I owe y'all the pics from last year’s visit to the Quinta da Regaleira, but until then, how about a few pictures from the Se’ Velha (Old Cathedral) and it’s Cloisters in Coimbra, Portugal? The Se’ in its current incarnation dates back to the 12th century.

Yes, that’s a real shell holding holy water (not a baptismal font, just for people to bless themselves.) And, yes, there’s a pic of stairs that are missing their bottom half (because I thought that was awesome.)

The bottom right pic is a view of Coimbra from the Forum on the other side of the river.

I love that the Templar’s symbol was even worked into the fountain. The BELT! And I loved the stairways, but I wouldn’t want to go up those in heavy skirts or armor! (Convento de Cristo part 3)

The octagonal charola (round church) in the Convento de Cristo in Portugal. Some theorize that this allowed the Knights Templar to attend mass on horseback. (part 2)

The Convento de Cristo in Tomar, Portugal (part 1)

How I dealt with chilly nights! Reading in front of the wood stove while muffins were baking. There’s a regular convection oven, of course, but everything tastes better when made in that stove. View high resolution

How I dealt with chilly nights! Reading in front of the wood stove while muffins were baking. There’s a regular convection oven, of course, but everything tastes better when made in that stove.

Even though I took and sent out a million pictures of it… me geeking out over the belt made out of stone from the Convento de Cristo’s manueline window. (No makeup -and- semi-soaked from the rain. YAY!)

I go all history geek on y'all and show you some “modern" mods that were made to 12th century arrowslits at the Convento de Cristo (Tomar) We’ve seen similar arrowslits at other castles, like Santa Maria da Feira.

A look inside the 12 century castle walls at the Convento de Cristo in Tomar.

Doesn’t the star on this nativity look just like a golden snitch? I swear, the artist had to have known. And this is where I get excommunicated for making light of something in a holy Catholic shrine, right? O.o (“Golden Snitch” nativity in Fatima,... View high resolution

Doesn’t the star on this nativity look just like a golden snitch? I swear, the artist had to have known. And this is where I get excommunicated for making light of something in a holy Catholic shrine, right? O.o

(“Golden Snitch” nativity in Fatima, Portugal)

Last pic for today (and from yesterday’s visit to Porto)- students in their outfits outside of the university. I feel TOTALLY jipped as an American. We had… uhm… t-shirts? They. Have. Cloaks. And colored ribbons that denote their course of study. And... View high resolution

Last pic for today (and from yesterday’s visit to Porto)- students in their outfits outside of the university. I feel TOTALLY jipped as an American. We had… uhm… t-shirts?

They. Have. Cloaks. And colored ribbons that denote their course of study. And look soooo cool wandering the streets of the city (granted, only freshmen really wear this because it apparently gets old quick, but still. I’d wear my cloak ALL OF THE TIME.)