tried the Portuguese “bifana” as well as the “francesinha” which are traditional foods. The food here so far is meat and bread heavy and all of us are longing for a good salad and some veggies.
Francesinha
Now we are on the train to Tui to start the Camino. We are walking the central route over 6 days and will cover about 120km. Our packs are heavy and we are starting on a grey, drizzly day. I am excited for the journey and what we will see. I am also a little nervous about sore bodies and long days of walking. More to come!
When we returned from Mexico I decided to look for a getaway in the coming months and found a house sitting gig on Salt Spring for 4 nights. I thought it would be nice to have something to look forward to.
I found one pretty quickly and about a week ago we took care of 2 dogs and a cat in a lovely home not far from Ganges. The cat was super chill and wanted nothing to do with us while the dogs were so cuddly and really made us laugh.
Great house and cool car!Rosie and Chica
The weather was not great but we braved the elements and hiked out to Daffodil Point as well as went up Mount Erskine. There are so many options for hiking it’s hard to choose but honestly there are views everywhere. We also rode the north end of the Island, a 24km loop of hills and more hills. We stopped at a cafe called Off the Hook http://offthehookrestaurant.ca for a snack and a coffee midway. It was really good albeit a bit pricey.
Nick miles ahead of meBike route
A trip to Salt Spring is not complete without a visit to Salt Spring Wild http://saltspringwildcider.com and Salt Spring Brewing http://saltspringbrewing.com. Nick had a vanilla stout which he said is one of the best pints he’s ever had. The bartender was a lovely young woman who plays in a band with her boyfriend on the side and hails from Alberta. She’s been on Island for about 2.5 years and loves living there.
At the cider house we shared a flight of ciders and I really liked the semi dry and the Saskatoon berry blend. Of course the settings at both places are rustic and beautiful.
On Saturday morning we went to the Ganges farmers market for a look around. I bought kimchi and some beautiful Portuguese garlic. There was some amazing artists, woodworking and baked goods as well. The coolest thing was they have doggy daycare by donation. All proceeds go to the SPCA; the market is free of dogs and people can still bring them along. Win/win!
We also went to Foxglove Nursery; this building is spectacular. The greenhouses are built of big chunky beams and there are water features and sitting areas throughout. I told Nick he needs to up his game at home. So much inspiration here.
It was a great, relaxing few days of exploring and reading. I’ll definitely head back over there to try more of the restaurants and hopefully get some better weather.
Chica trying to look not bothered. Awww Rosie Lovebug.
We took a day trip to Guanajuato last Saturday. We got up early and walked across town to the bus station and jumped on the 9:30am bus. The ride is just over an hour and the scenery is quite pretty, think rolling hills, farming communities with the mountains off in the distance. We did get stopped at one point as a pilgrimage was taking up the highway but it was interesting to watch them go by carrying their crosses and pictures of some religious icon.
The city is a UNESCO heritage site and to get into the centre you travel through underground tunnels that intersect beneath the city. These tunnels spit you out into a densely packed area of narrow, one way streets that are lined with colourful buildings broken up by alleyways that snake up the hillside. It’s also a university town with the University of Guanajuato main campus housed in the middle of the Centro and with that comes tons of young people, great cafes, shopping, and a fun vibe running throughout.
The main bus terminal is outside the city about 5km away. We walked out of the main doors and there is a local bus stop right outside. We asked the first bus that came along if he was heading to the Centro and for 8 pesos each we hopped on. Like all bus rides in Mexico, the trip is fast, loud, and more than a little bumpy. Getting back was a little more challenging as we couldn’t find a bus heading back to the main terminal. We waited and asked about 6 bus drivers and finally relented and jumped in a cab. That was 80 pesos and after a long day of walking and climbing a million stairs, we were happy to sit and get a ride.
When we first arrived we decided to just walk around and get reacquainted with the city. We had been here before but it was a long time ago and we had the kids with us which changes how you explore a place. This time, it was so nice to just wander the streets and pop in and out of shops, galleries, and churches. The weather was perfect with the sun shining but not too hot. It seems like there is no end to the views in the city and around every corner is another surprise that draws you in. We found a great little record shop, funky old buildings converted to apartments, and of course spectacular churches and theatres everywhere.
The state (of the same name) is known for its textile artists and you can find leather makers everywhere. The bigger brands are created in Leon but there are also independent operators who create in their shops and you can walk in to watch, buy ready made, or get custom work done. About 9 years ago, when we were here, I had a belt made by this man who’s shop was at the very top of the hillside. So of course on this trip, Nick and I marched up to see if we could find him. We did in fact find his stall and we had a chat with him about the last time we visited and turns out he has been in that same spot for 20 years. We admired his work, bought a few gifts and made our way back down.
Another story, I have been coveting a leather bag that is in a shop in SMA but it’s expensive and I was really struggling with spending $3500 pesos on a bag. So Nick and I would pop in the shop every week or so to admire it and walk out empty handed. Really I admire it and hum and haw while Nick patiently waits for me. So while in Guanajuato, I found another bag that I love and bought for about a third of the price. So happy!!
The climb up many, many stairs was worth it. And see my new bag?!Guanajuato University
Right across the street from the Teatro is a lovely shaded square lined with restaurants and mariachis stroll around playing traditional Mexican music. We sat and listened for a while and then went on a search for the top recommended tacos on town. We found them at El Paisa II right in the heart of the Centro near the Mercado. It was so much delicious food; Nick had tacos and I ordered something like the special of the day that had a little bit of everything. The pineapple salsa was amazing and Nick had to finish it. The plate was huge. All in was about $225 pesos including drinks.
We had some time to kill before the last bus left the city and we were done walking so we stopped for a drink. We found a small cafe with a tiny balcony above where we could hide from the hawkers but still enjoy people watching. After that we made our ways to the bus station for the short journey back to SMA. I promptly fell asleep and didn’t wake up until we arrived. It was bliss. All in all, a long but lovely day exploring more of this amazing country.
onesmallboat 