9/6 – we fortified ourselves with a hearty breakfast left out ny Senhora Oliveria, and were on the road at dawn, as today will have challenging hills and an unclear path. The yellow arrows that marked the trail through the eucalyptus forest were removed when the trees were harvested, and many have gotten lost. Luckily, some trail angels have found new ways to mark the route:

New eucalyptus have been planted:

We saw some cork trees too:

I love the brightly painted houses, mustard yellow, pink and tomato red. When I get home, I’m painting my house like this:

As we walked the sky got darker, and we found ourselves in the middle of a drenching thunderstorm – the first rain we’ve seen since June! We took shelter in a little chapel on the roadside:

And now we are in Tomar, home of the Knights Templar. We are staying in a groovy hotel with a poor internet connection. Our wet clothes are hanging on every available space, and our room smells like wet dog (I guess that’s wet US). Tomorrow we will see the town!