Week three has been action-packed one. Though it seems an age ago now, only seven days ago we were in Lisbon (Lisssshboa to our Portuguese neighbours) for the official AIFS weekend tour. Eleven of the group (and Lorraine) headed West to the land of Bacalao, Fado and Cristiano Ronaldo, and we clocked up a fair few miles as we took in Coimbra and Oporto, as well as the capital. Check out the photos below to see what we got up to...  

First stop on our Portuguese tour was the Univirsity town of Coimbra. A former capital, it is known as a seat of learning and we certainly learned a thing or two from out local guide, Rosa. Politely, the sun had decided to welcome us to Portuguese soil. Unlike Andy, the students had packed their aviators and weren't blinded by the gleaming white of the university square. Clever clogs!

Those beautiful red rooftops, it can only mean one thing - we're in Lisbon! After a wander around the buzzing Bairro Alto on Friday night, we were up early for a hop-on, hopp-off bus tour with our excellent guide Leonor. She took us to the Belem Tower, the Discoveries Monument, the San Jironimo Church and, finally, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. Even though we stopped for a traditional Portuguese pastel de nata (custard tart), we were definitely in need of a siesta by the time we finished in the Museum!

Thankfully a hearty Lisbon lunch got our energies going again and most of the group headed up to the San Joao Castle  in the afternoon  for a walk around the battlements and the best photo opportunity in town. We were even lucky enough to catch feeding time for the peacocks...

Oporto proved a big hit with the group, its dynaminc river setting and undulating terrain making it instantly endearing. Again, we were in the hands of a local guide to help us discover the city's charms. We stopped off for a closer look of the train station and Cathedral before grabbing a riverside lunch. I don't think there was one member of the group who wouldn't have like to stay in Oporto for longer. At least we were going to be able to have a drink or two to ease our sorrow...

You certainly can't visit Oporto without trying some of the city's most famous export - port wine! We visited the Ferreira Port Factory for a tour around. Unfortunately they weren't willing to crack open the €1500 bottle for us but we did get to sample some of their most popular wares, the ruby and tawny. This was one occasion when we didn't mind exiting through the gift shop....

Back in Salamanca and back in class! Tuesday saw the inaugural lecture from Keith Payne, an Irish professor who also teaches at the Univeristy of Salamanca. His class on the History of Spain - not an easy one to summarise in two hours - was a real hit with the students as his engaging and personable style really brougt Iberian history to life. We look forward to welsoming him back for classes on Spanish Architecture and Spanish Wine.

We had a good excuse for a party on Wednesday becasue it was one of our student's birthdays. Andy may have a few more candles than Sharlee's 21 but managed to get the old body moving for our Salsa Class at El Savor!

There was no slowing down on Friday as we met before sunrise for our first day trip of the program, to El Excorial and Avila. The former, at the Royal Palace, offers pause for thought as we stood surrounded by 500 years worth of deceased Spanish royalty. Creepy, but cool!

We won't be the first to have stood outside Avila's ancient medieval walls in a state of trepidation.. could we conquer them despite the pouring rain?! Well, after a little dutch courage in a toasty coffee shop, we storned the entrance with our umbrellas. Victory was ours!

Phew, what a week!

Next week things continue at a pace with a class on Spanish Art and a viisit to Salamanca's impressive Modern Art Gallery.

Also, since almost all the group has been convinced by Ken's camel pictures, we have a trip to Morocoo to arrange! 
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Hope you enjoyed this week's update. I look forward to sending you more photos from Salamanca next Friday.

All the best, 

Andy and Carlos.