Poetic Injustice

One last kick at the can, with a final walk about in Lisbon visiting the Navigator Museum, the National Tile Museum and the Castle overlooking the city and we are out of here. The trip to Porto normally would take about 3 hours from Lisboa but we stopped in the university town of Coimbra en route to Porto. To describe the picturesque center of town is difficult, so play the short videos to try and get a feel for the flavour, complete with music by a local guitarist and accordion player. Click on the two following videos

The University of Coimbra is also known as the City of Resistance because of the student rebellion towards the dictator Antonio de Salazar. However, I will remember this place more as the birthplace of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling, while traveling here, used many of her experiences to formalize her famous series of story telling. The university students wear black capes as they parade around the university campus and the library setting is what she used as a backdrop for the library at Hogwart’s. Lord Voldemort, the villain, is a name derived from Portuguese slang for an unfaithful husband and as the story goes, Rowling came from an abusive marriage. Additionally, Salazar Slytherin's name was inspired by the Dictator Salazar. (The Harry Potter pics are stock pics as it was forbidden to photograph in the library and the students had not yet started classes) Apparently the first three chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone were written here in a café by Rowling. A true destination for any Potter fan. The bus slowly descends the narrow two-way street to meet up with our home for the next seven days. Fortunately, no one is coming in the opposite direction which would have created a real problem. The port of Porto is truly something right out of the guidebook but no pictures that I take can do it justice. Truly poetic in its presence, this harbour sitting on the banks of the Douro will be our gateway to yet another memorable journey in time. VIAGEM FELIZES!!