A Guarda – Oia (16 km)

Today was a calmer day. I started the stage at 8 am and walked about 16 km to the O Serrano hostel, in Oia, where I arrived at lunchtime.

Along the way, by the sea, lots of water, rocks, grass and a few animals.

The morning break was at the Esplanada do Horizonte, where I had a coffee (€1.20) while enjoying the beautiful view.

Today there was also the little-stones ritual, very close to the finish, which I did at the small Ermida de São Sebastião and then at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Oia, where I did the 3 laps on the inside since the outside wasn't possible.

I also took the chance at these 2 places to stamp my pilgrim passport, which should have at least 2 stamps a day.

Soon after I got to the “O Serrano” hostel, where I paid €15 for the night. After checking in and showering, I asked the staff member where I could have lunch, since the village didn't have many options.

Right then a reunion happened: Natalie and Sule arrived at the hostel, the 2 German women I had been with in Viana do Castelo and who had stayed in Caminha yesterday, unlike me, who had crossed into Spain.

After the reunion I followed the advice of the hostel employee and went to Bar Sal de Mar, where I had lunch.

After lunch, I showed João my skills as a snooker player.

The end of the afternoon was spent on the terrace, enjoying the sea view, and where I also stayed for dinner with João, Natalie and Sule, who had meanwhile joined us. We stayed there enjoying the sunset until night fell and we headed back to the hostel to rest for the next day.

Tomorrow a long stage awaits me, but this time I'm going with the hostel already booked.

In Spain many hostels are private and let you book the night from one day to the next, which leaves us more time for the walk, but I often ended up in the public ones, where beds are also given out in order of arrival, as happens in the Portuguese public hostels.