Birthplace of Portugal

Decided we'd seen enough of Braga, so drove to nearby Guimarães, considered to be the place where Portugal began. It's where her first king, Afonso Henriques, was born; where the São Mamede battle that founded the country in 1146, was fought; and was also Portugal's first capital, though only for twenty years. Liked the gorgeous medieval centre even more than very Catholic Braga.

And then, the Amigos kindly took a detour to Aveiro, which I really wanted to see, extra and Mike's of one of the curving moliceiro boats on the main canal, traditionally used for gathering seaweed for fertiliser, now mostly a tourist attraction.

Padre Mário had a superb seafood dish waiting for us in Vendas Novas, and then back home and Blip - past 1am now, looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. An excellent break, but good to be home.

Gratefuls:
- that we decided to go with our Amigos, we almost didn't, was so good to spend this time together
- all we saw and learnt, enriching
- Mike and Cecílio driving us safely there and back