July 12, 2024
Lots of climbing and descending today, culminating in the quaint bay town of Sao Martinho and its protected estuary. We have passed through many small, rural towns by now, with their ancient windmills and bursting crops.
Jason reminds me that Portugal is one of the poorest countries in Europe, and we are moving through some of the poorest parts of it. Yet the people all seem healthy and content, in stark contrast to the rural and small-town Americans with whom I spent most of the past several months. Here, I see no obesity, toothlessness, or marked disability. The old folks move with vigor. And though younger folks in general are lacking, as was was the case in small town U.S.A., towns are still intact. At dusk the people gather on the beaches and in the cafes, as I imagine they have their whole lives.
Distance: 50.41 miles
Total: 3,978 miles
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