As it was a beautiful albeit chilly day today, the great outside beckoned. We journeyed to the Stourhead estate near Wiltshire, which contains a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmlands and a magnificent parkland, centered on an artificial lake. Continue reading
We were so lazy today. Got up and lounged till noon, when we headed off for Waterloo Station on our way to friends in Dorset. Continue reading
By no means did we become experts on Charles Darwin today, but we did visit the home where he did his studying and thinking before publishing his world-changing theories. Continue reading
Today we went to visit the home of William Morris, whose Pre-Raphaelite friends often came calling there in the 1860’s. While Morris was dreaming up his marvelous wallpaper designs, they were put to work decorating the new home. Continue reading
We waved goodbye to Porto and to Portugal today, all the while admiring its ultra-modern airport, as we headed for London, and the possibility of some very welcome cheddar cheese.
We have all heard it said that work is what you make of it. Today, we met Anabelle, who took a job as a lavatory matron, and determined that her toilet would be the best in Portugal – and maybe the world. Continue reading
Today we were moved around by the hop-on bus, so we got to see a lot more of Porto, in no particular order. Continue reading
No matter how a city tries to modernize – particularly if it got the urge in the architecturally frightening 60’s and 70’s – many of those which are attracting tourists today have gone back to earlier times and resurrected icons of the past. Here in Porto, trolleys from early last century have been reintroduced and they are packed with tourists. The crowds flock to those places that are not just like what they have at home, but rather something special and unique to its place.
For many of the first 500 years of the Christian era, a Roman posted to Conimbriga in what is now Portugal would have felt right at home. Continue reading
We have a great view of the university from our room. It sits atop the Alta, the upper part of Coimbra. Today we explored it up close. Continue reading