Got to Alcobaca without incident and of course it was raining, but not really hard enough to put on the poncho I had with me but of course I did not bring my umbrella. I was going to visit the market and get a pastry at a famous shop there but instead I went straight for the main sight, the monastery. it is nice, but not nearly as impressive as the monastery I went to yesterday in Batalha. Spent about an hour and luckily by then it had stopped raining. It was thereafter warm and humid and the absolute wrong day to have worn my hair curly, but I digress.
Then finally made it to Alcoa, this famous pastry stop that wins all kinds of competitions. Got a few different things, all delicious, naturally. Went to find the market, and found the building, but it was completely empty?? it was supposed to run til 1pm and it was before noon, so I do not know?
Went back to the town and wandered a bit, bought a little pretty vase, and ate lunch at Antonio Padeira, a cute little homestyle place. I had chicken cooked in a clay pot, which the waitress explained was very traditional monastery-style dish. whatever, it was delicious. and once again served with fries AND rice. This country may just beat Italy with the carbs!
Made it bck to the bus station and got my ticket for the 1:50 back to Leiria, and it was late. Maybe the bus this morning was just late and that is why I couldn't find it? Anyhow, about halfway back, the bus driver emptied the bus on a random corner in the middle of nowhere and told us to get on another bus waiting there. I guess it was a planned transfer? I still have no idea what happened but I made it back by about 3pm!
Dropped some stuff off at the hotel and then set off to explore Leiria. The cathedral is rather plain in comparison to others I have seen, but still nice. I then started the uphill ascent to the museum of moving images, which was kind of neat and had little displays about optical illusions, light, etc. Then continued uphill to the castle, which has stunning views of the whole city, but is also really treacherous rock to walk around. I think I made it out without getting injured!
Wandered back through town and found a cute little shop Selling handmade stuff. chatted with the owner, who is originally from Brasil, and bought a handmade Leiria magnet. Then walked past a gelato shop I had seen last night but was too full to go into. not today thogh! Had a chocolate and tiramisu combination and it was as good as found in Italy. Pretty sure the guy who helped me out was mixing Italan and Portuguese. Then came back for a rest and to do a last little bit of laundry. How is my vacation 2/3 over already????
10:00pm - back from dinner. I broke one of my top traveling rules and ate in the main square. As tourist towns go, this isn't really one, but still, it is more expensive and less authentic. I had some beef on skewers with, shocking, potatoes. Not bad but not the experience of the authentic places. But I was just not in the mood to find a place and deal with language. After dinner I went to a place recommended to me called Permarcati and had a huge bowl of some kind of special Jamaican chocolate and caramel with cookies and Nutella ice cream. so good.
I am still working on getting up to date with pictures, between Flickr being weird and slow upload speeds, it is not cooperating.
Tomorrow I will again attempt getting to Nazare. There are two buses, the one I tried to take at 8:40 and one at 7:40. I may try to take the early one just to give me one more chance in case I still can't figure it out. Oy vey!
Today's totals: 23,208 steps, 9.23 miles, 59 floors
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