Woke up to breakfast served. Last night we were able to select our meal for the morning. What a concept. I chose all my favorite things, eggs, yogurt and fruit. George went for coffee, croissants, Nutella and cheese. We had a feast of food. Thank you Elizabeth!

After breakfast, we said our farewells and walked back to the coast. It was so very windy! We left without our second layer, made it a block or two and realized, we need our jackets! We put our packs down and layered up.

I have no idea how many miles of Boardwalk there is on this section of the Camino. It seems to go on forever and ever. I’m going to need to look this up because it is quite an engineering feat! The wind was blowing at least 30-40 knots. There was some light rain but no possible way to use our umbrellas without turning them inside out. The wind is the story today!

Elizabeth warned us that there was a section of the Boardwalk that was damaged and we’d be walking on sand dunes for a bit. Three Bike-Packers zipped past us and within a few minutes, it appeared we were catching up with them. The dune walking has begun. With bikes loaded with gear, George and I were closing in. It was a slow process walking in soft sand with big backpacks, but not as slow as pushing a bike loaded with gear!

Finally the Bicyclists started moving again, and quickly disappeared on the Boardwalk. We never saw them again! George and I walked for a quarter of a mile on sand and the Boardwalk appeared again. What a relief and now I much more appreciate them! Boardwalks are the best option on this Camino.

We past over an estuary with water, birds, reeds and even a garden to the right of it. Then it happened. The big black cloud came over us and started raining. I thought it was going to be a brief sprinkle and didn’t get my rain jacket out. And like the rain does, it started to downpour. All I could see was a restaurant ahead and thought, if we could just get there, we’ll be fine. We walked inside and there wasn’t anything dry on us. We were ringing wet. George does not like being wet, as I found out!

The Store Owner, Chef and Husband was wiping down the floor because it rained so hard, it blew water inside. George was annoyed because he was wet from head to toe. I was taking off my hat, buff and gloves and trying my best to dry out. Thank goodness they had plastic chairs because we had them wet in no time.

We sat and ordered lunch. This is the incredible difference between The Camino and The Trail. On the trail, I never had a chance to sit down when it was raining, have someone bring me food, drink and dry off! I would keep walking, just getting wetter and maybe, just maybe, there would be a shelter down the trail another 4-5 miles. But having a restaurant that serves me salad, pizza, beer and espresso is not roughing it! That’s pretty darn magical. I explained to George that we would dry out, once the sun comes back, especially being it was really windy. The wind would cut right through our wet clothes and since the sun was warm, we would dry by the time we made it to the next town! Absolutely wonderfully dry. And so it happened.

We walked into Vila do Conde, an ancient city known for lacemaking and fishing. Convento de Santa Clara (Monastery of Santa Clara), the most interesting sight, which is now a school for delinquent boys. A small fountain in a courtyard is fed by a narrow channel from a very long overhead aqueduct, which stretches into the hills. It was one of the first buildings I remembered visiting when I was here some twenty years ago. Now that I’m making my way to the north, the towns and villages are homes to the Rotarians that hosted me.

We continued north through some fishing towns and smaller villages as we left Vila do Conde. We had another five miles before our evening resting spot of Santo Andre. There were a few scattered Boardwalks but more rural roads and countryside. We briefly talked with the locals, who were concerned that we were still walking in the afternoon. I shared with them where we were going and he exclaimed only one more kilometer. That put a pep in our step and we headed up and over our last Boardwalk of the day.

I pulled out my Google Maps and it showed the Hotel was inland. I thought that was odd being the Hotel description mentioned rooms with views of the ocean. I made the turn and followed my map, big message stake! It took us to a rural street in the middle of nowhere. Then it stated, you have arrived. Arrived to what, I thought? A car came by and she stopped. She must’ve known that we were definitely misplaced, not lost, but not where we should be. In Portuguese she asked where we were going? I stated Santa André Hotel and she pointed back to the beach. You’ve got to be kidding! She then opened her car and drove us to the nicest Four Star Hotel that we’ve been to. Thank you my most wonderful lady. We exited and arrived, dry but done for the day.

Once we entered the lobby, all our troubles of the day subsided. The room was in fact on the beach, with a balcony overlooking the massive Atlantic Ocean. We relaxed, took a shower and sat outside for a bit. Then we headed downstairs and had dinner. The best part of this Hotel is they actually have an elevator. We always seem to get the room upstairs and today was no exception. Floor Four, but with an elevator. Such a great evening with breakfast in the morning. This seems to be another grand occasion. Thank you Lord for bringing that ever so kind lady to our rescue and finding our way back to the ocean.

It’s raining. No, it’s pouring. Okay, maybe it’s just raining hard. Last night when we went for dinner, it was a deluge of water. The streets were flooded, our shoes were soaking wet and we looked like drowned rats. The big difference was that we had an apartment to run inside. Not a tent, or three-sides mouse infested shelter but a bonafide home with running water, a shower and a place to hang out sopping wet clothes. So all was not lost! This morning, everything was dried but maybe our shoes. Not so bad.

It is raining today. The bright side is that the rain will not last all day. We got dressed, put on our rain covers over our big ole’ backpacks, donned our umbrellas and braved the elements. I’m not too afraid of rain but George hasn’t had much experience with hiking, let alone walking in the rain. This will be a big test for his wits and attitude. So far, he’s passing the litmus test.

We headed down to the Porto Cathedral which will stamp our Pilgrims Passport. This begins the second half of our journey, Porto to Santiago. There are a few others waiting for the church to open and we’re all huddled inside the dorm of the church. I guess Cathedrals aren’t 24/7 any longer, and so we wait till it opens. Good thing we don’t have anything to do today besides walk 25 kilometers, which in imperial units is 17 miles, more or less.

The doors open, we get our Credentials stamped, and now we are on our way. The Camino Coastal Route is what we’ve decided to use and it’s a bit obscured in making itself known. I meander around the streets of Porto before George and I find our way to the Douro River. This is a good starting point as all routes head north from here.

The rain has subsided a bit and it looks like we might get a break after all. George isn’t feeling as optimistic as me but, that’s par for course. I’m happy due to the fact it’s not pouring cats and dogs, there is no mud to tramp through and so far, no tour bus has sprayed me with water! My day is going pretty darn good!

We make it out of town by way of a metal grated walking path over the river. This, I am not a fan of. Why can’t they just have a nice bridge that you can’t see through? I hurry across the best I can but the darn thing is 1/2 mile long. I keep focused on what’s in front of me, rather than the 100’ drop below. Just get me off this bridge before I barf!

George and I put our umbrellas away and start meeting other Pilgrim’s. So the facts are, most Pilgrims start in Porto and head north to Santiago rather than beginning in Lisbon. Anyone who knows me understands that I am an overachiever and starting in Porto would’ve been, less than my best. So George gets some training before Porto and I am happy having an extra 150 miles to walk! And if we started in Porto, look at all the wonderful people we would’ve never met! It’s a win-win all around.

Before long, we had some miles under our feet, lots of wind to our backs, and sea splash in our face. The ocean was tumultuous. George had heard the surf would be over 14 meters high which is equivalent to 40 foot waves. There were severe weather warnings which if you’re a boater, that would mean “stay off the water!” I didn’t want to walk anywhere close to the surf today. It was downright wicked!

This part of the Coastline, the Black Coast, is littered with shipwrecks, families left widowed, children orphaned and submarines sunk. In fact, the second tallest lighthouse, the Boa Nova in Portugal, is just west of Porto. There are 225 steps to the top and the light is illuminated so bright that sailors can see it for over 28 nautical miles, which is over 52 kilometers in layman’s terms. It was definitely needed and a welcome addition, but seems a bit late.

Inspired by a painting by the famous Augusto Gomes, a great artist from Matosinhos, the sculptural ensemble “Tragedy at Sea”, was commissioned by José João Brito (2005). The greatest nautical tragedy ever recorded on Portuguese waters: On the 1st-2nd December 1947, several fishing boats sank off Leixes Port, causing the death of 152 crew members. The pain and despair was felt in the whole community leaving 72 widows and 152 orphans. Such a tragedy for so many.

George and I took our time walking today. There was so much to see and do. We stopped at The Castelo do Queijo (Cheese Castle) which is a noted landmark in Foz do Douro, an upscale suburb on the Atlantic Ocean, west of Porto. They call it the Cheese Castle because it sits atop a rock that looks like cheese. For 50 cents, we were able to tour the castle and play with the umpteen cannons. Money well spent, as far as I was concerned!

Out Tour Guide from yesterday recommended a place to eat in Matosinhos. After last nights amazing dinner that he also shared with us, I figured this would be another Michelin Star. From the outside, it was non-assuming but boy of boy, when we walked inside, I was blown away. Miguel did it again.

We sat down and ordered. I asked for two glasses of Verde Vinho (Green Wine) and our waiter brings us a full bottle of Red Wine from the Douro Valley. Hmm, well not what I asked for but it sure tasted great! I tried again in my best rendition of Portuguese and asked for Chicken and Vegetables. The chicken was so tender and grilled to perfection. The vegetables were French Fries and Rice, so close. I’m starting to understand that vegetables in Portugal is French Fries and virtually everything comes with rice. It was still the best lunch we’ve had! And the cost, $28, including espresso.

The rest of the day was spent catching up on the miles, hoping we would arrive to our Bed & Breakfast before tomorrow. The scenery was beautiful with rocky beaches, low tides and easy boardwalks. I’m loving the Coastal Route so far. George was keeping up, and with our many stops at cafes for espresso, beer and coca-cola, it kept him happy and hydrated! Me too, for that matter.

We turned off and did the last two blocks to arrive at “Smiling Faces” Bed & Breakfast. You’d think it was ten miles uphill. I’m not sure what the deal is with the last tenth of a mile, but it is always uphill and feels like a mile or two. Elizabeth greeted us like she knew us for years. This woman is a Saint. She had our room ready, beer chilled in the refrigerator, and a heart as big as Texas! We sat and talked for a couple hours. I think George would marry her if she would take him! She is the nicest, funniest lady with a laugh as loud as mine! She could be my sister.

So, I just cannot believe what we have experienced during this walkabout. Each day seems better than the last. We have truly been blessed every step of the way. Time will tell but I just keep thinking, can it get any better than it already has? Maybe so. Thank you Elizabeth for your generosity and hospitality. What an absolute jewel you are, and a perfect gift from God above!

Today was a Zero Day. George and I wanted to check out Porto. This included booking an Air B&B Experience. When we were in Coimbra, we met a couple from the States and Sue recommended excursions through AirB&B. I never even knew there was such a thing. So far, we haven’t been disappointed.

George and I walked the mile down to the meeting location in the Old Historical District of Porto. We almost made it there before it started raining. The last few minutes we were walking in a downpour, without an umbrella. Poor planning on my part.

We walked into the building and met the others who were going on the tour. It was billed as a small intimate excursion to Family Owned Wineries. And in fact, that is what we experienced.

Miguel was our driver/guide. A local, born and raised in Porto. He speaks three languages, Portuguese, English and French. Gosh do I feel ignorant! I think we got the best guide of the bunch. He was funny, quite talkative and definitely has a passion for this country.

Eight of us crawled into a van and we headed to Duoro Valley. It’s a bit over an hour drive through incredible countryside, even in the rain. I was in the back of the Van with Mattie from Norway, and Yon from Brazil. They were the youngest on the tour, probably 20’s and we had a hoot together. George sat in the second row, in front of me with the Canadians. All English speakers and wine drinkers!

Our first stop was Pinot, which is in Douro Valley. This region goes as far north as Barca de Alva, and is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. First, the river carved the deep valleys out of this land. Man transformed the schist mountains into soil and walls, planted the vines which are green in summer, and flame-coloured in autumn. With knowledge handed down from generation to generation, terraces were built which exposes the vines to rays of sunshine. This gives the grapes the warmth that the wine craves. It really is a masterpiece to see this region. Napa has nothing over Duoro Valley. Well except, really good wine.

We met the Winemaker, who was Russian, studied winemaking in Australia and fell in love with a fourth generation wine producer in Portugal. It’s quite the story. Their winery is small, producing only 10,000 liters of wine per year. He shared his three wines, a white, rose and blended red. Then he pulled out a Port that they only produce 100 bottles a year and do not sell. What a shame because it was outstanding.

We jumped back in the Van and headed for lunch on the Duoro River. The food was authentic, with more wine flowing and port cake for dessert. It hit the spot and absorbed much of the alcohol. We walked to the river and took a one-hour boat ride down the Douro River. This is where you can truly appreciate the beauty of this region.

Our next stop was another small family winery with three dogs. They were the highlight of the afternoon. And of course, the wine. We tried a few more wines, red and white and also three jams, two olive tamponades, olive oil and my favorite, just plain ol’ olives. The only thing that wasn’t produced at the winery was the bread. I headed outside to see the beauty of this place, and finished up the afternoon with a persimmon.

Port Wine was not as prolific as I had thought in our wine tasting excursion today. And that was a shame. I learned that Port Wine is a Fortified Wine and made by processing wine with a grape spirit, typically brandy. The addition of a grape spirit adds a natural sweetness to the wine, which is why port is a favorite post-dinner digest. Funny thing is, Port Wine is not a favorite of the Portuguese. It’s made to export, as most locals drink it only on very special occasions. The rest of the world are the consumers.

It was a fun day, relaxing and brainless. We had someone dictating the day for George and I. Besides getting us to the beginning of the tour today, we were just along for the ride.

Tomorrow, we get serious. Rain, snow, sleet or shine, we will be walking. I’m thinking it’ll be wet. George is a bit concerned with the weather but as the saying goes. “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing.” Unless it’s torrential downpours with sideways rain. We’ll see how that all pans out. We all know, rain doesn’t stop me, but there’s always an option for a taxi. Hopefully, it’ll be short lived. The rain, that is!

A friend of mine sent this quote to me and a few others. It’s really apropos for our Camino. I hope you enjoy it.

Hiking - "I don't like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike! Do you know the origin of that word 'saunter?' It's a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, 'A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.' And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them." John Muir

Yesterday we visited Conimbriga, the Roman Ruins. I wanted to dedicate some time to this place as it is something worthwhile to share.

When George and I embarked on this journey, we surely had no idea all the side trips that we would take. Lucky for us, we are retired and hence have time to explore. As we approached this fence, now we now it as a Roman City. We had no expectations as to how much time we would spend here. Just as the city planners had no idea when they decided to build a road, that they would unearth an entire city that dates back to the 1st Century. Could you imagine?

Conímbriga is one of the largest Roman settlements excavated in Portugal, and was classified as a National Monument in 1910.

Conímbriga’s origins date to Celtic times (briga is a Celtic term for a defended area). But it was under the Romans, who arrived in the 2nd century BC, that it blossomed, thanks, in part, to its strategic position on the main route between Lisbon (Olisipo) and Braga (Bracara Augusta). This is why many Portuguese believe that we are from Portugal. George’s name is very similar to their City of Braga.

After the golden age in the 1st and 2nd centuries, it eventually fell prey to barbarian attacks and, in 468 AD, it was captured by Germanic Suebi forces. Many citizens fled to nearby Aeminius (Coimbra) – thereby saving the city from certain destruction.

As we entered the ruins, there is a massive wall rising in front. Dating to the 3rd century, this was built to keep out the by-now threatening barbarians and originally ran right through the city centre – but much of the city’s residential area was simply abandoned.

Under the walls are a series of mosaic-floored villas, including the House of Skeletons and the House of the Swastika – to the Romans the swastika was a symbol of good luck. Over the wall, was the city’s largest private villa.

The most intriguing part of these ruins is the fact that we were able to walk through them like we owned the place. There are a few areas that are roped off, but for the most part, you can enjoy this piece of history up close and personal. They said that close to 10,000 people lived here during its existence. With commerce and the location, halfway between Lisbon and Braga, it served as a huge trade route for Romans. This city catered to many cultures for hundreds of years. It truly was a fascinating place to visit.

Today, we took a guided tour of Coimbra, which is home of the prestigious Coimbra University. Being here in October has its perks as we saw the 25,000 students that attend this campus. The studies include Law, Medicine, Science, Languages and Mathematics. It is considered the Oxford of Universities here in Europe. The price to attend is $1000 per year for Portuguese, and students who come from abroad pay a whopping $7000 Euros per year. Yes, that’s what I wrote per year! Their Dorms are $150 Euros per month which includes room, board and all the food a starving student can eat. Education is quite affordable and it appears that everyone attends. The end of the story is it’s nearly impossible to find a career here in Coimbra so most of the students move back home or other countries.

Coimbra is rich in tradition and has one of the largest churches in all of Portugal. In the 14th Century, close to 500 Monks lived in the Monastery. When the Monks passed, they were buried inside the church. There are 71 tombs that were marked simply with a number. This way all Monks are equal status. One of the many reasons why they burn incense in the churches is to cover the smell from the burial grounds. Who would’ve thought?

A couple of facts that were helpful to understand. Fly Season is in full swing. September-October is Harvest Time, hence brings flys to the region.

George asked about all the white blocks and squares that we see on the city streets and rural roadways. Our guide explained that during the Lisbon earthquake in 1755, that many of the buildings were left in ruins. Rather than disposing of the crumbled buildings and statues, they repurposed them by constructing walkways and roadways from the remains. Absolutely brilliant!

The Library at Coimbra University is one of the Tenth largest Libraries in the world. Right here in Portugal. If you Google The Beauty and the Beast, there is a portion filmed in the Coimbra Library. They have bats that reside in the library and rather than exterminating them, they decided to keep them as they eat the small bugs that may harvest eggs and larvae on the hundreds of thousands of books. Little unknown factoids that now you are privy to!

We had such an interesting stay in Coimbra. But now we are off to our next destination, Porto. George and I will board a train and head 100 miles north. This will be our last opportunity to take alternative transportation outside of our most worthy feet. The plan is to spend a couple of days in Porto, then leave by foot to finish our Camino. For now, we will continue to eat, drink and submerge ourselves in the culture of this incredible country.

We Baraga’s always have something going on in the mornings. Today was the same as any other. George woke up with Hearing Aid issues. There’s a filter that gets clogged in hearing aids. It’s a very small piece that should be replaced monthly. Ends up, he either forgot them at home or he can’t find where he put the filters in his backpack. So in Baraga fashion, George will clean it himself. He fills a cup with warm water and puts the filters in the cup. Now, comes the problem! One of the filters doesn’t make it in the cup and the hunt is on. It is a minuscule piece of fuzz that has dropped on the floor. God, be with us because I’m not sure how we will find this piece of lint. After crawling around for close to a half hour, George finds it by the door. That’s a long ways from where it was dropped. So once again, we leave later than expected!

After grabbing our double shot of espresso and a small pastry, we hit the trail. Today is Sunday, and hunting season is open. The funny thing is in Portugal, open hunts are only allowed on Sundays and Thursdays. We hear lots of gunfire and see many hunting vehicles along the way.

We find our way to the first town, Zambujal. It is a small village with a beautiful church. We could hear the choir singing as we made our way into town. The other very unexpected nicety was Joseph, a US Citizen from New Jersey, now known as the local baker. He has fresh bread and pastries that he sells from his van. What luck as George and I stock up!

An informative and poignant plaque is displayed in town. It tells the story and reason that many Pilgrims decide to journey to Santiago.

According to the Iberian legend, Santiago (St. James), one of Jesus Apostles, disembarked south of the Iberian Peninsula, and made his way north to Galicia. He passes through these lands, now belonging to the Freguesia do Zambujal. In the year of 44 AC, St. James returns to Santiago and then Jerusalem, where he was beheaded by the Roman representative, Herod Agripa II. Still according to the same legend, his body was brought back to Galicia by his disciples, Atanasio and Teodoro. In a boat guided by an angel, it is believed that his body was buried in the place now known as Santiago de Compostela. This is where the Cathedral was built, and the place that George and I plan to walk to.

After leaving Zambujal, we hear Freddie and Suni approaching from behind. Once again, we are not the last Pilgrims to leave. We talk for a bit and they continue ahead. The weather begins to change and after a week of extreme heat, I think we are going to have a shower. Just a light drizzle that lasts a minute or two. Not much but enough to cool things down.

We make our way to Fonte Comberta, which is not a town but rather a place for stray dogs and cats to hang out. There is a home that has an interesting collection of art. What I was thoroughly amazed by is the Rosetta Beads that are hanging from a tree. It is made of wooden balls that are larger than me. It truly is a piece of artwork.

As I make my way down the road, there’s this sweet dog I see running across the field. She’s a wired-hair terrier and has a collar on so she belongs to some lucky home. Me and the dog head over to an old bridge that was constructed in the 16th Century. Under the reign of the so called Philip Kings, Spain occupied Portugal between the years 1580-1640. During this period they repaired and rebuilt roads as well as bridges to consolidate the Iberian Union. The Fonte Coberta Bridge was part of that policy,

This bridge was built by order on Philip Ill of Portugal (IV of Spain), in the years 1636-1637 under Jose da Fonseca master builder from Ansiao. Imagine that! This bridge from nearly three hundred years is still standing and used today.

The dog escorts George and I up to our final ascent of the day. It winds up and over a beautiful hillside that protects one valley from another. Once we arrive on top, we are passed by Trail Runners and Mountain Bikers. Being Sunday, it seems many locals are out taking advantage of their day off and doing what they like to do, which appears to be running up and down hills and riding bikes really fast!

Once we crest the hill, we notice a fence around a historical site. It ends up that we have walked to Conimbriga, which is a Roman Settlement from 1st Century. Oh my goodness, this should be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is fascinating. (See my next blog post as I will share the pictures and explain the city that was unearthed recently.)

We headed to the Cafe at the Museum and sat with Freddie and Suni, our pilgrim friends. I had purchased salami, cheese, bread, pears and chocolate wafer cookies in town yesterday. We shared our feast, drank some coffee and talked about our Camino to date. It’s funny what comes up. All the wrong directions, the route finding and the lack of signage. Yep, it appears we are all on the same Camino.

After lunch Freddie and Suni continue north. George and I take in sites of the old Roman Empire. After a couple of hours, we head into Coinimbriga. There’s one Albergue in town. It’s 3:00PM and figure we won’t have enough time to make it the extra ten miles to Coimbriga, which sounds like the town we are in, but it lacks the “n” . We stop at the Albergue and find out they are full. Oh no, this is the first time I did not make a reservation ahead of time. Well then, there’s always a taxi to the next town. We talk with the owners and they call for a taxi. We are whisked away to Coimbriga, the bigger of the two towns and on the river.

This time I get on my WisePulgrims app and make a reservation for “Change the World” Hostel. It’s the hostel I have been reading about since we got on the trail. Sure enough we get a room for the night, a private room with a bath. These are very important facts when you stay in a Hostel.

We arrive to this big city which I am falling in love with! It is the most beautiful place I have seen in Portugal. We get checked in and decide to stay an additional night. There’s just too much to see! Wandering the streets, we run into a couple of pilgrims, both from Germany. It’s funny how you can be in a big city and still see people you’ve met along the way. We visit one of the oldest and most ornate churches-monastery’s I ever seen.

This Monastery of Santa Cruz, was founded in 1131 by King Afonso Henriques for the Order of Saint Augustine. It was the most influential monastery in the city and country, at the time. In the 16th century, it was restructured, which was encouraged by the Kings Manuel l and João III. Major highlights to the tombs of the founders of Portugal dated from the late gothic times with manueline and renaissance decorations. In 2003, the church is raised to the category of National Pantheon. It is stunning. When we walked inside, there was a service being conducted, all in Portuguese of course.

We took the advise of our Hotel concierge and made our way to a opulent bar that sits above the city. Oh my, we have arrived. This is stunning. The sun was setting, the clouds were plentiful, and we had the best table in the house. Well honestly, there’s not a bad table anywhere! We bought a bottle of red wine and watched the sunset. The couple next to us were from South Carolina and we talked most the evening with them.

Afterwards we went to Arcada, a Tapas Restaurant and proceeded to enjoy the best meal, hands down, that we’ve had in Portugal! I’m not sure where we were transported to this afternoon, but it is by far, my most favorite location I’ve seen in this country. I can’t even describe the incredible, delectable food we consumed but it included stuffed mushroom, octopus ceviche, meats, cheese, olives, dried fruits and so much more. After dinner, we made reservations for the same table tomorrow night. It was that special!

Coimbra Fado is a genre of fado originating in this city. While adopted by students at the University of Coimbra, and sometimes known as Student Fado, it is usually considered the typical music of Coimbra itself. The Bar next to our Hostel was playing Fado this evening. George and I finished our evening listening to this music till late in the evening. What a magical night.

So some of you are saying to yourself, this does not seem like much of a hike? And you are right and wrong. This is more of an experience. When George and I planned to set off for The Camino, I did not expect it to be anything like this! Our Pilgrimage has been a love affair with a country that has so much to offer! The people are delightful, the cultural experience has been amazing and the countryside is splendid. This is much more than any walk or hike that I have ever done. And we have only begun!

Talk about frustration. Last night I wrote my blog for Day 10. And when I was about done, the blog just, disappeared. You have no idea how mad I was! I went to bed, and when the rooster crowed early morning, I was awake writing again. Needless to say, we had a late start.

We walked to the Pastry Shop and had our world famous breakfast sandwich. Ham and cheese on a roll with Espresso. That’s as good as it gets in Portugal! We headed out of town and realized that we really weren’t that late. Somehow we caught up with Sonya from Taiwan. She had planned to go half the miles we were today. Don’t tell George since I have much bigger plans for our walk. Twice that and some hills.

We turned from the roadway onto a dirt path. It took us immediately through groves of trees and vineyards. After further inspection, I have determined that the red barked tree from yesterday and today is a bonafide Cork Tree.

When I visited Portugal some twenty years ago, I made my way to Porto. I was traveling with a Rotary Club Member and he loved wine, but especially Port. We talked with a vintner who showed us a cork tree and explained how sooner or later the cork trees would all be harvested. This would mean no more cork and wineries would start using synthetic corks. Hogwash! There’s no way, but now, 20 years later, many winemakers are in fact, using plastic and other hard materials to close up their wine bottles. And, synthetic doesn’t disintegrate like cork sometimes does. Anyhow, a bit of a tangent but we saw some healthy and good looking cork trees along the trail. All have not disappeared.

What we also saw was a bunch of Portuguese harvesting olives. There’s a few ways to get olives off a tree. Most of the husband and wife teams are using a type of mechanical rake that shakes the tree, and the olives drop. The wife catches the olives in a net of sorts, picks through the olives and removes all the leaves and branches. Then she places the olives in a bucket. Another option is using a long bamboo stalk and hitting the tree, and guess what? The olives fall off the tree. Big business here in Portugal between curing the olives and pressing them into olive oil. Anyway you slice it, olives are abundant in this part of the world.

We must’ve walked through miles of Olive Groves today. The countryside is just beautiful. It’s very similar to Tuscany with vineyards, rolling hills, many rock walls and old rustic structures. One olive harvesting couple told us that their olive trees are hundreds of years old. Hundreds, like 500 years or more!

We had a few climbs today. George would say all we did was climb, but his perspective is a bit different than mine. We walked over many Roman Roads as we passed through Alvorge, and north. There were many reminders of days gone by with dilapidated ruins, walls and arches that were crumbling and in disrepair. But instead of demolishing these reminders, they either restore them or leave them as historic artifacts.

After a brief stop in Alvorge, we continued north through Ribiera de Alcamamouque (no, that’s not misspelled) and made it to our Hostel in Rabacal. We arrive and awaited our orders. Some of the Hostels want you to take your shoes off, remove your packs, check your US Passport and Pilgrims Passport. This place showed us the pool and said, someone will be with you in a bit. Enjoy your swim. Now that’s my kind of place.

The Pool is not heated but what it does have is jets like a jacuzzi, and a free falling waterfall that is the best neck massager on the Camino! It was heavenly. I stayed in the pool for close to an hour, floating, swimming, massaging my sore legs, feet and shoulders. You get the picture.

After relaxing for a bit, George and I hit the One-Horse Town to search for beer. We have concluded that Super Bock Stout is our favorite Portuguese Beer. It is darker, flavorful and hits the spot. We were able to get some cheese, bread and hard boiled eggs to go with our late lunch. We hadn’t eaten much today outside an apple, peach and snickers bar. Dinner typically isn’t served until 7pm so this was going to have to suffice until then.

We cruised the street of Rabacal. It truly is one street that covers the town with not much else. We did find a mini-marcado which had enough provisions to make lunch for tomorrow. Outside of that, there was a few abandoned buildings and cars zipping through town to get somewhere else.

George was ready to get back to our private room to take a much needed break. Within two minutes, he was out. I think today tuckered him out with the hill climbs, the rocky paths, the road walking and the fact he was poorly fueled. Last nights Banana Split probably wasn’t enough. I’m thinking more protein and less sugar. Just my two cents.

We headed back to our Cafe and went to order. Is there a menu? Nope. The choices are Fish or Pork. We’ll take one of each. Along with that comes your typical soup and salad, carafe of wine, beer or soda, and a basket of bread. The meal was fine. Our new friend from Denmark, Freddie joined us. He’s in his late 20’s and is walking 30 kilometers a day. We won’t see him again but had a nice dinner tonight. Our bill for dinner was 18 Euros. So today with our private room at the Hostel, our lunch of snickers bars, breakfast sandwich with espresso, set us back a whopping $72.00. No wonder there are so many Americans moving here! It is affordable and darn right, a nice place to be. I won’t be moving here anytime soon but I sure enjoy visiting. And it’s within my budget. And it has great scenery to boot!

Once again, George and I were the last ones standing. When we woke up, we had the place to ourselves. Even the InnKeepers were nowhere to be found. So we made our espresso, had a pastry with banana and hit the road.

The clouds are moving in, thankfully. It has been really hot this past week, so rain, clouds and anything cooler is a welcome change. The route out of town was east peasy with lovely farms of kale, casa’s de gato’s and cobblestone rua. It is quintessential Portugal!

The walk today was the best we’ve had. The route was well marked and it started out flat. This gives our legs a chance to wake-up. George has been keeping a great pace. He’s starting to get his trail legs and actually smiling again. The first 7-10 days are always the hardest but once you get into a rhythm, what a difference that makes.

We met many people along the way this morning. No Pilgrims but the local women walking, families harvesting their olives, and men working on the roadways. I imagine there’s much to be done before the weather changes.

Once we left Aliavaziere, the climbing commenced. Lucky for us, the trail was lined with fruit trees. We pretty much ate our way to the top of Verdes. There were lemons that tasted more like oranges, persimmons that were so sweet and ripe, that the juice was running down our faces, and grapes along the way.

As we made our way through Vendes, and met a Portuguese lady was working her garden. She offered us Persimmon’s and we had to accept them. Once again, they were the sweetest and best tasting I’ve ever had. She’s speaking Portuguese and I’m speaking English, and George is doing his best to interpret. She is 85 years old and as nimble as me. Portuguese lifestyle keeps you young!

We kept climbing fueled by fruit of the God’s, and George was keeping up. He has turned into a darn good hiking partner. The roadway turns into a dirt path and we are actually hiking on an old Roman trail. Well at least to me it seems that way. It is lined by old abandoned rock walls with fields of olive trees, some eucalyptus and a reddish tree that looks like cherrywood.

We came off the trail and walk through Soreio, which almost seems abandoned. There are homes that have been taken over by Morning Glory’s which encompass the roof, walls and ground.

As we crest the top, there’s a church with a bell that you can ring from outside. Oh that’s too tempting. I give it a tug, and all the dogs in town start barking. Oops, I guess it works! We beat feet out of town before the town people head to church waiting for my sermon.

The rest of the afternoon is easy going, heading down into our resting place for the night. We end up walking the road and meet another Portuguese Lady who is 87 years old. She is about 5’ tall if even that and the funniest I have met. She is warning us of each car that is coming up the road and I’m getting her to walk with us to Santiago. She doesn’t speak English and I’m not fluent in Portuguese but we are having a long conversation that we both seem to understand. What a hoot she is!

We make our way to town and arrive before check-in. We drop off our bags and head into town. There is an incredible pastry shop with a restaurant attached to it. We order small plates of food and devour them. Then we each get a pastry, some coffee and finish that. I’m not feeling one bit guilty as we earned everything that we are consuming today!

We head back to our room. It’s a Hotel that was built 5-6 years ago. Very modern, stark white and super clean. It is quite a contrast to the older places we have stayed in. The one thing I can say, even if the Hostel or Apartment is 500 years old, the inside is typically remodeled. We have had the nicest places to stay and quite inexpensive.

George and I clean up, take our showers, wash our clothes and get ready for a night on the town. It’s a small town but it has a big church, center square, lots of cafes and a handful of restaurants. We find a place that has a Pilgrim meal.

This is the first Pilgrim Meal I have seen on a menu. For $15 Euros you get bread, olives, carafe of wine, soup and salad, choice of fish or meat, vegetables, followed up with dessert and espresso. George decides he’ll go straight to the dessert and gets a banana split. We share dinner. It’s all we can eat.

The rain has started but it’s only an afternoon shower. Just enough to get the road slightly wet. The temperature has dropped tremendously and makes for better walking and good sleeping. I think we have turned a corner. George has his trail legs, I’m cooling off and we are deep in Portugal now. It is what we’ve been waiting for.

“I never won a fight in the ring. I always won in preparation.” Written by the greatest prize fighter ever, Mohammed Ali. So true in all aspects of life.

George and I were up at 6AM and were out looking for the trail by 7:15AM. I thought for sure others in the Hostel would be up with us, but evidently they were up earlier and already left. We are just a step behind. Today was going to be a big day. We had miles to cover, hills to climb, heat to overcome and not a lot of options for provisions.

The trail was obscure with few clues on where to go. We made our way through the City Streets and found our way back to the dirt trail. It was cool in the morning with lots of trees, some fairly well graded terrain and nice forest views. It truly was the first time I felt that I was on a trail. Just tall Eucalyptus, Pines and Olive Trees. I was in my element.

We made good time and by 9:30AM we stopped at a roadside cafe. I was quite surprised as the owner cooked hard boiled eggs. I commandeered a couple of apples from the Hostel, add that to the egg with espresso, and breakfast was served! What a treat. We topped off our water bottles, I pulled out my umbrella and we headed out of town.

The locals were tending to their gardens, trimming bushes, watering and just hanging out doing what they do. An 80 year-old woman passed me on her bicycle and when she turned the corner, stood up on her peddles and climbed the hill. I was so impressed, as if she was half her age and never giving it a second thought! What is it like being Portuguese? Being fit, healthy and capable of doing whatever it is that you’d like to do.

We meandered through many small villages with donkeys, goats, sheep, dogs and cats. Every garden or jardim, as they would say, had kale. In Portugal, Calde Verde is their authentic vegetable soup and it must always have kale. So why would you buy it when it grows like a weed out here?! The Kale is picked and grows like a stalk. As you pick the leaf, the stalk continues to grow upward and I suppose it continues to produce new leaves as long as you water and tend to it. One older gentleman was flooding his field and offered me a kale leaf. It was bigger than my face! Sweet and bitter in the same bite. And big enough to use as a fan to cool me down. I just love this versatile plant.

George and I made it to a fork in the road, one path heading straight up and another relatively easier to climb. Of course, our route was straight up a fairly steep dirt path. It was hot and a bit rocky, but nothing I haven’t seen before. George on the other hand, wasn’t loving it. The trail was lined with EucalyptusTrees most of the way. Before long, we made it to the crest of the hill. Downhill and on our way to our planned lunch stop.

On our map, it clearly stated that there was a knife and fork. Symbol for lunch stop in my head. We made the right turn and walked back on the asphalt for a good mile or so. No restaurant anywhere. Bummer, looks like we have leftovers. Fortunately I have learned that you always pack snacks and so I found a shady spot next to a house and made us lunch. A roll with ham, more apples and a cookie. Our water was running low but now, at least we had enough calories to get us up the next hill.

We finished our lackluster lunch and continued northbound. I pointed out the windmills up ahead as our final destination and I thought George was going to crap his pants! What? There’s no way I’m going to make it that far.

We ran into a family that was harvesting olives from their orchard. The family had obviously done this before as they had quite the system. Dad had the shaker that vibrated the tree enough to shake off the olives. Mom and her daughter had a net-like tarp that caught the olives. As they filled the tarp, they would dump the olives in a 5 gallon bucket. They had buckets of olives lining their street. I’m sure this is their main crop for the year. Hard working people, no doubt about it.

The road started climbing again, and when we came to another fork, there was a sign for a Restaurant. This time we had to go as we were bone dry on water and both of us needed a cold drink. As we made the turn, Paulo stopped and asked us if we were headed to the restaurant? Yes, as a matter of fact we are. He too was a Pilgrim walking the Camino years ago and gave us a ride. Without a second thought, we were riding in a van to food, drink and shelter. About five minutes later, we were ordering water and beer, in that order! We drank the water and chugged it down with a beer. Oh, did that taste good.

We got our packs and headed back down the road to reconnect with the trail. Paulo said he’d take us back to where the trail connected. Awesome, that’d be great. We made the turn and he said he’d drop us off at a shady spot and within two minutes, we were at our destination. What a great ride indeed! George was sure that the dear Lord had provided this ride for him because he was done. I think he was right.

We checked in and ran into the gal from Holland, Janny, Jenny from Finland, Sonya from Taiwan and the French guy. Ends up there is a pool at our Hostel/Hotel and without a second thought, George and I were changed and headed to the pool. It wasn’t heated but boy oh boy, it felt marvelous. We all sat around for a bit and then headed inside to sit around some more.

Everyone had stories of the day, what we saw, how hard it was, how hot it was and the fact, we can’t wait till the rain starts! We are having a change in the weather as of tomorrow and I think we are all game for that. We got to know each other a bit better, made reservations for the up coming stages and ordered dinner.

At 7PM, the six of us were sharing dinner together, talking about different Camino’s, hikes we have done and just having a great time conversing. It’s amazing how much we all have in common even though we live worlds apart.

So another day on the Camino. George is doing pretty darn well. He has a blister or two he’s trying to keep under wraps and still gimping a bit on his knee, but all in all, he’s doing quite well. I’m hoping we can continue northbound at a reasonable pace so we can get to Santiago before our plane ride home. We will need to pick up a few more miles but there is always a train or bus, if need be. As long as we complete our last 100 kilometers, we will get our prized Compostela and all will be good in our world. We have lots of time for that to happen.

After touring the towns, taking in the sights of Santarem, Tomar and Fatima, we were both thrilled to be back on the trail by foot power. It felt good to make progress, see the small towns and villages, meet the locals and hang out with our fellow Piligrinos. Tomorrow we will be back at it again with a few more hills to climb and miles to cover. Until then, Bon Camino.

A little complaint. Portugal has not heard of tempur-pedic mattresses. Honestly, not all mattresses are created equally. Hostels have some things dialed in, but mattresses is not their top priority! At midnight, I took the quilt they gave me and beefed up my bed by laying on it. It helped a bit.

By 5AM, I was awake. All was not forsaken as I still needed to upload pictures for my blog and incredible thing, I was the only one on the internet. The Wi-Fi was up and running full speed and I was able to post. George woke up be 6AM, we had a light breakfast of carbs, apple, juice and roll and headed to the Bus Depot. Today we were going to Fatima.

Fátima is a central Portuguese town that’s home to the Sanctuary of Fátima, a Catholic pilgrimage site. Our Lady of Fátima is the title given to the Virgin Mary as she appeared before three shepherd children near the village of Fátima, Portugal, in 1917.

She identified herself to them as the Lady of the Rosary. The Roman Catholic Church officially recognized the Fátima events as worthy of belief in 1930. The three principles that are shared through their visions were to put God first in our lives, pray daily for peace and to share the love of God to all. What truths to standby.

While we were visiting this sacred place, there were many that came for blessings, prayers, sacrifices and some just to experience such a beautiful place. George and I were intrigued by the women who were approaching the church on their knees. Some had Rosary’s that they were praying with, while others were kneeling as they awaited their blessings. It truly is a place of healing, comfort and mystery. There is something quite special about this holy ground.

In the center of this monumental place, there is a fountain. It is said that the water that flows from it is Holy Water, and many have in fact, been healed. Being faithful servants of the Lord, George and I drank from the water, placed it on our troubled spots and prayed for supernatural healing. What a blessing to be able to visit a place that many have only heard of. Truly this was a special highlight of our Pilgrimage.

Back to the Bus Station and we returned to Tomar in time for a late bite to eat. Lunch typically is a bit later, 1-3pm being dinner doesn’t get going until 8-9pm. We eyeballed a place yesterday that the owner was super friendly. What a score. Short Ribs, fries and salad for less than $10. Afterwards we walked our lunch off and visited one of the oldest synagogues in all of Europe.

The Synagogue of Tomar was built between 1430 and 1460 by the city’s then thriving Jewish community. Tomar’s Jewish community traced its origins to the 14th century, when some individuals came to work for the Knights Templers and their successors the Order of Christ. By mid-century when the synagogue was built, Tomar’s Jewish community numbered between 150 and 200 individuals—30% to 40% of Tomar’s total population at the time—and the city center had a Jewish Quarter. The community grew even larger when Spanish Jews settled in Tomar after Spain expelled them in 1492. Within a year or so, Portugal also mandated both Jews and Muslims to leave or convert to Christianity. There were a few Jews that hid out and still to this day have a thriving community in Belmonte, Portugal.

It seems everywhere we go, each city has rich history. We returned to our room, did laundry and prepared for our exit strategy tomorrow. It will be back on the trail with many miles to walk. I know I’m getting a bit antsy and I think George is too. It’s time to get our big back-a-packs and head north, by foot!

What a great day in Santarem. It all began with breakfast being delivered to our Apartment. What a novel idea. A gal dropped off a basket with coffee, tea, juice, and sandwiches (meat and cheese on a roll).

Our new friend Briosa picked us up and gave the Baraga’s an unofficial tour of the city. First stop was Decathalon, Europes version of REI. George is having issues with his backpack and was hoping to find a better fitting pack. Unfortunately, Decathalon caters to a one-size fits all, so after trying on every pack that Decathalon has, he walked out with the same pack he walked n with. But George did find a foam pad, some shoe inserts and replaced his bandana. So not all was lost.

Briosa took us to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant which is obviously, not a secret to the locals. We arrived and went upstairs as downstairs was filled up. We had the traditional Portuguese Flair of snails, conk, crab, shrimp, octopus and roe. So, this may not sound absolutely amazing but until you try it, don’t knock it. What I am finding is it comes down to the preparation. It was so tasty, and George consumed it like a local!

After having our scrumptious lunch, we stopped at the University to see the one of a kind Portuguese Horse. The Sorraia is a rare breed of horse indigenous to the portion of the Iberian peninsula, in the Sorraia River basin, in Portugal. The Sorraia is known for its primitive features, including a convex profile and dun coloring with primitive markings.

Afterwards we drove to the Castle where Conquistador King Afonso Henriques conquered Santarem. Once I saw the walls that surrounded this fortress of a castle, it was obvious how the Moors would’ve been easy prey to the Portuguese.

Our tour continued to a Bull Fighting Bar that is definitely a local hang out. There were the two elders who have their own table. They sit and drink red wine and watch the news. The boys from the Uni (University) came in to drink and eat. There was an overflow table from lunch who were still talking hours later, and whomever else was in the back rooms. We had white wine spritzer which was perfect with our bread, olives and cheese. I felt that we were in! Hanging with a local allows you special privileges like the special table and drinks that aren’t on the menu. We talked about life in Portugal, where to live and what it costs. Mostly everything but maybe gas is half the price compared to the states. And that reflects in salary. The average yearly salary might be $50K and the minimum wage is $780 monthly. So it goes without saying, Anerican’s can do pretty well here.

The day was incredible, much more than anything George and I could’ve imagined or expected. We had dinner, went back to the castle at night and explored the Cathedral Square. All in all it was one of the nicest days we’ve had in Portugal.

When we woke up, breakfast was delivered again. It’s like Room Service without the price. Today we made the decision to jump ahead. With the heat, and the fact we really want to visit Fatima, which is off the trail, we walked to the Train Station and bought a one-way ticket to Tomar. There goes our dreams of a Purist Pilgrimage. Maybe we can revisit that in Porto.

The train was a quick one plus hour ride and we were in a new town. Tomar has a rich history connected to the Knights Templar in Portugal. It was their order which saw the construction of the Convento do Cristo, though one suspects it didn’t get that exact name until the Templars were dissolved and the stronghold fell to the Knights of the Order of Christ. Both were military orders, and although the name of the order changed, many of the members did not. Both are buried in the Church of Santa Maria do Olival on the other side of the river.

We found our room at the Hostel 2300 Thomar. We saw our friends Luisa, gal from Holland and Rudy from Germany. It’s amazing how you keep seeing the same Pilgrims time and time again. George and I dropped our packs and headed up the hillside to the Convert of Christ. It is a beautiful castle that sits on the highest point in the city. The views from above were outstanding. They are doing much refurbishing but the gates are wide open so one can walk the grounds. The one thing I’ve noticed is these Castles, Convents, Parks and Churches are free. No one asked us for anything!

We headed back to town, had our customary beer with Luisa and Ann. We talked about our future plans for the trail. Luisa will beat feet out of here early in the morning. George and I will take a bus to Fatima and Ann will relax in town. We had dinner and returned to our humble abode.

With our short time here, the past week has been full of surprises and we have met such wonderful friends along the way. I truly believe that there are incredible people everywhere you venture, you just need to be open to making time to stop and chat. Languages do not seem to be a barrier. Even if we don’t speak the same, we can always understand one another. It truly is magical! Another reason to allow yourself to explore what our Lord has created. His people are truly the best gift of all.