On the Fringes

I went to sleep last night expecting to wake up to rain. It was a pleasant surprise that the skies, while overcast, produced no precipitation. I packed my rain gear just the same.

There were several hills through residential areas with new buildings. Others were in disrepair and some were total wrecks. The rail crossing was a dirt trail that required vigilance due to a lack of any signaling devices. It was obviously a well-traveled route for the locals.

Just beyond the railroad tracks, the hill rose and I was witness to a little local drama. An elderly woman was distressed that there was a turkey on her roof. I believe she wanted me to go up and chase it off. She clutched her kitten tightly as if defending it against the fowl. I did not climb the roof. I believed that it had a one-turkey weight restriction.

Further down the road I passed the perfect haunted house. The stores in Portugal actually carry Halloween costumes and decorations. I'm not sure if children go trick or treating. The supermarkets did not have any huge bags of individual-serving candies that might be passed out.

The trail traveled the fringes and industrial areas of cities again. The most interesting scenery was descending a hill and then passing over a bridge built on the foundation of the original Roman span, dating back to the second century.

The next bridge I was supposed to cross had been destroyed in a flood, so it was back up on the highway and holding on to my hat as trucks sped by on the other side of the guardrail.

Just beyond the bridge was my planned break at one of the few cafes open on this portion of the route. My timing was a little off – as I approached the cafe I could see a group of five other pilgrims climb the hill and occupy all the seats.  The capacity for the establishment was reached, so I pressed on. I'm glad I did. Twenty minutes later I left the paved surface and was out in a pine and eucalyptus forest. It was there I caught up with Alana from New Zealand. She is an emergency room doctor who recently quit her job to experience the Camino. Her next job will be in Reykjavik, Iceland. We walked along together for about 30 minutes and dodged some trucks that unexpectedly appeared. 

We covered topics from medical care in New Zealand versus the US, to our actual experiences on the Camino. We split up about 20 minutes from my destination for the day as I veered off into a supermarket to grab some lunch. There was no point rushing to the hotel. It was still before noon and check in wasn't until 2:00 p.m.

As soon as I sat down at my table I sent a message to a doctor I met back in April on the Camino de Frances. Anette is an Ob/Gyn in Copenhagen and has worked in Reykjavik as well. It would be a real "small world" situation if these two doctors, who I’ve met on two different Camino journeys, crossed paths in Iceland.

Lunch was a feast and I probably over-ordered. This grocery store chain featured a cafeteria-style line where they serve hot food. I had two chicken-leg quarters, rice, a combination chickpea and cod dish, a small bottle of water, and a cafe con leche. Finding protein that isn't pork has been a challenge. Getting the chicken and fish was a nice surprise for the day. I'm not sure what lies ahead for dinner.

I entered the more tourist-friendly portion of the city by crossing a rail line with ancient-looking crossing arms. There was no automatic mechanism to lower them, and I didn't see anyone loitering to put them up and down. I don't believe there is frequent train service here. The town is laid out very nicely and the people are extremely friendly. There is a tree-shaded city square surrounded by restaurants, a dilapidated train station, and a very modern-looking theater. I checked, but there is nothing being performed there this evening.

I arrived at my hotel at 1:00 p.m. I was delighted to find that my room was ready and they allowed me to check in early. This is a self-service property. I checked in with a code at the door, retrieved my key, and texted a copy of my passport to the proprietor for his records. The makings for my breakfast are in my room and in the refrigerator downstairs. I don't expect to see anyone before I leave tomorrow morning.

There is no hair dryer in the bathroom. However, even better, there's a heated towel rack.  It has been only two hours since I washed out my clothes and everything is already dry. The only challenge remaining for the day is to find someplace good for dinner.