from Santiago 🇪🇦 to Santarém 🇵🇹 April 16 - 17th

here we were on the road to.... as Santiago de Compostela was on the road, to our next destination, we would do a little lunch stop there... but it turned into a whole afternoon at ease.

Last time I was here with a completely other goal, the Womex worldmusic Summit in October 2016 and I was through all the concerts amazed by the impressive inner old city. Never dreamed being back here almost six years later, with my daughter.

After many bouding hill roads, going up and down, wondering how  "FiFi" (baptised Fiat) would handle this climb... we managed to enter the city and after a few attempts of finding a double space to park, I gave up to do it decently and took my space like Nerea would have 😉

Opposite of a restaurant, we discovered it wasn't a bad one at all.  The menu was a well chosen tasteful sliced octopus and a mix king shrimps 🍤 🦑 with a view of the backside of the cathedral of Santiago

from there we walked up the road, for our inner-city discovery... it was beautiful and impressive, to see the Pilgrims there, for what reason, seeing their happiness, their emotions, their being out in the open... it touched me deeply.

Through the narrow streets we walked all over the place, along the lil shops, pretty houses, cafés... which will survive us for sure, for many generations to come...

In the meantime I contacted our friends at the Ribatejo area... due the late hours, we would postpone our arrival till the 17th... it was Easter and they were having their own program.

Next stop would be Ponte de Lima, also tipped off by my friend Silvana, as there would exist a nice parking lot... and it was... surrounded by beautiful blooming lilacs, we took our space widely, as there were only a few other campers... we would go for discovery the next morning on our e-steps we crossed the first century Roman Bridge... Great entry of one of the oldest cities in Portuguese History.

(more pictures in the album)

We had a lovely breakfast together... with the kind of prices, Zoë was asking if they weren't mistaken... but no they weren't... and you keep wondering how they manage all that. Well thank you Ponte de Lima.... we ate of to our friends Sabine and Dennis, which I met through Insta, as we had many interesting parallel goals. Remember I met them in Rotterdam at a Portuguese pastelaria, which unfortunately is not there anymore after the covid19 crisis. But we survived and we would have the encounter at their new home in Portugal, in the province of Ribatejo, about a 70 kms from the capital city Lisbon.

When we entered their village, driving trough the barrow streets, where some chairs of terraces where moved to give us way, I realised this was the narrowest I was allowed to get myself into 😱 Zoë wasn't amused... I was.

Yeah there they were... with the most cute house, with enough to be done, but it was a home... it was cosy and well taken care off. We had a drink at there garden, after we head for the restaurant in Santarém.... where we spend hour's eating and having pleasant talks. 

The staff didn't bother us and went for diner themselves... we left, it was almost midnight and Zoë had found a space, where we could stay... we found trees, frogs croaking 🐸 and a Moon showing silhouettes... we would discover next morning where we ended up.... and it was worth it!

Parque do Carril - Parque de Merendas de Alpiarça
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ULJByMMQZK5ePZTs8

Parque do Carril - Parque de Merendas de Alpiarça

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ULJByMMQZK5ePZTs8

Ideal for Camper or Caravan travellers... clean public toilets, after 11.00 hours... running water, barbecue, picnic benches all over, grey water sewer, lots of pine trees... croaking 🐸 🐸 🐸  a little "tasca" and a fruit and vegetables stand.

700 meter Continent supermarket. Nice walk!

Next stop:

Lisboa 》 Queluz 》 Sintra 》 Praia das Maçãs