Dia de Descanso - Coimbra

Rest Day - Coimbra

Today was my first rest day on the Caminho. I headed to the post office first thing this morning and sent some postcards. Then I found a café for breakfast near my hostel. The strawberry tart was absolutely delicious and I burned my mouth on the hot chocolate. I felt that uncomfortable sensation all day. It is very different the way they make hot chocolate here. It seems like a cup of melted chocolate which doesn't taste as sweet as back home. I asked for a glass of milk to add to my hot chocolate and make it a little smoother. I expected a cup of cold milk, but ended up with a hot cup. 

After breakfast I went up the hill to the university to meet Christian from Germany. We bought tickets to visit the 18th-century Joanina Library at 11 am. I wanted to look around campus beforehand. The tall stone buildings were majestic and I wondered what it would be like going to school here on top of this hill with tourists coming and going every day. After finding Christian and the entrance to the library among the crowds of tour groups, we waited on the shaded steps to go inside. These stone steps have been well worn through the years and I was amazed to see the comparison between the ends and the middle of each step. 

Once inside, we saw an entry room that has served various uses over the years. Old books, mostly in Latin, are now stored here. This was just a precursor to the Joanina Library. The next set of rooms were the old prisons. For many years, the university district had their own system of government separate from the city of Coimbra and this is what they used. 

Next we entered the library and I have insufficient words to adequately describe this wonder! The craftsmanship of the shelves was remarkable and I couldn't help but contemplate the amount of knowledge contained in this collection. The library was built into three sections with each one having different colored shelves; red, black, and green. Slots were built into the shelves to hide the ladders used to reach the upper shelves. The columns separating each room appeared to be made of marble, but were actually wood painted to look like stone. Bookshelves lined every wall from floor to the vaulted ceilings on the second level. There were small study rooms along the south wall with right handed desks. This way the light coming in through the windows would illuminate the text and not be obscured by the writing hand. Sorry left handers! Photos were not allowed in the library, but I don't think a single photo would do this place justice. Christian and I then checked out the adjoining church and the room where doctorate students defend their dissertations. I can't imagine what it would be like to defend my research in this room. I defended my Ohio State Master's thesis online from my bedroom in Hurricane, Utah. The walls of this room were lined with portraits of the Portuguese kings. 

Next was the room with portraits of the Rector's of the University of Coimbra and access to a walkway along the roof. Some sections were closed off to students, faculty, and staff, which was a reminder that school was in session. Christian left to go back and rest in his room, but I continued exploring by visiting the old Chemistry Laboratory which is now a museum. It was more of a historical museum of science than any specific focus on the work of a local Portuguese scientist. The lecture hall had a large replica of the famous scribbles of Charles Darwin, where he drew a branching tree and wrote the words "I think". 

I too went back to my room for a rest after this. Later I did my laundry at a laundromat and met a Brazilian girl who just moved here to start her Ph.D. on environmental policies relating to fracking. I met my Caminho Family for dinner at the same place I ate last night. The girls and I were lined up on a bench waiting when Christian arrived. I loved his great enthusiastic smile under his big mustache once he noticed us all lined up there on a bench. He went down the line shaking the girl's hands and then gave me a hearty slap on the shoulder. Dinner was wonderful surrounded by so many friends! It was a great day even though I walked around a lot and didn't feel well rested. I'm so happy to have stopped and seen these fascinating places and spent time with these incredible people in Coimbra! More walking and experiences ahead!