THE DELICIOUS breakfast was delicious once again. There was a whole different crew from yesterday. It made me think what it must be like to run a place like this. Every day you meet people see them the next morning then usually never again.
I zipped back to the room to pack up my gear, and loaded it onto the rack before saying my good-byes to the owner and staff. First order of the day was toreturn to the small chapel and the view over the wall down to the cove and beach. As I started cycling and looked back to town as it started to fade, I decided that I really like this town. It was my favourite spot on my 2019 tour and it is gearing up to have that premium spot again.
When I climbed back out from the seaside, this time I pedaled for a portion then walked the rest of the way. Yesterday's climb had me gasping for air when I reached the summit, and I did not want to exhaust myself in the first few minutes. And then I pedaled into the sunshine.
Today was not a long day and was mostly away from the coast. There were row after row of greenhouses, some I could see with strawberries, some with grapes and others with plants I did not recognize, but there were numerous signs stating fruit growers.
One little diversion I did was into Azenha do Mar. It was the tiniest of ittle hamlets that would have been a busy fishing port years ago. There were still boats and traps (crab?) but I think these days surfing would be a thing here, too. The spot was really pretty, again with big waves crashing their way in.
Not long before my destination the path became a firm dirt road before becoming a soft sandy road because of the tractors churning up the sand as they turned to till the fields. I had to get off and push for a few hundred metres until things improved. Then there was a steep downhill which led to a paved road and I could see Odeceixe across the fields and river and up the other side. And I could just make out where my guest house sat.
The road led to the bridge over the river, then along the other side until I got to the guest house. Here I messaged the owner asking if I could leave my bags here so I could cycle around without them. Lighter and in casse the anticipated rain arrived. Yes, of course, she said, within five minutes. Awesome.
I followed the road that snaked its way through the fields which flanked the river. Near the coast the road turned up to a group of buildings, including the restaurant where I had eaten last time. As well, I think that river is the border between Alentejo and Algarve provinces. Already. As I made my way to a lookout point, I glanced over at a table to coffee sippers to see the two German couples who had helped me yesterday with the thumbs-up for the staircase down to the beach. They have finished their walk and return home to Germany tomorrow.
Up and around the corner and I was on my way back toward town. Still no rain though the wind was stonger and clouds were rolling in from the west. When I got back to town I continued to the centro until I found Star Coffe which MA had recommended from when they were here the past two Januarys. I ordered a galão (a hot drink from Portugal made by adding foamed milk to espresso coffee. Similar to caffè latte or café au lait, it consists of about one quarter coffee and three quarters foamed milk.) It was yummy as was the piece of lemon t0rte that I enjoyed on the outdoor table.
I pedaled around the centre and made my way to the guest house where the nice owner invited me to bring my bike into the breakfast room and brought me up to my room. She offered a larger one than I had booked since this one was available, and as it turns out, it is the same room I had last time.
I messaged 'A Tasca' restaurant (MA recommendation) for dinner tonight then half dozed and half read for the afternoon. I went for a walk and up to the old windmill then back down to the centre and to the redtaurant where I had pulvo and sweet potatoes, with a nice little Sumol, which I had been thinking about all day. There were actually a few of the guests from the guest house in Zambujeira having dinner there, plus there was one German couple at my current guest house. Sort of like a fluid classroom.
All fed up, I came back to my guest house as the rain was just resuming ever so slightly. I looked over tomorrow's route which seems to have a lot of unpaved sections, so I only hope it remains firm in the rain and doesn't become a quagmire.
Most of the route was away from the coast but this was one of the exceptions. -- Carvalhal Beach, Portugal
