The Boots Were Made for Walking…

We were up at the crack of dawn to get ahead of the heat of the day.  The morning greeted us with a gentle breeze and sunny skies.  The extended six-day forecast calls for no rain, low humidity, and temperatures in the 80’s; ideal conditions for hiking the Camino!

Yesterday we logged 14 miles as we walked from the tip of Portugal through the castle town of Valencia before crossing the Tagus River entering into Tui, Spain. Today we walked another 13 miles to the fishing village of Sampaio.  We are in great spirits and making record time. 

There is talk amongst us that some plan to lose a few pounds as we walk the final 75 miles of the Camino.  Candidly, our weight loss regime has not gotten off to a good start. We start the morning with a big breakfast of various meat like prosciutto and salami, egg frittatas and bacon, croissants and all kinds of pastries, homemade yogurt and fresh juices and strong black coffee and espresso. Our efforts to eat healthily are further hampered by the numerous bakeries selling tart pastries and butter cookies dipped in fine chocolate as we walk through the tiny Spanish villages. In the evenings after a hard day’s work, we indulge in the local culinary specialties like Padron peppers, Albarino wine, paella, mussels, clams, and the local cheeses.  

Tonight we remind ourselves that we can get back on track tomorrow.