September 29th, 2016

S. Luis to Cercal

After a day of rest, we strapped on our packs and headed northwards.

S. Luis, on our way through and out of town. Even though there are modern street lights and pavement, a goat bids us Bom Dia.

The trail was the most mountainous we've trekked in Portugal, and offered expansive views stretching to the coast and beyond. (You'll have to use your imagination, here. My photos just don't do these justice.)
While some forests we walked through were natural and wild, there have been stretches of unsightly eucalyptus plantations, apparently harvested for paper production.

Much friendlier feeling are the cork oak forests, where the trees are routinely stripped of bark in such a way as to save the tree for future gleanings.

Descending from the mountains into the plains, we came into agricultural areas..... fields of hay, pastures of goats, sheep, and cattle.

Without the shade of trees, on such a toasty day, as I came across an abandoned home with a pool, I couldn't resist some wishful thinking.