Our Journey: 2015
Figueira da Foz: ( 28 April-1 May 2015)
Aveiro: (30April 2015)
The harbor of Figueira is primarily a commercial harbor were cargoes are of loading timber and
other commercial goods. There is also a fishing harbor and on the side remains of what was once
upon a time a military base. For the leisure boats Figueira is a well-protected marina. The city is
worth a stopover and it also is a good starting point to visit the city of Coimbra and Aveiro.The
market of Figueira is very clean and offers plenty of vegetables and fish for sale. Another part
of the city is merely a seaside resort. South of the city you also have big salt lakes that were
needed to harvest salt needed for the preservation of the cod fish caught close to the Canadian
coast.
Coimbra: (29 April 2015)
Only a 1 hour train ride from Figueira is Coimbra, on the banks of the Mondego river. Coimbra's
main point of interest is that it is where the first Portuguese university was established in the
year 1308. Today it is still one of Portugal's major universities. The buildings are well preserved
and dominate the city. A visit inside the university reveals beautiful auditoriums and meeting
rooms as well as a library and church. The cathedral is next to the university and most of the
rest of the city is student accommodations. Some of the the house fronts are decorated with
signs of protest against everything. Downhill, close to the river, is the commercial area were the
bakeries offer you delicious looking meringues measuring 20cm in diameter.
Called in the tourist pamphlets the Portuguese Venice, we can without doubt say that this
definition is overdone. In fact you can only visit 2 canals on a motorized gondola but the ride
gives you a good understanding of the past economy of the city and allows you to see the
beautiful houses located along the canals. In the past, the city was very active in the trading
of salt, fish and seaweed which was used as a fertilizer. If you walk in the city you will see that
nearly every house is covered with very colorful tiles. The bakeries sell you a local specialty
called “ Ovos moles” which are made by mixing 60 eggs with 1kg of sugar and then baked into a
light biscuit. We are not sure that your doctor would recommend this, but we can tell you they
are delicious, if you eat just a little bit.
other commercial goods. There is also a fishing harbor and on the side remains of what was once
upon a time a military base. For the leisure boats Figueira is a well-protected marina. The city is
worth a stopover and it also is a good starting point to visit the city of Coimbra and Aveiro.The
market of Figueira is very clean and offers plenty of vegetables and fish for sale. Another part
of the city is merely a seaside resort. South of the city you also have big salt lakes that were
needed to harvest salt needed for the preservation of the cod fish caught close to the Canadian
coast.
Coimbra: (29 April 2015)
Only a 1 hour train ride from Figueira is Coimbra, on the banks of the Mondego river. Coimbra's
main point of interest is that it is where the first Portuguese university was established in the
year 1308. Today it is still one of Portugal's major universities. The buildings are well preserved
and dominate the city. A visit inside the university reveals beautiful auditoriums and meeting
rooms as well as a library and church. The cathedral is next to the university and most of the
rest of the city is student accommodations. Some of the the house fronts are decorated with
signs of protest against everything. Downhill, close to the river, is the commercial area were the
bakeries offer you delicious looking meringues measuring 20cm in diameter.
Called in the tourist pamphlets the Portuguese Venice, we can without doubt say that this
definition is overdone. In fact you can only visit 2 canals on a motorized gondola but the ride
gives you a good understanding of the past economy of the city and allows you to see the
beautiful houses located along the canals. In the past, the city was very active in the trading
of salt, fish and seaweed which was used as a fertilizer. If you walk in the city you will see that
nearly every house is covered with very colorful tiles. The bakeries sell you a local specialty
called “ Ovos moles” which are made by mixing 60 eggs with 1kg of sugar and then baked into a
light biscuit. We are not sure that your doctor would recommend this, but we can tell you they
are delicious, if you eat just a little bit.
