The Camino provides (mfg)

This morning, our friend Toby decided to take a rest day after seven straight days of walking, so Bill and I headed out by ourselves on our fifth day.

After yesterday’s rain, we appreciated the sun and balmy 63 degree temp, though even more, we loved the breeze. We never got too hot on our shortest - 14.5 miles - and flattest walk to date.

We ate a toasted ham and cheese sandwich for breakfast and another for lunch. We’re eating a lot of those - amazing how some can be so good and some pretty forgettable.

I think about my mom because that was a favorite of hers and wonder if we’ll get tired of them, though when your body needs fuel, it’s silly to be picky. And the cafes in the small villages we’ve visited don’t have a wide range of offerings.

Speaking of my mother, she loved to sew. We keep seeing sewing machine sculptures, which have begun to make me feel physically connected even though she’s been gone for 10 years. Actually, I’ve been thinking about her and her sister, Bebe, so much and at such odd times, that I think maybe they have joined us on our journey .

We booked a place to stay that was much more expensive than usual because the other area albergues were full.

And today, after all this walking, my calves were super tight. Some might have considered my gait more of a hobble than a stride near the end. They say that the Camino provides and I surely needed something.

Well, guess what.The hotel that I grumbled about has a spa with a sauna and hot tub and indoor pool.

And a masseuse. We booked sessions immediately.

Perhaps not too Pilgrimish but exactly what we needed. Dinner in half an hour, then Motrin, sleep, and hopefully my body will be ready to take me to Coimbra tomorrow.

All is not just good, it is great.

We saw a lot today, including Roman ruins in Conimbriga. Pretty amazing and the site is still being excavated.