I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine - Caskie Stinnett

20 June 2019, Panguila to Barra do Dande, 38,72km
Pasargada 12,000Kz (R535)

Where the EN100 turned west toward Barra do Dande, the traffic suddenly fell away, and we cycled a quieter, more pleasant road. At the intersection, a market drew us in and we bought barbecued pork ribs from a chaotic stall there. The proprietor removed the ribs from a skewer, and placed them in a plastic bag, and added sliced onion, salt, oil and chilly. The bag went into another and was handed to us in exchange for 300Kz with two serviettes and a smile. A little further down the road we found a tyre to sit on and there consumed pork more moist and delicious than that we had paid considerably more for last night. Directly opposite us were three micro enterprises: a tiny restaurant, a seller of dresses, and a maker of security doors.
From our hospedaria this morning we cycled to a bank to draw cash, standing in a longish queue, as long as that at the ATM of the bank immediately next door. We weren’t sure if the slow progress was a result of there being no cash available, and when someone suggested we try the other queue, we asked, using the international sign of fingerstips rubbed against thumb, whether there was cash available. In charming broken English, the young man pointed at our bank and said “I have money”, then pointed at the neighbouring bank and repeated, “I have money”.
We climbed past baobabs from the lake to higher ground, turned left toward the ocean, and bought a bag of tiny guavas from a homesteader’s stall.
Barra do Dande sits where the Dande River flows into the Atlantic. It is a small town, built on a fishing industry. It boasts three resorts, but no cheap accommodation. The Pasargada is closest to what passes for a centre; over the hill toward the beach, is another option; the third lies some kms north beyond the bridge that spans the river. We could not persuade the Pasargada manager to discount his room rate, so agreed to spend one night instead of the two we had planned. We swam in their pool, took a bucket bath, rested, then went out for a walk and dinner at the cantinha, overpriced and not particularly good except for the fish. As we left our table, three or four boys entered the open-sided cantinha to devour our leftovers…

For today's route see below photos
For overview route, click on ROUTE tab above…