Date: 1st-2nd August 2019
Travelled: 83 kilometres from Pontevedra to OโRosal both in Galicia, Spain, then 90 kms on to Viana do Castelo in Portugal
Visited: A Guarda in Spain and Viana do Castelo in Portugal
Stayed: O’Rosal Camino car-park, free N41.95041, W08.88470 then Viana do Castelo, car-park, free +B. N41.69795, W08.85149
Budget: 54 days @ โฌ85 per day
As we did not achieve anything vaguely interesting on the 1st other than get stuck in a traffic jam in Vigo for a couple of hours and then not find a parking place in Baiona. Mind you we did find a quiet overnight stop with a view.
Map of O Rosal, the icon on our overnight park.
In the morning we do an hourโs walk locally, before continuing on to A Guarda. Our guide book indicates A Guarda is fairly ordinary working town, the last substantial town before crossing the Rio Minho into Portugal. However exploring the Celta, a pre-Roman settlement on nearby Monte Santa Tecla is highly recommended.
Monte Santa Tecla has twin peaks, this is one. 
And this the other.
The Spanish Comino passes through A Guarda and Monte Santa Tecla, the Stations of the Cross lining the pathway to the crest. 
At the top, the remains of a monastery and chapel. There is also a celta museum up here which we visited.
Perhaps 50m below the summit, the remains of the celta. Which is a per-Roman hill-top settlement. 
The celta, circa 600 bc makes for an interesting walk.
We drive on a few kms to small village at Camposancos. Our guide book states there is a fortified monastery on a small islet than can be walked at low tide. The mist is so think we cannot see more than 10m, so much for that idea. So we turn the Hymer for Portugal.
We cross the frontier into Portugal crossing the Rio Minho. Portugal has been on our bucket list for years and we are looking forward to a new culture. Pam has been practicing her Portuguese โvinho branco seco, obrigadoโ. We drive on down the coast along the N13, passing the famous beaches of the Minho, which remain shrouded in mist. Less than an hour later we arrive in Viana de Castelo. We have a couple of errand to run, a Portuguese data sim and toll pass.
Map of Viana do Castelo, icon on our overnight park
Following another camper-car up the Main Street. 
We find a parking spot on the port. The ship in the backgound a museum.
From the port we walk up into the old town. 
The Capela dos Mareantes, circa 17th century.
Jobs done we have our sim (30GB for โฌ15), and some info on registering our number plate for the tollways. As we walk up this laneway there is a long queue leading to a tiny bakery. Thinking this must be special I ask someone in the line whatโs happening ? A lady tells me locals queue here twice a day for Berlimer Balls…11am and 5pm as they only makes two batches a day, Everyone loves warm Berlimer balls ?
We make our way back to the Hymer, the car-park at the port is not our sort of place to spend Friday evening, so we drive two kms to join several other campers overlooking the coastline.
On our way back to the Hymer we join the queue. Itโs a little like the soup nazi episode from Seinfeld. We all just shuffle in silence, as we get closer we get nervous. Will there be enough balls ? 
So whatโs a Berlimer ball, basically a ball of doughnut mixture, deep fried, heavily coated in cinnamon sugar, then filled with a rich vanilla custard.
Whilst the Berlimer Balls were a delicious desert, Pam insists she can feel her arteries clogging with each bite. So if your ever in Viana do Castelo and your concerned you cholesterol is too low, you can find them here…
https://www.evasoes.pt/local/confeitaria-manuel-natario/
Michael and Pam
