Coimbra

Coimbra is a town famous for it's university and after a long and somewhat eventful trip we made it. The Municipal Campimisso comes highly recommended by us. Perched upon a hillside (though cyclists beware, it is a long climb on commuter heavy streets), it has views down the backside of wooded forest and, depending on the site, highway. But the free showers with free toilet paper, and all the previous mentioned amenities make for an awesome stay. It is however a typical Portuguese campground with sites close together and the best ones reserved for the motor-homes as few people tent camp.
We started our Coimbra visit the easy way, taking a 5 euro taxi to the top of the hill that the University and the city is perched on and made our way down the river. Starting at the Praca Dom Dinis we had a great lunch of shrimp sandwiches for 2 euro and heading over to the Biblioteca where over 30,000 volumes of 14, 15 and 16 Century major writings are stored, everything gilded top to bottom. On oak cabinet shelves to avoid insects and a family of bats that live there to take care of the rest. Due to inherent temperature control via the actual building, insects are the major enemy of the papers and the bats take care of those that live past the oak. Every night the caretaker covers all the tables and furniture with leather covers to protect from bat droppings and each morning he removes them. Lowell commented that this would be the design of my perfect house. Nothing but books and someone to dust them.

The Biblioteca of Coimbra University with Dom Denis in foreground.

On to the Chapel of St Miguel, where we watched a French tourist berated not only by the woman docent of the chapel but his tour group for taking pictures and stood looking at the spectacular display of art, albeit religious and poor St. Miguel holding his heart full of arrows in his hand. Lowell often wonders out loud why Jesus is always shown on his worst day ever?

Coimbra City Downhill Press Conference

Onward thru narrow cobblestone walkways listening to a cello playing from a window to the Se Velha or Old Cathedral where a press conference on the new downhill mountain bike competition to occur actually within the city on the cobblestone streets was being held.
The streets are filled with the traditionally dressed students of the Uni in black dresses and suits and black caps, just think Harry Potter and you will have it. New students however are not allowed the traditional manner but are made to do strange things in public as a manner of Freshman hazing such as walking holding hands but between the legs, singing each House's song ad nauseum very loudly, or out on a scavenger hunt.

The caped students of Coimbra University

At one point we overheard a group get directions at Beca dos Gatos and upon seeing another group of the same were able to pass on the information. " Duas quadras antes Se Velha, olha para placa Beca dos Gatos e viri direta!" Or something like that.
Super Bock in the Praca Republica, on to more streets filled with tiled buildings, Moorish architecture and thieves. We like to pick them out but so far have been left alone. Past the Roma/Gypsy beggars we found gold! An Indian cuisine restaurant where Lowell was able to fill his veggie heart to the brim and then a quick taxi to camp and packing to prepare for the next leg, Coimbra to ??? We had yet to decide.