After completing our Camino, we had some spare time in Spain and Portugal to explore the cities of A Coruña, A Guarda, Aveiro, Santarém and Tomar.
A Coruña is a nice place to stroll around the waterfront and enjoy some tapas …
… and visit the Roman lighthouse.
In A Guarda, Spain, we visited the Celtic excavations on top of Monte Santa Tecla. These are the remains of a fortified settlement that was inhabited between 100 BC and 100 AD.
Archaeologists have reconstructed a few of these dwellings, which were clearly built for short people.
Aveiro, which is built on a lagoon, calls itself the “Venice of Portugal.” Does that make Venice the “Aveiro of Italy”?
Santarém, on the Tagus River north of Lisbon, is known for its Gothic architecture, such as the Igreja (church) da Graça (of Grace), which dates from the 14th century.
The Grace church is also notable for housing the remains of Pedro Alvares Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil and traditionally regarded as one of the heroes of Portugal’s great age of exploration. Note the Portuguese and Brazilian flags hanging side by side.
Some modern folks, however, see Cabral in a different light …
Tomar is famous for its castle and convent built by the Knights Templar, starting in the 12th century.
The Convent is known for the beauty of its Oratory (small chapel) …
And its “Manueline window,” which is a decorative motif developed during the reign of Portuguese King Manuel I (1495-1521)
Two Clines Traveling 
So have you figured out where you are going to move to yet? Unfortunately I am out of town the 1st and possibly 2nd so cannot offer to pick you up. I am sure your daughter is excited to see you anyway. Heading out for just two of three days buying on The Longest Yard Sale. Only essentially doing Alabama. I hope the Achilles cooperate!! Carolyn.
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Do take care of that foot of yours, it has a Camino to walk in the near future! I’ll reach out once we’ve settled in and caught up with our usual appointments and stuff.
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On the edge of my chair with each email ~ what an incredible adventure.
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