Distance: 26.6km (285.4km), time spent: 7:21.
Weather: The sun always shines on the Camino.
There were some noise outside the windows during the night, the students celebrating the start of a new semester really had it going, but it was still quite muffled and so not interfering much with my sleep. I heard later from another pilgrim that she had to almost step over sleeping students in the streets when she left early in the morning. Ciaran and I are having breakfast at a small café in the morning, making notice of the portuguese drinking a glass of white wine.
Ciaran at the small café where we had our breakfast in Coimbra.
Praça do Comercio in Coimbra.
While Ciaran continues on the Camino from the café, I have to go back to where I left it yesterday. You may call it a (strange) obsession, but I sort of have to. On the way back, I pass by Hotel Oslo, which I found amusing given that I live in Oslo. The fine thing for me by starting from where I left yesterday, at Largo do Portagem, is that I get to some atmospheric part of Coimbra that I did not see yesterday. I also take a look inside the Igreja de Santa Cruz, which has some wonderful tiled walls. Outside the church, I try to take some good photos using the reflections in the fountain, spending more time before finally starting the walk out of Coimbra. Maybe there is something holding me back.
Igreja de Santa Cruz.
Definitely not the more modern part of the city, which I get to shortly after the old buildings makes way for the new, here I walk faster. Not as fast as François though (he was the Frenchman talking to the women 'taking' our beds at the Albergue O Bonito in Rabaçal), who comes racing past me with a backpack full of Camino trinkets. There is a park right next to where the Camino goes, and I would like to go in there instead of on the Camino, but unsure if I easily can get back to the Camino I let it go.
Praça 8 de Maio.
There is nothing really exciting happening on the Camino today, although the walk is somewhat pleasant, going on relatively quiet roads and through the usual villages. I do not know what to expect of this stage. Coimbra is still taking up too much of my mind probably. At Café Milfrutas in Trouxemil, I catch up with Ciaran again, while another pilgrim spills out some of my coffee by accident. Leaving Trouxemil with its nice Igreja de Santiago, Ciaran again is getting ahead of me.
Interior of Igreja de Santa Cruz.
Tiles depicting Coimbra on house in a village outside Coimbra.
A deafening walk on a busy road towards Santa Luzia threatens the day, but it is thankfully short (still needed a café com leite at Santa Luzia), and the scenery improves afterwards. Here, a road gradually changes into a gravel track and heads into an eucalyptus forest. The change is welcoming.
Statue of St. James in Trouxemil.
Ciaran is sitting relaxed in Café One Way in Lendiosa, talking a little bit with some locals. Interestingly, he had tried to order some food at the café, but they had declined to make any. On our table there is a bag of bread and as a replacement for not getting any food at the café, Ciaran takes a bread from the bag. It is belonging to one of the locals, but he is giving it to him.
Igreja de Santiago in Trouxemil.
From there on, I manage to keep up with Ciaran, but the view is now strangely familiar. Me, walking short behind, having his blue backpack in my view. We walk through grapes, grapevines and small villages for the rest of the way to Mealhada. This is the suckling pig capital of Portugal, leitão. Although we are not having leitão now, eating a rarely late lunch.
A yellow arrow on a sign in the eucalyptus forest between Santa Luzia and Mala.
Eucalyptus forest walk.
We end our stage just outside Mealhada, so close that it could be called Mealhada maybe, in the Albergue Hilario in Sernadelo. It is a nice and also kind of strange albergue, with a large display of tiny race cars in the office. In the parking lot, a Google street view car is parked. Alex and Chiara has of course arrived here before us, we did not see them in Coimbra, but knew they were there. Also present is Guus from Holland. And a group of pilgrims coming from USA, Canada and New Zealand, whom I have the pleasure to sit down with a beer together.
Tiles depicting a clerical person in Mealhada.
Then, it is time for leitão. For dinner we, which are Ciaran, Alex, Chiara, Guus and I, go to the O Tipico restaurant, close by the albergue. At first, we are a little bit put off by the price, but as there are few others interesting places nearby, we decide to splash out a little today. It is well worth the money. This is probably the best meal or meat (just swap the l for the t) I have had on the Camino so far. The meat is melting on the tongue.
Fountain with tiles in Mealhada, notice the left side displaying preparations of leitão.
Not a so interesting walk today, lots of roads and less interesting villages, still pleasant enough. It was the morning in Coimbra and the afternoon and evening in Sernadelo that made the day.
My dish of leitão.
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