More Lourinha

Mar 12/07

Today Katia had off, so we visited the small towns around Lourinha. We had breakfast in Peniche, where katia works, and then drove along the cliffs full of broken rocks and crashing waves. Next we headed north,  where we visited Batalha where there was a fantastic gothic monastery complete (or incomplete) with unfinished chapels. Then Alcobaca, with a different monastery, much different style and the town was full of pottery shops. Next was Nazare, with a fantastic view of the beach and a crazy lady selling dried fruit and nuts. Nazare is known for it's 7-skirts that the ladies wear, one over top of the next. Our final stop was at Obidos, a town built entirely inside the fortified walls of an old castle. The streets were so narrow, there were no cars allowed in most of the town. We could walk along the top of the walls and lookd down into the town. It was beautiful. We're going to be very sorry to leave tomorrow.

Mar 13/07

We didn't leave. We decided one more day was good, and we'd be able to relax a bit longer, and do more laundry. In Lourinha, there's a dinosaur museum, so that's where I went today, while Bridgette went back to the beach. It was a cute museum, with all sorts of different exhibits, from historic toys to dinosaur fossils, and a historic home. A bit of everything. I got to share the musuem with a lot of schoolkids, but they were fun, and they had left over pao do chorizo (sausage bread..mmmmm).

Back at the house, I sat in the sun all afternoon, until Katia got home. We had been invited to supper at Katia's aunt's house, for pizza. Not something we were going to turn down. Mmm, more delicious food. Leaving tomorrow.

Mar 14/07

Nope, didn't leave again. Katia's off tomorrow, so why not stay a few more days? We didn't really do anything today, just lazed about and relaxed. It's been a great week for that.

Mar 15/07

Katia took us on a tour of the small towns SOUTH of Lourinha. Mafra, and the royal palace (now the military academy), the chapel which has SIX organs and the library that was incredible. It had just one english book, "The Book of the Hours".

We stopped on the way back home to try and get more pao de chorizo, but it wasn't fresh and warm (we're getting REALLY spoiled).