March 7 :: Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
March 7 :: Caldas da Rainha, Portugal :: 99km / 3812km total
After last night's rushed planning I woke ready to go, excited to get out into Portugal. Lisbon had a few sights within walking distance of my hotel that I wanted to see, so I strode out into the early morning air, unashamedly touristic, camera in one hand, guidebook in the other. A few churches, squares, and monuments later I was back at the hotel, gathering my wet clothes, and over to a laundromat for drying. By the time I loaded the bike and left, around noon, my legs were jumpy with excitement for the open road.
I took the slow, scenic harbour route out of Lisbon, cycling along the port, through the Expo 98 grounds, etc. I was headed North, aiming for Alcobaca, and as the road swung in that direction the wind told me it was not going to be easy. But now I feel in control, with power over things I haven´t had all trip: I can moderate my temperature as I please, and I can eat whatever I want wherever I want. So I pedalled aggressively, unworried about things like bonking, protein, finding drinks, the Sun... only rain would ´dampen´ things.
I followed the flat road along the Rio Tejo for as long as possible, but eventually I had to turn inland, up into the hills, still into the wind. Portugal is hilly! Not dramatic, Alps-like multipitch switchback hilly, but constant, rolling, steep hilly. Around 4:30 pm I realized that making Alcobaca wasn´t going to happen, so I diverted towards nearby Caldas da Rainha, with its multitude of pensados (guesthouses). At the first guesthouse I came to, I asked to see the room (15 euros), and laughed - twin beds, clean sheets, TV, bathtub, hot water, just too much! Portugal is the cheapest country in Western Europe, and on top of that this is the off-season, which makes it even cheaper and there is guaranteed availability everywhere. Weatherwise its like Toronto in late April or May... a great time to be here.
After last night's rushed planning I woke ready to go, excited to get out into Portugal. Lisbon had a few sights within walking distance of my hotel that I wanted to see, so I strode out into the early morning air, unashamedly touristic, camera in one hand, guidebook in the other. A few churches, squares, and monuments later I was back at the hotel, gathering my wet clothes, and over to a laundromat for drying. By the time I loaded the bike and left, around noon, my legs were jumpy with excitement for the open road.
I took the slow, scenic harbour route out of Lisbon, cycling along the port, through the Expo 98 grounds, etc. I was headed North, aiming for Alcobaca, and as the road swung in that direction the wind told me it was not going to be easy. But now I feel in control, with power over things I haven´t had all trip: I can moderate my temperature as I please, and I can eat whatever I want wherever I want. So I pedalled aggressively, unworried about things like bonking, protein, finding drinks, the Sun... only rain would ´dampen´ things.
I followed the flat road along the Rio Tejo for as long as possible, but eventually I had to turn inland, up into the hills, still into the wind. Portugal is hilly! Not dramatic, Alps-like multipitch switchback hilly, but constant, rolling, steep hilly. Around 4:30 pm I realized that making Alcobaca wasn´t going to happen, so I diverted towards nearby Caldas da Rainha, with its multitude of pensados (guesthouses). At the first guesthouse I came to, I asked to see the room (15 euros), and laughed - twin beds, clean sheets, TV, bathtub, hot water, just too much! Portugal is the cheapest country in Western Europe, and on top of that this is the off-season, which makes it even cheaper and there is guaranteed availability everywhere. Weatherwise its like Toronto in late April or May... a great time to be here.
posted by Graham Durrant at 3:05 PM
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