Our day began with a lovely skype with our daughter M and set me smiling from the outset. The sight of Floyd, her puppy, resting his paw on her lap as she chatted away animatedly made me chuckle. Our conversation touched on met and unmet expectations and we were about to begin our longest and hardest day, with a major climb through forest to a fountain, then a second climb after our descent. Expecting it to be hard made the reality much lighter. And maybe an early start, friendly pilgrims, wayside stops, a picnic lunch on the hilltop, waterfalls, Roman bridges and gentle breezes all added to the delight of this day.
It was good to walk well.
Tonight we are staying at Casa da Capela, named because it adjoins a lovely stone chapel. The young woman who greeted us here allowed us to go straight up to our rooms to freshen up before any of the booking-in formalities. I will leave Portugal in a couple of days' time with a lasting impression of the friendly and intelligent young people we have encountered here.
I am now expecting wonderful accommodation as our tour company obviously have carefully selected each place. But I remain deeply appreciative of warm welcomes, stylishly renovated stone buildings and afternoons to put up my feet even after a bracing swim in a very cold saltwater pool.
Laundry done, journal entry written, and nothing more demanding my attention until dinner is served at 7. Who'd be a pilgrim?
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