We left Camarinas on Friday and anchored a few miles across the bay at Muxia where there was a Fiesta on for 4 days. We went ashore that evening. There was music and a parade which all the locals followed to the main square where details of the forthcoming events were announced, however our Spanish wasn't good enough to understand much. There were lots of stalls mainly run by South Americans and North Africans, Helen bought a handbag. There was lots of food being cooked , including octopus being boiled and huge hams. Alex liked the octopus, Helen didn't, Paul and William didn't even try it.

Next day we moved on about 50 miles to anchor at Islas Cies, a mountainous wooded nature reserve comprising of three islands, near Bayona. A dense sea mist descended in the evening and visibility was reduced to a few meters. William was very uneasy about this and we sounded our fog horn as a signal for a yacht at anchor. We stayed here until Tuesday due to the fog. We walked to the lighthouse at the top of the Isla del Norte where the views were spectacular (once the mist had lifted). Alex and Paul ventured into the sea but it was colder than the sea round England.

On Tuesday we left Spain and arrived in Portugal at Viana do Castelo (having motored due to the lack of wind). We stayed in the marina (which was not expensive and has a new facilities block), in order to do the massive amount of washing which had accumulated, to go shopping and to visit the chandlery.. We met up with a couple of English men, Doug and Alan sailing a Moody on route to Malta. We had a very good meal, best value ever, a huge T-bone steak for 8 euros!!! Alex found a supply of red wine, 5 litres for 3.5 euros, and it was drinkable. Helen and William visited the Templo-Monumento de Sainta Luzia, a huge domed church, overlooking the town, at the top of at least 500 steps. A very narrow spiral staircase led to the top of the dome. After all those stairs we needed refreshments and sat on the terrace of a very posh hotel and had a beer (8 euros for 2 half's of lager).