Today’s blog post is brought to you by Greg and Judy. I decided it was time to see if I could handle walking for more than a couple of kms with my pack and get back into walking. The good news is that my back feels fine after walking 24kms. The not-so-good news is that I think my right hip belongs to an arthritic old lady twice my age, and when I find that 102 year old lady, I’m going to ask her to give me my hip back.
Horrible weather – it rained for most of the day, and we spent a while slogging through mud before deciding to walk on the road instead. It really would have been a good day to stay indoors and take a train, but it was nice to be walking with Greg again.
We booked our accommodation at the Hotel Solar do Espirito Santo – a beautifully renovated Manor House with attached sixteenth-century chapel, and a very impressive equestrian complex and under-cover dressage area behind the main building. Gorgeous bedroom with ensuite and fluffy bathrobes! After getting drenched just as we walked into Azinhaga (for the 3rd time that day), it was lovely to enjoy a warm, comfortable room. Our English-speaking hostess arranged for us to eat at the Taberna de Maltez and recommended her favourite dish. Unfortunately I cant remember its Portuguese name, but it was slices of chargrilled black pig drizzled with lemon juice and served with excellent chips and rice. A great way to end my first day of walking, which was a very tough start to my camino.
Click on the hyperlink above to see photos of the hotel, well worth a look.
- The view north from Santarem, Tejo river to the right. This is where we are walking the rest of the day. (click for a larger version)
Portas de Sol Santarem
walking in the rain
Resting on a Roman Bridge
Good to see you walking again Judy. Walking through rain and mud must be so much fun, just what I’d want to be doing on an overseas holiday if I ever go on one! Countryside looks great. Any time for exploring along the way?
Hi Lisa, I know, it does seem a strange thing to do voluntarily. The last Camino we did, it rained twice in the 5 weeks, for very short periods of time. This time it has rained every single day! Exploring …. hmm, well we pop into churches and other old buildings of interest along the way, but we don’t really go out of our way to do any extra sightseeing, and we don’t browse shops ‘cos we can’t buy anything ‘cos we can’t carry it. After walking 25kms a day (especially this early in a long walk), all I want to do at the end of a day is get off my feet! And then find something to eat.