Apr – Jun 2024

2024: Morocco & Camino Torres

A 79-day adventure by Tina Read more

Follow Insights Calendar Share

Footprints
Photos

Trip start
April 2, 2024
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 3
Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 12:35 PM
☁️ 59 °F
Altitude: 495 m
Portugal Pena 38.787441, -9.39046338°47’15” N 9°23’26” W
Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal
April 4, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
My “blog” so far is much more just a collection of photos, but I will try to get back to each footprint with some verbiage. It can be hard to keep up with living the experience and also documenting it.Read more
TravelerIt is hard to believe that there are so many places like that in this world and you guys are finding them all! So exciting and I’m happy for you
4/23/24Reply
TravelerThis place really is like a Wonderland Nancy! And that’s before we went to Morocco, which has so many other scenes that look like a Wonderland straight out of Alibaba and the 40 thieves or Aladdin and his magic lamp!!
4/24/24Reply
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 3
Thursday, April 4, 2024
☁️ 57 °F
Altitude: 1,259 m
Spain Navalperal de Pinares 40.596013, -4.41225740°35’46” N 4°24’44” W
1 1 1 1 1
El Regaleira & Royal Palace of Sintra
April 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
TravelerVery cool pic love the castles. I could just see Bartholomew running around and enjoying himself with a few of his cousins that would’ve been a nice trip to go to with some of his Missouri cousins.
4/24/24Reply
TravelerYes, it would be really cool to have Bart and his cousins explore these areas!
4/25/24Reply
TravelerWas that supposed to be Jesus with a nightgown on or a dress?
4/24/24Reply
TravelerThere was no explanation at all about the picture, it just looked like Trans Jesus. I guess we were supposed to figure it out ourselves.
4/25/24Reply
5 more comments
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 6
Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 1:11 PM
⛅ 70 °F
Altitude: 30 m
Morocco Sāḩat ash Shuhadā’34.024836, -6.83947234°1’29” N 6°50’22” W
Rabat, capitol city of Morocco
April 7, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
Travelerfinally got logged in on my computer; we've been following what we could see on my phone that didn't recognize password. Loving what we've seen so far! What an adventure
4/29/24Reply
TravelerGlad you can follow along Susan. I am still getting around to posting much of the Morocco stuff, there was just so much!
4/29/24Reply
5 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 7
Monday, April 8, 2024 at 5:49 PM
☁️ 63 °F
Altitude: 249 m
Morocco Barrage Enakhla 35.446463, -5.3938335°26’47” N 5°23’38” W
1 4 1
Tangier & enroute to Chefchouen
April 8, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F
Traveler 🫠
4/27/24Reply
Traveler Love ❤️ this
4/27/24Reply
Traveler Cute pic I’m glad she’s not getting attacked.
4/27/24Reply
TravelerActually, aunt Connie said that bird was digging into her arm, but she was still smiling!
4/27/24Reply
TravelerLeave a comment …
4/27/24Reply
3 more comments
2 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 7
Monday, April 8, 2024
🌬 70 °F
Altitude: 14 m
Morocco Jorf Barmil 31.513292, -9.76871831°30’48” N 9°46’7” W
Chefchaouen the Blue City
April 8, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ 🌬 70 °F
Traveleryour pictures are so impressing. have a good time
4/21/24Reply
TravelerThank you, Marlies! We are certainly having a good time so far. 🥰
4/21/24Reply
Great cat picture, so glad your trip is all you hoped for & more, like riding camels! [Susan Biard]
4/23/24Reply
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 9
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
⛅ 64 °F
Altitude: 794 m
Spain Alba de Yeltes 40.671799, -6.31617440°40’18” N 6°18’58” W
1
Moulay Idriss, Morocco
April 10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
Traveler Yay for pack animals!
4/29/24Reply
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 10
Thursday, April 11, 2024
☀️ 86 °F
Altitude: 386 m
Morocco Oued Lmiyyet 34.074749, -5.55438734°4’29” N 5°33’16” W
Volubilis- Roman/Berber ruins in Morocco
April 11, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
We took a guided tour of Volubilis, an ancient Roman/Berber city in Morocco. Romans established it as an outpost on the fringes of their empire until they lost the area somewhere in the 200s. At its peak, it had a population of about 20,000 people. It continued to be occupied by various groups until it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1700s.

After its destruction, much of the marble and granite was moved to build the nearby city of Meknes. Now the reconstructed ruins are impressive; they are the largest group of Roman ruins I’ve ever seen in one place.Read more
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 11
Friday, April 12, 2024 at 12:59 PM
🌬 75 °F
Altitude: 294 m
Morocco Chouara Tannery 34.066261, -4.9710734°3’59” N 4°58’16” W
2
Fes Morocco
April 12, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ 🌬 75 °F
Fes is known as the cultural and religious capital of Morocco and it supposedly has a more Arabic feel than some of the more Berber surroundings. We saw several significant places there, including the old Medina, which has a huge leather Tannery, one of the oldest universities in the world and we had dinner in a magnificent old Riad or palace. Walking into the Medina to get to the Riad was quite an experience, navigating through a maze of seemingly underground tunnels.Read more
Traveler You’ll have to explain to me how that works
5/3/24Reply
TravelerThey rolled them out then and then threw the pancake over the round ball, which is heated on the inside, I’m not sure what’s heating it
5/3/24Reply
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 12
Saturday, April 13, 2024
☀️ 91 °F
Altitude: 460 m
Morocco Marrakesh 31.636545, -8.00995931°38’12” N 8°0’36” W
1 1 1 2
Marrakech: Medina & the Souk
April 13, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
Started in Fes this morning, had an early morning train to Marrakech, departed at 7:40 for seven hour train trip to Marrakesh. Roel and I shared a train compartment with Izzy and several Morrocan locals, with whom we had many interesting discussions, mostly about motorcycles (Roel) and Izzy was able to speak to one of them in French for quite a while. Everyone here has been very friendly.

Arrived in Marrakesh, and checked into our hotel, the Caspian, then had about an hour before we All met to take taxis to the Medina and then into the souks. The shopping here is incredible, I only wish I could bring some of it home, or maybe lots of it home!Read more
Traveler Aww that’s a cute pic
4/15/24Reply
Traveler Happy aunt Connie is with us guys
4/15/24Reply
Traveler What a market, all kinds of goodies!
4/15/24Reply
5 more comments
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 13
Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 9:25 AM
☀️ 72 °F
Altitude: 454 m
Morocco Majorelle Garden 31.64175, -8.00288631°38’30” N 8°0’10” W
Marrakech: Jardin Majorelle
April 14, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
Today was our free day in Marrakech, with the new group meeting up tonight and starting tomorrow for our next destination. Yesterday Jon organized tickets for all of us to go to the garden which is supposedly the number one attraction in Marrakech. We had to arrive at 8 o’clock so we had an early start with breakfast at seven in the hotel and then a 20 minute walk to the gardens. They were beautiful, not exactly what I expected because the main focus was on desert plants which of course makes sense since we are now in the Sahara.

Afterwards, we all sat at a table at a café right at the exit of the Gardens and had some coffee and ice cream.Read more
TravelerWow!
4/29/24Reply
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 14
Monday, April 15, 2024
☀️ 77 °F
Altitude: 758 m
Portugal Praça-Forte de Almeida 40.724937, -6.90533740°43’30” N 6°54’19” W
A night in the High Atlas mountains
April 15, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
Last night, we said goodbye to 5 members of our group (Alana, Issy, Libby, Ruby and Qwinnetta) who were leaving after the first stage and welcomed 3 (Neville & Sandìa from Australia, & Tony from Scotland) who were joining us for the second stage, which is southern Morocco.
This morning we embarked on a small bus for a trip into the High Atlas Mountains, going as far as the road would take us to the town of Imlil. We disembarked and put our overnight bags onto mules (our larger bags stayed behind) and began the 1 hour trek to the mountain Amazigh (the proper name for who have often been called Berber, meaning “free people”) village of Aroumd. On the way, Mohamad pointed out where his wife’s family lived.

We arrived to a comfortable and scenic family-run guesthouse (or gite), and sat down to enjoy Moroccan mint tea (aka Berber whiskey).

The larger part of the group went on a long walk to a pilgrimage site while Larry and Carolyn and Connie and Roel and I hung around the village; we found it was rather an arduous walk just to go from the top of the village to the bottom, where we found a café and enjoyed some coffee before finding our way back to the gite.

It was a peaceful night on the mountain and in the morning we trekked back down by a slightly different route, this time Mohamad showed us where he plans to build his own bed-and-breakfast someday.Read more
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 15
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
☀️ 75 °F
Altitude: 850 m
Portugal Trancoso 40.776691, -7.34729140°46’36” N 7°20’50” W
Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco
April 16, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
After leaving our village in the High Atlas mountains, Mohamad surprised us with a drop in visit to his family so we got to meet his parents and his sister and his wife. I’m not including a picture of his wife because she was very shy and would only meet the women after the men had left the group.
It was marvelous to meet his family and of course we enjoyed Moroccan mint tea with them, as well as some cookies.

Then we drove quite a while longer through the mountains to the famous film location of Ait Ben Haddou. Many movies have been filmed in this area, including scenes from Game of Thrones.

We walked across the bridge that separates the newer city from the old city and stopped to visit the women’s cooperative, a project started by a woman teacher to employ women from across the city to provide tea and cookies to the visitors, and therefore give them employment. Afterwards we walked up the hill to the top where the old granary had been damaged by the September 2023 earthquake. There we watched the sunset and then went back down to head over to the home of the woman who started the cooperative to have dinner made by the women in the city. It was delicious.Read more
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 16
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 8:50 AM
☀️ 70 °F
Altitude: 718 m
Morocco Zagora 30.321945, -5.83884730°19’19” N 5°50’20” W
2
April 17 in Morocco
April 17, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
This was a very full day! We started just across the dry river bed from Ait Ben Haddou, and visited a well- established rug maker. Then we got back into the bus for a drive through the desert along an oasis river bed.

Along the way, we stopped to view some movie studios where movies that are set in the desert (supposedly in various Middle Eastern and North African countries) are made. We ended up in Zamora, a beautiful oasis town, and we stayed in an astonishingly gorgeous palace Riad. From there, we took a walk with our Guide Ibrahim, to observe the agricultural methods of the area. Afterwards, we all ate dinner at the Riad restaurant which again was incredible!Read more
Traveler That’s a neat building for plays and are they producing movies there
5/6/24Reply
TravelerIt’s a studio where they do produce movies, but I don’t think there was a movie being produced at the time we were there
5/6/24Reply
5 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 17
Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 10:14 AM
☀️ 79 °F
Altitude: 720 m
Morocco Zagora 30.318178, -5.82893330°19’5” N 5°49’44” W
2
Tamegroute and Surroundings
April 18, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
We traveled in a small bus from the beautiful oasis town of Zamora to this location where we visited an ancient library, full of academic and religious texts, a Koranic school, and what is called an underground kasbah. We didn’t really see an underground section, our tour was a little truncated there, but we did see women baking flatbread, and pottery being made. About 300 people still live in this old kasbahRead more
Traveler Wow, who in the world is that?!!
4/19/24Reply
TravelerWell, if you had to choose between Connie and me, which one do you think it is? 🤣🤣
4/19/24Reply
TravelerI think Connie
4/20/24Reply
TravelerYou are right!
4/20/24Reply
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 17
Thursday, April 18, 2024
☁️ 84 °F
Altitude: 1,517 m
Morocco Zaouia Sidi Abdallah Ou Mhand 30.49111, -7.33229630°29’28” N 7°19’56” W
1 2 1 2
Riding camels in the Sahara
April 18, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F
Camel riding in the Sahara Sand dunes was not exactly something I’ve always dreamed of doing, but it was still was beyond my expectations. It was really cool to be able to ride on these majestic animals and experience a sunset in the Sahara desert.
Then, when we returned to camp and had our dinner, before we retired to our tents, the drivers brought out their musical instruments and started playing and dancing, and before you know it, everyone was up dancing. It was a great evening!Read more
Traveler Just amazing!
4/20/24Reply
Amazing photo, and the dancing at the end of the day! Sounds like a perfect day [Nancy]
4/20/24Reply
TravelerOh yes, it was wonderful!!
4/20/24Reply
8 more comments
4 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 25
Friday, April 26, 2024 at 12:55 PM
☁️ 52 °F
Altitude: 823 m
Spain Calzadilla de la Valmuza 40.932831, -5.78912540°55’58” N 5°47’21” W
4 2
Salamanca +1st day on Camino Torres
April 26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
Traveler I heard the story of this astronaut on TV. did you ever heard of Erich von Däniken? His theory is that aliens visited us. This astronaut would be a hint for him. He would ignore the truth
4/26/24Reply
TravelerIt was sculpted by Miguel Romero (a resident of Salamanca and not an extraterrestrial, as far as we know) in 1992 during a restoration that was carried out on the facade. Here's a link to read about it: https://shorturl.at/aCLW3
4/27/24Reply
TravelerThat’s funny, Marlies, I think he probably HAS seen this photo and he’s already using it as proof for his wild theories. 😂 Of course, maybe aliens HAVE visited the Earth, but it doesn’t explain this particular astronaut. 😆
4/27/24Reply
TravelerThank you, Luis for the link!
4/27/24Reply
2 more comments
6 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 12:03 PM
☁️ 45 °F
Altitude: 833 m
Spain Carnero 40.884262, -5.87272240°53’3” N 5°52’22” W
Second day on Camino Torres
April 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
Our second day of walking was pretty rough because the weather is very cold for this time of year and it rained and hailed most of the day. Also, there were blustery winds so we were pretty cold. (That makes us enjoy the Alberque more!)
Since we stayed in La Rad last night, our days walk was only about 23 km. It would’ve been less, but we initially went most of the way to Cojos de Robliza instead of Robliza de Cojos.. It’s confusing because the first one is actually on the Camino Torres (but does not have the Albergue) and the town where the Albergue is, is not on the Torres at all, it’s over a kilometer away!
Today’s walk was mostly going through a coupleof ranches, right alongside some cows with their calves and at least one bull, but they were all shy of us. We had to be careful crossing the cattle guards because they were wet and slippery.
When we arrived into town, we ran into several very helpful people, one of whom brought us some amazing coffee to the Albergue!!
My main take away from this day is that I would have died for a bench somewhere along the way to sit and change into dry socks or just rest my feet. It was not a good day for finding a place to sit mainly because of the rain and lack of walls or stumps or other places to take a rest. But the people in Robliza are amazing!!Read more
Laurie ReynoldsI had snow today about 25 km outside of Ponferrada. Looks like the weather is changing here for us, for the better. Hope it is for you too.
4/27/24Reply
TravelerWow, what weather we’re having! Certainly hoping that the snow and cold abates, but I have to admit today’s temperature wasn’t bad for walking!
4/27/24Reply
6 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 27
Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 4:30 PM
⛅ 54 °F
Altitude: 784 m
Spain San Muñoz 40.780005, -6.12829240°46’48” N 6°7’42” W
2
Day 3 Camino Torres to San Muñoz
April 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F
The day before had been very rainy, so we were warned to take the route for the wet season, which avoids walking through knee deep water for period of time. We were happy to do that!
After walking from Robliza de Cojos to the local gas station for coffee, we headed on the highway route and then decided to go a bit further to try to a town with a bar AND to avoid a second water crossing and ended up turning back towards the Camino at Aldehuela de la Bóveda. We stopped there for a very welcome but small meal before we journeyed back toward the Camino, first on several kms of a small paved road, and then several more kms of a rocky, sandy track.
We arrived late in San Muñoz and found Prudence, the hospitalera, who told us that the Ukrainian refugees would let us into the Albergue. She showed us around their local church & town & then stayed with us at the bar until almost 10 PM when we were finally able to get some delicious food.
San Muñoz is a gorgeous little town, wanting for more residents and hoping the Camino will help them increase.Read more
Traveler That would be interesting; were you able to communicate with them?
4/29/24Reply
TravelerA bit, the little boy spoke Spanish because he has been going to school, but his mother didn’t have many words. Very nice though.
4/30/24Reply
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, April 29, 2024 at 1:32 PM
⛅ 57 °F
Altitude: 835 m
Spain Aldehuela de Yeltes 40.660263, -6.25110340°39’37” N 6°15’4” W
3 1
Day 4 of Camino Torres to Alba de Yeltes
April 29, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
Today was supposed to be a day of 24 km with zero population and the possibility of three water crossings, which we could have gotten very wet feet if we didn’t find the right ways to go around. Also, we didn’t have any possibility for breakfast this morning and we wouldn’t have an opportunity for food until tonight. Add to that scenario that Roel had a big blister under the sole of his foot and we decided to make alternate plans. We took off from San Muñoz and headed toward a town that was 12 km away, it had a bar where we could get food and drink and take a rest. From there we planned to take a taxi to a town that was ~6 km away from our final destination. it all worked as planned, we were able to start out the first several kilometers on the Camino and end the last little ways also on the Camino. And in between we got food and drink and kept our feet intact. Unfortunately, I developed a blister today, but we’ll see how that goes! in Alba de Yeltes, we met Aurora, the hospitalera, and we had a delightful dinner at the bar. This bar will also make us sandwiches for tomorrow, so that’s great, and the Albergue has coffee!Read more
Traveler Pretty poppies
4/29/24Reply
Traveler Wow, that is really pretty. I like his color.
5/1/24Reply
TravelerLeave a comment …
5/1/24Reply
TravelerYes, a beautiful cow!
5/1/24Reply
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 29
Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 11:21 AM
☁️ 50 °F
Altitude: 771 m
Spain Río Tenebrilla 40.674238, -6.40128840°40’27” N 6°24’5” W
1 1 1
Camino Torres to Cuidad Rodrigo
April 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F
Today was a short day for me, but Roel and Connie walked the entire stage. I had to quit after the first 8 km when we got to the village of Bocacara. We stopped there for some café con Leche, and the blister on the ball of my left foot prevented me from going further - I’m hoping it will recover and I will be able to walk the entire distance tomorrow. I took a cab and also the backpacks of Roel and Connie to our hotel in Cuidad Rodrigo and they continued walking. So some of the pictures I’m posting today are pictures that Connie took along the route.
Cuidad Rodrigo is quite a beautiful place! With a population of only about 12,000, it seems like a much bigger city. It has quite a history as a defensive fortification near the border with Portugal. In particular it has history with some Napoleonic battles.Read more
Laurie ReynoldsHoping you are able to work some magic with that blister and continue walking. I love Ciudad Rodrigo. I remember leaving town in a heavy rain storm, I hope you have a better departure!
5/1/24Reply
TravelerThank you,Laurie, yes we also are enjoying the city and wish we could stay an extra day!
5/1/24Reply
TravelerHope you get well soon and can enjoy the Camino.
5/1/24Reply
TravelerThank you Luis!!
5/1/24Reply
3 more comments
5 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 30
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 10:14 AM
☁️ 43 °F
Altitude: 664 m
Spain Gallegos de Argañán 40.630908, -6.70301340°37’51” N 6°42’11” W
2
To Gallegos de Argañon - Camino Torres
May 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F
Another cold day on this Camino and another day without any intermediary towns or villages, but we only had 17 km to walk today so it was not a big deal. My blister, well covered with moleskin, didn’t bother me much today, but I could still feel it. Still hoping it heals without me having to take an entire day off.

When we arrived at Gallegos, they had just had a town festival, but it was finished and the people were all gone. Finally, we found the hospitalero and he showed us to the very nice albergue which is located in the back of a nice old house in town. There’s a bar next to it where we were able to order a dinner even though they don’t usually serve dinner. The wife was the cook and what a cook she was! Julia provided us with the most delicious food we’ve had so far. I had a great salad and a French cheese omelette with delicious fries.Read more
Traveler I love your encouragement, strength and sense of humour.
5/2/24Reply
TravelerThank Luis!
5/2/24Reply
5 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 31
Thursday, May 2, 2024
☁️ 54 °F
Altitude: 758 m
Portugal Praça-Forte de Almeida 40.724945, -6.90532840°43’30” N 6°54’19” W
Camino Torres to Aldea del Obispo
May 2, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
TravelerBeautiful wildflowers, but looks like very difficult walking. Love your photos.
5/3/24Reply
TravelerYes, that day did have some pretty difficult walking, where there was no path through the high foliage. That’s unusual on the Camino.
5/3/24Reply
3 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 32
Friday, May 3, 2024 at 9:07 AM
☁️ 46 °F
Altitude: 714 m
Portugal Vale de la Mula 40.702751, -6.81185540°42’10” N 6°48’43” W
Entering Portugal (Almeida)
May 3, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Today was Roel‘s birthday, 74th!! Fortunately we were able to plan a short day because there was a town about 10 to 12 km away where we could go and therefore shorten tomorrow also since this is a 34 km stage. (we mostly know our limits and anything past 25 km is past that limit!)

But today I didn’t walk anyway, because my blister had re-emerged and the extremely hospitable hospitalero in Alda Del Obispo, Felipe, volunteered to drive me to the 10 km destination so I could wait there and give my blister the day off. In fact, he drove me to the first town in Portugal, where Roel and Connie had just arrived and we stopped to have coffee with them before we headed on, it was very nice!

I had reserved a nicer lodging in honor of Roel‘s birthday. It was a two bedroom house in the center of the old town, gorgeous place in a great location! The owners, Americo and Grace, are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They met me there and let me in early while they cleaned from the last tenant and then gave me all sorts of helpful information. Lovely people, I would not hesitate to return there just to visit them.

The last town in Spain, Aldea del Obispo, had a defensive fortification that we had not weren’t able to see because it was closed. The first town in Portugal, Almeida, also had a defensive fortification, this one we visited. Both towns touted their forts for their roles in the Napoleonic invasions rather than their original role (against each other).Read more
TravelerHappy birthday to Roel
5/5/24Reply
TravelerRoel says thank you!!
5/5/24Reply
TravelerFeliz cumple, Roel! The perfect way to spend a birthday…on a Camino!!
5/5/24Reply
TravelerRoel says thank you and yes, it’s a great way to spend a birthday!
5/6/24Reply
5 more comments
6 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 33
Saturday, May 4, 2024
☁️ 59 °F
Altitude: 851 m
Portugal Trancoso 40.776772, -7.34740240°46’36” N 7°20’51” W
Camino Torres day 9: to Pinhel
May 4, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
This day for some reason we had thought was going to be 15 km but I had obviously written it down wrong, it turned into about 23 or 24 km. Roel got about 10 km in and wasn’t feeling too well so he decided to have his short day and taxied to check into our hotel.

We passed through a village that had a small market at about that time and we decided to buy a drink and snacks. The market was closed, but the proprietor opened it up for us and let us buy what we needed and then opened a closed café and told us to stay as long as we wanted to eat our snacks. he even offered to give Roel a ride into Pinhel, but by that time the taxi was already on the way. We have found that you can’t beat Portugal and Spain for helpful and friendly people!!

Connie and I continued on and did not arrive into Pinhel until 6 PM. There were lots of ups and downs on the road but overall it wasn’t too difficult, I think we were just being a bit slow, plus Connie’s leg was bothering her.

That evening we stopped at a bar that used to have a restaurant but found it was closed. The bar owner left his bar to drive us to a burger place that was about 800 m away since we were so tired. Another hero!!

Tomorrow is a rest day for us. It is a 34 km stage that cannot be broken into smaller stages so we are going to Taxi all the way to Trancoso. All of us could use the break for the day anyway.Read more
5 likes
2024: Morocco & Camino Torres Traveler
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 35
Monday, May 6, 2024 at 11:09 AM
☀️ 55 °F
Altitude: 619 m
Portugal Sequeiros 40.85173, -7.50999540°51’6” N 7°30’36” W
2 1
Camino Torres days 10 and 11
May 6, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
Day 10 was always planned to be an off day for us, because it was a stage of over 30 km that had no way to shorten it due to no intermediary lodging. We didn’t plan on taking the next day off also, but at this point, Connie has shin splints bothering her and Roel Has the beginning of something like that so we thought prudence would suggest taking this day off to fully rest up so that we don’t end up having to terminate Early. So this morning, we went to a pharmacy to get some more ace bandages and to a grocery store to get a few snacks (which we promptly lost in the taxi), and then grabbed a ride over to Ponte do Abade to the residential where we have reservations for tonight. It’s an interesting place, a few rooms over a very large restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Not sure where the crowds come from to populate this place.

We stayed in a residential in Trancoso that was run by very nice couple. She did laundry for us gratis and they fixed the best breakfast we’ve had on this trip!

Today as we were leaving Trancoso we ran into a Canadian woman from Toronto with her Portuguese parents, she was talking about perhaps moving back to Portugal,. She showed us around town and was very helpful. Troncoso is a beautiful town that could use a day or two more to explore.

Tomorrow we plan to get back on the road again, or sometimes it’s just a dirt path. It won’t be a long day, but it should be quite hilly from what we see on the map.Read more
Traveler I really love the road with the blocks wrote that’s crazy about of labor work
5/6/24Reply
TravelerYes, those are Portugal,’s famous cobblestone streets, they are quite attractive and a bit difficult to walk on. I’m not sure how much work they are to repair, but it does take quite a while to lay the streets down initially.
5/6/24Reply
Traveler Very cool
5/6/24Reply
5 likes