Distance: 33.7km (95.1km), time spent: 8:24.
Weather: Another hot day.
I do not regret for a second that I had got myself a room in a hotel yesterday. With a quiet room and cold air from the aircondition, I had slept like a charm. As for most pilgrims, Santarém would be the logically destination for today, although there are places in between if the 30k there feels too long. Mainly in local rural accommodations, like a quinta, as there are no albergues on the way.
Azambuja.
I am a little bit more excited about this day, as I should be finished with the announced boring start of the Camino. Mainly, I have hopes of avoiding walking next to awful busy roads today, as I had to yesterday. Azambuja is quiet in the morning as I walk through the small town. Walking through the streets, I notice the solid wooden logs used during the bullrunning festival lying around, happy that no bulls are running loose in the streets now.
Tiles on a quinta just outside of Azambuja.
The Camino after Azambuja.
Leaving Azambuja, the Camino almost at once enters a quiet countryside, through what nearly resembles a wooden alley. I have not been walking far when I am being overtaken by a young American woman, Stacy, and we continue walking together from that point. She is walking the pilgrimage to Fátima, so we will not be sharing the Way for very long, just this day exactly. Although, I have not yet made the final decision whether I will go towards Fátima instead of Golegã. It is supposed to be a very beautiful pilgrimage, and a little more mountainous than the regular Portuguese way. When she tells me about the previous time she walked to Fátima, I find myself consider if I should change. Who can resist sleeping in a haunted tower with a howling wind around it?
House decoration, Requengo.
Valada.
Today's walk will mostly be flat. The only significantly climb will be at the end of the day, up to Santarém. Quite noticeably, there appear to be endless fields around us. Although in the horizon, I can see some hills with clouds rolling over them. With the open spaces left by this landscape there are few places that offers shade from the sun and this bears all the marks of another hot day. Accordingly, there are also limited services on this stage too. Reguengo, a small village that at first look appear to consist of a single row of houses, is the first place we come to that has a bar. After Reguengo, I struggle to keep up the pace that Stacy holds.
Tiled house entrance in Valada.
Valada has one feature that makes me wonder how high the water level of the Rio Tejo can get. Going straight through the village as a barrier to the river, is a flood wall. You can walk on the top of it, with the houses on one side and the riverside park on the other side. No flood today and a quiet river. I want to take a look at the 13th century church, but it is locked. It is otherwise a pleasant village, as there are only one place between Valada and Santarém that has services, one should consider filling up water here in case the cafés in Porto de Muge are closed.
Walking on the flood wall between Valada and Porto de Muge.
Café Cardoso in Porto de Muge (model).
From Valada, I continue walking on top of the flood wall. The good thing is that the top of it changes to a soft surface soon after Valada, making it better to walk on than the road below. Next to the road are several dilapidated buildings, but also farms (which is a quinta here) that looks well kept. I wish there were more views of the river. The flood wall goes next to the Camino all the way to the next village on the way, Porto de Muge, and further.
Paprika harvesting.
In a café in Porto de Muge, I meet Ciaran again and Jerry from France, who are about to leave. There are no signs of Stacy. It would be nice to keep on walking together with them, but I have to eat. This is the last place to get any food or drinks until Santarém, about 15k from here.
This tall tree is making space for people and vehicles to pass underneath it.
Those fifteen kilometres turns out to be a long and dry walk underneath a relentless sun. Around the dusty gravel track the Camino goes on, are huge fields where tomatoes, paprikas, corn, cabbages and grapevines are cultivated. The heat is soaring and I have to control myself not to drink up all the water I carry at once. There are also no sign of anybody else out here. Compared to yesterday, this stage holds less interesting sections, but also avoids the awful busy roads that made yesterday so intolerable at times.
On the long and dry Camino towards Santarém.
Stone flood marker before Santarém.
At last, I can begin the climb up the hill I have seen rising from afar. It is not really that tall, but the flat landscape makes everything looks taller. On the way up, I arrive at a perfect place for the time. Next to the road is a fountain, Fonte da Junqueira. Ciaran and Jerry are there, and I cannot help myself following their example. By shuffling off my shoes and socks and put my feet in the cold and refreshing water.
Cooling down my feet in the Fonte da Junqueira.
Fonte da Junqueira.
In Santarém we get a room in the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, there are no pilgrim albergues here. Stacy is also here. She had arrived a lot earlier than us, but having walk straight past the café in Porto de Muge, she was out of water. After we all go through the usual pilgrim routines, by showering and washing our clothes, Stacy, Ciaran, Jerry and I go out to explore the small town. I initially try to lead us towards the Portas do Sol, which I know offer some great views from the town at the top of an old fort, but we get mislead by the need for something to drink. Mainly consisting of cerveja. Finding a café in a nondescript street, we all have a great time, forgetting all about going sightseeing in Santarém.
Taberna Sebastião mural.
Seeking to please our stomachs rather than our eyes, we seek out a place to eat in the narrow streets of the old town. We find Taberna Sebastião, where I order a good bacalao, although the chips that it is served with is a little bit too crispy. A great evening. Tomorrow, Stacy and Jerry will go towards Fátima, while Ciaran and I head towards Golegã. Now, what awaits us on the next days on the Camino Portugués is yet to see.
Dinner at Taberna Sebastião, me, Ciaran, Stacy and Jerry.
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That was a tough day.The fountain at the the end of the day was like heaven.Its the small things that we appreciate at the end of a hot day.
ReplyDeleteThe heat made it a tough day, true, the walking was otherwise flat and easygoing. But after walking on dusty tracks with almost no shade, it was a boon to arrive at the fountain (and the good evening later).
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