The next morning, after a brilliant hotel breakfast with Everything (yes, including hard boiled eggs), we asked the receptionist where the best trail was, because our guidebooks disagreed. She said we had to choose between sand and road, which both sounded like tough going. Luckily Nanci has long experience with beach walks, so she decided that with the tide out, the hardpack would be far better than asphalt. She was right, of course, and I am so grateful that we didn’t walk on hot tarmac all day! I am also glad I kept my shoes on, as it was surprisingly hard on the feet.
There were other pilgrims also enjoying a barefoot saunter along the sand this morning, and some local joggers going the other way. We looked for shells and pretty stones, took photos and took our time. The closer we got to Viana, the more surfers, swimmers, sunbathers, dog walkers, yoga classes and grandparents with children filled up the beach.
When you get to this stream of water though you have no choice but to take your shoes and socks off and wade across. From there it’s only a sandy stroll to the beach bar, where there is shade and cold drinks and even very tasty empanadas (but no toilet, that’s in the next one).
After spending a lovely couple of hours on the beach, rather unexpectedly, we started thinking about how to get into Viana. Turns out there is a ferry across from the other side of the beach, on the river side. Eventually we found a little sign pointing down a little stair towards a little pier with a little boat, and an even littler boat. Our ‘ferry’ was the littlest one.
Then onto the pier in Viana, and straight up into one of its elegant main streets, all tiled buildings and decorative details everywhere. Our hotel was very charming, we even had a sofa and a small balcony!, but yet again the beds were squidged together and we had to block the balcony with the sofa in order to get some space between us. At least there was air con, and a powerful shower to get all the sand off.
I had big plans for discovering Viana after a short walking day, but the truth is we were both so listless from the heat that we had lunch in the same street and then dinner at the hotel, with a gentle sightseeing bimble in between. Colleen, who by now was way ahead of us, also reported that the funicular up to the castle was out of order, and walking up in the heat wasn’t going to happen. But we had a great day on the beach, walking and chilling and finding a tiny egg-shaped white stone, capped off with huge garlic prawns, so I was happy.
Somewhere Slowly 