We started out with a slight navigational error, in which we headed up toward the castle instead of down toward the river. Someone unkind might judge that the Grampies do not know up from down, but there was something about the sun being in our eyes. Indeed, west coast Canadians can not be expected to handle sun well!
We now implemented again the smart move of choosing little white roads over the actual N2, in order to avoid any excessive traffic. This being Sunday, we could expect the semi-trailers to be asleep, and indeed we did pass some resting by the roadside. Ssshh, don't get them going!
The little white road was so great! We were in cycling heaven.
Looking across the valley, we were impressed by terraced plantings of Eucalyptus. You can see again the colour variation in the leaves of the baby trees.
"Looking across the valley" already signals that there may be something amiss with our white road plan. How did we get a valley? Doesn't that signal some kind of ups and downs?
After Sentieiras, we realized (just as had happened north of Faro) that suddenly we were looking down at villages.
This bridge was the bottom, naturally, with a little stream beneath. The stream did widen to a bit of a river nearby, that actually offered a beach area.
Dodie found the slope of the road too great, and ended up pushing. I would cycle on up and choose some shady spot spot for her to catch up. Typically I would pull out my phone at these points, and was able to watch a report on the secret documents leak in the US, and to read quite a few news stories. It was kind of unfair because when Dodie would reach my position I would cycle on ahead, stop, and read some more news or even take a nap, but she just kept plodding upward.
We looked down at one point to see a nicely tended garden, but mostly the area was uninhabited.
From photos on Google Maps we expected Vila de Rei to be a huddle of stone houses, but first we found some large pink apartment buildings, and then a very normal looking rather modern town. Things were beginning to look a little older and quainter, when boom, we were at our place. Our place appeared at first to just be a restaurant, but they have a little apartment around the side. Although small for an apartment, it is of course huge compared to a hotel room, and we are very happy about it.
The restaurant itself was interesting. It's name, the Fifty Fifty derives from the fact that Vila de Rei is in the exact geographic centre of Portugal, and as such it is 50% of the way up or down the N2, which runs the whole length of the country. The Fifty Fifty, falling victim to Americanization, seeing itself at a strategic position on the N2, fell to viewing itself as some how linked to Route 66, with is the American N2. And being linked to Route 66, it is decorated with Marilyn Monroe and Rock and Roll type stuff. Whether for this reason or the fact that this was Sunday afternoon, the place was packed when we arrived. We were attracted by their daily special (for some reason), which was (of course) baked cod. It is fitting that half way through Portugal we should at least give their national favourite a try.
Inside the Fifty Fifty. Being nosey, we observed that Grandma (in the front) did not eat her cod, and took it as a takeout. She then got dessert, but only partially ate it. I guess Grandma can do as she pleases, but ??.
Here is our baked cod. It was baked in olive oil and topped with onions. We found it strangely lacking in flavour, would have much preferred some BC salmon. However, we were able to get fresh (seriously fresh) orange juice, which is so great here when you can find it.
Our dessert choices were a panacotta with salted caramel sauce, and cheese cake with red fruit sauce. Both quite fluffy, but good. We are finding Portuguese food to be rather on the bland and weak side.
Here is where we are in Portugal - stuck right in the middle! Of course we are not going all the way to the top, but we are planning to deviate west, to Coimbra, and east to Pinhao, on our drunken way back to Porto.
Today's ride: 34 km (21 miles) Total: 2,034 km (1,263 miles)
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Kelly IniguezWe do like our food, and find your food commentary interesting. One of my main concerns is starving in Spain, with their late dinners. Jacinto says he will find food no matter what! Reply to this comment 1 year ago
Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Kelly IniguezWe try to stock up on food at grocery stores. Restaurants open too late for us. By the time they open for supper we are ready for sleep. Reply to this comment 1 year ago
