Nazarre, surfing Mecca

Once again I have planned not to do many kilometres today (60km), but it proves challenging nevertheless. I take a detour through the walled historic town of Obidos. It's very impressive with access into the city walls and stunning panoramas. Naturally also full with tourists and the ever present tourist shops selling mostly tat. 

It is hot, windy and hilly again today and progress is slow. Thankfully there is little traffic at this time of year and taking the main roads is relatively quiet. 

I had seen surfing videos about the epicly big waves being surfed in Nazarre. Imagine my disappointment when I find the town filled with tourists, cars and lots motorbikes. Maybe it is amazing here when the big swells roll in, but there are better, more quiet spots on the coast where the waves are just as good. I don't stay long and cycle further north to find my dune for the night. 

After setting up my tent, I meet three Italians who have rented a mobile home to go down the coast of Portugal. They generously invite me to dine with them and we chat until midnight under a nearly full moon. 

Baleal, surfing paradise

Thinking that today's ride would be short and easy, I leave in the afternoon after a sizable hump-making breakfast. It turns out to be extra hilly, steep roads and more exhausting than expected. 

In the villages away from the coast there are signs that the inhabitants are not as affluent - the cars are more run down, some older buildings and the coffee prices sink below 1€. I also find a communal clothes hand washing station in one of the villages that is still in use. 

The coastline is stunning and I reach Baleal in the early evening. There is definitely a surfing crowd here, with plenty of vehicles carrying surfboards, surfing shops and wet suits hanging from apartment windows. It also seems like wild camping in vans is permitted even right next to the beach. 

Having a tent is more frowned upon and deemed more illegal, so I find a more covert place to pitch my tent on the dunes with an absolutely stunning view. 

Ericeira, a chance reunion

Wake up at sunrise and break camp. With such an early and breathtaking start (epic sunrise and 250m hill climb off the beach), I intend to avoid having to ride at the hottest part of the day, as today is a hilly section.  I get the ferry from Seixal to Lisbon and once again the bike incurs no extra fees. It's a great way to leisurely get into the city centre and reminds me of my time in Australia when the ferry travelled from Manly to Sydney every 20 minutes. 

I had intended to spend a few hours in Lisbon, but seeing all the bussling people and tourists, I fled the city the moment the ferry hit the quay. Getting out of the city had some extra steep climbs but some people shouted "Forza" to me to encourage me to stick it out. My destination is Ericeira where I plan to spend a few days with my ol' pal Al. 

We meet on the beach at fisherman's bay and go directly wining and dining in this gentrified beach town. Later that night Alan's friend Patrick arrives from Dublin and it turns into the first of the lads night out. Alan has most generously offered me accomodation in a four star hotel in the centre of town. What a difference between tonight's accomodation and last night wild camping on the beach!

The hotel has a buffet breakfast which of which I take full advantage. The guys have to work in the afternoon, so I am left alone to play in the waves. The water is still a frigid 16C, so I am the only person on the beach who spends more than a few minutes in the water. It's thrilling for me me have proper waves again. We meet up with another friend Donal and his wife Emily at sunset over some chiccy jugs of sangria. It's Thursday night so the town is not busy and my vegetarian diet is troublesome in this town where everyone comes to enjoy the local seafood. Thankfully we find a great restaurant which has vegetarian options. I compliment our friendly waiter on the spicy oil. His smile gets even bigger and he tells us of how he spent his Corona months finding the right way to have the hottest oil in the district. He tells us that in this region you get major bragging rights if your oil is the hottest. He has named and labelled his oil "to treat bad tempered people". He absolutely insists I take the full bottle home with me. What a generous and genuinely friendly guy.

 We go out drinking again, but not much happening so it's back to the hotel at midnight. 

The routine of great breakfast, visit one of the nearby beaches, have a large dinner, then drink the evening away continues the next day. This time we actually have more to celebrate. It is the bitcoin halving tonight which happens only once every four years. It's such a coincidence that I am with Alan who was also the person who got me enthusiastic about this cryptocurrency. We have drinks at a live music bar and the rest of the crowd is confused when we start counting down at 1:09 and then start celebrating with high fives. As they say in bitcoin circles "number go up" and we all believe that bitcoin has a bright future. Alan and I stay up chatting until 4:30, so it's no wonder he's a bit ragged at breakfast the next morning.