It was back to where we would have been after the second day, to continue our walk. A bit embarrassing but it’s done now and quite relaxing having a train ride before our days walk. We were welcomed at the station by a lot of grey sky and a little rain but not enough to dampen our start. The cafe owner pointed us in the broad direction but language differences smothered the finer details.

It doesn’t really matter, for if you check direction pointers at every intersection or laneway you’ll be okay 99% of the time, but not if you’re deep in conversation, for that is where ‘the get lost fairies’ take over. So back we went but as we checked the intersections for signs, we were coming from the wrong direction so missed it again. A French couple, (they talk a lot), missed it also, so combining forces we found it.

It was a very much ‘how’s your mother’ walk through long industrial sites and on a busy highway, until the final few kms where a smart track kept a close eye on the Tagus river. It’s huge and like all Portuguese rivers it was born in Spain, and spent its whole life between Fuente de Garcia in Spain and Lisbon.

It was water all around. After a small cloud burst at the station, it rained on and off throughout the day. We could see the storm clouds coming so had plenty of time to prepare. It at least got us used to walking in the rain again which is not generally a big deal, unless it really rains and we get caught with our pants down (rain pants that is) for it is a tight squeeze over our shoes (only a time issue if no shelter).

Another short day as I try to diagnose my walking symptoms. Is it pd that slows my left leg, probably, it’s happened before, or is it that plus my leg trying to remember if it has walked like this before early on, and maybe to do with a touch of bursitis. It’s just shopping walk for Corrie without the shopping, so hope I can sort it soon so she can stretch out a bit.

Home is gorgeous, high up in a pretty hostel looking out at the most attractive market facade I have ever seen. Our room has four sets of windows, which gives us four moving paintings which entertain us as we rest.