Completed our second day of walking , from Povoa de Varzim to Esposende



















 A bank and Labour day holiday in Portugal yesterday and we took a cab from our hotel in Porto to Labruge to commence our walk. This saved us probably 20k of walking through the industrial outskirts of Porto. The walk from there to Povoa de Varzim was nice and easy following the coastal boardwalks and beach front roads. A few spots where the boardwalk was old and falling apart were replaced by struggling through thick sand. There’s a lot of sand on the west coast of Portugal and the walk from the start of the sand to the actual Atlantic Ocean is about 400 Metres in parts. We reached Povoa fairly early and , of course our room wasn’t ready . There was only one thing 2 Aussie blokes could do. We found a beach bar and started drinking Superbock , which I’ve become quite a fan of. In draught it’s quite like Carlton. Russell was quite amused by the two tattooed monsters sitting near us in the speedos because the biggest guy had tattoo on his leg of two bearded guys pashing. Oh by the way , Russell has a beard. 

Last nights dinner was garlic prawns at a restaurant. Then we went back to our hotel which had a chinese restaurant and finished it off with some fried rice and a Mateus Rose. 

Russell whinged like a cut cat this morning. He reckons I snored like a drain last night. He’s in for the shock of his life when I really give the sherbet a nudge.

We left Povoa at about 8.40 for the 20k to Esposende. We had a couple of stops on the way to get stones out of our shoes and Russell decided his feet would be better if he took the “anti blister” toe bandages off his tootsies. The difference it made to his comfort was amazing. He ended up skipping,  dancing and doing high kicks as we continued on for the next 15k.

The first place you could get something to eat and drink was in Fao, 3 k before Esposende. Russell had 2 cans of coke and a toasted ham and cheese sanga , me 2 large beers and a “normal” burger (special burger included an egg) . The thieves charged us a whole 12 Euro and 60. You couldn’t get two schooners for that at the Sandringham pub or the Moonee Ponds bowls club.

We then had to walk the 3k to Esposende only to discover our hotel was another 3k from the centre of town. Got here finally and it’s pretty schmick. We both hit the pool, forgetting to shower first and only realised it when everyone sneered at us and made a point of using the poolside showers before they got in the water. Writing this on the bar terrace where they charge a whole 2 Euro for a beer!!! 

We are going into town to find a supermarket because Russell wants some M&Ms and I need some tissues.

Might eat here tonight because they’ve got mushroom and truffle risotto on the menu and Diplomatico rum behind the jump. 


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