Travel – Page 86

Porto: Sé do Porto and meeting a “Little Frenchie” (Francesinha) at Cafe Santiago

March 22, 2014 mmm-yoso Porto, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Sandwiches, Travel, yoso-silly

After lunch at A Grade, the Missus decided that we should take a walk along the Ribeira, the scenic waterfront….though She didn't quite have the usual walk in mind.

I really loved the vibe that Porto gave off……

There was a no nonsense feel to things, a wholesomeness, hard working, honest, "from the gut", in that way, it strangely reminded me of QingDao.

Anyway, instead of the usual walk along the waterfront, the Missus decided we should head up to the the Porto Cathedral….but not in the usual manner….nooooo. Instead, we headed to the end of Rua Infante Dom Henrique and through the tunnel…

Ending up under the iconic Dom Luís Bridge.

Here the Missus ordered me up stairs…..after marching up and down the hills of Coimbra, my walking legs had gotten into shape. Still, I had on idea where we were exactly, but we kept heading up those steps, under windows with hanging laundry and some buildings that had been….well…modified to accommodate the bridge.

I'm wondering when this "modification" was done since the bridge opened in 1886……surely when the brisge was perhaps retrofitted?

Eventually….after "heading to the light" we made it top side, and found our way to the Porto Cathedral.

Much like the Cathedrals (Sé) in Lisbon and Coimbra, the Cathedral of Porto was an imposing Romanesque structure, almost fortress like in appearance. Like its counterpart in Lisbon, construction of the structure began in the 12th century and features the classic "Rose Window".

As intimidating as this building might be, for some reason I really took to it…perhaps because there was a wedding ceremony taking place at the time of our visit. I really wanted to leave….because who wants their wedding ceremony viewed by a bunch of uninvited tourists?

We quickly made for the ticket station, paid, and headed to the cloister. Like much of Porto, there's so much wonderful Azulejo work. I was told that much of it depicted the "Song of Solomon".

This is worth the price of admission.

In many ways. the medium is binary….blue and white. and yet, the textures, the shading, the expression, never ceases to amaze me.

The Sacristy was a sudden shift to what seemed an almost baroque theme, but no less impressive.

If you needed any other reason for heading to the Sé in Porto, how about the view?

And then there was the wedding….I'm not sure how I'd feel about having my vows done in front of an audience of perhaps a hundred tourists, but this couple didn't seem to mind.

And the Missus took these adorable shots…….

As we walked away from the Cathedral, I saw São Bento Station and suddenly realized….Porto was now getting a bit smaller for us.

Within the area Northeast of São Bento Station is Rua Catarina, the main shopping area in Porto…pedestrian only streets; with iconic locales like Cafe Majestic.

Fairly close to this area was the shop that João told us would make a good Francesinha, the local specialty sandwich. It seemed to me that Portugal was full of these wonderful "sandes" from the Bifana in Lisbon to the Leitao Sandes it just seemed that there was a knack for pork based sandwiches.

So we ended up at this shop called Cafe Santiago….which looked more like some fast-casual restaurant. The place was empty except for a couple of "old-timers" having espresso in the corner, watching the television.

I'd read a bit about the history of the Francesinha; which is based on the Croque-monsieur. There are three versions at Cafe Santiago; I went with the basic version.

Not much more to say……until you see what this thing looks like.

It almost looks artificial……I was told that many people judge the sandwich on the sauce, which in this case was a light, thin, tomato-beer based, with mild spice. I thought it tasted like tomato soup….the Missus hated it.

Cutting the samdwich in half reveals the true evil that is the Francesinha, in the meat department; salsicha fresca – a hot dog like sausage, linguica, bife – sliced roasted beef, mortadela, and fiambre – ham.Two types of cheese were used , melted inside and melted over the thing.

I kinda liked it in a "calorie-bomb" kind of way. The Missus was totally disgusted, She wouldn't let me have another during out time in Porto…even though I wanted one. I should have ordered the "Francesinha a Santiago", which had fries and was topped with an easy-over egg!

The service was kind of gruff, but the place was clean, and I don't recall ever having a sandwich quite like this….this is definitely not a Croque-monsieur!

Cafe Santiago
Rua Passos Manuel 226
Porto, Portugal

Well, here's another dish to cross off my list!

Amazing Camarones (shrimp) in Paredoncito (Benito Juarez, Sonora)

March 15, 2014 mmm-yoso Mexico, Seafood, Sonora, Mexico, Travel

After a recuperative breakfast at Taquería Jiménez, we headed out with "D" and did some errands…..like hit the mall and stuff. By the time we returned to the hotel, Samuelo had recovered, and soon enough "D" Dad picked us up and we headed to the family compound in an small fishing village named Paredoncito, located at an estuary on the Gulf of California.

Walk to the back of the compound and this is what you see…..an amazing sight.

Horse drawn carts were ferrying people and shellfish back and forth from the boats. I think they must have a clam factory next door…… Mainly because I was literally standing on a mountain of clam shells!

And this had just been brought over……

Those had actually been prepped for one of the dishes.

The first thing that came out was this…….

This has got to be some of the best shrimp I've ever had! Samuelo was totally in heaven…..Sweet, so tender, so full of flavor.

They also wanted us to try the local chile peppers which were piquins….these tiny peppers are hot, but not unbearable.

The aguachile that came out next was just plain amazing….

They really didn't mess around with this, it was simple, lime juice, salt, onion, and some hot sauce……man this was good. Probably the best I've ever had. I'll never look at aguachile the same again.

After stuffing our selves silly with shrimp, tostadas, etc, etc…..

I headed out back.

There was something mesmerizing about watching the boats come in and go back out….then things slowed down as the sun began to set. It was very beautiful in its own way.

Soon enough, "D"'s Dad said the magic words…"vamos"!

It was time for us to pack up and head back to Ciudad Obregon……

For….would you believe it….dinner????

Porto: We arrive, São Bento Station, our apartment, and lunch at A Grade

March 8, 2014 mmm-yoso Porto, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Seafood, Travel

There was something about Porto that really drew me in. It was quite subtle, I really didn't notice it, I wasn't that impressed at the beginning, but as the days……check that, the hours went by, it seemed that things just got better and better……

We enjoyed the train ride from Coimbra, it was comfortable, free WiFi, nothing to complain about. We arrived at Campanhã Station, the main train station which is about 2 kilometers from the city centre. We then got on the train to São Bento Station. It was an easy transfer, one of the gentlemen who got off with us at Campanhã took an interest in us and walked us to the correct platform. São Bento is translated as Saint Benedict and the spot on which the station is built was a Benedictine Monastery from the 16th to 19th century. Why am I going on and on about a train station? Well, within the station are some beautiful Azulejo tile work, which makes for quite a welcome to Porto.

The tile work was done between 1905 – 1916 by Jorge Colaço who was the most renown azulejo painter during that period. The tiles depict various scenes like the Battle of Ceuta to the right. It's quite a stunning welcome to Porto.

Porto itself is fairly compact and yet sprawling. The city itself has a population of 300,000, but there's a population of over 2.5 million within the Porto Metropolitan area.

Walking out of São Bento and taking a look around was a treat for me. Whenever I plan our trips, I study maps and read what I need to, I usually don't look at too many photos, there's a certain part of me that wants to be surprised. However, one can't help but have that mental picture inside your head.

As I looked around, I told the Missus, "this is what I thought Portugal would look like."

As we walked down Rua Mouzinho da Silveira toward the Ribeira (the River) I was charmed by the architecture, even with all the construction going on.

We headed down the street and met up with João, who was one of the "two João's" who took us to our apartment which located in a building a couple of hundred years old and basically located two blocks from the Douro and the waterfront.

While a bit on the dark side since it was on the lower floor, the apartment itself was huge! Full kitchen…….there was a small outdoor area since we were on the lower level….funny, there was even a bathroom located outside, a remnant from when there was no indoor plumbing.

João was fantastic; we told him our priority was, well, food, he brought out a map and quickly made a dozen recommendations, places he and his family ate at. He also gave us a bottle of wine and ticked off where the local market was; where to get a cup of espresso and other things.

We were literally steps from Praça Infante Dom Henrique.

In this park, the statue of Henry the Navigator is pointing off into the far horizon, a symbol of Portugal's Age of Discovery.

Hungry, we headed off to lunch. Located in one of the small side street right above the Douro is a tiny restaurant with four indoor tables, a couple of outdoor tables, and laundry hanging above it named A Grade.

So, we found out something quite quickly, the closer to the Douro, the higher the prices. We'd stick to other recommendations after this.

The guy serving was very friendly and there weren't serious complaints about our meal which was simple, basic stuff which we love.

It was sardine season, the Missus loves them, so ordering it was a no-brainer (10 Euros).

Which were simple and fine, though we'd have really great sardines – actually 8 really fresh sardines for 7 Euros a couple of days later.

The Octopus was quite good (17.5 Euros), though not quite up to, say Vasiliko in texture and prep. Still, it was tender and suited me well.

The rice, as with all previous meals just wasn't to our taste in terms of texture.

We also had a bottle of regional wine (not Port), which we really enjoyed. It was light and fruity, not too tannic, with a clean finish, overall a decent table wine.

Overall, a decent meal at tourist prices. At least they do serve a decent product. The dining room is quaint and cozy and the folks here are really friendly.

A Grade
Rua de S. Nicolau 9
Porto, Portugal

After lunch the Missus was rarin' to go……no post lunch nap for me on this day. It would turn out to be a fun afternoon!

Coimbra: Across Ponte Santa Clara, Fado ao Centro, and a return to Ze Manel dos Ossos

March 6, 2014 mmm-yoso Coimbra, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

The area down Rua Visconde da Luz which turns to Rua Ferreira Borges is a pedestrian only area, full of little shops, bakeries, and other businesses. Yes, it's touristy, but there are also a lot of students and locals milling about. We saw students walking along, on what appeared to be a architectural tour, stopping at various buildings taking notes.

Heading toward the Mondego River, Rua Ferreira Borges ends at a square named Largo da Portagem. Like most of Rua Ferreira Borges, it's a nice place to have a seat and people watch.

The statue in the square is of Joaquim António de Aguiar, three time Prime Minister of Portugal who was born in Coimbra. He's obviously much beloved, right? I mean there's a statue of him overlooking the Mondego River……well ask any local who's statue this is and they'll say it's "Mata Frades", aka the "Friar Killer.” Apparently "Mata Frades" was the Minister of Justice during the reign of Peter IV and issued a law in 1834 which shut down all religious orders and took over their assets.

The views from across the Ponte Santa Clara are the things postcards are made of.

There are also sites to see on this side of the river as well.

After a short nap we headed back up Rua Ferreira Borges and through one of the many gateways of what was once the city walls. The most well known is the Arco de Almedina. See the square hole in the ceiling? This was used a part of the defense system; soldiers would pour hot oil through the holes on enemies who tried to breach the gate.

We headed up the hill to Fado ao Centro, which celebrates Coimbra's unique version of Fado, which I call the soul music of Portugal. Every evening there's a 50 minute show, which we loved. Each number and the history is presented in both Portuguese and English, there's about 40-50 seats, no food, it's about Fado. The folks are very laid back; they let some folks actually videotape the show!

In contrast to the Lisbon melancholic "saudade" Fado sung almost exclusively by women; Coimbra's version is sung by men and tell of social issues, college life, and the such……

The show is well worth it. Instead of grabbing some of the gratis wine after the performance we decided to get dinner. We didn't have anything in mind and just wandered around…..

And no, we didn't eat here….though it was super cheap. We found the specials sign entertaining, "Arroz Chau-Chau" anyone?

I know that diária means daily, but it sounds too much like another word to me…..

It's not surprising that we ended up back here…..

Yep, Ze Manel dos Ossos. We stood in line and waited for the place to open. The guy seated here had dinner here the night before as well…..not sure, but I think he might be a local. He also had the same thing the night before as well which is what we ended up with.

Of course, we started with the gnawingly wonderful "Ossos", simmered pork bones.

We had originally wanted the stew pork with mushrooms, but the had run out, so we went with the classic "Feijao", basically beans, in this case Stewed beans and rice….

Loved the beany flavor, didn't care much for the rice. A nice, hearty, soulful dish. This came with bread (of course) and pork cutlets that had been grilled over hardwood charcoal (I saw the bags of charcoal). I expected this to be tough, but though it was chewy, the flavor was just perfect, nice salt, good garlic flavor, smokiness form the charcoal, doused in olive oil. Simple, but so nice.

Ze Manel dos Ossos
Beco do Forno 12
Coimbra, Portugal

We slept well……

The next morning we arose, walked over to Pastelaria Palmeira and had some espresso and pastries.

We went back to the hotel, packed, checked out, walked the one block to Train Station A to catch the short train to Train Station B….what seemed a bit confusing two days ago made perfect sense now! While waiting for our train to Porto, we went and had a nice cup of espresso….standing up of course!

Soon enough we were ensconced in our seats and headed to our next stop….the land of Port Wine, Porto!

Thanks for reading!

In case you wanted a bit more Fado; the late Amália Rodrigues is known as the "Queen of Fado" – you can see why here:

Here's a short video with some performers of Fado ao Centro:

Ciudad Obregon: Taquería Jiménez

March 1, 2014 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Sonora, Mexico, Taco Shops, Travel

I recently managed to catch up with Akira and his beautiful Missus on one of their trips down to San Diego; which reminded me, I had promised some follow-up posts after our quick trip to Ciudad Obregon, but never followed up….sigh…what a tease!

So here's quick post for a Saturday night.

So what happens after you attend an epic wedding in Ciudad Obregon which ends with shot of tequila watching the bride and Q-nito do Gagnam style in the middle of the street at 4am?

Well. you wake at 8am and have Akira and his now wife take you to get birria! Well at least Q-nito and I…….Samuelo was incommunicado, must have been tough challenging the band's singers to a dance-off, huh?

"D" drove us down a couple of streets to the just the perfect place for me. A streetside stand by the name of Taquería Jiménez. The specialty, birria de chivo. By now, "D" had concluded that we weren't after "gringo food", we wanted the real deal and this place was, without a doubt, just the perfect remedy after an epic evening.

You know, whether it's Sapa, Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Cusco, or heck, even Chula Vista, I've found some of the most soulful, hearty, and honest food at places like this. Taquería Jiménez was no exception.

Rich, belly coating, hearty food, with the right amount of carbs somehow revitalizes you….or at least just makes you right mentally.

I don't think I need to add much more.

Though I'll leave you with this little tidbit. I did a search looking for an address. I finally found it on one of the those "food sites"….well actually let's give it up for foursquare.

For some reason, I was interested in the comments on this place. I went and did a translation of the first one which said, ""Tacos to revive after a long night of partying"……how true!

Taquería Jiménez
California 720 (e/ Jesús García Corona y 6 de Abril)
Ciudad Obregón, Sonora

Coimbra: The University and more piggy fun at António dos Leitoes Porta Larga

February 15, 2014 mmm-yoso Coimbra, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Sandwiches, Travel

At the end of my last post, I mentioned dreading the loooong steep walk up the hill to the University of Coimbra. There is a "elevador" that you can catch up and down the hill, but it was closed for repairs at the time if our visit. Sigh. Anyway, even though we'd already had a quick look at the University the previous day, I figured that if we were to see one site in Coimbra, it had to be the University and some if its most famous structures.

On our visit the previous day, we came up the opposite way, directly to the "Pátio das Escolas", the main courtyard. This time we entered via the "Porta Ferrea", the Iron Gate afterr buying tickets to the various sites in the bookstore.

There are limits on visitors so, you need to get tickets and times set-up. The University was founded in 1290, so of course many traditions have been established like Queima das Fitas – The Burning of the Ribbons and Festa das Latas (The Tin Can Parade). Entering through the Gate you'll come to the bright and impressive Courtyard. This actually used to be the courtyard of the Coimbra Royal Palace which was turned over to the University by King John (João III) in 1537. The reflection of the sun on white can almost blind you at times. And that is a statue of John III, back to the Mondego River standing isolated in the middle of the courtyard.

In 2013, the University became listed on UNESCOs World Heritage List. Click on the photo below to enlarge.

There were a couple of buildings we wanted to check out. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed, so I'll try to do links to other sites so you can get an idea of how the place looks. For me, the one building I just had to see was the Biblioteca Joanina, built by King John V (João V), also know as "John the Magnanimous". One look in this beautiful library and you'll know why he had that nickname.

A walk through the ornate rooms illustrates what a great power Portugal once was. What I found really interesting was the prison under the library. The University had its own police and courts, so naturally it had its own prison for students and faculty…….

Next door behind the facade (you actually enter to the right of the doorway) is Capela de Sao Miguel – St Michael's Chapel. There's a beautiful and ornate pipe organ in the chapel.

Up the stairs of the building that faces John III and down the hallways called the "via Latina" you'll find Sala dos Capelos – The Grand Hall. You'll look down upon what used to be the palace throne room and became an examination room. You can get some great views looking out the windows of the catwalk above the room.

We enjoyed our time visiting the university, but man, I was getting hungry……

So we wound our way back down to our hotel and along one of the many alleyways, on Rua das Padeiras we saw this little shop.

It's pretty easy to see how it caught my eye, right?

Plus, in spite of my lack of linguistic ability…..the big joke is that I can't say much except thank you and hello….but boy can I name the various food items. Leitao was one of those words within my grasp……it basically means suckling pig, and this was Porkugal, I mean Portugal.

It seemed like a nice place to take a break. I ordered a Leitao Sandes – basically a suckling pig sandwich. The Missus decided on some soup, which She really enjoyed….porky goodness one and all.

Soon enough my sandwich arrived…..it was a pretty hefty one at that! The most interesting thing was the glass of, well, something that accompanied my sandwich. A quick taste, I'm glad I didn't chug the thing, and it was quickly identified as pork drippings/sauce/juice/mother's milk, whatever you want to call it. It was on the salty side, though when drizzled on the pork it became "elixir of the gods…or swine". The bread was pretty good, the pork a bit dry and bland without the "juice", the skin on the hard side.

I was still in that pork and beer for breakfast mode since Lisbon, so it only seemed natural that I order a Sagres as well. While this was nowhere as good as my Bifana and beer from Beira Gare it did fine by me.

Boy does this country love its pork…….and I was taking good advantage of it!

António dos Leitoes Porta Larga
Rue das Padeiras 35
Coimbra, Portugal

After lunch it was time to head back to our room for a pork induced nap…..

Coimbra: Breakfast at Pastelaria Palmeira and Mercado Municipal Dom Pedro V

February 7, 2014 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Coimbra, Desserts, Markets & Grocers, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

After a fairly restless night of Ossos induced sleep, we woke early, veyr typical for us when on vacation. As with Lisbon, we notcied that folks wake a bit later in Coimbra. The Missus was just raring to go, so we headed off…..

We took a short stop on Praca de Maio taking time to admire the Church of Santa Cruz,which looked so peaceful and regal in the morning. As we approached we could hear a buzzing noise in the silence of the morning. Apparently, the building has electrified wires running around it to keep birds away.

A few blocks away, on Rua de Sofia, we found a little bakery that was doing a brisk business with locals.

The name of the place is Pastelaria Palmeira, so of course I had one…..

I had really gotten used to having that cup of espresso and a pastry for breakfast, that it just the right thing to do.

We enjoyed this place and actually returned the next morning before heading out of Coimbra.

Pastelaria Palmeira
Rua da Sofia 13
Coimbra, Portugal

Right up the street on Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes is the local Mercado – Mercado Municipal Dom Pedro V.

Much like the markets in Lisbon and Evora, business seemed slow. It seems that places like this are starting to fade away with younger folks shopping at chain supermarkets.

The place is a multi-level affair, full of little kiosks, the seafood area separated from the other stands.

As you can see, nary a customer in sight. I'm wondering if it was just a timing thing?

I'm hoping it is, since it would be very sad to see a way of life change…….

Mercado Municipal Dom Pedro V
Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes3000-303
Coimbra, Portugal

I did take my sweet old time here because I knew there was a steep hill in my future…..

Rhodes: Lindos and (our first) Lunch at Mavrikos

January 24, 2014 mmm-yoso Greece, Greek Food, Rhodes, Travel

Much like we did in Crete, since Rhodes was a rather large island, we decided to rent a car. After manuevering the vehicle out of the Old Town we headed off Southeast. Our destination? The town of Lindos, birthplace of Charis who built the Colossus of Rhodes. I had read that Lindos was quite unique and it was easy to see why, even from a distance.

Remember the old joke about never being able to find a location whenever someone says "you can't miss it"…..well, in this case it's true. You really can't miss this place. Towering over the town of about 1,000 is the Acropolis of Lindos.

It becomes obvious, even at a glance, why Lindos was one of the most important cities on the island in ancient times. Both the Acropolis, built on a rock towering almost 400 feet over the village and the rather calm natural harbor, along with its location on the Eastern side of the island made it a perfect location for trade with people like the Phoenicians.

We decided to stop in Lindos and grab our first lunch. I found osme parking a bit outside of town and we walked into the village.

The village itself is tourist central. Lindos is the second most popular tourist destination on the island. While walking along the small streets and alleyways, past the white washed houses, you'll undoubtedly come across packs of donkeys ferrying tourists up to the Acropolis. I really felt sorry for the poor donkeys….I saw several carrying really large tourists up the hill.

I actually thought I'd soon be trudging up that hill. But no, much like what happened with saying "no to Knossos", the Missus decided that we'd seen enough……..

As we headed toward the central square, the bell tower of the Church of Assumption squarely in sight, the Missus pulled into a jewelry shop. Much like Chania, the Missus decided that She wanted some ear rings….I guess we were developing our own traditions.

So while the young man in the shop and I discussed recycling, Greece, and what was even more funny; the 80's music blaring through the shop (this kid was in his early 20's) "I love 80's, the best music, they don't make music like this anymore"…sounds like something I'd say, the Missus found a pair of ear rings She wanted.

Mission accomplished, a tradition lives on…..

Talking about 30 year old music really made me hungry so we asked directions to a restaurant that had been recommended to us; Mavrikos.

Located in the really busy bus and taxi stop, we were told that Mavrikos was once considered on of the best restaurants in Greece.

The place looked really nice, white tablecloths and all. The customers were undoubtedly tourists. The menu spanned everything from Spaghetti Bolognese to Tabbouli to more interesting stuff like youvesti with beef (a traditional beef stew).

I really felt for the staff here, customers wanting pizza and burgers, folks walking in the door using the restrooms….

We kept it simple and light, there were plans for a second lunch in the works.

The Missus, like She always does ordered the horta, one of Her favorite things in the world.

Which was cooked to death as it always is. The flavor was pretty good, almost like collards.

And a routine Greek Salad.

This version had capers which added a nice briney touch.

Pretty boring, eh? I was famished and decided to order the Slow Cooked Belly of Pork in Grape Syrup.

This was an interesting dish. You could tell that a lot of this had been prepped way ahead of time and quickly put together for service. The rice was really bad. If undercooked rice was a crime, the person who made this should get the death penalty. The pork belly, though it was only lukewarm, was decent, not overcooked and mushy, perhaps a bit under what I'd appreciate, but still full of pork flavor. The grape sauce made the dish, slightly sweet and fruity, with a touch of astringency and acid, it balanced out the fattiness of the pork. Of course, as with most places in Europe, a pig tastes like a pig. Definitely not cheap at almost 16 Euros, but better than just about everything I'd had in Rhodes so far.

We headed back to the car, the Missus smiling at Her bounty, me trying to remember what the car looked like………

I still remember that conversation with the young man in the shop……there were a few songs before this one, but following it, I had to comment on the 80's music. I remember being mesmerized by the video when it first came out. It's still a favorite of mine.

I know I'm old………but I still love this video. If you've ever wondered about the girl in the video, there's more here.

Coimbra: The Old Cathedral (Sé Velha), a quick look at the University, the Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz), and dinner at Ze Manel dos Ossos

January 18, 2014 mmm-yoso Coimbra, Portugal, Portuguese Food, Travel

*** This is a long one. I wouldn't mind at all if you just skipped to the food at the end of this post!

I was huffing and puffing up to "Old Town" like a wheezy old train when the Missus finally signaled a stop at this somewhat imposing Romanesque style building that looked like it a church….which, well, since it is Coimbra was one. This is the Cathedral of Coimbra, Sé Velha. The Cathedral is significant since it is the only Cathedral of the Romaneque style to have remained relatively unchanged from "Reconquista" times; the recapture of territory from the Muslims.

The structure is truly imposing, from the fortress like appearance to the battlement like notches on the roof. I'm guessing the folks around here still didn't feel completely safe from the Moors even after they had been chased out of the city.

The Main Chapel, dating from the late 15th century in the Gothic style is austere, but still quite grand in it's own way. Probably due to scale.

I actually found the side chapels to be more interesting. This one is the "Chapel of the Holy Sacrament" and was made by João de Ruão (Jean of Rouen) in 1566. It features statues of Jesus and his Apostles on the top ring and the Madonna on the bottom. I found it quite stunning and just loved the detail.

There are quite a few Tombs in the chapel as well. This one is of Jorge de Almeida who was Bishop of Coimbra in the 16th Century. Like I've said, here in the states, we talk generations and decades….in Europe it's about centuries….. And this one is from 480 years ago……

Queen Isabel (Elizabeth of Aragon) is beloved among the Portuguese.

This weathered painting alludes to one of the miracles that led to her canonization as Saint Elizabeth. According to the story; Elizabeth was devoted to the poor and sick, often feeding and helping providing for them. One day, the Queen returned home, and found to her surprise the King had also come home. The King did not approve of her actions with the poor. Depending on the version, Elizabeth was either holding bread or coins in her skirt. When the King asked what she was hiding; the Queen, who much like another character from later in American history, could not tell a lie, lower her skirt, and miraculously, whatever it was she was holding, be it bread or coins, turned into roses!

We soon headed back up the hill and eventually passed through this gate…..

And ended up in a courtyard where the extreme whites almost blinded us!

This is the grand courtyard of Coimbra University. All the most well known and important locales within the University ring this courtyard.

The lonely looking statue of King John III stands in the courtyard.

The reflection of the clear blue sky made everything seem so much brighter up here. We'd return the next day and I'll do a more detailed post later on.

Naturally, the views on such a bright, clear clear day were stunning.

We made our way across the campus to the area right above the Mercado (another future post), which you can see in the bottom of this photo.

There's an "elevador" down to Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes where the mercado is located. Unfortunately, it was closed for repairs…sigh….

This meant a fairly interesting steep walk downhill for me. Actually, walking down seemed harder on my legs than the walk up. Go figure….

Remember the young Chinese girl who looked at me puffing up the hill with amusement? Well, we ran into her as we descended. Naturally, curiosity got the better of all parties and we stopped to talk, well not me really, since they chatted in Mandarin. She was from Macao studying Portuguese in Coimbra for a year. Though missing her family, she was enjoying her time in Coimbra.

Eventually we made our way down to street level and back around to busy Praca 8 de Maio and probably the most well known church in Coimbra, the Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz). The facade is quite impressive and there's a very popular cafe attached to the church. It also helps that this is probably the busiest part of the pedestrian only shopping area in Coimbra……without a doubt the best place for people watching. You got everything from the women with over-sized designer sunglasses, to the guy with the accordion, to the young man giving his beloved mutt a drink at the fountain in the plaza that fronted of the church.

We spent some time in the church, but by now all I wanted was a short break and a shower…..

We found our way back via the alley-like side streets and freshened up. Soon enough, it was dinner time and there was one place I had in mind.

Located close to the Mondrego River and the Hotel Astoria……

Down a nondescript alleyway, you'll probably find a bunch of people lined up. For what you may ask? Well, it's for a restaurant that's so popular, even the young lady from Macao knew of it called Ze Manel dos Ossos. Don't be surprised if you see laundry hanging a couple of floors above where you're standing…..

If you're confused already, have a look at the menu that's hanging outside the place.

Ready to order yet? Yet never fear…….dos Ossos is here!

Luckily, I had found the place pretty easy….there was an 50 pound hardwood charcoal bag with trash for pick-up on the street and I thought the place had to be close by. We were second in line. The guy in back of us said that he drives to Porto form Lisbon every month and always stops here. He then uttered the two words were heard several more times during our meals here, "very tipico".

The restaurant itself is very small, you'll be sitting elbow to elbow. The walls are amazing with notes written in every language taped to them….this would be, without a doubt, a post-it wonderland.

It's all guys working here……like they decided one day, "hey, let's make a restaurant". Mario is the frontman, he speaks English, and in the wonderfully refreshing way, will tell you when you've ordered enough, as in "it is enough for you, no need to have more!"

When we had planned our trip to Portugal, we had thought of the food being hearty, rustic, and comforting, and places like Ze Manel and Quarta-Feira surely answered the call.

I mean, just look at the bread…..

So……as you can deduce by my post on Capela dos Ossos….Ossos means "bones". The name of the place is Ze Manel dos Ossos and all the locals are getting Ossos, well except for the German couple who insisted on "beefsteak". So of course we got Ossos.

A huge plate of simmered pork bones, simply seasoned, edging on salty, perfect with the house wine. This had us picking through every nook and cranny of the porky, slightly sticky (from the connective tissue), and wonderful pork bones. This was really good.

I ordered the Chanfana, a roasted/stewed goat dish that is from this region.

My response to the first bite was, "whoa", this was nicely gamey, it really tasted deliciously of the pasture with touches of garlic and onions. The meat was pretty tender. The sides were simple, I loved the simple potatoes with olive oil and hated the beans which were cooked to death, which the Missus loved!

It was interesting, most of the customers were Portuguese. The table next to us pointed to out food and said that often heard phrase here, "very tipico".

Ze Manel dos Ossos
Beco do Forno 12
Coimbra, Portugal

As I looked up at University of Coimbra from our hotel room, I found myself very happy that we chose Portugal as our destination for our vacation.

I know this post was very long, thanks for reading!

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2014 mmm-yoso Travel, yoso-silly

I got up this morning and took a quiet….well as quiet of a drive as can be had with Da' Boyz and had a New Year morning look at our neighborhood.

And had a nice, warm simple, bowl of soba. While it is traditionally the last item eaten on New Year's eve, we'd always had it on New Years day (toshikoshi soba – "crossing over the year noodles").

Yesterday, just like I've done on every New Year's Eve since 2005, I went to check out the various Osechi Ryori, traditional Japanese New Year dishes, at our three Japanese Markets. As I noted last year, it seems like this tradition is slowly fading away. I'm sure that'll it will never completely disappear, but it seems that only Nijiya has a large selection.

The selection at both Marukai and Mitsuwa were quite "sparse" in comparison.

While walking the aisles I had time to contemplate the year.

While it was pretty easy picking out the Missus's favorite dish of the year:

A delici-yoso Tripas à moda do Porto in, where else? Porto.

Her favorite bite was without a doubt hidden in this salad.

The Missus had a bite of the Hokkaido Scallop and almost did a delici-yoso dance Herself!

It was a bit harder for me. Much like last year, I've come to think of moments within context…..bellying up to the bar for bifana and a beer….for breakfast. It was just the perfect thing, one of those moments you just want to bottle and experience over and over.

Or standing on a mountain of shells in Paredoncito in the municipality of Benito Juarez, Sonora.

Watching horse drawn carts go out over the flats to awaiting boats…..

Bringing back amazingly sweet and tasty wild shrimp.

It's been an honor sharing our eating experiences with you this past year. As always; we thank you for stopping by, reading, and commenting when you feel the urge.

As the calendar turns and we look forward to another year, we hope to hear from you now and then.

The gang here at mmm-yoso wish all of you a healthy, happy, and delici-yoso New Year!