Guimarães: mutant butterflies, pineapple popes, and the first king.

A looooong time ago, I went to Guimarães, "the city where Portugal was born" - Alfonso I, the first king of Portugal, was born there.

This wall even says so ["Portugal was born here"], so it must be true.

And here is the king himself!

And a modern version. Looks like a cartoon to me. Not sure the king would be particularly pleased.

This is where he was baptized!

And this is a lone tree in his castle. Poor tree, with no tree buddies. Also, I'm pretty sure those three guys in the other turret are doing a drug deal. A castle is a pretty cool place for a drug deal.

Another view from the castle: I'm a loner, Dottie, a treebel. ...No?

ATTACK OF THE GIANT BUTTERFLY. Also, a view of the city from a beautiful hilltop reached by cable car.

And a statue of a pope who is totally wearing a pineapple on his head.