Left early and headed for our cultural day inland. First, Bathalho Abbey, site of battle against the Spanish. Portuguese won so built an abbey to commemorate the main guy...can’t spell it, but seen the statue of him on his horse. Beautiful little town, magnificent abbey. Did the church but left a monastery tour for Tomar. Not very busy...Dave’s second breakfast then moved on up the road to Fatima. Wow!Apparently a very important Catholic modern pilgrimage site. The whole area was bigger than St Peters in Rome; modern circular church at one end, style of Billy Graham and more trad church at the other where the 3 girls who had their visions of the Madonna in 1910 are buried. In between, a vast square with huge open air alter. Dave wondered if anyone had checked the girls story to see if they’d made it all up!Then back to tradition and a magnificent castle and abbey to. Knights Templar in Tomar. We did the full tour inside this time...temp outside about 30 degrees! Finished in town of Leiria...had enough of castles for today and so headed to coast again and a much better, wooded campsite with pool outside Nazare. Got up this morning to mist and cycled a round trip along the coast...very undulating, but very satisfying 40 miles. By lunchtime, full sun as we ate cake in lovely little resort called San Marhino da Porte....absolutely gorgeous. This whole coastline is best ever for beaches, cafes and few hotels. Definitely want to come back here again. Going into Nazare tonight to eat out as did my pasta special(thanks Gill B) last night. Vino Verde is awesome.
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