Coimbra

After our visit to Sintra, Debby felt a need for a nap. I took a subway and a tram back to Belém. This was where and when I bought the astrolabe for my cabinet at home.

The next morning we caught the bus again (We were on time this time). We were heading for Porto.

On the way we got another good look at the aqueduct.

For a break, we stopped at a little roadside café/pub. Her we found out about black pigs. They are allowed to forage under the umbrella pine trees. Their only food is pine nuts. This does something unique to the meat.

Each of these hams has been dried, not smoked. The taste is something like prosciutto. To buy one of these hams would cost more than one hundred euros.

A special device allows it to be sliced thinly and sold by the gram.

In Coimbra, this hotel stood out. It was to be our pickup point when we left.

Coimbra is a university town. This university was founded in 1290.

Of course there are pedestrian shopping streets. Debby and I bought cork hats. Sooner or later, several people copied us.

Cafés and beautiful buildings.

Back to the Hotel Astoria to catch our bus.

Before getting on the bus, Deb decided she needed a bathroom, so we went into the hotel. Once again, her white cane helped her. The receptionist explained that the lobby washroom was not for public use, but that she would make an exception in Debby's case. Of course, that did not make it easy.

To get to the washroom she was told to walk to the end of the lobby and then to turn right. Debby walked past the washroom and almost into the mirror on the end wall. She was surprised to see another woman with a white cane walking towards her.

When Deb entered the washroom, I waited in the lobby and had a look around. I heard what I thought was a workman pounding on something. Only when I heard a voice did I realize it was Debby pounding on the door. The lock was jammed and she was trapped. I entered and tried the door but couldn't help. Just before going for help I pulled the doorknob and heard a click. Debby turned the lock from inside and escaped. Whew!

It was a very beautiful lobby.