Date: 22 April 2018

Walked from: Rubiães

Walked to: Tui (España)

Distance: 19 km

I’m in Spain! I’m so damn close to Portugal that I am looking out at it, sitting there just across the river from my hotel room (yup, no hostel for me tonight) but nonetheless, I have crossed the border into Galicia, the land of paprika-coated octopus and grilled, salted (and, allegedly, occasionally spicy) green peppers, which makes me one happy woman.

I did the decent thing before I hot-footed it into España for lunch though; Portugal and I shared a farewell breakfast of my beloved custard tarts in a friendly cafe in São Bento da Porta Aberta, practically the high point of the day. And then it was just 15 km or so on to what I am choosing to describe as the twin towns of Valença and Tui, the former Portuguese, the latter Spanish, both fortress citadels facing off against one another for centuries across the river Minho, which separates the two counties. It’s a lovely setting, especially on a hot sunny day like today.

It’s great to be back in Spain. Just 75 miles to go. ¡Viva España!