A long 34 km and a late start at 9 am after the 8:30 am breakfast at the pension. Hard to described the day. On one hand cold in the morning, no clouds, the sun hot as hell in the afternoon starting to engage my climbing muscles from the rolling hills. On the other hand beautiful trails and/or small single lane road through small towns, streams, fields, cats under the cafe table, donkeys, interesting chimneys, etc. Met an Australian Tony at the first break cafe. He is not carrying much, says it is training for him just 10 km from Tomar and back. He is with his wife who is on a course in Tomar and in a few days he will going down to Lisbon to start walking up until Porto. I told him why bother walking back up to Tomar again, just start his walk there. Actually if I had known how nice it is from Tomar I would have started from Tomar instead. He said he has already booked all his casa rurals (rural homes, which is more expensive) lodgings. Well, to each their own Camino. He gave me a satchel with beads and a cross. The religious type....
Didn't walk with Ryan today. Most of the time it is better to walk alone, no need to talk, just enjoy the view and think.
Withst 5 km to go and almost 4:30 pm there is guest house. It's new, but a blessing from heaven as the road has become an oven. I had a coke (too hot for coffee). Even dipped my legs on the foot bath they had there with cold water. There are bunk beds accomodations there too. Didn't ask for the price but when I asked for business card I was.given a postcard. That place looks like a castle (probably expensive). Was tempted to stay there but if I did 5 km shorter today tomorrow will be 32+5 km.
Glad I chose to move on. Arrived at 5:40 pm in Alvaiázere (town's name sounds like a tongue twister, only the Portuguese can pronounce it properly). The lodging in Alvaiázere is good, 10 euros + 4 euros (breakfast with is prepared early so.we can eat anytime (yay!). Ryan, Ricardo and me all had our own rooms with 3 beds so if no one else arrive later we all would have the our rooms to ourselves (so late in the day in this nice small town, not!). Also the stamp for the credencial is the most unique I have seen in all my caminos. Actually 3 stamps (an aluminum pressed, a wax seal and a patch for us to glue on ourselves when we get to Santiago.
Met an American Julie from Montana. Said she is just doing easy bits of walking plus alternative transport (taxi?) to Porto and maybe a bit of the coastal route. No Santiago for her. As for me even though I mentioned I might take alternative transport here and there, I haven't done so. I guess once I started walking (just me), psychologically it is hard to give myself any advantage.
Dinner at the grilled chicken place, the gang plus Julie.
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