where we've been, part 2: May 28 to June 3

We spent a tiring day traveling from Nantes through Paris and Porto (Portugal) to Coimbra (Portugal). We just happened to come across these Portuguese folk dancers performing for a tourist group in the lobby of our Coimbra hotel. It's amazing how many times in Europe we just happened upon an out-of-the-ordinary event like this one.




Once again, as Ron spent a working day talking with professors and students at the University of Coimbra, I wandered the city streets, enjoying parks and trees and ancient Roman aqueducts, and trying to memorize landmarks in order to be able to find my way back to the hotel again.




Many of Coimbra's sidewalks are constructed of these little stones, sometimes artistically arranged in intricate patterns of black and white.  I love how this tree's growth was strong enough to disturb the ordered pattern of these stones.




After Coimbra, we spent a weekend in the country (more about that later), then returned to Porto, this colourful old city we have come to know and love.