Thursday 26 January 2012

The Mild West

Coimbra university was founded in 1290, which as you all remember was the year without a winter in Britain and mainland western Europe. In 2012, it received a visit by Josh and Yaz.


The most impressive thing about the university was its awesome Baroque library which contained loads of old books which we weren't allowed to read. To keep bugs from eating the books a small colony of bats live in the ceiling.

We went to Lisbon Oceanarium which is the best one anyone named Joshua Nerden Dolin or Yasmin Boers has ever been to. It is located in the new district of Parque das Nações as seen below.



Our second day in Lisbon included a trip to Belem to try some of the best pastries in the world, to catch a glimpse of the Tower of Belem and to check out Jerónimos Monastery as seen here. 


Legend has it that Lisbon was founded by Odysseus when he left Troy. Upon the location of foundation now stands the Castle of São Jorge, built originally as a Moorish fort. We went there to see the sunset and some old objects. 







Less than an hour from Lisbon is Sintra, where palaces, castles and estates have been built since the 8th century. 

Pena National Palace


The Moorish Castle


Monserrate Estate


The scariest point of the day came when an evil woman captured Yaz and put her in a tower. So the brave Josh climbed her hair and she was rescued.

Our last stop in Portugal was the historic town of Évora where the streets are paved with cork.  


They also have a chapel of bones...


...which as you can see is delightfully covered in human bones.




We also made a quick stop at Cabo da Roca, the Westernmost point of mainland Europe where the weather was mild, hence the blog title.

From now on, everything is Eastern Europe, and every day we will drive off into the sunrise.

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