Finding My Way

I started my first day after a solid night's sleep. My bag was down in the lobby by 7:40 a.m. and I enjoyed the adequate breakfast buffet for my third and last time.

Setting out, the temperature was approaching 70 degrees and the skies were clear. The streets were surprisingly empty. I suspected it had nothing to do with Yom Kippur, at least not since 1493. A quick Google search informed me that it was Republic Day. The Portuguese celebrate October 5 as the date in 1910 when the monarchy was overthrown. I didn't realize until later how important that would be.

Since I had already visited the Cathedral Se, I planned to walk east and pick up the Camino north of the traditional starting point. The sidewalks were wide, but slippery even in dry conditions. Planting the top of the trekking poles was a challenge, and each step either had purchase or slid across the surface. It kept things interesting.

After passing through what appeared to be mostly immigrant housing, the sidewalk ended. The path I followed was informed by Google Maps and the Buen Camino app. Unfortunately, the demise of Camino Ninja coincided with the death of its creator outside Leon on the Camino de Frances.

Judging by the reactions of residents, it was obvious that few Pilgrims had passed through the areas I traversed. Still most people were friendly and exchanged morning greetings. When I finally saw the river, I knew I was getting close to the Camino route. The first yellow arrow on a lamppost confirmed it.

To say that trail markings were sparse would be an understatement. It would be about 45 minutes before I saw the next arrow.

The surface had gone from stone to asphalt and pavers. The Camino trail transited a residential community that became industrial and ran parallel to a railyard. During this portion it was obvious that trekkers were more routine, but I was still the only one in sight.

Walking another 20 minutes, I entered more of an upscale community full of (closed) stores, and then moved into the area of the 1998 Expo. This was definitely a showcase that boasted cafes and tree-lined paths along the river. There was an arena with posters up for Justin Bieber – I don't know if he had been there or was soon to appear. The waterfront was full of joggers, bikers, and families out enjoying the day.  It was here that I got my first look at the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

Before reaching the bridge, I stopped at an outdoor café for a coffee and pastry, and met my first fellow pilgrims. Chris and Richard, from New Zealand, had started out that morning on their electric bikes. I'm not a big fan of those things on the Camino, but this couple was delightful. We shared some past experiences, and frustration with how poorly this portion of the Camino was marked.

In the shadow of the bridge were some recreation areas. They included a skatepark and a BMX bike circuit. Both were very busy on the holiday. I walked another couple of hundred yards up the river through this park area and checked my Buen Camino app. I was off course. This would not be the last time it happened – in total I probably added at least an extra mile to my day. I don't believe for a second that my experience was unique.

The day definitely got better once I found my way back onto the trail. Shortly afterward I met my second pilgrim, Matthias from Sweden. In total, I saw only five pilgrims other than myself today.  I caught up with Matthias while he was taking a shoes-off break. We visited for about 20 minutes and talked about the trails we had done before. While I was on the Camino de Frances earlier this year, he was on the North route, the most physically challenging of all the Caminos. Now I feel like I have to do it before I get too old. Or maybe I'll go somewhere else.

After we split up, I passed what was clearly not a public toilet. As I approached another river crossing, there were very clear markings for the route. This was definitely a high point as I descended to follow the trail running beside the river.

My mood changed quickly when I checked Google maps and discovered the route to my hotel did not run along the Camino. There appeared to be no way to get to my hotel if I stayed on the Camino itself. I had to double back and then walk along a highway.

At first there were sidewalks. Then there were none. I had another 40 minutes to walk and it was all along this well-traveled road. I was very fortunate that it was a holiday and traffic was not too heavy. I pressed as far off the road as I possibly could, but still felt the rush of air with each passing vehicle. This was probably the low point of the day. Occasionally there would be some sidewalk and then, far too soon, it was gone again.

You can see the road and river crossing at the bottom of this map, under the "B" in Lisbon. The yellow line running north and northwest is the Camino Trail. The route to my hotel was along the N10.

It was with great relief that I finally arrived at the hotel. I communicated my displeasure to the tour company. They will remain nameless for the time being, and I will remain optimistic that this does not occur again. Tomorrow I have about 30 minutes of walking before I can get back on the Camino. I'm projecting beautiful sidewalks for that portion of my travels.

Dinner tonight at the hotel was the highest cost and lowest quality of the trip so far. But even with the big beer that I couldn't finish, it came in under $20. The recommended restaurant was closed for the holiday and I was just as happy not to be walking on a dark sidewalk again.

Now I'm back in my room getting things squared away for the walk tomorrow. Of course, that includes using the hair dryer in the bathroom to dry the clothes that I rinsed out in the bidet. I checked my two apps and it appears that tomorrow night's hotel is right along the Camino Trail. I'll look forward to that.