Convento do Carmo

Today was a very necessary rest day. 20 mile days catch up to you. We slept in, had breakfast at the hostel, and spent some time planning our future accommodations. This is not how we planned our trip but there are many more people doing the Camino than in the past. So, where do we stay? There are albergues - shared dormitory type rooms and shared baths and kitchen. They fill up quickly. We have been staying in (and mostly booked ahead) hostels or guesthouses. We have been able to get a private room with a shared or private bath, and shared kitchen. Most of them include breakfast. They have been clean and comfortable, where many pilgrims are staying and average 60E.

Today was sunny and hot. Tomar is a beautiful town with a lot of medieval history. We took a tuk-tuk around town for a guided tour. Our guide was a local named Monica. This town has been largely influenced by the Knights of Templar and Christianity and yet it also has the oldest synagogue in the world. There are only two Jewish families currently living here but many make a pilgrimage from Israel to worship here.

Thoughts on our first week:
There is so much to take in on this trip.
1) There are snails everywhere. We may lose then when we move away from the river area but some days you had to be careful where you walked so you didn't step on them.
2) If the people here have a yard, they have an orange tree, and I am jealous! (I also want a kumquat tree!)
3) There are so many pilgrims from all over the world to meet. This in itself is an experience. Today we met Emma, a 24 year old yoga instructor from the czech republic. Emma was having know issues. We also ran into our friends from Denmark, who decided to take a rest day, also.
4( Walking through all of the small towns gives one the chance to witness Portugal as it is. Seeing people working in the fields or the industry, tending their own gardens, coming to the cafes with their families for Saturday breakfast, washing their white houses, teenagers hanging out at the hamberquesa, being in a bar where everyone knows each other (except us!), celebrating holidays with parades, and junior hockey teams winning the championship with car honking and cheers in the streets. We don't understand their language, and yet we can relate. This is very different than being in the tourist big cities.
5) Communicating outside of the bigger cities is a little more difficult but most Portuguese people are friendly and try their best. (Most of their English is still better than my Portuguese). At a tavern we ate at earlier this week, the man spoke no English and his wife, the cook, spoke broken English. When we asked about food, she had a picture of a common Portuguese dish - meat (pork or beef), rice, French fries, and an egg. That is what she would cook for us. We got it, and liked it. If we could speak Portuguese, maybe we would have had more options, but if you only speak English, there is one picture. Lol
6) Taking an escape from everyday living, enjoying nature, and peaceful solitude, not having any idea what the day or date is. Honest, everyday we ask each other "What day is today?"Read more