May 7, Santarem to Golega.

Today i was a smarter pilgrim. I asked whether or not I had to walk back up the hill to be on the Camino. I could walk around the hill to the railway station and pick up the trail there. All fine except that I could not find any markers. Finally I found the font de Palmas after which I was to cross a Roman bridge. Ahead of me was a concrete bridge with horses on the other side. I sat there until I saw another hiker. The walk was peaceful and solitary until Mario and Don came from behind.

Then the rains descended with vengeance.  Briefly, three exhausted, shivering, soaking wet pilgrims arrived in Golega. I was booked into the Lustinanus ANTE located in the Equestrian center. People told me to turn left at the staue which I did; only to find a restaurant with a Fechado sign. I looked everywhere for a side door, none to be found. A few doors down I asked a young man. He pointed to the left and said right there. I walked by a horse show ring to a cafe. They sent me back into town. To no avail, I said, "No, I want the Lusitanus not the Lusitana." In a dress shop I inquired again. A woman escorted me back to the corner across from the cafe and said, "Right here." Finally, there was one last option, a closed iron gate leading to stables. Eureka that is it! ANTE is the Portuguese national equestrian center.

I was the only guest in a room that I would guess houses the president when the international contests are held.

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Another slog through wet sand brought me to dinner that night in the very elegant restaurant that I had passed earlier in the evening.

May 8 a taxi ride with my luggage to Tomar. (Not a single "walker" walked today.) Some walked up to the castle, others went to the cathedral and all of us hung clothes  up to dry. All I can say is that it was hard to see or feel anything through the torrential rain. Will it ever stop?

In the evening 10 of us went to Taverna Antigua.

It was a delight to be warm, well fed and wìth friendly, mostly Dutch, fellow pilgrims.