PEI_Heather
Canadian Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2016 - Voie de la Nive
2012, 2016 - Frances
2013 - Portuguese
2012, 2013 - Finesterre & Muxia
Here it is, day five: Beautiful Tomar.
I've declared today, and maybe tomorrow, a rest day. I've, alas, developed the start of achilles tendinitis and am using RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) as well as Ibuprofen, massage and stretching to help deal with it. The first four days of walking 30-32 kms are a shock to the body--at least to THIS body (even after training at home). My two friends and I walked perhaps a bit too fast, my pack was (was--now not) perhaps a bit too heavy, the breaks were a bit too few. It's early days of the injury and fortunately I have treated enough such overuse conditions in my practice that I know what to do with this one. And am listening to my body and not my ego (though it was a struggle for a wee bit). I've stopped walking for a day or two.
The downside: not walking. The upside: I get to explore a bit more of our landing stage than if I was walking all day.
But and so, here is the trip so far (not necessarily in order, but from memory):
Day one and two: not so bad. There is some highway walking, but now there has been rerouting to riverside boardwalks. There is one case where the Camino has not been rerouted, but if you go straight up a dirt road to a parking lot, you'll come to a boardwalk that avoids walking alongside of the light industrial area. I'll look in my journal to find out where this is, but it's in another room right now.
The industrial areas were not so terrible as I read them here. There isn't any heavy duty manufacturing but industrial parks. In Portugal, many companies have fences up and between their buildings and the fence, gardens or trees and other plants. It's not that offensive.
The highway walking. Also not so bad. We left Lisbon on Sunday so the traffic was light. The two places that were the most disconcerting were a country road that had no shoulder but lots of traffic (even on a Sunday) and some fast drivers at that. Again, I'll get my book in a bit to give the location. And the road Laurie mentions with the wide shoulder on the national highway...lots of trucks. But the shoulder IS wide. The Portuguese ride their bikes and walk on these roads, so... I was expecting 4-6 lane highways from the sounds of concern here. The roads are not the super highways, but two lanes. People/cars/trucks pull over to the other side of the road when passing walkers. You just have to walk defensively...as you would on the Camino Frances or at home.
The boardwalks are lovely...have el fresco cafes, pretty views, trees...
The credential is NOT available on Saturdays or Sundays at the Cathedral OR the church of the Martyrs in Lisbon. Apparently they are available at the Church of Santiago... I'm not sure if the Sat/Sun deal applies there as well. If you, like me, intended on buying one when you got to Lisbon and go on these days, you are out of luck. (I got in to Lisbon on Friday evening.) You can get a carimbo (stamp/sello) at the Cathedral however on Sat/Sun. I used the back of my Brierly book until we got to Santarem, when I was able to buy one at the Santarem Hostel. I had no trouble with accommodation.
Oh, carimbos have been available at all of our accommodation. And I think at more places--you can ask. All the person you ask can say is no, if he/she doesn't have a stamp.
So far the waymarking has been fine. It just requires a bit of attention, but the markers are there. Maybe because we are three walkers; someone is always looking for the yellow arrows. Two places to be aware of, however:
0 After Santarem, in the grape vine fields/corn fields, there is a fork in the road. There doesn't seem to be a marker but there is a white steel shed where the road divides. The yellow arrow is in the upper righthand corner of the shed, indicating to go straight. There is another arrow soon after, on a small concrete marker close to the ground on the right. (Before a farm road going into the fields.)
0 Before Golego, where there was a fork in the road. One path went up a hill to the right and the other path (road) went straight...was in the cork plantation that Brierley talks about. There was some clearing/cutting so lots of brush (branches, twigs, sticks) in a big pile on the side of the pathway to the right. In the midst of this was the big stone marker with the yellow arrow...pointing to the pathway up the hill. We covered put a big cross using sticks over that and put a stone arrow in a visible spot before the fork pointing in the right direction. If you go up the hill to your right, you will be off the Camino. Walking straight ahead--you will pass a derelict building--then turning right after that building, you will see a yellow arrow leading you in the proper direction.
The worst day for us was Day three. There was a long stretch before we arrived in Santarem--15 or 17 km-- in the hot, intense, unrelenting sun with no places to stop for rest or water. Brierley indicates that there are several cafes/bars in this section, but there are none; they are closed. Take LOTS of water. If you see a woman in a car offering help, it will be Teresa from the Santarem Hostel. Take it. Take the water and take her help. She is not offering it for an insignificant reason. (She wasn't on the road when we were; she told us this at dinner...she's helped a number of pilgrims, she said.)
The new hostel in Santarem is SPECTACULAR. Brand new and beautiful. 15E including breakfast. Mario and Teresa will make dinner, by donation. We had a delicious chicken and pasta dish with wine and ice cream (with homemade hot chocolate sauce) for dessert...a fresco on the beautiful terrace off the kitchen. Both Mario and Teresa speak English, some Italian and I think, French (as well as Portuguese).
Also the German hostel in Golega mentioned in Brierley's book, is closed. The people there haven't taken in any guests in over a year. We stayed at Boutique do Bolo on Rua D. Afonso Henriques... 60 Euros for a two bedroom salon beside the cafe of the same name...It had a big living area with table, couch (one dble bed) and settee, a bedroom (dble bed) and a big bathroom. Fresh sheets and towels. So 20E each. The owner of the cafe, Mario, speaks some English and French.
Now I'm at the Hostel 2300 Thomas in Tomar and it is equally as wonderful as the Santarem Hostel. Price is 12.50 Euros for pilgrims. We're in a six bed dorm. It is as clean as a whistle with fresh sheets. Towels are 1 Euro each to rent. Free internet. Beautiful deco and furniture. A kitchen. Laundry (4E wash; 4E dry or 7.50E for both; or wash in the sink and dry on the patio/terrace). TV. Friendly.
That's all I can think of for now. Actually what I'm thinking about is WHAT am I doing online when Tomar is out there! I'm heading out to see the sights...to see some Templar buildings. I've discovered an ancestor of mine was (may well have been) a Knight Templar, so this will be interesting! Must go get some pastry...the pastry here is amazing! (OH and so far, the food has been cheap but not in taste...very rich and delisious. A+ for the food!)
Cheers for now!
Heather
I've declared today, and maybe tomorrow, a rest day. I've, alas, developed the start of achilles tendinitis and am using RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) as well as Ibuprofen, massage and stretching to help deal with it. The first four days of walking 30-32 kms are a shock to the body--at least to THIS body (even after training at home). My two friends and I walked perhaps a bit too fast, my pack was (was--now not) perhaps a bit too heavy, the breaks were a bit too few. It's early days of the injury and fortunately I have treated enough such overuse conditions in my practice that I know what to do with this one. And am listening to my body and not my ego (though it was a struggle for a wee bit). I've stopped walking for a day or two.
The downside: not walking. The upside: I get to explore a bit more of our landing stage than if I was walking all day.
But and so, here is the trip so far (not necessarily in order, but from memory):
Day one and two: not so bad. There is some highway walking, but now there has been rerouting to riverside boardwalks. There is one case where the Camino has not been rerouted, but if you go straight up a dirt road to a parking lot, you'll come to a boardwalk that avoids walking alongside of the light industrial area. I'll look in my journal to find out where this is, but it's in another room right now.
The industrial areas were not so terrible as I read them here. There isn't any heavy duty manufacturing but industrial parks. In Portugal, many companies have fences up and between their buildings and the fence, gardens or trees and other plants. It's not that offensive.
The highway walking. Also not so bad. We left Lisbon on Sunday so the traffic was light. The two places that were the most disconcerting were a country road that had no shoulder but lots of traffic (even on a Sunday) and some fast drivers at that. Again, I'll get my book in a bit to give the location. And the road Laurie mentions with the wide shoulder on the national highway...lots of trucks. But the shoulder IS wide. The Portuguese ride their bikes and walk on these roads, so... I was expecting 4-6 lane highways from the sounds of concern here. The roads are not the super highways, but two lanes. People/cars/trucks pull over to the other side of the road when passing walkers. You just have to walk defensively...as you would on the Camino Frances or at home.
The boardwalks are lovely...have el fresco cafes, pretty views, trees...
The credential is NOT available on Saturdays or Sundays at the Cathedral OR the church of the Martyrs in Lisbon. Apparently they are available at the Church of Santiago... I'm not sure if the Sat/Sun deal applies there as well. If you, like me, intended on buying one when you got to Lisbon and go on these days, you are out of luck. (I got in to Lisbon on Friday evening.) You can get a carimbo (stamp/sello) at the Cathedral however on Sat/Sun. I used the back of my Brierly book until we got to Santarem, when I was able to buy one at the Santarem Hostel. I had no trouble with accommodation.
Oh, carimbos have been available at all of our accommodation. And I think at more places--you can ask. All the person you ask can say is no, if he/she doesn't have a stamp.
So far the waymarking has been fine. It just requires a bit of attention, but the markers are there. Maybe because we are three walkers; someone is always looking for the yellow arrows. Two places to be aware of, however:
0 After Santarem, in the grape vine fields/corn fields, there is a fork in the road. There doesn't seem to be a marker but there is a white steel shed where the road divides. The yellow arrow is in the upper righthand corner of the shed, indicating to go straight. There is another arrow soon after, on a small concrete marker close to the ground on the right. (Before a farm road going into the fields.)
0 Before Golego, where there was a fork in the road. One path went up a hill to the right and the other path (road) went straight...was in the cork plantation that Brierley talks about. There was some clearing/cutting so lots of brush (branches, twigs, sticks) in a big pile on the side of the pathway to the right. In the midst of this was the big stone marker with the yellow arrow...pointing to the pathway up the hill. We covered put a big cross using sticks over that and put a stone arrow in a visible spot before the fork pointing in the right direction. If you go up the hill to your right, you will be off the Camino. Walking straight ahead--you will pass a derelict building--then turning right after that building, you will see a yellow arrow leading you in the proper direction.
The worst day for us was Day three. There was a long stretch before we arrived in Santarem--15 or 17 km-- in the hot, intense, unrelenting sun with no places to stop for rest or water. Brierley indicates that there are several cafes/bars in this section, but there are none; they are closed. Take LOTS of water. If you see a woman in a car offering help, it will be Teresa from the Santarem Hostel. Take it. Take the water and take her help. She is not offering it for an insignificant reason. (She wasn't on the road when we were; she told us this at dinner...she's helped a number of pilgrims, she said.)
The new hostel in Santarem is SPECTACULAR. Brand new and beautiful. 15E including breakfast. Mario and Teresa will make dinner, by donation. We had a delicious chicken and pasta dish with wine and ice cream (with homemade hot chocolate sauce) for dessert...a fresco on the beautiful terrace off the kitchen. Both Mario and Teresa speak English, some Italian and I think, French (as well as Portuguese).
Also the German hostel in Golega mentioned in Brierley's book, is closed. The people there haven't taken in any guests in over a year. We stayed at Boutique do Bolo on Rua D. Afonso Henriques... 60 Euros for a two bedroom salon beside the cafe of the same name...It had a big living area with table, couch (one dble bed) and settee, a bedroom (dble bed) and a big bathroom. Fresh sheets and towels. So 20E each. The owner of the cafe, Mario, speaks some English and French.
Now I'm at the Hostel 2300 Thomas in Tomar and it is equally as wonderful as the Santarem Hostel. Price is 12.50 Euros for pilgrims. We're in a six bed dorm. It is as clean as a whistle with fresh sheets. Towels are 1 Euro each to rent. Free internet. Beautiful deco and furniture. A kitchen. Laundry (4E wash; 4E dry or 7.50E for both; or wash in the sink and dry on the patio/terrace). TV. Friendly.
That's all I can think of for now. Actually what I'm thinking about is WHAT am I doing online when Tomar is out there! I'm heading out to see the sights...to see some Templar buildings. I've discovered an ancestor of mine was (may well have been) a Knight Templar, so this will be interesting! Must go get some pastry...the pastry here is amazing! (OH and so far, the food has been cheap but not in taste...very rich and delisious. A+ for the food!)
Cheers for now!
Heather
about the planter fasciitis. My first Camino I pushed to hard the first few days and developed blisters, tons of hot spots and a lot of pain. Fortunately for me the pain reach a tolerable level of discomfort and I was able to continue walking. For me it was a case of the wrong shoes. I think I have the shoe issue licked. Time will tell. Glad for the update on lodgings. My trekking partner and I have decided to train to Porto and start our Caminho there. Looking forward to you updates. Stay safe get better and Bom Caminho. Tony
and no one cares.. The cleanliness of ones washed clothing is, I guess, a state of mind. To my mind, if I washed them or went swimming with them on, they are clean.
Bom Caminho Tony
are not normal! so the stories they told are probably true. As for me, I was a fleet sailor and served on greyhounds. One of our jobs was to look for and sink Subs.
