Coimbra
A few observations first. In Obidos, two church bells rang one minute apart on the hour. Behind our hotel were two dogs in the same property, who stood together and sang loudly in accompaniment with the bells! Most entertaining.
It is apparently an insult to ask for salt or pepper with a meal, because the chef believes that the dish has been cooked to perfection!
Breakfast is usually ham and cheese with a bread roll, bread, croissant, or a sticky bun. Lunch is also usually a sandwich or baguette with ham and cheese. The menu for a baguette for lunch today was for cheese, ham, ham and cheese, ham cheese and lettuce, or smoked ham. I ordered the ham cheese and lettuce, which came with just ham and toasted!
It was a pretty drive from Obidos to here, although we were sad to leave. Gladys did an excellent job of helping us to follow a red road away from the freeway, but brought us to the back of a building under construction with no access through to our hotel. Eventually we were given a drawing by a truck driver which brought us safely to the hotel only 100m away but a 1k drive!
This is a "university" town, holding the oldest university in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe. It began in the 13th century and was moved here from Lisbon in 1537, and is located on the highest hill overlooking the town and the river. The clock tower at the highest point is nicknamed "a cabra" (the goat) because when it chimed to mark the end of studies, the first year undergrads would be humiliated by senior students until they leapt and jumped their way home like mountain goats! The University is the dominant component of the town, renowned world-wide, with a huge student population.
We then took the one-hour boat cruise up the Rio Mondego (river) which was very pleasant. This river is the only main river to flow entirely within Portugal.
Later, we took the town bus tour, which always gives a very good overview in English of the entire city via headphones.
We have covered a great distance on foot today, and are now a little weary.
Both red and white wines are light, but quite good and very cheap. eg a bottle is about AUD$6.00 in a restaurant, and $4.00 at the supermarket.
Today was a public holiday (bank holiday) all over Portugal, with most shops closed apart from the newsagency and the tourist office. We are thus using the hotel computer, which does not have a USB port so no photos today! More soon.