We left Tomar at 5:30am for our 20 mile day. Suffice it to say there is no way I could have made it without the energy of our merry band of fellow pilgrims! By mile 15 everyone was flagging but we egged each other on and – ten hours after we started – we arrived exhausted but relieved at our hostel – to be welcomed by the owner with a glass of port! (I guess he realizes that everyone who arrives has just walked 20 miles and may need to be revived.) It’s now 9:30pm and I’m off to bed!
I happened to arrive the one weekend in the year when a medieval festival takes place in Tomar! I have lots of pictures but will have to post them later. On finding it a strain to walk to the grocery store two blocks away, I booked at the hostel for one more night – wondering if I would actually be able to reach Santiago in time. At least I would have time to write my blog tomorrow.
But then fate intervened – in the guise of five very friendly, welcoming and encouraging pilgrims – from Austria, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia – who cooked dinner for everyone and then said to me “We’re leaving at 5:15am tomorrow. Are you coming with us?” There was only one right answer to that – Yes!
So it’s now almost 10pm and I’m about to go to bed so I can be up in time tomorrow. It’s a 20 mile stretch to Alvaiazere with maybe no places to stop on the way – so I am really happy not to do it alone.
I thought I was prepared for the Camino. Nope! I’m not sure why walking 12 miles on the Camino seems three times as long as walking twelve miles at home. It could partly be due to the heat – I think it must be ninety degrees at midday. And then I know what my hostess of last night would reply – she’d say – “Ah, but this is the Camino!”
Anyway, I woke up this morning dreading having to get up and start walking – but I did. And after a lot of stops to change socks and drink water that had become lukewarm in the heat, I eventually dragged myself into Tomar. I knew there was no way I could walk another step tomorrow so I booked into the hostel for two nights.
It was a good omen when my hostess pointed out today’s path – go to the end of the street, turn right, after the farmhouse turn left onto the main road all the way to Golega. I could find my way even without any yellow arrows!
And then the first thing I saw on the path was a field of sunflowers! What more could one want!
After two hours walking I found a cafe in Golega’s main square and ordered a cup of coffee and home made pastry. It was so good I ordered again – and six hours later when I hadn’t passed another cafe, I was really glad I had!
Photos of the church on the left side of the square.
Now to continue the Camino to Atalaia.
On the way I passed Quinta Cardiga – which started out as a castle used by the Templars defending the area,then became a royal palace, then a hospital for pilgrims and now is deserted.
The place where I was to stay in Atalaia, turned out to be a seventeenth century manor house! Today in total I walked just twelve miles – but it seems that whatever the distance and whatever time I start, I will arrive some time after 3 0’clock.
I asked the landlady why there were not more pilgrims right now – and she said many had stayed in the Spring but that the summer was just too hot. Hmm – I had noticed it was rather warm! She also said that she welcomes all her guests but that pilgrims have a special welcome – looking after the pilgrims is her way of doing the Camino.
John Brierley’s ‘Pilgrims Guide to the Camino’ has tips on the practical path and the mystical path. My practical tips for the day would be – if there is a sudden rain shower you are better off if your poncho is not at the VERY bottom of your rucksack, and you will always end up walking more miles than you plan because you WILL get lost.
The yellow arrows could be an allegory of life! You don’t see any for a while and think you are lost – but 80 percent of the time, magically, one pops into sight and you know you are still on the path. But occasionally a yellow arrow doesn’t appear – and you realize that you really are lost.
Today was actually surprisingly hard. The 12 miles I thought I was walking turned into 16. I didn’t arrive at my destination till 3:30pm – I’m not sure why it took that long, but it did. I developed a couple of almost blisters which, per Hamilton’s instructions, I slapped a couple of moleskin band aids on. Someone had told me of a pilgrim who the first day decided it was all too much and went home – at the time I was rather bemused but today I saw where he was coming from! I got through the morning with the help of the nuts and raw chocolate given me by Gerrard and Inez. And then the Portuguese cyclist, who had stayed at the hostel last night and left later than I this morning, caught up to me and cycled VERY slowly for a few miles so he could keep me company – what a boost! By the afternoon, jet lag was hitting me hard and all I wanted to do was lie down in a ditch and sleep! – the only thing stopping me was the realization that when I climbed out of the ditch I’d still have the same amount of miles left to walk. I fished in my rucksack and found a See’s candy lollipop that Kenneth had snuck in before I left – I don’t know how he knew I was really going to need it. Eventually I reached my lodging for the night. The landlady took one look at me, sat me down and brought me a large glass of water and a bowl of jello. I then promptly fell on the bed and slept.
The most wonderful sight today was fields and fields of sunflowers! The soil here is especially fertile. There were rows upon rows of lovingly tended corn, tomatoes and grapes, but what lifted the spirit most were the sunflowers.
I had naively thought that Santarem station would be in Santarem. It wasn’t! I didn’t have an ounce of strength left to walk further. But lo and behold – outside the station was a taxi! As I hadn’t yet started the Camino, I said thank you to my guardian angel and hopped inside.
I had heard that the first part of the Portuguese Camino was a little solitary but hadn’t really believed it. it turns out it’s true. At the hostel there was a delightful German girl and boyfriend – who were about to take a rest day because she was sick and he was exhausted – and a Portuguese biker who was not doing the Camino. So I had a whole dormitory to myself! But no companions for my first day’s walk.
That evening I had fresh fish from the sea at a local family run restaurant. Portugal’s national soccer team was playing Wales and everyone at the restaurant was watching it on TV – the fact that Portugal scored two amazing goals and won 2-0 added to the happiness quotient in the restaurant. Back at the hostel, the game was still on and so I joined the hostel owner, the two Germans and the Portuguese biker to watch the finish and talk about politics.
This area of Portugal is known for its tiles – and Santarem is no exception.
Many of the houses are covered with tile on the outside.
This beautiful church is completely covered with tile on the inside!
In the morning I left at 6:30, soon after it was light.
- I arrived in London the afternoon of July 5th – to be met by my sister, Anna, who helped me pare down my rucksack even more – followed by a dinner in honor of my birthday, cooked by Gerrard, Inez and Gerrard’s friend, Charlie. Then, of course, I couldn’t sleep a wink before I was picked up at 4:30am to go to Luton airport, bound for Lisbon – see photos below!
My most important mission was to visit the cathedral to obtain my credenciale (the pilgrim passport – in which you get a rubber stamp at every stop along the way as proof that you have completed the pilgrimage – and can receive a Compostela from the cathedral in Santiago.
Next to Santarem – to start the Camino!
Back in 2014, after our son, Gerrard, told us about walking The Camino to Santiago de Compostela, I knew it was something I had to do.
But before I started, I wanted to learn Spanish and – equally important – I needed to strengthen my legs. I had torn my meniscus in both knees and so needed some serious strengthening exercises.
After MANY, MANY hours practicing I now know enough Spanish to get by. Yeah! This year I discovered a language school called ‘The Spanish Experience’ in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The teachers there are the best and it kept me going when I had reached my limit with online courses!
As for the leg strengthening – I discovered a physical therapist at the Stanford clinic in Portola Valley who is amazing. I have been doing his alignment and strengthening exercises every single day because I knew it was my only hope of being able to finish the Camino. Three months ago I also started walking – I was stuck at five miles for several weeks – but one day I broke through to ten miles – and then to fifteen (though I was pretty exhausted afterwards).
And now all of a sudden, with only a few days to go I feel a twinge of nervousness. Not for the walking – but more because the Camino can be a journey of the soul. I had a flash that part of my journey is about getting rid of fear – so this is not just a casual stroll through the countryside!
I have the backpack!
And now for what is going INSIDE the backpack.
We have 2 water bottles. In front of them is a towel and sheet (to be treated with anti bug spray which is supposed to discourage bedbugs!) Then we have my yellow poncho ( I took it with me when I walked the length of England at age 24 so I couldn’t possibly leave it behind) In front of that is my pack of undies and socks (I may have been a little enthusiastic with the socks) And the red pack has a selection of remedies for blisters! The green pack at the back has a pair of long pants and a jacket. The blue pack has 3 rather skimpy shorts and Tshirts and the yellow pack in front has sunscreen and a bottle of concentrated wilderness wash which doubles as soap,shampoo, dish and clothes detergent.(I’m proud of that) And then we have the compulsory sombrero!
And now to try it out!
If you live in Palo Alto – this is Russian Ridge Preserve and the views are amazing
Fatijah's Camino Portugués 2016 