A Day with the Chapmans

Up early and get ready, then go to Porto to pick up the Chapmans. The freeway though Vila Nova de Gaia was clogged up, as usual. Took us about ½ hour through the mess this time—better than yesterday! Boy, I hate to go to Porto in the mornings! We got Chapmans, then came back to Santa Maria da Feira and toward the castle. What joy!! How neat! This is an 11th Century castle, and a beauty—not pretty, but a beauty. We climbed ramparts and squeezed up tower stairs and packed at the potty and everything. Took a bunch of pictures, but I've got to go back with my big camera, which needs batteries. Lunch here at home, then a tour of S.J.M.—especially the plazas downtown, where we shopped a bit and bought a vase—a pretty one for flowers. We took them home up highway #1 through the towns, shopped at Continente, home to a dull evening. I didn't feel like working—was desanimado (down, as in feeling down) for some reason.