Friday, September 21: we arrived yesterday afternoon after a mainly smooth flight and metro ride to our hotel in baixa, an area rebuilt  after the 1755 earthquake. the area was rebuilt by a military engineer and is notable for the relative scarcity of tiled buildings compared with the older alfama section which we saw today. It is hot during the day but breezy and cool last night on the river tejo where we had dinner. We began today at cathedral se, where the attached photo was taken. Here we picked up our credentials for the Camino, a small booklet that willed be stamped to prove we walked every day. We will present the booklet in Santiago for a certificate of completion. Now we are out for another walk. Tonight we meet our Camino friends for dinner. Ciao!

Thanks for joining us! In 2014, we walked Camino Frances, pictured here, one of many ancient pilgrimage routes leading to the cathedral in Santiago, Spain, where the remains of the Apostle James are said to be enshrined. In two days, we fly to Lisbon to walk another route — Camino Portugues — north to Santiago. We will be joined by two couples, from England and New Zealand, whom we met on Camino Frances and who like us discovered the pleasures of a walking vacation. OK, back to packing.