Camariñas: cloud & sun, 21

Fish & Lace

Last night we made some decisions about the coming week. With Annemarie's allergic reaction happening when it did we figured prudence was best under the circumstances. So we spent the day wandering the beautiful Galicean fishing port of Camariñas, probably walked a fair way too! 

This town has been a fishing port for many years, but it's also well known for its lace production. We've seen older women in the small coastal villages along the way making lace. Very intricate work with pins keeping everything organized just so. Quite a delight to watch. Annemarie was very interested so she visited the local lace museum. Annemarie visiting any museum is a red letter day! She must be feeling much better. While she was lost in the museum I went for the gratis show along the street.

I think that traditionally while the men were at sea fishing, the women spend considerable time making these beautiful items to earn a bit more coin, or to decorate their homes.

Later I wandered the back streets in search of nothing in particular, but found a few boats to enjoy.

We reconnected and decided it was time for midi-desayuno and given it was a Sunday morning we stopped for a really rich treat. A fancy Neapolitana de chocolaté. Nice! 

That's a chocolate on the left...very hot, very thick. You can only drink one per trip as its way too rich. We couldn't finish them. 

I'd noticed a small drama taking place in the harbour, but it took a bit of time for the drama to take hold on a Sunday morning. It was like watching paint melt. There was a small boat with traps on board that seemed to be sitting low in the water. Suddenly it was sitting even lower.

And then lower...yet no one was doing anything about it. 

Abruptly a couple of men who had been talking seemed to notice the boat listing, and efforts to resolve the situation began. 

Also like watching paint dry. Two guys tried, kind of pathetically I thought, to get the boat to shore. Things weren't looking too favourable when we walked on. 

Its a nice little port with local fish boats around as well as a fleet of blue water vessels. 

Finally the sun made an appearance and we were immediately over dressed for the occasion.

The big boys,

We walked just enough to keep our legs loose and our feet firm. The rest of the time we ate potato chips (lunch) and slept. The perfect rest day.

Tomorrow we have arranged a taxi to drive us south to Cee at 09:00, after breakfast of course! We have to get out of here because my boots won't dry. Kidding. The boots have been wonderful, but all the rain and sand yesterday made the outters wet and crusty. The insides are dry:-)  Our outdoor cooler.

Actually the plan is to walk from Cee to Finsterre after being dropped off. This is often the last stage of the three day walk from Santiago to the coast, and it's the best of the three. My opinion of course. Very scenic in the sun and you enter the town across a long crescent beach. There (at our next one night stand) we will dump our packs and walk the 3 kms to the light house, the three kilometres that I decided not to walk after the Plata. I saved them to share with Annemarie. 

On Tuesday we will spend what is forecasts to be a really wet day traveling south to Porto by bus. Figure it's a good use of a poor weather day. From the coast it will take most of the day with bus transfers in Santiago and Braga. It will be warmer in Porto as the weather is beginning to deteriorate up here for the next week or so. We will have 4 nights to sample Porto and environs before heading south to meet up with Neil and Sarah in Coimbra next Saturday. Very excited about that!! Porto is supposed to be a very good experience. Photogenic, good food, quite eclectic...just what we like!

We are both at peace with our decision. By most accounts we've seen the best part of this coast, and it has been a wonderful, fulfilling experience. Annemarie is feeling much better now, and we want to make sure that we are able to enjoy the Camino Portuguese with Sarah and Neil. I plan to blog the walk tomorrow and will continue to post most of the time through the coming week.

I'll sign off today with this photo. Like the cows one meets along the Camino, this boat looks to me like it wants to chat!? 

Buen Camino!