On Day 6 of our Camino walk, Tuesday August 30th, Rich and I decided to take a rest day. He was still recovering from the walk to Santarem on Sunday and my feet had taken a beating the day before walking 22 miles on uneven and rocky farm tracks. Becky, Jerry, Dave and Theresa set out @ 5:30 for the grueling day ahead, @ 20 miles up and down hills in 80+ degree heat.
Rich and I took a taxi mid-morning to Tomar, an historic Templar town (as in the Knights Templar). After dropping our backpacks at our hotel's reception desk, we set off to explore the town and grab a bite to eat. Found a lovely, historic cafe on the way to the main town square, ordered coffee and pastries and sat outside to do some people watching.
The town of Tomar was founded in the 12th century by Gualdim Pais, first Grand Master of the Knights Templar, who established Tomar as the headquarters of the Order in Portugal. The Templar castle/fortress and its adjacent convent (Convento de Cristo) sit on a hill high above the town. (We'll visit these sites during our rest day tomorrow.)
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| Church in Praça da República (main square) undergoing massive renovation |
Returning to the hotel, we were able to check in to our room, unpack our luggage and settle in to wait for everyone else to get in, which they did mid-afternoon, tired and sweaty.
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| Finally reaching Tomar! |
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