We started early again this day with the hopes of reaching Tomar. I was able to get some decongestant at a small town pharmacy along the way but it gave me no relief. In that same town, we were invited into a historic church after mass to get passport stamps and to look around. We also passed some ruins with a connection to the Knights Templar.
The terrain finally changed and we began to climb out of the river valley and into hills filled with eucalyptus forests. Eucalyptus are planted in rows, just as pine are planted in Ontario. They grow quickly, smell nice, and are a valuable wood. Eucalyptus trees, however, shed their bark, littering the forest floor with an oily and highly flammable accelerant. Portugal and Spain have experienced many forest fires of late, usually started in these forests. The forests we passed through were actively being harvested.
I reached the albergue in Asseiceira just past noon and decided I would stop and get much needed rest. Tomar was another 10 km, but I didn’t have it in me to get there. When Mette caught up, I explained what I was doing. She understood, but needed to keep up her pace. We said our good byes thinking I may catch up to her in a day or two.
Luis, Silvia, Ursula, Vivian, Martin, and Carlos
Just as Mette was leaving the albergue, two of the neighbours came over to offer us a meal. Mette took a sandwich for the road and I joined the family at their home. They spoke very little English, but with the help of Google Translate, we made it work. The pork roasted on a spit over charcoal was still hot so they insisted I eat a pork sandwich, wine, tea, a funnel cake, and ice cream. They sent me home with an extra sandwich. These gracious people: Vivian who is 89; Luis and Carlos her sons; Ursula, Luis’ wife and Silvia, Carlos’s wife; and Martin, Silvia and Carlos’ son made me feel like the guest of honour. They encouraged me to return next year with Kelly.
I walked 23.2 km this day. After my lunch visit I returned to the albergue and napped. Nobody else arrived. When I woke, I felt no better so I called the Portuguese Telehealth and they made an appointment for me at the hospital in Tomar the next day. I just had to get there.