Azambuja to Santarem 20.1 Miles!

 Early start for 32.3k or 20.1 miles. 

 Tomato fields everywhere. 

John, Ralph from Munich, Enrique from NY by way of Spain,  and Tracy from NYC.

Today we had no choice but to walk a long way.  There are no places to stay to break up this stage.  Once I got it in my mind to do, I felt that I would be able.  We started out on nice farm track,  dusty but at least we aren't dodging traffic. ....for now. 

Stopped for coffees at one of the few cafés along the way.  We got to Mogado where the guidebook promised us a long stretch of country road.  Yay! We've been walking on shoulder less road now for 8k. We stopped for a great ham and cheese sandwich and a huge bowl of the tomatoes mixed with onions and some kind of olive oil and maybe white wine vinegar.  Whatever,  it's delicious.  A couple of cervejas and refilling of our water and we are on our way once again. Only it wasn't the peaceful farm track we were promised. 

Through no fault of the guidebook,  it turns out that there was some kind of agricultural expo happening and we were forced to share the dusty road with literally HUNDREDS of cars. Did I mention that the road was dusty? It was also inferno hot with a nice breeze thank God, and either side of this road had bushes that didn't allow us to step off! The cars were going slow and that was the only saving grace.

Santarem sits at the top of a very steep hill and as our Camino brother from Australia and a Portuguese route veteran  put it, I was knackered by the end. But it's never the end.   There was a music festival going on this weekend and cool you might think but it was anything but. Every place was booked or so we were led to believe.  We made our way to the N1 hostel where our trio of friends were staying but we didn't receive their text saying not to bother it was full. I wished we had. What were we thinking to stay at a place named after a busy highway? 

We got to the reception of this very modern and upscale swanky hostel.  The receptionist was very caring knowing how tired we were.  She said she had received just now, a cancellation and would we mind sharing a room with 4 men? Right away John said no. I should have listened.  I looked on the Internet and it said the whole town was booked.  I  just couldn't see hoisting my pack and wandering around looking for some place else after walking 20.1 miles.  Notice I refuse to disregard the point one miles? I own that point one!!!! Damn it!

We were told that the people checking in were musicians and might not even get there until 5am. Let's just do this,  please?  Big mistake.  Worst night ever. We did have a nice dinner of soup and pizza with a young Australian couple we met so all was not lost.  We had to share a bathroom with 4 others not including the 4 musicians ......  Who showed up at 5:00 am after a sweltering sleepless night, shining flashlights in our faces saying sorry, and abruptly leaving.  They were not happy either. It gets worse. 

John and I couldn't wait to leave and would have were it not for being held hostage by the laundry we agreed to combine and share with our friends that would not be ready until 8 o'clock!   Can't we please just end this nightmare? 

After we lost our room key and locked ourselves in the stairwell  (at least the morning weather was cool and the stairwell was open ) a van full of drunken musicians started pounding on the gate and relentlessly ringing the bell to try to rouse someone to check them in. John promptly opened the gate for them so now we are stuck in the stairwell with 15 drunken and tired musicians!  The reception area would not be open until 8 o'clock! 

Our friends in the next room were up since they had no sleep either due to a Frenchman who snored so loudly they thought we heard it too. They let us into our room and John told the musicians they could sleep there and they were so grateful.  At least somebody got a break.  I will say that eventually we were able to enjoy the nice breakfast that was included,  make a sandwich for lunch and finally get our laundry. For 22 euro each for a bunk bed in a dorm room,  I didn't feel it was worth it for us. We could have gotten a nice 3 star for that.  I  wanted to take a rest day after yesterday's walk but since it was Saturday night during a music festival weekend, there was no hope.  I booked a home stay in Azinhaga 25.7 k further.  I hated to have to walk that today but we couldn't get out of Santarem fast enough.