Portugal Weekend

On Friday March 2nd, Professor Shannon, 20 of the students and myself set off for Portugal, where we would spend the weekend.  Our first stop was to the city Coimbra, home to the oldest University in Portugal.  We had lunch, with many of the students trying typical Portuguese meals such as cod and a shrimp and rice dish, much like Spanish paella.  We all learnt a valuable lesson - only to eat the food that you ordered..... The waiters brought us all out some starters of shrimp and cheese before the meal and then added it to the check at the end!

We then met our knowledgable guide Rosa, who showed us round the city´s main sights including Santa Clara Monastery and the University buildings.  For most of the group, the University library was the main attraction, not only because of its vast collection of 15th, 16th and 17th century books, but also because its home to a group of bats that come out and inhabit the library at night!

Our next stop was Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.  After a good night’s rest, we boarded the bus for a panoramic city tour, taking in sites such as the Jeronimos Monastery (a UNESCO world heritage site) and the Monument of the Discoveries, a striking structure featuring figures of famous explorers and celebrating the Portuguese Age of Discovery, and the solitary Belem Tower.  We ended the tour at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, a fascinating collection of pieces from all over the world, ranging from coins from Ancient Greece to Persian rugs. 

The students were free for the rest of the afternoon, and many set off to explore the city or buy some gifts and souvenirs.  Most of the group joined me and Professor Shannon for a walk up to Sao Jorge Castle on top of hill, near the banks of the River Tagus that runs through the city.  We timed the walk well so that we arrived just before sunset, so that those of us who went into the castle grounds could enjoy a stunning view over red rooftops, beautiful buildings and over to the far banks of the Tagus.

On Sunday, we made our way from Lisbon up to Porto, a small city on the coast in Northern Portugal.  It was an immediate hit with the students - its brightly coloured buildings and long sandy beach gave it a very unique charm.  Again, the students got the chance to explore the city with our guide Maria Joao, and enjoyed seeing its unique sights, such as Sao Bento Train station, whose walls are covered in typical blue tiling which depicts scenes from the country’s history. 

After a fun, but nonetheless busy weekend, we then headed back to Salamanca.  Although all the students enjoyed getting a taste of another country and culture, it was great to hear that a lot of them had been missing their new Spanish home and were really looking forward to getting back there!

Adeus,
Sian

Thanks to Abe Santana Vallarta, Luke Bertino and Susana Brown for the photos!