Day 4: Ice cream in the middle of the forest

Dear traveler,

I woke up feeling more refreshed than ever and in the mood for walking. Maybe because my folks told me that today we'd finally sleep somewhere on the shoreline. Or perhaps because through the curtain I can see the sun shining and some cats playing around. Either way, I'm already dressed up with one foot out the door.

We quickly eat something and hit the road to enjoy the morning's chilly air. Even if we start with a bit of climbing, the trail doesn't exhaust me for the moment. This town with winding rocky roads is beautiful, full of multicolored flowers.

From the top of the hill, we see a big city in the distance, where my folks say that we will stop for a hearty breakfast and of course, pastel de nata. 

Viana do Castelo is its name and it takes us a while to cross it, and more important, to find something to eat at this time of day.

After having our meal, we continue crossing the city, which starts climbing slowly and afterwards, more inclined. This road doesn't seem to know that my legs are very hard after I eat. And I don't even want to start about how hot it got outside. The climb is getting worse and if I wouldn't see the shell, I would say that Mamarmot wants to take me to a random cathedral on a hill.

- "I'm tired!"

- "Marmot, we just had a break after our second breakfast. I'd say that you're a hobbit but they are a bit more nimble."

Yes, I'm Bilbo, not in the mood for an adventure today.

With the corner of my eye I see a silver flying object dancing on the street. Reaching closer to me, I notice it's a balloon and I start running after it. 

- "Well, marmot, I see you have no problem running uphill."

I manage to finally catch it and I notice it's a balloon in the shape of the letter I. It's the first letter of my name! What were the odds? 

- "Look at this, Mamarmot!"

But when I look up, my folks are not there. I look behind towards the road I climbed and I see them in the distance, climbing this slope like snails.

- "Come on, how long do you think I'm going to wait for you?"

Until they reach me, I tie my balloon to my backpack, using a rubber band I found somewhere on the beach the other day. I have a familiar feeling, like this happened again. 

- "Hey, marmot, nice balloon you've got there. Do you remember that on Camino Frances you always wore a balloon on your backpack?"

Ahaaa, so this is why it seemed familiar.

We finally escape the city's concrete and return to the jungle. I like it because it's much cooler, at least through some areas. Besides that, the heat became a bit unbearable and if I'm the one saying that, it means something.

The trail takes us out through small towns and then back into the jungle. I must admit that my enthusiasm from this morning is kind of gone now and as the ocean is nowhere near to be seen or heard, I have the feeling that I'll not get the chance for a swim today. 

We stop a bit for something sweet and a coffee in a super tiny coffee shop, where no more than 3 people at once could fit. But they've got delicious cakes and a map on the wall where anyone could mark the place they are coming from. I'm trying to pin a needle on my home, hardly to be honest, as it's very crowded.

Oh, look. Some came from Japan, my favorite country. And from Iceland! Wow, and someone came from Greenland. So many different cultures in this small coffee shop from a godforsaken village. Of course, they couldn't have met here at the same time, which reminds me that I must get out so that others waiting outside for a while now could get in.

Pauza asta nu știu dacă mi-a făcut mai mult bine sau rău, căci simt căldura grea ca o pătură pe umerii mei. Jungla prin care trecem acum a devenit mai rară dar nu vrea să fie mai scurtă. Răbdarea mea se depărtează de mine cu fiecare pas și încerc să nu mă plâng dar probabil fața mea spune totul. După o urcare abruptă, coborâm o potecă unde peisajul se schimba complet. Mamarmot ne așteaptă jos, mijindu-și ochii prin aparatul foto îndreptat către plante agățate de niște stânci. 

- "Come on, marmot, I've got a surprise!"

I notice that around her, different kinds of people are popping up that do not resemble pilgrims at all. I could even say that they have shoes totally unfit for this area.

Reaching her, I see an entrance towards a courtyard that appears out of nowhere, with an exquisite house that seems to be ... a restaurant. The entrance is narrow, making its way through colored bushes of flowers that I like to call bombs. In the courtyard there are white chairs and tables where very stylishly dressed people enjoy a cup of tea or some desert. Ok, this is something I would not expect to see here. A bit off I would say. I go after my folks that are already ordering ice cream. Okay, now we're talking!

I must admit that this is the most beautiful ice cream I've ever seen and probably the most delicious one.

We continue walking and I notice where all the stylish people were coming from. A parking lot filled with cars pops up after a corner. Of course, that is not our trail. We have to take the path that climbs, as usual. But nothing can make me sad now. This ice cream washes everything.

We don't walk too far until the next town where I learn that we're done with the jungle for today and we're getting closer to the ocean. Of course, we pass through another three villages until there, but I've already got used to that. 

The town we'll be spending the night it's an actual resort, filled with tourists that wander the streets, and when we get to our hostel I understand why they are so many around. Across the street there is a huge beach with smooth sand. Finally!

In a matter of minutes we are checked in and I go ahead towards the beach. The waves are quite strong, but I find something that looks like a river that flows into the ocean and I enjoy the warm water. This is everything I needed!

Night comes and we cook a pot of pasta which we share with an Italian pilgrim, who seems very happy, which tells something about how good they were.

The moment comes to go to bed and the sound of the ocean is still buzzing in my ears. It's been quite a hard day, but I haven't felt it like that. Probably the ice cream took its toll and I must admit, I could do this every day. I could be the pilgrim with the ice cream in the middle of the forest and of course, I'd share it with others. I'd also set up a map where people could put a colored pinhead needle in the place they're coming from. I just need to find a way to keep the ice cream cold throughout this heat..