Arrived in Aveiro

Before we left Viana, we had time to eat one last breakfast of Pasteis de Nata from the local (and our favourite) pastelaria. We were driven to the train station by our kind hostess, Maria - where we caught the train to Aveiro, via Porto......this first leg of the journey to Porto took about 1 1/2 hours.
With time for coffee break, we then boarded the train from Porto to Aveiro, which takes just under an hour, as it travels southward along the coast. Sometimes, but not always, we intentionally pick the slower trains for these journeys - frequent stops are made & the train travels at a slower pace, so it's easier to see more of the passing scenery + it's cheaper! When combined with a discount of up to 1/2 price for "seniors" (identification required) it makes for very budget friendly transportation.
Exiting Aveiro station we approached the front line of taxis, clutching a scrap of paper with our new address information. The first available driver loaded our bags, but seemed to have no knowledge of our destination address! With strong memories of the horror of last year's taxi ride from Lisbon to Cascais (with a driver who knew nothing of the geography of that town) we started to wonder - but all was saved by the quick-thinking driver next in line. With the phone number given to us by Felipe, the owner of our rental property, he quickly called him, received directions and passed them on to our driver - all, of course, in rapid-fire Portuguese - which left us mystified, but thankful.
Encouraged by him and his passengers, off we went on a journey, which at just over 5 minutes, left us wondering about the geographical knowledge of Aveiro of our driver! We turned onto a very narrow, very old back street and had our first "sighting" of Felipe as he stood, arms waving, in the middle of the road.
The small "blue door" house is our new home for the next 2 1/2 weeks. Felipe is a very pleasant young man who completely renovated this traditional fisherman's house in 2016. He proudly took us through this ultra-modern, extremely clean 592 sq ft space. With skylights in the high ceilings + a glass door and window to the walled courtyard at the back, the house is flooded with light. Minimalistic and well designed, it's located in the oldest part of town - which is very quiet - despite being only steps away from restaurants, cafés, shops and one of the canals.
Felipe has decorated well - a simple colour scheme of blue & white, with splashes of bright yellow & red, his modern artwork also reflects the same colours. Although we loved the traditional feel of our "little house" in Viana - it's great to have a modern shower with good water pressure - along with good plumbing that will not overflow the shower cubicle!
Our host left us with a gift of a two of the traditional sweets of Aveiro - a confection made of sugar and egg yolk-paste, wrapped in a wafer-thin pastry, they're shaped as fish, oysters, clams, etc. as a tribute to the maritime history of the region.
Needless to say they were eaten quickly (they're yummy - and small :)
It could be considered "a sin" to visit Aveiro without tasting these Ovos Moles - they were first produced by nuns who, after using egg whites to produce starch for ironing their habits, needed to find a good use for the egg yolks. After experimenting, by mixing the yolks with sugar, they created the pure paste which would become the filling inside these miniature pastries that have become a symbol of the region.
The Ovos Moles de Aveiro were the first Portuguese bakery to be certified by the European Union - guaranteeing preparation according to the original recipe, by traditional methods, and using only the finest high-quality ingredients. In Aveiro today they are, of course, bought by the many tourists who visit....either individually or by the box-load!
We spent the next few days getting to know our new home base of Aveiro.
Hugging the edge of the Ria - a shallow coastal lagoon - the town has a small network of canals and is sometimes called the "Venice of Portugal" - although I think that's somewhat of an over-exaggeration. It is, however, criss-crossed with canals that together with the lagoon have been the centre of its industry & economy for hundreds of years. To walk along the banks of these canals is a journey through history.
Grand buildings and former fishermen's houses line the banks of the canal.....most with brightly coloured paintwork and attractive "azulejo" tiled panels. Together with the painted Moliceiros (gondolas) that glide along the canal, the whole effect is a festival of colour. These boats provide a way for tourists to get a unique perspective of the city - they were originally used for the unglamorous job of harvesting of seaweed - and now give a comical nod to the traditional Aveiro way of life.
This city also has a youthful energy & buzz - partly due to its modern university, which was constructed in 1973. The university of Aveiro is considered one of the most innovative and dynamic in Portugal. Although many students study the sciences, there is also a lively modern art scene.
During these first few days we've learned that this is a town best explored on foot......and we are fortunate to be in the heart of it. Although we've yet to board one of the delightful Moliceiros - we've observed many - as we've walked the canals and sat at outdoor cafés along the way. It's easy for pedestrians to cross over the water by using the little hump-backed bridges, designed for that purpose.
A couple of these bridges lead to another modern piece of the city - a contemporary shopping centre that has won awards for its green space and stone facades that blend with the surroundings. Named "the Forum" this shopping centre has been engineered to be sustainable and ecologically friendly. With shops which included popular brands - it seems very popular with families.
Aveiro, which was, for a long time, a largely undiscovered part of Northern Portugal is now popular for day-trips - especially from Porto. We've discovered that the busiest areas - the canals & a couple of the main squares - quieten down significantly in the evenings. The crowds leave and the town settles into a more unhurried, traditional pace. For most people who stay longer - and the ones who live here - it's a time for an evening stroll, a quiet(er) meal, a drink, gelato or a coffee and pastry......all of which we intend to do!