"Falling" For Portugal - Mai Tai Tom's "Trip" Report

[maitaitom]

Today was Back To School Day in Coimbra. At the University of Coimbra, we visited its renowned (and gorgeous) Joanine Library, 16th-century St. Michael’s Chapel, the Royal Palace (the oldest palace in Portugal), a unique room where a cow skeleton greeted us and the interesting Science Lab. The New Cathedral (built in the 1500s) and an art museum where you can walk through a 1st-century subterranean Roman Forum were in store for us. We’d view some Street “Trash” Art, and end our day at a magnificent monastery that we nearly bypassed. Capping off our night, we dined inside a chimney at a ceramics factory. A busy day indeed!

Chapter Thirteen: Combing Coimbra

Falling For Portugal: A Mai Tai Tom “Trip” Report Chapter Thirteen: Combing Coimbra Day Thirteen: Agile Breakfast Servers, That First Step Is A Doozy, Big John, What Tour?, Bookin’ It, More Bats, Checking In With Michael, A Curious Room, Lab Rats, Trash Talking, Not Manny Machado, Lunch At The...

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[maitaitom]

A couple of days of the trip in this installment. From Coimbra we stopped at the interesting town of Viseu (wish we could have stayed longer) and then moved on to Lamego, where in my younger days I would have climbed those 686 steps to Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, but thankfully there was a road up to it. Then we made it to the Douro Valley, where I accidentally drove off the highway (not as bad as it sounds) on the way to our lodging. The following day we’d go on a glorious hike into the vineyards to start the day. Then we’d take to the hills, where humanity seemed to have fled knowing we were on our way. Of course, being in the Douro meant a little wine to be consumed. Cheers!

Chapter Fourteen: Viseu, Lamego & On To The Douro

Falling For Portugal: A Mai Tai Tom “Trip” Report Chapter Fourteen: Viseu, Lamego & On To The Douro Day Fourteen: A Stop In A Medieval City, Is That An Orange Julius?, Stairway To Heaven, Into The Forest I Go, Yet Another Karen Valentine Highway, “Best Drive In The World?”, Wrong […]

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[maitaitom]

Our final two days in the Douro Valley started with a slightly frightening drive to our next lodging that had some magnificent views. On that day we’d visit a regional wine museum and tour a palace/manor house complete with some gorgeous gardens. The following day Tracy and I would go rolling on the river in a rabelo, where we ran into our only Ugly American on the trip. Wine tasting and two good dinners at our lodging, and our time was up in wine country, but four nights in what turned out to be our favorite city in Portugal loomed ahead. Heading for the finish line!

Chapter Fifteen: Rolling On The Douro

Falling For Portugal: A Mai Tai Tom “Trip” Report Chapter Fifteen: Rolling On The Douro Day Sixteen: To Everything Turn Turn Turn, Any Port In A Heatwave, Glorious Gardens, Casa Tour, More Bats?!, Getting Supplies, This Is The Way To Live, An “Appetizing” Dinner and The Cat’s Meow A quick […]

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[maitaitom]

Leaving the Douro Valley, we arrived in Porto in the early afternoon. After a quick lunch, we’d scout out the historic and recently reopened Mercado do Bolhão, took a walk down one of Porto’s best shopping streets and stopped by Igreja de Santo Ildefonso, with a façade featuring about 11,000 azulejo tiles. Speaking of tiles, many people go inside the São Bento Railway Station not to travel, but to marvel at its azulejo-decorated interior. A walk up a famed avenue to its gorgeous City Hall, dining on a 50,000 calorie francesinha sandwich and a couple of glasses of wine at the grand Cafe Majestic would end a pretty busy Porto afternoon and evening. Oh, how we loved Porto!

Chapter Sixteen: Enjoying Energizing Porto

Falling For Portugal: A Mai Tai Tom “Trip” Report Chapter Sixteen: Enjoying Energizing Porto Day Eighteen: You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, It’s Almost Like I Know You, Garden Setting, The Surprise Around The Corner, Ildefonso, On Track For Tiles, You Can’t Fight City Hall, Heart Attack On A Plate...

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[maitaitom]

Historic Porto Sites and Beautiful Porto Sights - Our first full day in Porto started with a stroll down the famed Rua das Flores. which took us to the magnificent Palácio da Bolsa and its spectacular rooms. Nearby, we stopped in the opulent Igreja de São Francisco and its sometimes eerieunderground Catacombs. Then we ventured down to the busy Ribeira on a holiday Wednesday, walked across the River Douro on the Ponte Luís I to Vila Nova de Gaia for a delicious late Portuguese lunch. Views back to Porto were stupendous. We ended the day with wine on our hotel patio and yet another wonderful dinner. We were digging Porto!

Chapter Seventeen: Porto Palace & A Stroll Across The River

Falling For Portugal: A Mai Tai Tom “Trip” Report Chapter Seventeen: Porto Palace & A Stroll Across The River Day Nineteen: Ooh It’s A Holiday, On Track For Even More Azulejos, Strolling On The Road Of Flowers, Big Cat, Taking Stock Of A Palace, Are We At The Alhambra?, No […]

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