Official Anukatariina in Portugal

As I told in my previous blog I had sent my application for getting Anukatariina as my official fourth name. After waiting about a month I finally got the message that my dream has become true.  Although it is still just the fourth name I have informed my colleagues I appreciate much if they call me Anukatariina instead my official first name. We’ll see how the things will go.

Because of the new name I have to change all my official cards like ID card, passport and driving licence. Luckily it didn't stop me travelling, the air carrier and foreign officials don't know about the change, yet. And there was a need for showing my ID card because we traveled to Portugal. We have been there many times but never in the northern parts of the country. Our destinations were two towns, Porto and Coimbra.

Or actually we had a short visit to UK first: Our Finnish carrier cancelled our straight flight to Lisbon and we used British Airways which flew with a stopover in Heathrow. In the terminal there were some pianos and grand pianos with signs: "Play me" - so I had to obey and had my first gig in UK ever.

Not a big succes, I guess...

The flight included several passport controls and security checks - pretty much like Brexit would have already taken place. That's why the trip took some time so we stayed the first night in Lisbon and continued to Porto next morning by train.

Lisbon, at last

Porto is the city of port wine. It is the second biggest town in the country but the old part of it is not very big, one hill and the banks of river Douro. People really live in the old and many times quite shabby houses built against one another. We took a guided walk in the old city and heard many stories about the history of the town. The guide had a talent to add some humour and elements easy to identify with. For example we heard that the writer of Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling  has lived there and had taken the idea of the black witch school cape  from the students of Porto University. The Portuguese can get their credits in the matter also in other way: The writer were married with a Portuguese man and after the divorce she was broken and had to do something...

Harry Potter funs...? No, the opposite, the source of the inspiration 

A scene in Porto 

In the port of Porto

Portugal is the land of artistic glassed tiles and Porto is full of them. At first we saw them in the railway station which is full of them telling stories of the heroic history of Portugal. The other place we saw big fresco like constructions was the inner yard of the Porto Dome. The smaller ones were all over the city in the buildings.

The inner yard of the Dome of Porto

The ladies at the railway station of Porto

At the administrative part of  the Dome of  Porto

A scene in Porto, note the walls of the nearest house

The port wine factories were at the other side of the river Douro so we had to cross the river along the high bridge that is meant for the pedestrians and trams.  These trams were not the original ones that we saw in the old city – it is said that new ones have not enough friction in their wheels to climb up to the hill. We got some information of the different types of port wine by buying a set of five different types, a little glass of each. The experience was very informative – and somewhat intoxicating, as well.

A scene from the bridge

Typical historical boats for  port wine transporting

Typical tourists comparing port wines

One night we went to a Fado club where we heard live music and saw a slide show about the history and essence of Fado. It turned out that our next destination Coimbra is probably the most important fado town and it has deep roots in Coimbra University. The male singer was from Coimbra and he also sang the most famous fado, Coimbra – which is known as “The April of Portugal” in Finland. He told that fados were sung in the romantic botanical garden of Coimbra and had some historical pictures of the sessions there.

At the fado club

Fado from Coimbra in Porto

Next day we took the train to Coimbra. The town is smaller than Porto but it is very proud of its university which have the history from medieval era. It had started as a collegiums of wise men in Lisbon and moved to the Royal Castle of Coimbra later. The university area is on the top of the hill – the common habit to build castles those times. So we had to climb uphill again. Actually we missed the funicular although we were told such one was available but we were not unhappy about it. 

Another Harry Potter fans in Coimbra

The way up to the university hill of Coimbra

On the top

The freshman initiation rite going on at the campus

We went down back to the city through the Botanical Garden and it was not hard to imagine the romantic origins of fados, especially the most famous one Coimbra.

Magnolias of the botanical garden seemed to match with my scarf

The bamboo jungle of the botanical garden

There is an old town that, as in so many other towns, have changed to tourist shop area. On the other hand just next corner of the tourist area begins the shopping area for the locals with very traditional shops with very traditional repertoire of goods.

A real traditional lingerie haberdashery shop (lyhyttavarakauppa) in Coimbra

The last day we stayed in Coimbra was the Carnival Friday. In Portugal it seems to be the day for the kids, we noticed the same thing in Madeira a couple years ago. 

Kids' carnival

The Carnival seemed to start also otherwise in Friday evening but we had very early waking for our flight next morning so we skipped it completely – except a tiny posing in the hotel lobby.

The early morning was also very busy... Our hotel was a airport hotel in Lisbon and we were told there would be a shuttle bus that would take us to the right terminal. So we waited for the bus.... We saw a mini bus on the other side of the street with another hotel’s name. Then it went away and after some requests it turned out it was our bus! So we had to walk to the terminal which luckily was quite near. Anyway we were the last passengers to get to the plane. 

Today it is the international Women’s Day and I wish all the best for all the women.

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