Note the understated cycle gear – the subtle charcoal grey pants, the matched orange jacket for warmth and safety.
Not for me canary yellow leggings or lipstick pink booties which some of my apparently heterosexual cycle buddies insist on wearing.
Here is my route for Day 1
And for a touch of colourful class here is the room at Trancoso.
“Its proximity to the Spanish border means that this whole area of the Beira region is dotted with fortifications and hilltop villages, and Guarda is no exception. Indeed its very name is an indication of its ‘guarding’ role. It served its purpose well under the Duke of Wellington against the French in the Peninsular War of the 1800s. The highest town in Portugal, at over 1000 metres above sea level, its defending walls were put in place by the 12th century King Sancho I and much still remains to be seen today, including three original portals. Its location has also earned it the reputation of being one of the coldest towns in the country, its most famous son, the poet Augusto Gil, famously describing the arrival of snow in his poem ‘Luar de Janeiro’.”
Above is a cut and paste from Google and I make no apologies as it succinctly summarises the feel of the village which is my starting point. I ask that you especially note it is the highest town in Portugal and thus not surprising the coldest! The weather is superb. A clear sunny day the temperature st 7:30am 1 degree above freezing! The breakfast was simple and as much you can eat.
there was more !
its Kellogg codnflakes or nothing
Some pictures of Guarda
Spain is the top wind energy county . one may have a philosophical discussion about the literally thousands of wind turbines
the entrance of the local railway station
This remarkable bookshop was introduced to me on a a Trip Advisor 5 star rated “free walking tour”of Porto.
Now any accountant or reputable financial planner would immediately tell you there is no such thing as a free lunch let alone a free walking tour of any attraction or city. Legally I am sure one could thank the guide profusely, shake hands and walk away! Morally and ethically of course it is wrong unless of course the content was obviously substandard or worse the guide had an english accent so thick that it may as well have been given in Swahili or even, well Portuguese! Suffice it to say the woman well and truly deserved the very positive feedback on TripAdvisor.
So called “free guided tours” are a dime a dozen in all the major European destinations.Now that is a confused metaphor I agree but you get the gist! Hence the members of the tour pressed on average 10 euro in her rather substantial purse!
Back to the bookshop…she prefaced the introduction by explaining that the author of “Harry Potter” lived in Porto as a young woman, marrying a Portuguese man, became the victim of severe relentless domestic violence, divorced him within two years, settled down to a single life and consuming frequent bottles of port and tarts wrote a series of books that made her fabulously wealthy and of course meant she never had to rely on a man again. She invested in her own Port winery with a boutique bakery on the side that produced the most mouth watering custard tarts.
A more erudite financial adviser would have recommended equities over a winery but then again there are financial planners and there are financial planners.
I was forced to confess that I have never read any of the Harry Potter offerings much less fondled their frontpieces. I was brought up on Little Golden Books – “The Color Kittens” (American spelling), “The Sailor Dog” moving sequentially through childhood via Enid Blyton, The Bobbsy Twins, Biggles and finally the Billabong series. Adolescent stirrings had me acting out that I was Nora riding my beautiful chestnut stallion across the paddocks with Jim in hot pursuit in breeches and riding boots and sweat stained grandpa shirt cracking his leather whip as we galloped towards the billabong….
Something does not quite add up in this pubescent fantasy. I don’t think I would have Jim in a sweaty shirt but the whip would have been VERY acceptable.
So the bookshop is over 100 years old and according to our guide, was the inspiration for the setting of the school in the Harry Potter books.
The wooden staircase is world famous as is the stained glass ceiling window! There is an entrance fee of 3 euro which is deducted from any book one may purchase
Finally modern Portuguese university students still traditionally wear a black cape, zorro like, that again was apparently the inspiration for the academic gown worn by Harry Potter and his school mates.
The Bargueiro Tapas cafe down by the dock! An Amazing find! Stumbled upon it!
Pork in red wine. The meat melted in the mouth!
Sardines – I baulked at eating the heads!
Stuffed mushrooms! Ham and cheese and baked!
Now I will be a devil, throw caution to the wind and have a coffee and a port!
But sorry there is no way that I can appreciate coffee which is as thick, bitter and as strong as Tony Abbott. I was lost for using the descriptive “black” when thinking of our former PM.
Now if I were to ask you what the “bestest, bestest” hot chocolate was you would describe a steaming hot glass of rich full cream milk and a huge layer of chocolate, some froth and a pink (or white) marshmallow…
Not so in Porto Portugal! Here it is a cup of pure molten chocolate! To make it sublime add a Portguese Tart….
Give me a Portuguese Tart over a Ruby Port any day
Great day out joined a tour group of 7 people, naturally tasted lots of Port wine took a boat ride and had a superb lunch st a 5 star restaurant overlooking the river.
Portuguese Stew authentic … not sure about the chips
I sit in the Cafe of the main bus station it is almost noon. Already travellers breast the bar drinking wine and eating Tapas. Its an endearing custom across Europe and one which has not taken off in Australia much less Adelaide unless the more knowledgeable amongst you can prove me wrong? Not that I would breast a bar at noon.
I was enchanted with Salamanca – in exactly the same way I was with Lecce in Italy. Both are inspiring towns of sandstone buildings the architecture being predominantly Baroque or Renaissance in style. These UNESCO proclaimed towns are now pedestrian oases surrounded on the outskirts by their high rise offices and apartments, where obviously the motor car rules supreme.
The beautiful buildings are either churches, palaces, university buildings or student residences. I can’t recommend these destinations highly enough.
The Palace of Monterey
House of Shells to the right. .. A Jesuit seminary part of the university on the left
the crypt in the old cathedral … where I chatted to the Seminarian
the caption over the door ?
the square in front of the university
The original settlement occurred about 90BC. Celts apparently then naturally the Romans imvaded and there are ancient ruins attesting to the occupation including a spectacular bridge spanning the river which is in excellent condition to this day! Rugged up against the wind, the locals perambulate along the river and across the bridge.
the ancient Roman bridge intact and usable after 2000 years
Does Spain appear to be in the economic doldrums? Apparently not! At least in Madrid and Salamanca. It was my same perception in Athens last year! It is a food and alcohol led recovery.
The bus to Porto is about to depart!
Was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the fourth oldest European university in continuous operations. I would hazard a guess that the others would include those in Britain – Oxford and Cambridge whilst the University of Bologna is surely a candidate. Uppsala is a delightful university town in Sweden which I visited 3 years ago. Incidentally the Guinness Book of Records claims the oldest university still functioning in the world, is in Morocco!
The formal title of “University” was granted by King Alfonso X in 1254 and recognized by Pope Alexander IV in 1255.
So Salamanca is one of the oldest, most important and respected university towns in Europe. Economically the town thrives in fact depends upon tourism and the university . Here are photos of its facade.
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