Well, today the heat wave of Europe found us. It is 40 degrees Celsius where we are, and although we have no internet access to check out how hot that is, our irritable tempers are enough to know it is too hot for comfort. We were so hot this morning we decided against the train and the hours of waiting at the train stations for connections. We caught a taxi into the next town over and rented a small car from a local agency to drive to Tomar. After a few minutes of getting used to the stick shift we were off on our next adventure. The rental agency had no maps so our first stop was the liveraria, or newspaper/magazine shop where we bought a map. Our friendly English speaking clerk at the rental agency had provided us with a list of freeway connections we were supposed to take, but without a map we were hopelessly confused as to what freeway to take where. With a map we were prepared, and after missing the very first connection, we knew right away it was wrong and could turn ourselves around and follow her freeway numbers.
The Portuguese freeways are wonderful. Two lanes in each direction with lots of room for expansion. The slow lane was adequate for us most of the time, as our little Kia did not take the uphill slopes well at all. The countryside was largely agricultural; beautiful rolling hills planted with grapes interspersed with olive trees. We made one stop on the way to empty our bladders of the Diet Coke we were using to remain hydrated. Like rest stops the world over, the public restrooms were not something you would want to touch. The ladies room did have an interesting approach to toilets, though. Rather than a toilet without a seat over which you squat as in most public restrooms here, these toilets were porcelain- lined holes in the ground over which you squatted.
We were feeling so confident with our driving and navigation abilities that we decided to change our itinerary to take in the holy city of Fatima. It was really quite amazing to see how the town accommodates the huge numbers of people wanting to visit the site. There are Disneyland-like parking lots in front of the cathedral and a huge paved field with a raised, glass-covered alter for outside mass, very similar to the Vatican. Huge masses of people would be able to attend mass. We were not there during mass, yet the crowds visiting while we were there were the largest crowds we have seen anywhere in Portugal so far.
After Fatima, country roads took us the last 35 km to Tomar. We had booked a room in a small inn while we were in Obidos, so we set about trying to find this place. The town is split down the center by a river, with the old town and castle ruins, headquarters for the Knights of the Templar, on one side and the new town on the other. Our inn resides on an island in the river, right in the middle of town. One would think that would be easy, however the only visible bridge across the river onto the island was closed for construction. We drove around the island several times, winding our way around these one way streets. Each pass of the inn frustrated Mike more and the swearing was escalating at each pass. Finally we stopped and called the hotel using our new Portuguese telephone. Mike explained our situation to whomever answered and was put on hold, apparently to search for English speaking help. After the phone was switched to someone else, Mike, whose blood pressure was near explosion by now, handed the phone to me and I tried to explain where we were to her while he “helped” by talking to me at the same time as I tried to listen to her. Finally we reached some mutual understanding, and while it took parking, then moving the car again to finally locate the hidden bridge on the back of the island, we made it. Someone from the hotel met us at the bridge with a cart and helped to get the luggage across the bridge and into the hotel.
By the time we got in the door, Mike was close to passing out from the heat and frustration and he was begging for water. As in every place we visit, water is always provided at a price in a bottle, but it was cold and we took it. The helpful English speaking clerk apologized for the close-ed (a two syllable version of closed) bridge, but such is life. She did promise a ventilator in our room to help with the heat. Turns out that means a fan in a very stuffy close-ed room. We arrived about 2:30 in the afternoon and lay down with the fan blowing on us for several hours.
In case you think that I was not also crabby, let me assure you that I was also feeling the heat. When I asked about the advertised internet access (I have been several days without the ability to post anything) she sheepishly told me that I could arrange with her to use her front desk computer when she was not, as that was the only access available. That, combined with the fact that I have been without anything to read except travel guides for days led me to my own version of irritability. To work it off, I put the neckband on that Susan had given me to help with the heat and took off at 4:15 in search of a bookstore. My friendly English speaking desk clerk was summoned by the well meaning but totally non-English speaking desk clerk and they spent fifteen minutes drawing me a map of three potential sites of English language reading material. I walked off the island into the old town and the streets were deserted on this hot as Hades afternoon. I made it to the first potential spot, a promising looking bookstore, but it had close-ed early, or else my reading of the “Horario” on the door was wrong, but in any event it was a wash out. So, I hiked back through the old town and into the new town for the second and third sites which both turned out to be magazine shops where I could have purchased a Cosmo in English for an outrageous sum of $12 if I was that desperate, but I chose not to. I found a grocery store and bought a few tangerines and some water and trudged back to the island.
So, after reading another few chapters on the history and geography of Protugal in my guidebook until the dark room was too dark to read any more and playing fifteen games of FreeCell I decided to write this knowing it would be another day or two until I can post it. Another travel day. This time with car, but no less frustrating. We have decided to tour the castle early tomorrow when it opens at the relatively cool hour of 9:00 am, then split this town in search of cooler accommodations, perhaps further north and closer to the ocean. Mike has promised to break away from his dumb mystery (another sore spot- he has SOMEthing to read, be it something I have already read) to walk around with me tonight. I found an internet café in the new town while I was out today with posted hours til 10:00. Let’s hope they are really the hours, as I would love to check e-mail. I have retyped my blog entries in the past, but I think I will pass and post this at the next wifi spot we find.
Tomorrow is Caitie’s birthday, and we are hoping to reach her. We got an e-mail when she arrived in Poland but have not been able to reach her by phone since. We hear almost daily from daughter-in-law Dana which helps us stay connected and worry-free. We know that the rest of the family would get word to each other if something was wrong, so connecting with her frequently assures us that all is well. Thanks also to the rest of you that comment on the blog. It is great to hear from you, even if it is jabs from my sister. We have heard from the folks renting our houseboat and they are loving life there, so we are happy that the arrangement with them is working well.
Love to everyone on a very hot and irritable Portugal evening,
Deanne
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