My internet contact had suggested that I take the interior route through Braga. He had assured me that the scenery and the road was much better that way... (I later learned that he was right! Thanks Flavio!)

I said goodbye to my new friend Judite. (Have I said that I hate goodbyes?) This made me sad. I didn't know what to say.  She is such a good soul! People like her are so few... I wished that I lived closer.  It was hard to let go... This is a friend I would enjoy spending much time with. 

I have been over situations like this many times before, this is probably why I hate goodbyes.  The question is always "Will I see this person again?" In most cases, I never did. I am conscious of that.  But, I have learned to take these "encounters" as gifts in my life.  I have been very fortunate to meet so many good souls! Nevertheless, each time, it brakes a little piece of my heart.

So, all this to say that I left Porto with some regrets. Besides, I should have planned to stay longer, I still had so much more to see.  On the other side, I was happy to start walking on the "Camino" again, and this time, on my own.  It  was a beautiful day. 

we finally found the way to get out of porto! it was a heck of a drive for ben! i wish i could have done something - a brother's caring instinct. it was difficult to get out of porto because of 1. less signs 2. so many roundabouts and late signs 3. confusing circular highways.

we cheered as we finally on the way to the beaches of furadouro. but we must pass the small town of ovar first.

now it got a bit confusing again! THERE WERE NO SIGNS AT ALL!!!!

i was really worried for ben he was driving in the heat. i know he was tired but he kept saying he was not.  i want to ask for directions but its so samn difficult because the portuguese dont speak spanish nor english.

i finally asked a man, my god! i was talking in spanish and he was talking in portuguese - i was asking for directions to FUCKING OVAR WHERVER THAT IS! hahahahaha he was signaling just go back to the main highway but i couldnt get the details at all. i was so desperate in that moment - but suddenly he motioned for us to wait - WHY?! when he came back he was with his car and asked us to follow him! OH MY GOD!!!!!!! portuguese hospitality at its best! i looked at the sky and closed my eyes! hahahahahahahahaha

when we were in the roundabout that weve missed because the sign was gone - he motioned that we go straight and when we finally arrived at the end with a big monument that is ovar already.

thank you very much - whoever you are.

and thank you my lucky rubber duckie you saved me again.

Horta was tiny, so small! But, it's super charming. Jim and I went around the city then stopped into the tourist office, where I think we were the first and only people in there that day. Everyone else was walking around looking bored but we stopped in and had like 6 people help us and they said get a taxi and chose what you want to see. So, we did. We went up to the volcanic crater and stood on the edge of it, it's all a nature preserve now cause a few years back something happened and the lagoon that was there vanished... made me a little nervous but it was so pretty. Big clouds of cold mist rolling across the green, it was absolutely stunning! The entire island is covered in this deep lush green but there are hedges and walls of bright blue hydrangeas. It's such a pretty place, remote to say the least, tiny and not too many people living there but so charming I really loved it.