What’s with the students sporting long black capes? A little research and I’ve got a vague answer. The black cape has been a university student’s uniform here for 500 years. “Here” being Coimbra but also seen in Lisbon and Porto as well. Why a black cape? As opposed to some kind of hat or other apparel?…
Photos: Welcome to Coimbra
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jFDQ5Ljpsd9DsNEP7
College Town
After a couple cups of Delta coffee (since coming here I’ve become a snob in that regard), we boarded a quick train to Coimbra. Our initial plans for traveling in Portugal had us renting a car, but the Covid crisis priced us out that option. So no increased heart rate going into the centripetal swarm…
Photos: The last of Porto
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vniKLf6ZkyUMprSC8
Photos: AirBnB Porto
Finally getting around to posting photos of the interior. Now that we have left. id highly recommend this place. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ErdrwRPhAmZaJAau7
Now that’s what we old folk used to call a camera
Who remembers Brownie box cameras? Or Polaroids and the waving of the photo sheet with its curved edges, watching as the photo developed magically within a few minutes? Oh my god, and one’s first Minolta or Canon SLR and trying to figure out f-stops and the endless adjusting, never being absolutely sure it was clearly…
Adeus, Douro
Porto is all about the river. All roads lead up from or down to the Douro. As much as I shrugged off plugging along the inland waters in a tour boat, walking the Porto promenades on either side of the Douro is instantly refreshing, and I have to admit I’m going to miss that river…
Azulejos everywhere
We visited the museum of azulejos (tiles) in Lisbon and have posted photos of beautifully tiled exterior walls. Many depict scenes plucked from Portuguese history and those are almost always blue and white. How did these things come to be? I never did explain. When Wynette (thank you, Wynette) posted a link to an article…
Photos: Douro Valley
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gyxVhSkZ1XwGtwVj9
One of me is a secret port addict
We joined a day excursion tour of the Douro Valley, about an hour and a half’s ride from Porto. The Douro Valley produces the best Port wine in the world. In fact, only wine made in this region is allowed to be labeled ’Port’’. So, not really any competition. Two wineries, 8 generous tastings of…