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Train to Coimbra the medieval capital.

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/portugal/central-portugal/coimbra

This is not a multiple day town. The main parts and an overview of the university can be seen in several hours.

Today Coimbra is a somewhat poor city on a nice river.

The university is high on a hill reached by windy small cobbled streets and alleys. One first reaches a lovely church which maintains the medieval design of no Gothic arches.

The architecture of the entrance to the university looks much like Hampton Court. Currently there are 23K students in what is billed the oldest European university.

Special for Judi: a king cake Portuguese style.

In Album Coimbra

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Sintra day. Visit to this historic hill town.

http://www.sintra-portugal.com/index.html

Took the local train, direct, to this suburb of Lisboa. Urban for the 15 miles. High rise buildings and dense roads much of the way. Some farming stretches.

The town itself is definitely a quintessential tourist town. Winding streets, shops everywhere. Restaurants and cafes everywhere and very high prices; maybe double or triple downtown Lisbon tourist areas.

The walk from the train station to the historic Town Centre is beautiful.
The walkway is along an historic Garden path with lovely statues the entire way; maybe a 10 minute walk.

After a bit of wavering we decided to visit the sintra national palace. Turned to be a good choice. Well appointed, many steps, kitchen similar in design, except for the chimneys, which are twinned, to Henry 8 at Hampton Court.

The painting was in one of the rooms in the palace.

Dinner: seafood cataplana. Local restaurant. Below the shrimp was a layer of fishes, red and green peppers, onions; the tomato based broth was made with olive oil and garlic. Not many herbs or spices. No heat. Excellent fish broth.

In Album 9/2/16

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Lewis Carroll
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there."

Monastery with its fabulous cloister, a cathedral in ornate Gothic style with preserved capitals and ornaments, and the tomb of Vasco da Gama which explains the elephant statuary in the cathedral.

Short stop for two beers,a bottle of water, and a plate of freshly cut melon large portion. Total 7 Euros, even at a tourist place.

Belem Tower and western seaside via team and foot. Apparently a must see like big Ben, Eiffel etc. Situated on the water at the conjunction of the river and ocean. Part decorative/commemorative and part defensive.

Then a visit to a most famous, and supposedly the best, nata place: Pastéis de Belem, founded in 1837. Ordered several with lemonade. Served warm, oh so flaky, clearly the best we have had so far.

Dinner at a high end typical style Portuguese restaurant. Shredded salt cod with eggs and potatoes, duck with dock rice. Winner pricing very different here. Purchase price and double ( USA generally triples), and then divide by five(USA typically gets six glasses per bottle). Perfectly good dry Sarah from this region.

Bad heat day for QB. Just at the edge of heat stroke. Almost needed to leave in mid dinner but the manager found us a cooler spot.

In Album 9/1/16

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The castle sits high up on a hill, a steep hill to be reached on a hot day. We planned to take the tram as per the proverb:

Japanese proverb. “ ‘A tough man climbs the mountain. A wise man sits in the water.’ ”

Tram is a major tourist attraction with an hour wait, maybe more. We walked.

But first to the area known as mourarai,old Moorish section and home of fado. Undergoing major gentrification, looks like its character will again change. Twisted streets, tiled walls, lots of murals and graffiti, construction taking down the old buildings. Fado indications vid the outdoor pavilions.

Up to the castle, likely the long way. Like the alcazar in Seville with a community on the surrounding streets, a Moorish castle overlooking the river. Views of course, park-like ambience away from the defense walls.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Jorge_Castle

Then up, up to miradouro st. Monte, highest point, best view, with a shrine included. Long windy walk down following the tram line. Lite dinner afterwards.

In Album 8/31/16

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After a late night we start the adventure.

After a few misused words we learned that QB studied Brazilian Portuguese, oh well…

Abatanado. Americano
Cafe diploma
Cafe con leite
Meia a de leite half fat milk
Magro skim milk
Meio Gordo
Imperial is a small draft beer

Plenty of port here. Will there be more when we get to Porto?

Naturally we made the obligatory visit to the cathedral, mostly Spanish in style as from the 12th century. Roman arches down the never. Also marks the start of the Camino.

Walk along paved beach. Flickr likely to have a picture of feet in the river, a bit cool.

Street Fado,pictured.

Dinner drinks. Instead of negroni or an aperol spritz tried the local choices, espumanti, and port tonic (white fortified wine with mint, lemon and tonic). Two amuse bouche, sucking pig as main; with a slightly sweet, from figs,blood sausage and several small sides.

Considerable discussion about types of sausages, butter versus olive oil with bread, and differences between tapas and petiscos.

In Album 8/30/16

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Cool on arrival, obligatory arrival photo.

"Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced. "
John Keats

Two hour discussion with Hugo, native who works in London designing work spaces. Believe Trump will prevail as he thinks mood of Europe and USA similar. Lots of good local info gleaned. Here and another local told us coffee names. Less than full overlap, especially over Abatanádo.

Evening arrival but, as expected, not too late to eat. Might never be too late here or in Spain. Bumpy flight to London, good easy jet flight to Lisbon, aero bid to hotel, right by stop.

Dinner at populi in the big square near the hotel. Started with a very very dry red wine from the Dão region. A good choice by the easier. House of health.

Pousada of Lisbon, our domicile for a few days, is the Portugese equivalent of the Paradors in Spain. Generally old historically interesting buildings preserved by turning them into hotels. http://www.pousadasofportugal.com/pousadas/lisbon/

In Album 8/29/16

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That is all resolution lost. Cannot resized any map.

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The final leg on the river. Starting at the source we ended up at Westminster. Walked to Hampton and the balance by river boat. We have finished. TheThames ( any earlier walk to took us to the barrier)

Kew Gardens: puts Hampton Court to shame. Far far better food, excellent shop, more impressive gardens, birds. Scones and Chelsea buns too. Especially fun place to wander. The hive, the Lilly pods, the teepee trees. On and on.

Tuesday:

Victoria and Albert museum, Raphael cartoons. Too rushed for special undies exhibit. Excellent William Morris room, cafe,at the V&A.

Evensong at St Paul's cathedral. Least impressive of any of the evensongs we have gone to. Small choir could not hear any of these lessons nothing inspirational lovely cathedral and lovely organ music

Wednesday:

a day of wandering about, aimlessly, directed shopping for QB. Later, Tom yum at Selfridges,p Piperade for dinner. Excellent,

Thursday:

visit to a beautiful Catholic Church near the Wallace collection followed by a visit to their fine collection.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_James%27s,_Spanish_Place.

-National portrait gallery, artists collecting fellow artists special exhibit.

-Walk down embankment to borough market, Neil's yard cheese, and

-Southwark cathedral. Caught the end of evensong. Fine choir, final anthem performance before going off to Kraków to perform. Excellent sound.

Friday:

-A nice day of wandering about somewhat aimlessly. Grosvenor square park, interesting game of Jenga. Mount street park and gardens with great palm tree.

-Mayfair with its many newly restored buildings.

-a very very fine dinner made by Bobby. Lamb, pasta, peppers de padron, banana cake…..truly fine

Saturday

-regents canal walk, Limehouse to Paddington via tower of London,Lison Grove, little Venice.

Sunday

in the Park with George, and many many others

In Album 7/17/16

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