On the Way

This trip is very different from our experience on the Appalachian Trail.  We are carrying only 15-16 pounds on our back (compared to 35-40), and we do not carry a stove to make our own food. We are staying in hostels or special pilgrim accommodations called Albergues (when we can find spaces to sleep) instead of lentils or tents. Perhaps the most physical difference is the geography. We are walking through the countryside, the agriculture of Portugal.  Our first 100 kilometres have been along the Rio Tejo. The flood plain of this river is the growing region we have been visiting.

So back to our horrible first day...we realized that we needed to include more rest time in our hike.  We had hurt our feet that first day and needed to incorporate time for healing the soreness and the blisters. 

We have enough long distance hiking experience between the four of us that we don't panic when we need to rearrange our plan.  The Camino still is in front of us and is still calling us to present ourselves as we walk the Pilgrims Way.

So on we go!  I want to present some pictures to give an idea of our experience:

We hiked along a beautiful "Boardwalk" that featured many murals. This one depicts the 

Idea of the pigrim along the Camino and carrying the symbol of the Walk the scallop shell.

Village on the hillside with a cemetery in the foreground. Note that most buildings are white with red tile roofs. I would say 80-90 percent fit that description. 

On the way to Azambuja. We had decided to stay in this town for a few days rest.

One of our favorite spots to eat in this town. They offered a wonderful Pilgrims Meal.  Here we met the proprietor Julieta, and her son Nelson. We were spoiled by these wonderful people who seemed determined to give to the pilgrim very special food and drink. We think of them with great memories and fondness.

In this town, on top of that big chimney we saw one of the big nests we found along the way. I looked this up on the Internet and believe it is the nest of the White Stork.  This seems quite similar to our Wood Stork in southern US.

Leaving Azambuja. We started our hike at dawn and could seen the sunlight as it painted the horizon.

This was the day to see the tomatoes in the field just loaded.  We saw the harvested picking them from the plants. Huge long trucks whizzed by us carrying the red vegetables to their next destination.

We also saw many fields of corn, and sweet peppers, many a foot long. We saw melons and anise. A unique thing we saw also was the numbers of snails covering branches along the road.

                            

     

A larger city was Sartarem.  Our visit here was short but we learned that this had once been captured by the Moors but eventually retaken by the first king of Portugal. We styled in a very modern hostel, and even though we left before dawn we found a bagged picnic lunch outside our room waiting for us with a lovely note wishing us Bon Camino!

 

We moved along and found out the next Albergues was full. Happily, we went along to the Casa Azzancha owned by Helena.  She treated us so very well and even took us to dinner in her car so we didn't have to walk more miles on sore feet.

Another early morning and after breakfast, we said goodbye. Lovely chances for some photos of the country and the buildings.

Hiking toward that lovely arch of trees.

We entered a wonderful town called Golega.  This is known as the horse capital of Portugal, so it was lovely to see these two come by us along the Way.

The cathedral on Golega.

I need to show the sidewalks, so obviously put in place by hand, and to a larger scale...

The roads as well.

After Golega, as we walked I wanted to capture a picture of some of olives that grow everywhere.

Here we rested in the shade of an olive tree in a grove by the road. Whoever we stopped for the day, we would enjoy a beer in a cafe and were served a dish of olives as a treat alongside our drink.

Moving on through the countryside...and shocked by the size of the straw bales.  We also got a good shower from the irrigation hoses as we approached this field.

We eventually arrived at the town of Alitalia, and the Casa Patriarca. Again, we are having wonderful rest days while being spoiled by the sweet and caring Portuguese people.

My final though for this post is to say how very special the people of Portugal have been to these Pilgrims. We have been cared for and spoiled with food, drink, breakfasts, free laundry, and rides when we couldn't seem to walk anymore in a day.  We are happy to be in this country and walkin this Way together.  My pilgrim partner continues to fill my heart with love and encouragement!