School's out in Coimbra, Portugal's answer to Salamanca. The University, founded in 1290, is housed in the former royal palace from the days when Coimbra was the capital. The old university has expanded since then but today's 25,000 students still honor the old traditions. They head to class at the ringing of the "Goat," from the bell tower. And they dress formally in black on special occasions with a distinctive ribbon identifying their course of study.
No shorts and flip-flops at Coimbra
The 500 year-old Baroque library, one of Europe's oldest, they still can access over 30,000 books - if they can read Greek, Latin and Hebrew!
Best-sellers in Hebrew, Latin and Greek
And speaking of goat, I had a local specialty chanfana a Portuguesa for lunch. It was more like succulent pot roast than the stringy, tough goat - yes, it's goat - we ate in Uganda. It comes with boiled cabbage and potatoes, the perfect meal for a cold and rainy day.
