Rabacal to Coimbra

I was so glad I had a few cookies left from yesterday because that was all I had for breakfast. The only cafe in town was closed. As I walked, quickly trying to beat the rain that was forecast, I anticipated the next towns and the cafes mentioned in my book. First Zambujal, where I saw this cute little church. Not a cafe or market anywhere in sight. About 5 miles later I was really getting hungry but knew I would find the cafe in Conimbriga. And finally there it was. It looked like it had been closed not just for the night but for many years. I was really beginning to appreciate these few cookies from this morning.

About that time it started to rain. Not just a little rain but a deluge like the one a few days ago. I guess when it rains, it pours in Portugal. Dripping wet and even a little cold, I was delighted to find Cafe Centro around noon just before the town of Cernache. On my deathbed as I look back and reflect on great moments in my life, the ham and cheese sandwich from Cafe Centro will surely come to mind! It was the best sandwich I've ever eaten!

From there on it rained buckets. A large portion of the path was on muddy forest trails. But they went from just muddy to practically small rivers. Most of the time my feet were completely submerged. But my feet really seemed to enjoy the cool water. The rest of me was not quite as pleased however. But at least it was nice and cool. I was able to walk quickly without overheating. Once back on roads I walked through many tiny villages, meeting many friendly dogs and a dear little lady who was chasing her goats down the street. She was probably just as entertained by this dripping wet pilgrim as I was by her and her goats.

By the time I got to the outskirts of Coimbra I was pretty thoroughly soaked. Now even the paved roads had deep running water. I gave up trying to avoid walking in water so just splashed through it like a little kid. I got to Coimbra by 3 pm which was great because I had time to shower, dry off then explore that interesting city.