We checked into the Hotel Trivoli Lisbon, perfectly located within walking distance of the 'old city' and were quickly greeted by the program director of Viking cruise. The shaded pool and a glass of something cool called to us while we waited for "the rest of the gang" coming from London ....
Let the fun begin!
Our morning guided Viking tour of Lisbon took us along the river front,
Where modern meets ancient ......
Belem Tower was a welcome landmark for sailors returning home.
and to the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos,
with a specialty of the area .... cinnamon-sprinkled custard tarts.
The nuns apparently used egg whites to starch
their clothes so came up with this creamy treat with flaky pastry
using the egg yolks!
I say, "when in Portugal, taste everything!"
Dinner that night introduced us to Portuguese cuisine and
the interesting and dramatic music genre known as Fado.
Our bus transfer to Porto, where we will board the ship, began early the next morning...
luggage packed and at the door at 7:00AM!
On the way we visited the University grounds of Coimbra University.....
where graduates proudly wear black capes they have personalized,
and we visited an incredible library where real bats
keep the bugs and mice from eating the books.
They claim that THIS is where JK Rowling, while living here in her early life,
got many of her
ideas for the Harry Potter series.
On to the cruise ship and our first night on board!
1 comment:
Wow! Lots of little tidbits... that's what makes a tour interesting. I can see the nuns, sitting in their crisply starched habits, eating bit sized custards.
Can't wait for day 2!
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