They marched in step!

We Bears have come to the conclusion that our BBF and his Camino sister, Rianne (roll the R), are a perfectly matched hiking pair. They seem to get on well and we have seen them marching in step more than not! Together they walk faster than our BBF would on his own. Mind you we think that they should change the pace a bit and perhaps walk at least a little slower!

They forced us out of our slumbers at 06:30 hrs this morning and walked round the corner to a little café that opened at 07:00 hrs.

After breakfast in this place they had a bit of fun posing with the art work in the square!

Then it was up on the dyke and out of town.

This early in the morning the sun had not reached its full warm, so it was fresh and there was mist on the river.

The route followed the dyke which outside of built up areas could not be walked on. It was a lovely day and we soon warmed up enough to take jackets off.

Birds sang their song and Alan wished Bernd Nienhaus was there to tell us which birds were singing.  We thought Thrushes, Blackbirds and Larks. Sadly it was not possible to photograph them as they were very camera shy.

 

Our humans got quite angry when we came across these tethered horses which looked quite sorry for themselves.

We passed through vineyards now and it reminded us of our time on the other Caminos.

 

The views from the top of the dyke when it was possible to climb it were lovely.

Then a bank full of poppies reminded us of the Camino Franc`es.

Will we be going to Fatima we keep asking but never get a positive reply, only wait and see! 

Along the verges one could detect what crops the farmer had planted on his fields in previous years.

 

These blooms looked a little like lilies, but Alan thought they might be bamboo as there was quite a lot of it about.

The path was straight and easy to follow and lovely to walk in the sunshine.

Towards the end we came across this column which recorded the various times and degrees of high water!

To get to Santarem the last two kilometres are up a steep hill, the only real hill on the Way so far.

As we got to the start an old woman invited us to come into her restaurant! Outside was no sign, but as our humans were tired and hungry in we went.

The inside was decorated and dedicated to Bull Fighting and Football as you can see from the photos.

Our humans, not able to read and understand Portugues ordered a meal of king prawns with rice.

Starters were chorizo and olives as well as some items not easy to describe but like a small fish cake deep fried.

When the main dish arrived it was more of a fish and prawn hot pot, but my goodness weren’t the prawns tasty.

Suitably fortified we attacked  the hill into Santarem. The hostel called N1 was soon found and is a very new and modern place.

One needs plastic cards to open the doors to get in. The only negative aspect is that the shower and toilet room has no lock! The door to it is milky glass which slides open. Sod’s law dictated that an Italian would open the door to look in just as Alan had come out of the shower with nothing but a towel round his shoulders. He got a curt word and an icy stare and retired smartly!

The views across town are fine too. 

Then our humans went off in search of the post office where Rianne posted some items not required, to lighten her pack.

As we left the hostel this chap came by and we wonder how the hell he gets off and on his bike or wire donkey as the Germans would call it!

So ends for us another day on the Camino Portugues!