…One of the most breathtaking coastal towns that I have ever seen, it’s whitewashed, Moorish buildings lying at the mouth of the Mira River and the beach a mix of white sand…

Our ride took us up to the Capuchin Monastery (no longer in use) and then twisted and flung us through rapid sections of narrow trail, filling my senses with the fragrance of Eucaliptus and Palm…

I had been on another shoulder-free highway for much of the day when I arrived at Azambuja, a town 50k to the east of Lisbon. I did not savor the idea of riding into the large capital city in the dark on a busy road but I strapped on my light resignedly and rebuked myself for getting such a late start.