Coimbra to Mealhada Some days I feel like the rabbit on the Duracell battery adverts and could walk forever. This morning it was the opposite and I felt lethargic, probably due to a day's break from the Camino, and too much alcohol last night plus students singing all night outside our hostel! I walk by myself and let Margita and Ric********** ahead while I listen to music and look out at the hills in the distance and the fields to my left and right. My mind w...

Coimbra Coimbra used to be the national capital between the years 1145 and 1255 before the King drove the Moors further southward and Lisbon assumed the honour. It also contains one of the oldest universities anywhere in the world, having been founded in 1290. Therefore it is celebrating its 725th anniversary. It has over 20,000 students drawn from all parts of Portugal and it's old colonial countries such as Brazil and Angola. It was good to take a walk around t...

Condexia a Nova to Coimbra As the rain fell heavily and I put on my rain gear, I paused for a moment to reflect on why I am spending my Sunday morning walking 20kms on roads and woodland tracks on a journey of over four weeks and 600 Kms. I am aware that it would not feature on many people's bucket list, that's for sure! The reasons are fourfold: - Challenge (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually) - Adventure (not knowing what will happen each ...

Alvorge to Condexia al Nova Richard from Suffolk is great company this morning as we walk through pretty towns and villages. He is in his early 70s and has a worldly wisdom of life from his extensive travels. He has walked the Camino Frances twice and I am meeting people who have done routes multi times including two pilgrims from Finland who have walked it there and back! The small villages on route are embracing the historic Camino route with new street nam...

Alvaiazere to Alvorge Last night we had our first pilgrims menu with Walter and Rita from Bremen and we also bumped into Bill and Gay from Colorado. When we returned to our albergue, our host greeted us with a glass of port and then performed a ceremony of burning wax onto the credential and stamping the seal. A nice Camino touch. At lunchtime we had lunch with Bil, Gay and Richard a sprightly and fun bloke from Suffolk. We also got into conversation with an E...