Once off the ferry into Spain...the feeling was at first somewhat different. The well manicured houses and gardens of Portugal were not quite so evident here. There were also quite a few more abandoned houses, a common occurrence in this part of the world apparently due to lack of estate planning...death, and then family squabbles over who gets what! They have started double taxing houses that are left rotting and empty for more than 2 years, but it does not seem to be making a big difference. My mother would say “What are the NEIGHBOURS saying?”

There was no rain at all during the 12klms from the rainy ferry ride (a deliberate creation that Natalie and I conspired-it was soo great to be travelling with someone on the SAME PAGE) and when we got to the LARGE Albergue we checked in and quickly went looking for our first Spanish TAPAS. In Spain, when you order a drink..it ALWAYS comes with a little snack of some sort.

We went to one, around the corner...which was AMAZING...but just closing, and after a look around this amazing space, the owner’s friend accompanied us down to the waterfront to one of his FAVES...and we sat BLISSFULLY in the sun and had the best Calamari EVER❣️Metya had also just arrived and wandered down to join us...a lovely first day in Spain.

After a somewhat RESTLESS night in a LARGE room with lots of people making all kinds of noise from rustling bags to loud alcohol induced SNORING...we set off for coffee and met Nicole from Switzerland there who became our Walking Threesome❣️The walk to Oia was lovely...with some hill climbing and beautiful scenery. Once we arrived...shower and COCKTAILS...OHHH YAAA! I think I had garlicky little baby Squid...YUM