Took the leftovers from last night to have for breakfast while waiting at the laundromat, and then while waiting for my clothes to be dried, I popped into a café round the corner and tried a speciality of the area called Tentúgal - a custard like paste wrapped in a very thin filo pastry.
I found these a little too sweet. It wasn't warm when I bought it, and personally I think it would had tasted nicer if it was slightly warmed.
By 11am, I am off to explore Coimbra, since I didn't get to see much of the town, having spent a full day on the road travelling yesterday.
It's super hazy outside, with a tint of brown in the skies.
This is the actual colour of the sky and surroundings at the moment. #nofilter added.
Pretty bizarre isn't it?
I later googled and realised this is what the Spanish called "Calima" - word used to describe when there’s sand or dust in suspension in the atmosphere.
It comes as a result of huge sand clouds from the Sahara blowing over the region, causing low visibility, and the sky turns either yellow, orange or red. The air is usually drier and more stifling, it gets harder to breathe and everything is covered in a layer of dust.
And it shows in all my pics as they have all a tint of brown in them, giving the images a nostalgic / retro fill on them.
One thing I have noticed about this city is that it is very pragmatic.
Notice the centre smooth path? This is one of the few cobbled stone cities I have noticed that has it, and it makes life so much easier when walking or rolling luggage!
You also don't need to be a royalty to have the red carpet treatment. Just come to Coimbra!
Coimbra is very much a University Town, with the campus located on a hilltop of the city.
This is apparently the law faculty, with a lot of it appears to be currently under restoration.
I was also told this clock tower looks like an owl. Do you see it?
There were a number of these statues around the faculty. Not as many as Skopje, but I found them funny to be around a university campus.
Semi nude statues and one of them carrying a book to cover up? 😂
And if you haven't guessed, that's the Mathematics Department.
Other places worth seeing in Coimbra included the Botanical Gardens, located just round the corner from the University.
Jardim da Manga, with the beautiful painted tiles.
Largo da Portagem - I just love that Birds of Paradise
Praça do Commercio - check out that big drawing on wall
Sé Velha de Coimbra
There was a fee to enter so I didn't bother.
Igreja de Santa Cruz
A very beautiful church on the inside with all the painted tiles and the pipe organ.
And some other random street views.
While walking the streets, I came across a number of places with suckling pigs on display. Sandes de Leitão seems to be a speciality of the area, which is literally translates to suckling pork sandwich.
And so I popped into Porta Larga and ordered a sandwich for a late lunch.
The owner surprised me with a complimentary soup which was really hearty! I think everyone else who had it had paid for them. Big ❤️.
The sandwich wasn't too bad, but I would had loved the pork skin to be crispy.
Coimbra is very small and I managed to cover most of it, including a quick walk over to the opposite side of the river to the town of Santa Clara, by 4.30pm.
I booked myself in for a Fado show at Fado Au Centro, which is scheduled to start at 6pm.
When I watched it in Lisbon, I was told the Fado in Coimbra is very different from the one in Lisbon, and so I had to check it out.
I really like how this place showcased Fado. It was in a Theatre like setting and they provide a really good history of how Coimbra Fado came about, including explanation in both Portuguese and English about each song they were performing.
Coimbra Fado is only sung by men, as it is traditionally used by guys from Coimbra University to serenade to girls they like. The guy will go to the street where the girl lives in the night, and will sing a serenade.
And if the girl likes his singing, the girl will switch on and off the bedroom light 3 times. How romantic!
And of course people around the area will also hear his singing - we were told that because they can't applaud, to express that they like the singing of the guy, they will make a sound similar to how they clear their throat.
They also sung music about the town of Coimbra, song sung during the university graduation ceremony, and even instrumental pieces that highlights the Portuguese Guitar, which is the main Fado instrument along with the normal guitar.
The Portuguese guitar is different as it is a combination of the zither and the classic guitar.
The entire Fado session lasts 50 mins, and comes with a glass of port at the end. Highly recommended while in Coimbra.
When walking the streets, I also found this restaurant!
It looked very quiet when I walked past, and also I wasn't feeling hungry enough to eat an Indian / Pakistan meal, and so popped into the Burger King next door instead to grab a quick meal.
For the 1st time, I see beer being served in a Burger King! And guess what... Beer is cheaper than soft drink!
For the 1st time, I see beer being served in a Burger King! And guess what... Beer is cheaper than soft drink!
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