- Time of past OR future Camino
- Francés, Norte, Salvador, Primitivo, Portuguese
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Not sure about the second part but I’ll take it as a compliment!!(Later: you’re much younger than I had assumed and Nick’s lost weight since his profile photo)
So good to see your smiling face!! Happy it all worked out for you.I arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday after some stressful last minute flight changes. My evening flight from Denver to London was super delayed, so I had to accept an itinerary that left 4.5 hours earlier. I was literally on the phone with the United agent while I was simultaneously dragging suitcase and backpack upstairs and requesting an Uber to the airport. I made it there just about 10 minutes before boarding for the first of three flights. I arrived in Lisbon having barely slept a wink.
After a marathon sleep session I was still tired so opted for the hop on hop off bus tour to get an overview of the city.
Today I met up with forum members @jungleboy and @Wendy Werneth. After a short tour we had drinks then dinner, and took the obligatory selfie.
I'll be off bright and early in the morning!
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I wish that I had caught up on my sleep last night. Instead nervous excitement kept me awake.I hope you catch up on your sleep
Thank you - sunglasses are good at hiding wrinkles.you’re much younger than I had assumed
It's a common theme I'm hearing/reading across a number of caminos this year.This year they are accepting and encouraging reservations.
I did the yellow bus tour in Lisbon - it was an excellent way for my sleep deprived and jet-lagged self to see some of the sights.Have a great Caminho, if you get the chance to spend a day in Porto it's well worth it. I recommend the Yellow Bus hop-on, hop-off tour - you'll see a lot from the top deck and, in the days BCE (Before Current Epidemic) you could plug in for a running commentary.
Don't forget to sample the local delicacy: a francesinha sandwich - go on, I dare you
You make me glad I'd not heard of that sandwich when I was in Porto...whew!On a previous stay in Porto I did try the francesinha sandwich, and now I never have to eat one again.
I hear ya about that @trecile, and agree!sunglasses are good at hiding wrinkles.
Were all the other guests Fátima pilgrims?I had a good sleep at the Alpriate albergue.
Yes, they were.Were all the other guests Fátima pilgrims?
Oh good, I'll check it out.I forgot to mention that I have a blog here. I don't promise to write much or well.
Buen camino @trecile!Although the Camino passes through some industrial areas on the outskirts of Lisbon there were lots of lovely wildflowers along the path, and much of the day the Camino was alongside an estuary and the Tagus river.
That looks disgusting, to be honest.3.5kg of carbohydrates and protein with a side order of fries and a beer . . . you have to eat it all inside of 1 hour or pay $50
Francesinhas are definitely...not exactly an "acquired taste" since I think few "curious but not super fond of ultra high-fat/high-carb food" visitors ever eat more than one. And many of us never try them at all.
That's the beastie!I had this in Portugal on the Fisherman's Trail. It was humongous and two of us could not finish it...can't remember what it was called.
It was quite disgusting as well.
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Buen Camino trecile.I arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday after some stressful last minute flight changes. My evening flight from Denver to London was super delayed, so I had to accept an itinerary that left 4.5 hours earlier. I was literally on the phone with the United agent while I was simultaneously dragging suitcase and backpack upstairs and requesting an Uber to the airport. I made it there just about 10 minutes before boarding for the first of three flights. I arrived in Lisbon having barely slept a wink.
After a marathon sleep session I was still tired so opted for the hop on hop off bus tour to get an overview of the city.
Today I met up with forum members @jungleboy and @Wendy Werneth. After a short tour we had drinks then dinner, and took the obligatory selfie.
I'll be off bright and early in the morning!
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Mind you it does have 70 years of history - not that many tourists in Porto back then!Francesinhas are definitely...not exactly an "acquired taste" since I think few "curious but not super fond of ultra high-fat/high-carb food" visitors ever eat more than one. And many of us never try them at all.
Kind of a novelty tourist attraction aimed at the Portuguese tourist to Porto who really likes lots of meat and really rich food...
They don't even use normal, extremely good Portuguese bread; they use the Portuguese equivalent of Wonderbread or Bimbo.
There are so many excellent Portuguese dishes...try one of them, instead
I used a company called Luggage Driver that someone else mentioned on the forum to send my suitcase to Santiago.Hi @trecile from the Willamette Valley! I’ll be following you out of Lisbon next month, unless the heat becomes too much and I’ll reassess. I also have an umbrella and plan to bring it, for sure.
i noted from your initial post that you flew with a suitcase and I’m wondering if you shipped it to SdC from Lisbon, or if you’ll use a baggage service? Curious which services you are using and how everything is working out.
thanks, also, on the note re. prebooking… I’ve been assuming that I’ll be the only foolish one to walk from Lisbon in the heat of June, but perhaps I should reassess.
I’m following your blog with interest!
Bom caminho, and thanks!
Suzanne
Tomorrow will be a better day...all things pass.I'm not walking today.
For the first time ever on the Camino I am going to take transport to my next destination.
Yesterday was not a long day, but I was really dragging. The day was hot and uninspiring, mostly walking on the side of the road, or on a gravel road alongside railroad tracks. There were not many places to stop to take a rest (and I passed them before I needed a rest) Though I did find some pretty wildflowers to take pictures of.
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I put myself in a bad mindset for the 33km walk from Azumbaja to Santarém that I was to do today. I kept thinking if this 22km feels so hard how am I going to walk 33km in the heat? I was pretty sure that someone had put lead weights in my backpack and sandals.
I also probably didn't eat enough while I was walking - only an orange, a croissant and a Coke.
However, after a very good dinner of roast chicken and potatoes I was feeling better about the day ahead. All I had to do was wake up early enough to start walking by 6:00, and I could arrive before the maximum heat of the day.
So I went to bed early, but kept thinking about how I had to wake up early, and then the anxiety set in. Nine o'clock came and went, then ten. At 11:00 I changed my alarm for an hour later - if I fell asleep before midnight I could still get at least 6 hours sleep. At midnight I did the same, deciding that being well rested was more important than starting early.
I did breathing exercises, I counted backwards from 100 by 3s. I did a few yoga poses. The tightness in my chest caused by the anxiety would not go away, nor would the thoughts creating that anxiety.
By 1:18am I gave myself permission to take the train.
Sleep finally came sometime around 2:30.
Then I woke up naturally around 6:30. I was still very tired, but before rolling over and going back to sleep I contemplated getting up and walking, but I realized that 33km in the heat on 4 hours sleep was probably a bad idea.
So tomorrow I restart my Camino from Santarém.
It occurs to me, though I'm not a walker but only a supporter myself, that the Lisboa>north first sections of the Portuguese caminho are a big challenge, in a very different way than the geographic challenges of the first stages of the main Spanish camino.I forgot to mention that if I hadn't pre-booked most of my accommodation I would just stay here in Azambuja today and walk tomorrow to Santarém.
I pre-booked to stay mostly in private rooms to give myself (and my kids, because they worry about me) peace of mind because of Covid.
Yesterday I started thinking "do I have Covid? Is that why I'm struggling on what should be an easy day for me?"
I don't have any symptoms at all, but that's how my mind works.
I'm just going to accept that this year my Camino will be different. Not worse, just different.
Yes! Santarém is really deceptive. There's not much of the city down at the bottom of that hill. As you say, it's a beast of a hill to the old part of town.Oops! It's almost 2:30, and I've forgotten to eat again.
I'm now sitting on the shady terrace of a restaurant awaiting a hamburger.
My apartment is near the train station. I thought that it was odd that I didn't see a city when I got off the train. Now that I've walked up that beast of a hill I'm doubly happy that I didn't walk today.
That is the forum at it's best. On the spot information in real time. I'm sure that Trecile appreciates that. Well done.Yes! Santarém is really deceptive. There's not much of the city down at the bottom of that hill. As you say, it's a beast of a hill to the old part of town.
If you have time after lunch, there are some beautiful and historic old churches in town. Right next to the cathedral, there's a wonderful gallery of Portuguese religious art.
It's a very significant city, in historical terms. Definitely worth checking out a bit after your lunch, if you regain some energy. Going back downhill to your apartment is not so bad as walking up...and there is a bus route that will take you back down the station from up the top. Here's a map of the buses:
Some information about the churches etc.
That is the forum at it's best. On the spot information in real time. I'm sure that Trecile appreciates that. Well done.
Aah so we need to keep an eye on the best dates. We were happy walking in April and prefer rain to heat. We've walked around Sintra before and April was better for us then although obviously Easter and Holy Week can happen then and make everything busier.@Zennor - I think that normally I would have been able to split my stages differently, but with all the Pilgrims going to Fatima this particular week much of the accommodation was fully booked for the first several days.
I originally planned to start right after Easter, but a toe injury caused me to postpone a couple of weeks.Aah so we need to keep an eye on the best dates. We were happy walking in April and prefer rain to heat. We've walked around Sintra before and April was better for us then although obviously Easter and Holy Week can happen then and make everything busier.
Bad luck on the weather. Usually, early May would be way cooler than this. A heat wave coming through...here's the forecast for Tomar (and it will be similar from Santarém to there) for the next week.Aah so we need to keep an eye on the best dates. We were happy walking in April and prefer rain to heat. We've walked around Sintra before and April was better for us then although obviously Easter and Holy Week can happen then and make everything busier.
You won't be the only foolish one...I'm starting in Lisbon on June 1st!Hi @trecile from the Willamette Valley! I’ll be following you out of Lisbon next month, unless the heat becomes too much and I’ll reassess. I also have an umbrella and plan to bring it, for sure.
i noted from your initial post that you flew with a suitcase and I’m wondering if you shipped it to SdC from Lisbon, or if you’ll use a baggage service? Curious which services you are using and how everything is working out.
thanks, also, on the note re. prebooking… I’ve been assuming that I’ll be the only foolish one to walk from Lisbon in the heat of June, but perhaps I should reassess.
I’m following your blog with interest!
Bom caminho, and thanks!
Suzanne
What you don't want to see is a sign saying "Marcher Arrant died here - road kill"I'm only walking 16 km to Vila Nova da Barquinha today so I took my time getting ready, and also had breakfast at the B&B where I spent the night.
I started on the Camino at 8:00, just in time for the famous Portuguese Formula 1 drivers' commute. (aka regular Portuguese drivers) Some were even racing semi trucks, though there were quite a few non Formula 1 qualifiers.
Most of the 8 km walk between Azinhaga and Golegã was on a narrow country road with no shoulder, although the thick weeds would have provided a cushioned but scratchy landing spot if I'd had to make a dive to safety.
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It was also nice to see that someone had gotten the word out to Portugal about Wall Drug in South Dakota, and that Marcher Arrant had been here.
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@trecile are you still out there? It’s been a week since your last post on this thread. Are you still walking?
Thank you @nycwalking. I’ve seen her posts on other threads just as soon as today. Curious if she’s still walking. I’ve been enjoying her journey.She posted a pic of a flower on IG two days ago.
Otherwise FB and forum five day absence.
She’ll turn up.
Thank you @nycwalking. I’ve seen her posts on other threads just as soon as today. Curious if she’s still walking. I’ve been enjoying her journey.
I found you on your blog and I’m following you there. Good to see you’re moving along. Bon CaminhoSorry, I am alive, well, and still walking!
I'll try to post more later today.
Oh dear, I do hope that you will be fine in the end. Count on being remembered, while it lasts. Well done on your wise choice of steps to contain your covid...Unfortunately it's now a Covid Camino for me.
When I went to bed on Thursday night in Águeda my nose was rather stuffed up. After walking 29 km to my next destination - the wonderful Watermill Moinho Garcia albergue in Pinheiro da Bemposta I decided that I should use one of the Covid self tests that I had brought with me.
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I was hoping that I just had a cold, but that T line was undeniable.
Fortunately, I had booked a private room, so I kept my cooties contained.
I found an apartment in a nearby town of Estarreja to isolate in, and I walked here yesterday. Other than mild cold symptoms I just want to sleep - a lot. Last night I slept over 11 hours!
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I booked the apartment for four nights, then I'll retest and reevaluate. I had planned enough time to do the Camino Inglés after the Camino Portuguese, so I should have enough time to finish the Portuguese when I start walking again.
Yes, I plan on doing that. Yesterday I was too tired to make the effort, and I'm not sure if I can get one today (Sunday).Do you need a negative covid test when the time comes to return home? If so, I’d recommend getting an ‘offical’ test asap, if you haven’t already done so, to have official evidence of the date.
In France when Domi wanted a confirmation test, it was done by a pharmacist who administered the test and gave the documentation immediately. Don’t know if same for Spain or finding a farmacia open on a Sunday. Hope so. Best wishes.Yes, I plan on doing that. Yesterday I was too tired to make the effort, and I'm not sure if I can get one today (Sunday).
There's a pharmacy open today that's a 15 minute walk - if I have the energy.In France when Domi wanted a confirmation test, it was done by a pharmacist who administered the test and gave the documentation immediately. Don’t know if same for Spain or finding a farmacia open on a Sunday. Hope so. Best wishes.
Oops, yes of course. Well hopefully will be straightforward there as well.There's a pharmacy open today that's a 15 minute walk - if I have the energy.
BTW I'm still in Portugal.
Best of luck! I hope your recovery goes quickly and smoothly. Sounds like you've got things well under control.There's a pharmacy open today that's a 15 minute walk - if I have the energy.
BTW I'm still in Portugal.
That might be a can of worms you don’t want to open. Whilst lateral flow tests are not as accurate as a PCR you only need to do a couple to get the statistical accuracy roughly equal. That works vs both false positives and false negatives. As you’re not rushing for a flight and have time to let things take their natural course, and your responsibly minimising contact, perhaps you don’t need an ‘official’ anything.Yes, I plan on doing that. Yesterday I was too tired to make the effort, and I'm not sure if I can get one today (Sunday).
Just for clarification, the ‘official’ confirmation test that pharmacist conducted in my husband’s case was a Rapid Antigen test - as was the self test he took 12 hours earlier. It was not a PCR test. Thé point I was trying to make is that if @trecile does have covid and has to take a test of some kind in order to board a flight to / re-enter her home country some time later - she may be one of the unlucky ones who still tests positive long after she is considered to be contagious. No doubt @trecile is doing the responsible thing avoiding others etc - the official test is more about managing the risk of not being able to board your flight home because you are still testing positive weeks after the event. The paperwork documenting the timing of her infection overcomes that, for most countries. It would be a nasty surprise to be two or three weeks down the track and still get a positive test result in the days before departure - and have no way of proving that you had a bout of Covid some weeks earlier.That might be a can of worms you don’t want to open.
Yes; sound advice.Just for clarification, the ‘official’ confirmation test that pharmacist conducted in my husband’s case was a Rapid Antigen test - as was the self test he took 12 hours earlier. It was not a PCR test. Thé point I was trying to make is that if @trecile does have covid and has to take a test of some kind in order to board a flight to / re-enter her home country some time later - she may be one of the unlucky ones who still tests positive long after she is considered to be contagious. No doubt @trecile is doing the responsible thing avoiding others etc - the official test is more about managing the risk of not being able to board your flight home because you are still testing positive weeks after the event. The paperwork documenting the timing of her infection overcomes that, for most countries. It would be a nasty surprise to be two or three weeks down the track and still get a positive test result in the days before departure - and have no way of proving that you had a bout of Covid some weeks earlier.
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