Cuidado Com O Cão - Day 6

Beware of the Dog

Golegã - Tomar (19.1 miles) 

Monday was a much better day than Sunday was. I felt more excited to be here and to walk. There were some hills to climb and the weather forecast called for lots of rain. Thankfully it wasn't that much rain and the hills were not that difficult for me. I had one of the best nights of sleep so far on this trip, except for the neighborhood dogs that started barking right before bed. Christian and I got started packing our bags around 6:30 am and I was out the door by 7:00 am. He waited a little longer to finish charging his phone. The crazy man had been up and outside several times after 6:00 am, but his alarm clock kept going off and on for over an hour. Thankfully I never saw him after that first encounter.

As I was leaving Golegã, I was practically chased out of town by a barking dog. I passed by the larger horse racetrack facility, but it was still too dark for photos. The route followed a narrow road out of town and into the Hamlet of São Caetano, where I stopped to apply moleskin to my feet. I started feeling pain between two toes and was surprised to see a blister formed that wasn't there last night. I have had a couple of hot spots before now, but have managed to avoid painful problems with my feet until now. My calves often feel tender at the end of each day as well as my traps. I went to bed the first couple of nights with back and shoulder discomfort. Now, I have become accustomed to the weight of my pack. The minor aches and pains in my legs, knees, ankles, and feet each day come and go imperceptibly. Fortunately, that is all that I have had to deal with so far. I'm staying hydrated and fed throughout each day to avoid any issues there. Continuing down the path with Christian from Germany by my side, we entered the vicinity of the once great castle of Quinta da Cardiga, built by the Knights Templars along the Tagus River in the 12th century. It was added onto in the 14th and 16th centuries, but today is a sad and abandoned place with collapsed roofs, overgrown weeds, and faded paint.

Near Atalaia, we found a local café for breakfast about 6 miles into the day's journey. Taking the road out of town, we then turned right onto a dirt road that led us up and over two decent hills. It started raining lightly at this time and continued off and on for the next several hours.

Grou was the next community along the way and it was a very peaceful place. There were many large and likely very old olive trees. The birds were singing abundantly from hidden perches among the branches. I have been unable to identify new species in the last two days. Asseiceira came next and we found a group of other pilgrims at the café. Four were new faces and two were familiar. There was the Yeji from South Korea and Mark from Florida arrived later. I met a new girl, Xenia from Germany, a couple from New Mexico, and their family friend from Germany. We chatted a bit on the patio for a quick lunch break before people started leaving to continue walking. I also met several locals at the café. The first was a man wearing an Angola hat. He said he lived there for 9 years and loved it. I told him about my time in Mozambique and how that is where I learned Portugues. Soon after another man followed me onto the patio and wanted to ask me about Mozambique. He had heard that someone in the group outside had been there. This man was stationed in Mozambique while serving in the Portuguese military and seemed to have loved his time there. Our conversation was brief but he was excited and grateful to have met me. We returned to our respective groups after a firm handshake. We all made the final leg of today's journey by parading in a stretched out line down the highway and then through nice neighborhoods full of dogs. Some homes had "Beware of the Dog" signs out front, but the incessant barking gave it away long before we could see the signs. At one point, the dogs followed us down the fence line of a very long stretch of property, only to turn back at the end and find the next walker in line to harass along their way.

Once I arrived in Tomar, I quickly worked on showering and laundry so I could have time to explore. I met up with Christian again on the street. He was having strawberry crepes as a treat after such a challenging day. Together we headed for the castle on the hill. There is some renovation work going on currently and part of this UNESCO World Heritage Sites was inaccessible. However, what we were able to see was spectacular! Walking through the front gates of this historical place was extraordinary! Tomar was founded in 1160 and became the regional headquarters of the Knights Templars. They built this castle to defend the Tagus region. As we finished our loop around the outer wall and courtyards, the security guard came around to kick us out. It was closing time and we had to leave.

On our way out the gate, we met Christina from Los Angeles. She is biking the Caminho Português from Lisbon to Porto while on her vacation from work. She joined Christian and me for dinner and we had a good conversation about our different experiences so far. Again, a person that I will meet once, have dinner and conversation with, never to be seen or heard from again. It is surprising how many people I am meeting on this journey. There are new people to talk with around every corner!

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