It wouldn’t be an adventure without some twists and turns. Dave and I certainly had a few of those today. Thankfully, “All’s well that ends well,” and we’re grateful for that. After tapas and vino at a tiny grocery/eatery place next door, we’re now back at Pousada de Juventude in Vila do Conde, more than ready to unwind after this eventful day.

Our morning started with light fog and a perfect 16°C temperature which is great for walking. The mist added an air of mystery to the oceanfront boardwalk, which was nearly empty except for a couple of fellow pilgrims and a handful of locals out for their morning runs or walks. How lucky they are to enjoy such stunning scenery for their daily routines. We encountered so few pilgrims because Vila Cha isn’t at the end/beginning of a stage in the guidebook many pilgrims use.

Today’s adventure started when we arrived in Vila do Conde around noon. I realized the SIM card I bought at the Madrid Airport had expired. I needed the SIM card because without Google Maps to guide us, we found ourselves wandering the streets of the town, totally lost. Thankfully, a kind woman from Mongolia, who has lived in Lisbon for 22 years, offered to help us. She went out of her way, literally, walking a half a kilometer with us to make sure we found our accommodation. The 8 euros we gave her as a thank-you felt like a bargain.

Our troubles didn’t end there. Despite receiving confirmation from Booking.com that we could check in between noon and 1 PM, our room wouldn’t be ready until 3:30 PM. So, we set off for lunch, thinking we’d take care of two simple tasks at the same time: withdrawing money from an ATM and getting a new SIM card. 

We found an ATM Express machine without too much trouble. After mistakenly believing our withdrawal request had failed (something was lost in the translation), we nearly walked away without 300 euros! Just as I was studying the receipt and realizing the money had, in fact, been dispensed, the woman who was behind us in line, rushed over with the cash in hand. She was our Camino Angel, without a doubt.

Finding a store that sold SIM cards proved to be another challenge. With no data, I had to use Wi-Fi to track down the nearest shop and, lacking any proper paper, ended up scribbling the directions on a long strip of toilet paper. It wasn’t until later that I realized I could have just used my phone’s notepad—clearly, my brain was running on fumes by that point.

Once the logistics were sorted, we spent the afternoon exploring Vila do Conde’s treasures: the Santa Clara Church, the Church of S. Francisco, and the majestic 999-arch aqueduct, which was built between 1705 and 1714 to carry water to the Convent of Santa Clara. Only the last 5 km of the aqueduct remain, but it’s still a stunning sight. We also wandered into the Santa Clara Historic Hotel, which was breathtakingly beautiful—definitely a place we’d love to stay someday.

What was supposed to be a straightforward 7.5 km walk from Vila Cha turned into an adventure nearly three times the distance. In the end, every twist and turn added to the story.