In the evening in Coimbra, I went down the mountain

Cui Yan, Class of 2012, w88 casino of Foreign Languages

During the two semesters of my junior year, I followed the w88 casino’s exchange program in Coimbra. This once ancient capital of Portugal is now a low-key and simple mountain town. A river passes by the mountain, and the University of Coimbra stands quietly on the top of the mountain.

Whenever the Portuguese ask me what I like most here, my answer is always the same: "The rhythm, the slow rhythm." The glory of the age of discovery is far away, and now Portugal is like an old man who has experienced strong winds and waves, enjoying every moment of slowness and ease. At this time, I was sitting on the top floor of the College of Liberal Arts, and saw the flat red-tiled roofs outside the window, and pigeons fluttering their wings. During the long days between spring and summer, the sun finally turns westward. I decided to go down the mountain.

In the evening in Coimbra, I went down the mountain. Like all sunny days, there were still many students sitting in the open space in front of the w88 casino of Liberal Arts sunbathing. There are those who meditate alone with their chins in their hands, there are those who chat with friends in small groups, and there are those who read leisurely with coffee in hand. No matter how hurried I am, I can't help but stop and sit for a while, spread myself out in a comfortable position, and bask in the books I'm reading in my belly, my young thoughts, and the time hidden in the shadows.

In the evening in Coimbra, I went down the mountain. In the narrow alleys, the ancient cobblestones have been worn shiny. These large and small stones have the patience of thousands of years and have listened to the various footsteps of generations of students. The shadows of sunlight slowly crawled on the walls, and from the open doors of shops and houses along the road, the melodious tunes of Fado came from the radio. The mountain wind blows upward from the foot of the mountain, and as the sleeves flutter, there are the words "I hope that for the southwest wind, I will live forever in your arms."

In the evening in Coimbra, I went down the mountain. As the graduation season approaches, a group of students wearing suits and black robes are sitting at the door of the old church taking photos. They are full of high spirits as they look around. The reserve and pride of the oldest university in Portugal are given to them. The bell on the top of the mountain rang leisurely. Clocks are ironclad evidence of the passage of time, but when placed elsewhere, they inevitably make people feel anxious. However, here, the sound of the bell is too slow, mixed with the laughter of students and the not-so-chilling mountain breeze, faintly swaying through the red tiles on the roof, into other people's windows, and through the papers flipped on the desk. All I want is for people to spend the entire afternoon holding a book.

In the evening in Coimbra, I went down the mountain. It's still early for dinner, but that doesn't stop the unhurried Portuguese from sitting on the terrace of the cafe, ordering an egg tart and a cup of strong coffee, and chatting until dusk. At the intersections of the streets, there is a student band singing heartily, and the black robes flutter happily with the notes. This is the prototype of Rowling's magic w88 casino students. I gradually got used to looking at each other, smiling and saying good afternoon to the old man walking towards me. I got used to waiting for the bus that comes every twenty minutes. I got used to buying an ice cream and standing by the river for a while, watching the evening sun cast golden light on the river. As the temperature gradually cools down, there are more people jogging by the river, and more young people and old couples are walking together, walking slowly, inhaling the fragrance of new leaves in the woods.

When the spring flowers fade, the grass and trees turn green, and when summer deepens, it will be time for me to say goodbye to this place. I know that remembering this kind of thing is not suitable to do before we say goodbye. I know that you will leave me thousands of miles away. I just want to let me sit by the river in the evening for a while longer, so that I can close my eyes after a long time. Even if I can’t remember the picture, I can still remember the smell of growing vegetation in the air at the turn of spring and summer.

Certain combinations of words give people a certain feeling, and you can instantly complete the scene construction by closing your eyes when you see them. For example, "Chang'an, late autumn, sunset", such as "Beijing, night snow, fireside", and another example, "Coimbra, evening, the turn of spring and summer". The first two scenes may be known to everyone, but the last one is my private collection.

Now, I have shared it with you.

April 29, 2015

In Coimbra