Today we follw the coast south towards Portugal? The city starts are not pleasant. So we got out early today as it is a long way with a transfer back north again. It is not so warm just as the sun rises but it seems to make for good photos I think. Today we have to go through the heart of Vigo city. I do hate going through these cities, I will often lose The  cyclist and  my only saving grace is that it is Sunday morning.

There is bright sun and I can’t see very well. It is because the sun’s low as it comes up for the day and there is no way to get away from it. I have seen my first white plastic garden chair in a lay by I dictating that there has been a highway hooker in residence. Although, I have yet to actually see one. Maybe it is because this is a tourist area and the houses are all lovely so the Spanish holiday makers obviously generate local cash. Plus there are lots of young families. Who knows? Maybe they will appear as we head south in a few days. I know they have them as I have seen them before on the med side so Spain.

Vigo was huge but as cities go it was lovely. All the islands had statues or fountains on and it was very clean. The buildings were nice too and it has the advantage of being on the coast. The Cyclist waited for me most of the time so that we didn’t lose each other and shortly after 10am we were through. I keep,seeing these shed like constructions on stilts. Some are very old and dilapidated, some newer. Not every garden has them, but a lot do. It can’t be to keep chickens in like The Cyclist suggested to me. It’s a mystery?

We stopped for lunch at 1pm and the temp rose to 38C. I had done sandwiches for The Cyclist and I put some peanut butter on some bread for me. Lovely. we did eat last night as the hotel did a set 3Courses for €8 each. it wasnThe spanish favourite of potatoes, peas and carrots in mayonnaise with crusty bread to start, followed by So glad for blinds. Trying to use windscreen one on front seat do don’t burn bottom when we finish.

At coast by Portugal headed back north on one of the peninsula’s and the wind is gusting off the Atlantic. It’s good that its cooling in the heat but The Cyclist is having to battle the wind up the steep long hills. He stopped for a few minutes where I had pulled over to wait. He says that the wind is bad but the inland wind is hot and he can’t breath it is like someone sitting on his chest and how he imagines Asthma to be. I gave him a new type of energy gel to try that had 100mg of caffeine in its 37mg of gel. His face screwed up and he said it was rank. This is maybe because he had just eaten a sugary jelly. I only want to see if the caffeine shot works for his last but very steep climb in about 20Km time.

The last bit of the stage was a steep climb. Not that high just steep. It was a Cat 1 climb so that says it all. I stopped to take picture at a view point going up the mountain. There was a Spanish car playing music just like that paying at the wedding in the Garden in the film “dance with me”. You may not know the film but my Angels will know it, it is one of my favourite films. And it has the advantage of having a very handsome Cuban guy in it who is a called Cheyanne in real life and is a massive star in Cuba. Outside of Cuba, I doubt it.

On the way up there were cows in the road and herds of wild horses. I did try to take photos of the horses for the Nieces, but these were not as brave as the pyrenean mountain ponies and they moved away. they probably heard that they were being mistaken for beef and didn’t want to get caught! At the top there were two guys trying to jump of to paraglide. The wind was so strong that each time they ran to jump, the chute kept collapsing. They were braver than me, but before we had packed up to leave they gave up. A wise move.

The Cyclist asked for the big water bottle as soon as he stopped and the promptly tipped it over himself. He said the wind was hot and he couldn’t breathe on the way up. He said it was like having someone sat on his chest and his skin felt like it was on fire. I had suggested sunscreen this morning but he rejected it. Now I bet he wished he had. The trouble with sea winds is that gives a cooling feeling and you don’t feel the sun burning you. Lesson learned I think.