Vacation Variety

Simple crucifix at Fatima

Pilgrims at the shrine in fatima

I entitled yesterday's blog post "Pilgrim's Progress", but we saw the real pilgrims today. This is because we began our day by travelling 10 kilometres to Fatima, where devout Catholics flock to the site where a miracle occurred a century ago. On this day, there were about a thousand or more such believers attending the 11:00 a.m. Mass. All visitors to the shrine are asked to approach as pilgrims. Cell phones, skimpy dress, and dogs are not welcome. It was quite amazing to see such faith. In the intense heat of the day, we saw people crawling on their knees and throwing candles into a fire. We did not visit the church itself since it would have been impossible with so many people in the square, a space larger than St.Peter's in Rome, but we did walk around it for a while. We both loved the stark crucifix at the west end of the square, so I am including a photo of it too.

Wandering among the ruins

Well preserved mosaic tiles

Our next stop could not have been more different. We visited Roman ruins in Conimbriga. Those Romans were everywhere weren't they? In this area, archaeologists have found artifacts and foundations of a town. Most impressive were very well-preserved mosaic tiles in the home of a wealthy person, but also there was evidence of a forum, baths, and smaller dwellings.

Coimbra, as seen from the bridge. The University tower is the highest point in this photo.

Heading north, we stopped at the lovely city of Coimbra, once the capital of Portugal. We climbed to the top of the hill to visit the campus of the University there, the oldest one in the country. It was once a royal palace. We wandered around the oldest part of the campus for a while, taking pictures, but when we discovered that photos were forbidden inside its most beautiful buildings, we opted to explore the city instead.

Part of the University of Coimbra

We visited two cathedrals on our way down to the lower part of the city, aptly named Se Velha (old cathedral) and Se Nova (new cathedral). The old one is Romanesque, built in the 12th century. It has a lovely cloister and simple, clean lines. Over the centuries, it has been embellished with a Manueline font, and Flemish woodcarvings over the altar; the cloister, which is quite lovely, was restored in 18th century. The Se Nova is modern by European standards, having been founded by Jesuits in 1598. It is wider than the other cathedral but not as beautiful to my eye. The alterpiece is magnificent, however.

Altarpiece at Se Nova

The Romanesque Se Velha

 The pedestrian stairways down into the city were lined with shops. One charming street had crocheted umbrellas suspended overhead, a rather whimsical touch. I wonder what the significance is. There were also some dramatic arches, and towers along the way. I succumbed to temptation and bought myself a cork purse, only available in Portugal. I had been eyeing this unique style for a while, and found one I liked at the right price. It will be my souvenir of this lovely city.

The last leg of today's journey took us further north to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, where we are staying for two nights at the charming 6Only Guest House. The first order of business was a welcoming glass of Port wine, the specialty of the area. We were then directed to a restaurant around the corner, Casa de Pasto Ribatejo, where we sat outside under a canopy of vines to have dinner, some typical Portugeses fare. Delicious.

This was a day of infinite variety indeed.

The patio at Casa do Pasto Ribatejo