Coastal kestrel

I discovered Bolas de Berlim today. And I can order them in Portuguese. To describe them as custard doughnuts is a travesty but that’s the closest translation, they are even more delicious than the pastel de nata and at least twice as unhealthy. I am on my second one now sitting in a small street café with local home workers in Esposende. My hotel is quite upmarket, I even have a small sitooterie where my clothes are drying in the evening sunshine, I don’t fancy the restaurant which doesn’t open till later.

Another good day starting in Vila do Conde where we followed the urban coastline for 10k or so, at which point I had my first Bolas de Berlim, after walking through marshland on boardwalks for another few miles I left the Senda Litoral and headed inland. I discovered later that this had been a by chance wise decision and pilgrims attempting to follow the beach either had to retrace their steps or get an Uber back on to the main route.

I stopped briefly in Fão to get my credential stamped in the Igreja do Bom Jesus, quite a busy place because it’s another convergence of the coastal and central ways. I crossed the lengthy bridge over the Rio Cávado somewhat trepidatiously because some the metal on the pedestrian walkway was missing and the height of the railing was way too low for my liking, the wind had also whipped up adding to the drama. Then a long schlep into Esposende and out the other side to my accommodation directly on the Camino which will give me a head start in the morning. Around 28k/17 miles today, a wee bit further tomorrow with a couple of gentle ascents, it’s been level all the way thus far.

The main blip is the kestrel I spotted on the sand dunes, extras the Bola de Berlim and the dodgy bridge.

The tags is my Camino acrostic.