The Best of Portugal Day 9
The Best of Portugal
Day 9 - September 11, 2002 - Oporto to Tomar
We had an early morning, 6:30 wake up, and then out by 8. It was cool as we stood to get on the bus but the day ended up to be a scorcher. Hottest day we have had in Portugal. I wore long pants so I was uncomfortable most of the day.
As today is September 11th Mom gave US flag pins to several people, and our guide and driver. As we left Porto and went through Gaia we had a chance to see the country side and it is well to do. Portugal has the second lowest income of the European Union but people appear to live well.
We traveled on to the province of Aveiro, driving through the Buçaco National Park. They have a wall around this park and beautiful gardens and a castle in the middle. The castle was built for the royal family but they only spent one day there. It had been a refuge to the Catholic monks and they did not permit women to enter.
Then it was on to Coimbra, with its ancient streets and squares. We were left at the city center and we got a bread roll, some cheese and soda (Mom had a chocolate éclair). We ate sitting on a short wall in the city center while we watched people. We then walked around a little and took pictures.
We then went up to visit its Old University and the ornate baroque library. Next on to the excavations of the old Roman town of Conimbriga, to visit the museum with its exhibits of ceramics and mosaics. Better preserved floor mosaic tiles than we ever saw in Rome or Greece. The old fountain from 468 AD still works and one had to put .50 Euros and it stay sprayed water (by gravity!!!).
It was very hot there, outside in the sun walking through all the ruins and uneven streets. My foot is doing fine and I am not taking any pain medicine.
Finally, we went to the Castle at the top of the city of Tomar, where we visit the hilltop Convent of Christ. It was originally built in 1162 for the Knight Templars. They were eventually banned by the Church so they just changed their name and continued to exist.
The interesting thing was the 16 sided chapel with the alter in the middle so the knights could go to Mass on horseback surrounding the alter before battle. I bought some figs from a street vendor just outside the Castle and I will enjoy them tonight after we have dinner at our hotel.
The Dos Templarios Hotel is plushiest we have been in but no internet, but we know of a place downtown.
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