Day 17: The First Blister....

Oct 3: Amanda and I woke up and got a reasonable 9:00 morning start to the day. Yesterday was just a warm-up. Today would be Amanda's first normal day of hiking covering an expected 21.8 kilometers to Vila do Condo where the Seashore Path ends upon merging into the Coastal Path.

Light rail trail in Matosinhos.

We were both surprised to discover that the town was clear of fog. The last several days, fog has plagued the mornings and being right on the coast, we expected plenty of fog in the morning but nope--it was a beautiful, clear sky! Way off in the distance we could see some fog, but nothing at our current location.

The day was uneventful. The trail was absolutely, utterly flat and followed alongside the Atlantic Ocean the entire day. We stopped at two cafes along the promenade to rest, eat snacks and drink a cold beverage.

Because we followed alongside the ocean, we never had to worry about cars or scary roads to cross.

At one beach, Amanda wanted to stop and dip her feet into the Atlantic Ocean, so I laid down while Amanda frolicked in the water.

But all in all, it was a pretty boring day. We arrived at the hostel in Vila do Conde at about 4:00 in the afternoon, we booked a private room since it wasn't that much more expensive than two beds in a shared dorm, but I spent most of the evening in the common room where I could get a wi-fi connection.

Amanda, after pulling off her shoes and socks discovered her first blister of the trail located on her small toe, but she wasn't prepared to name it just yet. I wrote in my journal that the "name is pending."

Our hotel included a free breakfast in the morning, so here we are, about to eat breakfast. =)

The trail crosses over this bridge to get over the Leça River.

Lighthouse of Leça Da Palmeira

The ocean side was pretty, but inland parts weren't always so scenic. This is a Petrogal oil refinery.

It's all fun and games until a real tsunami strikes this coast!

Much of the day's trail followed boardwalks through beaches and dunes. Countless miles and miles of boardwalks....

Built during the Roman period (3rd to 4th centuries AD), these rectangular cavities would be used for fish salting and the production of other types of canned fish. (According to nearby signs. I didn't know they had canned fish back then!)

Amanda's still going the correct way!

You can't see it in these photos, but there's a baby blister forming on one of these feet! =)

Amanda wanted to stop and dip her feet into the Atlantic, so I laid down and rested. =)

Amanda stops to dip her feet into the Atlantic.

Baaa!

The trail crosses this bridge into Vila do Conde and merges with the Coastal Path.

Cute drawing on the wall of the hostel. =)