Saint Larry

Set aside mosquitoes, scorpions and all things little that bother me senseless, today was another successful long stretch along the Camino in absolutely beautiful weather.

We hiked 18 miles, our longest day so far and the most hilly too.  I would guess one mile was spent searching for a lunch restaurant, which we never found.

We hiked 18 miles on 1 croissant, a miniature glass of orange juice and some coffee each.  That was ‘breakfast’ the albergue promised.

We passed through plenty of farming/fishing towns.  Then we entered a eucalyptus forest that took us up and over a ridge of low mountains.  The smell was intoxicating.

I became hangry, so much so Larry started to make up songs about my bitchiness.  I marched in front as we climbed yet another horrible hill, pissed and hungry.  It beat the alternative.  Which was to beat him with my walking stick.

I looked across the street at an apple orchard behind an eight foot rock wall topped with an additional three feet of metal fencing.

“God, I’m starving.  Do you think you can reach that apple over there?” I asked, being facetious.

Just then a juicy red apple released from overhead, rolled across the street and in front of Larry.  He picked it up. Took out his pocket knife and said. “Ask and you shall receive.”

Todays Wordle was ‘saint,’ and that proved to be my Larry.

We decided to splurge tonight on an inexpensive Airbnb…we are in the heart of Viana do Castelo.  It’s a lovely port city, full of lovely Portuguese people.  Our host Bruno gave such a warm welcome we decided to spend tomorrow exploring his city before rejoining the Camino the following day.

We picked Restaurante Taberna do Valentim for hamburgers.  Just kidding.  They serve top notch fresh fish dishes.  And because the Portuguese eat dinner late, our restaurant didn’t open until 7:30pm, twelve hours since we last ate.

Not to be disappointed, dinner was amazing: the food, the service, the location, and my company-the Saint.