The Spot Hostel Ofir in Fão was a favorite place. Sandra, the host, was wonderful, and the hostel had a homey feel with a kitchen free to use and a pool. Before we left, I made sure to leave a note in the guestbook, knowing firsthand how much these comments mean to hosts. We said our goodbyes to Kelsey and Colin from Canada, Machik from Poland, and Fanny from Taiwan, with hopes we’d see them along the way.

It was a perfect walking day—blue skies and a crisp 12°C in the morning, warming to 19°C by midday. Our itinerary had us covering 21 km, but knowing we can call an Uber if needed made us feel like we had a “safety net” in case things got tough.

We caught up with Kelsey and Colin just as we were leaving Fão. I commented on how all the scallop shells on the backpacks ahead of us were flipped over, hollow side up. Kelsey’s comment made me think. She said it might be a sign that it’s time to receive, which made me reflect on how receiving help can be hard.

After Esposende, we found ourselves with a few other pilgrims debating which path to take. A local man saw us and recommended the boardwalk along the ocean instead of the Coastal Camino route that would lead us to the highway. We took his advice and were glad we did. According to the signs, we were following the “Litoral” route.

Eventually, we did have to connect with the Coastal route and ended up on a busy road leading through Marinhas and Belinho, where the two-way traffic on a single lane cobblestone road felt a bit dangerous. It was noisy, too.

Thankfully, after Antas we were on a trail leading to a peaceful path high above a river that gave us déjà vu of the Via Podiensis we walked last year. We then descended to a swimming hole where three Czech men had either gone for a swim or were thinking about it. We couldn’t be sure because of the language barrier. In any case, it looked like a great spot for a foot soak, if we had the time. We didn’t.

Later, we nearly called an Uber after leaving the church in Castelo Do Neiva and facing what seemed like a steep climb. Thankfully, the trail soon levelled out and we enjoyed a peaceful, cool walk through scented eucalyptus groves.

Now, we’re staying at Casa do Campo do Forno in Chafé, easily the best place so far. Fatima and her husband own this charming family home, which dates back to her great-grandfather. It’s been beautifully renovated, and Fatima is a delight, explaining the history of the house. The kitchen was particularly impressive, with its old fireplace and bread oven, now converted into the space for the stove and sink, though you still have to duck to reach them!

We met Sarah and John, a couple from North Saanich who live just two kilometers from us! We had dinner together and good conversation. It was a great evening.

We’re a bit worried about Kelsey and Colin, though. They arrived late, and everything in Chafé and the next town is fully booked. We suggested they check Casa do Campo and see if Fatima has an idea of where they might go. We hope to see them tomorrow, just to know they made out okay.