Evocative Evora

Well having found myself here, what to do ?, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89vora I suppose I’d better have a look around, they don’t make these places a UNESCO world heritage site for nothing ! So off I went walking firstly around the fortified walls of the old city, and then through one of it’s gates, and towards what looked like the centre of attention !  I found the tourist office, and armed with my map of the city, went a wandering… it turned out that the Romans had been here, leaving behind temples and stuff… then it had been attacked and conquered by the Moorish invaders, and held by them for a few hundred years, then it had been regained by the Christians…. and there’s lots of the old buildings  still left – how’s that for a quick potted history ? ( check the link for more !)

I’d already been in one impressive church, found my way to the Cathedral, and got a bargain ‘seniors ‘ rate of $2 to visited the roof,towers,cloister and Cathedral itself… so, unlike my normal thing… I paid ! ( and it was worth it) Firstly up onto the roof, looking at the city and countryside all around… I was like a child again running all over, with hardly anyone else around !

Then down into the impressive cloisters looking at the Cathedral looming overhead, and finally into the big Cathedral itself.. all in all a good $2 worth

I then continued around the centre of the old city, seeking out new places and finding the ‘Diana’s Temple’  – what a thing to have stuck outside your house all this time !! Every street had a different impressive building in it, even a great Broken Marble sculpture…. I had lunch back at Wally, and sheltered from the 30+ heat ! in the shadow of my Roman aqueduct… before going out on another walking circuit around the city, constantly finding new places, even a sort of Samba band (with bagpipes) playing in the main square in the early evening ! I wasn’t quite sure why, or what for, none the less entertaining..then after a simple meal it was back to Wally for a good nights sleep… waking early to a nice sunrise, to continue my journey towards…??

It’s not been a bad place to stumble upon, with cheap accommodation thrown in !