Adventures

 The day began with a visit to Portugal's oldest University, Caimbra, founded in 1290, and my university is proud of being started in 1860! Current enrollment is 30,000. We saw the grounds, the prison (no longer in use), the library, the chapel (wish we could have heard the organ from the 1700's) and more. Across the valley are the "new" buildings built in the 1700's! By the time we'd walked the grounds, toured the buildings and made it downtown we'd walked 5,200 steps, at least half of which were either up or down.
   After leaving the university we were treated a mini-concert of Fado music.  An exploration of the old town followed. Our next stop was a local school in a poor neighborhood. There are 78 students in grades 1-4, and 4 computers, plus a few small tablets. Road Scholar just gifted the school with a skeleton and a plastic mock-up of the human body. Classes meet from 9:00-5:30, but the building is open 7am until 7pm for child care. Of the parents of the students only 3 have finished high school; now 12 years of school are mandated. Thw school has a special emphasis on environmental issues is growing many things hydroponically. 
   We visited a 4th grade and a 2nd grade class in session. Among the questions students asked was "Do you like America or Portugal better?" The teachers were very welcoming and three participated in Q & A before we left. Road Scholar will continue to provide support for the school.
    Dinner was at the home of a local family. They began hosting groups to expose their children to other nationalities. Now only the youngest of three is still at home and she's a senior in high school. They have a large, modern home they built 11 years ago. The house is L shaped with the kitchen, dinning room and living room on one. On the other are row of bedrooms with each having a sliding glass door to the yard. There are no closets in the rooms but the long hall is continuous closet on the wall opposite of the doors.
     The hospitality was great as was the food which had been prepared and served by the family. A table for 12 was in the dinning room and one for 10 in the living room. Quite an honor to be both in a school and a home.
      It's our last night here and then we move on to our final stop, which is at Porto.

Dinning room

Host family.

H
Takk for alt,

Al
PS I'm having trouble with my university pictures so will include them later.