We have moved on from Portugal (bicycling around Amsterdam now, but will be back in the States soon). It is sad, but there is a world of adventure ahead! I still have a few posts about Portugal that I intend to write before the memories fade too much. This post covers day trips we took to Coimbra and Ericeira.
Coimbra
Leslie has been a fan of (obsessed with?) Harry Potter since we watched the first movies in New Zealand (house sitting with nothing to watch but kids movies). As it turns out, J. K. Rowling found inspiration for the books in Portugal. The robes worn by the students at Hogwarts were inspired by the uniforms at University of Coimbra. We had to see it before we left Portugal ;).
Leslie and Theo took a picture with one of the students. He said he is probably in thousands of tourist photos:
Coimbra, as it turns out, is a nice little city. It had the feel of a quaint version of Porto. It sits on a relatively steep little hill with the University at the top. The cobbled streets in the center were very touristy, but you could tell there is more going on further out. We spent 3-4 hours wandering around town, through a large garden, and up around the University. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to venture further afield. Here are some pictures:
One thing we keep running into is the relative safety we feel in Portugal. If we find a back alley with graffiti on the walls and an old beater car, we don’t even think twice about walking down it. We are likely to find some great architecture or unique view and a well dressed, little old lady with a cane. I took some pictures to illustrate the point. I would think twice before going into a place that looked like this in most cities in the States, but in Portugal it is nothing!
In short, Coimbra was a nice visit. I think there is much more under the skin, but our (short) experiences felt similar to many of the towns we have visited in Portugal.
Ericeira
Ericeira was on my list of things to see in Portugal since the beginning, but it wasn’t until a few days before we left that we finally went. In fact, we only had time for a short drive through town and quick surf at Foz do Lizandro.
We were instantly taken by the place. The town was similar to most other Portuguese towns we visited, but the general attitude was cleaner, happier, more relaxed, and younger.
All beaches we have found in Portugal are family friendly, but this one was our favorite. Like most popular beaches there were many families. What set this beach apart was the general fitness of the beachgoers. In Cascais, people go to the beach to tan and watch people. But, in Foz do Lizandro everyone seems to be there to play in the sand and water, and it shows. The general fitness level was refreshing.
The cafés at the beach reflected the same attitude we witnessed in town. They were clean and put together, friendly and upbeat, and a little hipster. To top it off, it is only a 30 minute drive to Lisbon. In short, we wish we had not waited so long to visit. Had we known, we may have made it one of our stay locations!
