king of the castle

Tonight we are staying at a hotel inside the fortified town of Valença. I went for a walk on the battlements after we arrived. Inside the walls are houses, churches, a town hall, post office and shops which sell some beautiful linen. Maybe its just as well that I can't carry any more than I already have on my back.

We walked just over 18 miles today, most of it on a path which runs alongside the River Minho which separates Spain from Portugal. We met a few pilgrims (including Ieva) but most followedbthe Coastal path which runs further inland.

From today, it is no longer necessary to show a Covid vaccination certificate in hotels and restaurants in Portugal, though mask wearing is common everywhere, indoors and out. Portugal is apparently the country with the highest vaccination rate in the world- 85%. I'm not sure yet what it will be like in Spain but I know that border controls have been scrapped.

Tomorrow morning we will cross over the river on the International Bridge and will start speaking Spanish (Sarah will at least, and I will try a few phrases here and there). We will also have to put our clocks forward by an hour.

Hasta la vista!