Casa do Rio to Santamer (11.85 miles/19.08 km)

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Waking up in a house all by myself on the Camino was a pleasant experience, especially since it was so quiet last night. Except I did hear the pleasant sound of the peacocks trumpeting last night and the roosters crowing this morning. As always, it’s hard to get out of bed in a nice place since I am tempted to stay all day!

I had the breakfast that I had picked up at a restaurant in Azambuja and I was out the door by 7:30. It was an easy start since the Camino is on the road in front of the house. The Camino ran on the road for about a mile and then moved onto a gravel road until about three miles outside of Santamer, where it moved back onto an asphalt road.

I wasn’t sure what I was goi g to do since Santamer was about twelve miles away and the next lodging at Azinhaga is eighteen miles further. The distance I trek is generally determined by the proximity of lodging, and I wasn’t feeling the same rhythm I had yesterday, so that also determined how far I was going today.

The horrible fly issue I encountered yesterday was worse today and started as soon as I walked out the door at the house. It made it almost impossible for me to stop for a short break because hordes of flies would land on me within seconds. I was so frustrated that I was tempted to put on long pants and roll down my sleeves but it was just to hot. In California it is actually illegal to impersonate a person with physical disabilities, and if I was at home I would have been on the verge of that because all the weird moves I was making to get the flies off of me. After about eight miles, I saw a man walking in the opposite direction and hoped he figured my moves were because of the flies and not due to some kind of mental or physical issue. He turned out to be a former Camino Portugues pilgrim going to an interview at a hostel, and he acknowledged the issue with the flies, so he knew why I was acting so strange.

About a mile before Santamer the Camino started a very steep climb up a road into town. It was a very tough little climb, and contrary to my goal of not stopping on climbs, I had to stop for a break because the heat overtook me. Once at the top the Camino comes out in the middle of the plaza and business district.

I had made it to Santamer by 11:30, which was fairly good time because I could stop because the flies. I saw a nice little cafe and stopped to get something to eat and drink. While sitting at an outside table I happen to glance up and there four feet in front of me was Doc, standing there and looking in the window. I was happy to see him and wondered what had happened to him? Apparently he developed such bad back pain yesterday that he went back to town and had to take some prescription pain medication. He could no longer walk and took a bus to Santamer. He will sadly be flying back to Brazil in two days.

I checked into the Santamer Hostel about 1:30 and was pleasantly surprised by how nice the hostel was. It is in a great location near the plaza, and though an older hostel, it is very clean and has lots of atmosphere. It was very reasonable at €40 ($44), including breakfast.

I had dinner with Doc tonight and we went to an authentic Portugués restaurant, Sebastian’s. We had a nice meal, and of course a pleasant conversation. He told me had had been a doctor in the army for over thirty years and left as a colonel. For me meeting people from all over the world, and on an equal level because we are all the same journey, is one of the things I love about the Camino. I will miss seeing him further on the Camino.

I am back in my room and will finally have a chance to read my book. Tomorrow I will see what experience the Camino will have in store for me? I have to remember, as my older brother Tom always reminds me, “it is not necessarily the destination, but rather the day to day experience of the journey.”

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.

If you would like to see the Alzheimer’s Association website and see our team page please go to:

act.alz.org/goto/tedstrek

The Camino on the dike as I was leaving the house

Fig tree along the Camino was a great find for energy food

 

Part of that steep climb into Santamer

 

 

Santamer Plaza area

 

Santamer Hostel

 

My balcony view

 

My room

 

Cozy and clean

 

Bath

 

Lobby area

 

Walking back from Sebastian’s tonight. Notice my Walk to End Alzheimer’s hat!

 

 

I have learned to wrap the usual hot spots on my toes before I have an issue with them. Can’t have my blog without some type of foot photo!

 

 

I also wear support socks over my wool socks for extra arch support, and for me, prevent plantar fasciitis

 

My trek today

 

Note the steep climb into Santamer, it’s almost straight up!