Well, I think we’re in trouble. Ron has started telling our Road Scholar tour mates about his “large item” purchases over the years – the wooden Mayan calendar, the Greek pottery, and the Terra Cotta soldier that stands as tall as me. Then he tells them about the one that got away…an 8 foot tall Egyptian soldier in body armor…and the amount of regret he feels over not taking advantage of that purchase opportunity. This is never a good sign as Ron is a man of few words and, therefore, each word means a lot.
Before I start telling you about Spain, I need to add that we stopped briefly in one more Portuguese city before we drove east – Braga, in the far north, known as the religious capital of Portugal. Braga is famous for its Bom Jesus do Monte complex, with a church at the top and a Baroque stairway that depicts an ascent to heaven. Above is me, walking down the 577 steps after taking an upward ride on the oldest water-powered funicular in the world:
Here’s a view of the city from the top:
Braga was a lovely surprise of a city (might have been less of a surprise if I read the itinerary with a sharper eye) with lots of pedestrianized streets and the Garden of Santa Barbara. The garden sits in front of the Bishop’s Palace, from the 14th century:
Ok…and now, since I am literally sitting in Spain as I write this, I promise the next post will be about Spain. Here’s a little teaser for you – the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Holy cow:
Travels with Valerie 