Tomar

I had been to Tomar to see the main attraction, the Knights Templar compound and thought it was a cute town. I heard it had a Jewish synagogue and I wanted to see it, as well as check out the town some more. As I came into town on off of this mountain road, I followed the signs for the biblioteca. I parked there and went inside. I needed the bathroom and the internet. Both were nice, they let me use a computer to check my email, there were lots of computers, a wonderfully light filled space with comfortable furniture. There was a high school across the street and lots of kids around. From there I walked into town and got a map and directions at the tourist office. I had a picnic lunch in a wonderful park and walked to the synagogue. It was interesting and depressing. The fifteenth century pillars are there, and the acoustics are interesting but the rest was mostly sad. It was dirty and unattractive with Judaica scattered, maps of Israel, headstones from different parts of Portugal with Hebrew lettering. If I hadn't just been in a fifteenth century church, that looked much the same, I would say Anti Semitism, but it seems to me Portugal has so much history and not so much money. So many places are crumbling and not presented well. Yet it was interesting to visit and Tomar is a charming town.