Day 21 - Saturday 28 October - Porto, Portugal
It was raining in Porto when we arrived, and when we retrieved our luggage, it appeared my suitcase had fallen in a puddle on the tarmac and some of the clothes inside were wet. It’s interesting that simple instructions from the hotel such as “just catch the Metro from the airport to the city and it’s a short walk to the hotel” can take on a different meaning on a windswept rainy night. Once entering the Metro, we realised we had to change trains to get to the station near our hotel - not easy on arrival in a foreign country with the usual hoisting suitcases up and down escalators and on and off trains.
On emerging for the station in Porto, the next challenge was to find our way to the hotel on the aforementioned windswept rainy night. Even with a pre-prepared Google map and GPS in the phone, finding our way in winding streets, juggling umbrellas and luggage, dodging puddles and traffic on cobblestones streets can present a serious challenge.
Nevertheless, after a couple of wrong turns we arrived a the Hotel da Bolsa, found our rooms and prepared to venture about again for find somewhere to eat.
Our first night in Porto. After booking in and drying off, we waited for the rain to ease and then walked a hundred metres or so down the road towards the river looking for some food. We went into almost the first place we saw “Pimms” restaurant/bar/pizzeria. It seemed quite trendy, but with a very charming environment with really friendly and helpful staff.
We all settled on burgers, a welcome change from tourist Italian food, and eded to have a great meal with a delicious Portuguese red wine. Frances’ burger was the most interesting - called a Francesinha, it was a burger coated in grilled cheese, swimming in a tomato flavoured soup!
Waiting for dinner in Pimm’s
Portuguese hamburger
Francesinha Portuguese hamburger with grilled cheese in a tomato soup with chips
Day 22 - Sunday 29 October - Porto, Portugal
After a pretty large breakfast at the hotel, we walked up the steep stone stairs to the top of the hill to the famous Igreja e Torre dos Clericos (Church and tower of the Clerics) to meet our guide, Joao, at 10:30 for a “free” walking tour. Like most of our tour guides, he spoke quite good English and was very knowledgeable about the history of Portugal and his city of Porto. He cleared up some of the mysteries for me and the group about the culture and heritage of Portugal, its language and its people.
Joao spoke at length about António de Oliveira Salazar the dictator who governed Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He balanced the budget and stabilised Portugal's currency, but had a reputation of being so tight-fisted that the spatula used to scrape the last remaining bits of dough form the bowl was nicknamed a “Salazar”. Because of its chequered history, Porto is exhibits a conglomeration of architectural styles, including buildings built this century in the style of many centuries ago.
Also, because of an over 50 year system of fixed rents, there are many semi-derelict buildings in the centre of the city due to it being uneconomical for landlords to maintain them. It was interesting to see some of the traditional Portuguese foods such as bacalhau (cod fish) croquettes and tinned cod.
Unfortunately around 1pm, just after the tour finished and we were looking for some lunch, the heavens opened and we were drenched by rain - the second time in two days. We retreated to the hotel to dry off and rest before venturing out again.
One of the many pedestrian steps in the city
A view over Porto including our hotel with the grey roof in the foreground
The famous Igreja e Torre dos Clericos (Church and tower of the Clerics)
Advertising cheese and bacalhau pastries
Bacalhau pastries
The ingredients - dried salted cod (at left), cheese and vegetables
Porto tinned cod
Typical traditional architecture with tile decoration
Typical tiles on house fronts
The amazing railway station with paintings done in ceramic tiles.
Duro River near our hotel and Ponte Louis I.
Ponte Louis I - the “Harbour Bridge” of Porto
Joao with his "Salazar"
Day 22 - Sunday 29 October - Porto, Portugal
Later in the afternoon when it looked like the rain head cleared, Frances and I went out for a walk. We came across a wine tasting shop which had a large range of wines from all of the Portuguese wine making regions. The system was to purchase a tasting on a smart card, which allowed you to serve yourself from the selections of wine available, debiting the card and appropriate amount each time. Frances tried a few wines before heading out for some shopping, a little rosier than when we arrived.
The rain put a dampener on the afternoon, but around 7 pm, we headed out to find somewhere to eat. Unfortunately, because of the rain, most of the outdoor seating in restaurants was unavailable, and all the inside tables were full.
Fortunately, I found a small pizza/pasta restaurant down an alleyway where we could sit down in warmth and comfort. The owners were really nice, Portuguese nationals who had lived most of their life in South Africa and returned to Portugal to open the restaurant. We had some good pastas and salad accompanied by a very nice rose wine.
Frances tasting Portuguese wine
Full moon, over the streets of Porto
Dinner in the Italian style Portuguese restaurant run by South Africans
Day 23 - Monday 30 October - Porto, Portugal
Today, we planned to explore a little more of Porto itself. The weather was changeable, sometimes sunny, sometimes raining. We waited for a break in the weather and then headed down towards the river and then across the Luis I bridge. Along the way, we saw a little more of traditional Portuguese architecture, fairly rectangular flat-faced buildings with tile features.
We crossed the bridge which gave us panoramic views of the northern side of the river which, depending on the fickle weather conditions, was shrouded in misty rain or brilliant sunshine. There were about 6 river cruise ships moored on this side of the river which seems to be the main staging area. It was approaching midday and we were getting tired and hungry after a couple of hours walking, but we found that the cafes and restaurants did not open till at least 12:30.
We crossed back across the river and selected the Maison do Joãozinho restaurant and sat down to wait until it opened. Unfortunately the skies opened first with a shower of rain so we took shelter inside instead.
The “girls” ordered a traditional cod stew with potatoes while John ordered grilled sardines and I took the safe option of “panados a frango” (chicken schnitzel). John definitely won the lucky dip this time.
The afternoon was pretty uneventful, just a little more exploring around the area. That night we went to a very local Portuguese restaurant called Chuarrasqueira de Infante which had a warm, cosy atmosphere, very friendly staff, and traditional Portuguese food. We enjoyed a couple of vegetable soups to start, some grilled calamari, grilled chicken and salads for mains, and then finished off with a couple of excellent deserts, one was a type of flan and the second was an ice cream cake that was just spot on.
Panoramic view of Porto from the south side of the river
A couple of tourists with the city of Porto in the background
The narrow streets
A range of traditional buildings along the riverside
Luis I bridge
View of Porto from across the Duro River
Colourful containers of tinned fish of all kinds
Making a traditional cod fish “cake” which is then crumbed and deep fried
Art on the corner of an abandoned building
Waiting for our lunch in the Maison do Joãozinho restaurant - yes, they are drinking port wine.
Cod and potato
Grilled sardines
panados a frango (chicken schnizel) which was accompanied by tasty stewed black beans
Restaurant Chuarrasqueira de Infante
Day 24 - Tuesday 31 October - Porto, Portugal
Today we caught the train for one and a half hour trip south to the city of Aveiro which is billed as the Venice of Portugal. As the train approached Aveiro, the landscape became flatter, and there were large bodies of water, looking a bit like the Netherlands. We arrived at the station,, and there was a very ornate looking station building, although it appeared to fulfil no useful function, as it was a short distance from the station itself. The city had a completely different feeling to Porto where we had been staying for the last three days - very flat, more regular shaped buildings, and more modern buildings.
Also, instead of being full of shops selling tourist trinkets, there were shops selling goods for local people; clothes, food, homewares, even variety stores and secondhand clothing shops. We arrived at the canals, and after having a bite to eat, we took a boat tour along the canals with an English-speaking guide, but unfortunately telling the same tired jokes I suspect he has been telling for years. Well, it’s not like Venice - it has canals and gondola like boats, but that’s where the similarity ends. The canals were used as transport for the local industries of fishing, collecting sea grasses for fertiliser, ceramics and salt-making. All in all, we found it an interesting change from the scenery in Porto, and enjoyed our day trip out.
That night we again decided to go to the local Portuguese restaurant, Chuarrasqueira de Infante. We liked the casual atmosphere, friendly staff and good Portuguese food. Again we had the vegetable soup to start which was a little different from last night. This time, we ordered fried calamari, fried octopus and a veal steak with egg which were all accompanied by chips, rice and salad, and this time pleasant dry white wine. Again, the food was quite good, satisfying and not very expensive. Even though the rain had held off for most of the day, it did start drizzling again as we walked home.
Leaving Porto for Aveiro by train
Aveiro station building, beautiful, but some distance from the actual station.
Building detail with painted tile decoration
Our happy tour guide
On the canal tour, Frances and Ric
John and Carol
Ribbons attached to bridges by lovers instead of locks
Part of the canal system
Old and new buildings along the river
A new modern shopping center along the river
Fried squid with chips, rice and salad
Churrascaria do Infante - Fried veal with egg, chips, rice and salad
Day 25 - Wednesday 1 November - Porto, Portugal
This morning, we took a walk to the eastern part of Porto, to the O Palácio de Cristal (The Crystal Palace Gardens). The original building was inspired by The Crystal Palace in London and was inaugurated in 1865 to host the 1865 International Exhibition. Eventually falling into disrepair, it was demolished in 1951 to make way for a sports pavilion, Pavilhão Rosa Mota, a dome-shaped sports arena completed in 1954
It is now named the Super Bock Arena (as in Super Bock the popular Portuguese beer) and converted into an entertainment centre. It has been built in the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal (Crystal Palace Gardens) which still remain. The gardens are very pleasant, built on the top of a hill and extending down the steep slope overlooking the Douro River.
It was approaching lunchtime so on our way back we stopped at O Forno dos Clericos, a cafe to have a light lunch of Portuguese pastries and cakes. We tried a few of these inexpensive pastries with fillings such as cod and potato, meat and potato, shrimp and potato, vegetables and potato - you get the idea. We also enjoyed a glass of their on-tap sangria, both red and white. We also tried a couple of their many cakes split 4 ways, one a type of flan and another which looked like a huge vanilla slice but was filled with a type of thick marshmallow (interesting) accompanied by quite good cappuccinos. It was a little unfortunate that when the bill arrived, we realised that our light lunch had cost us over €80 or AUS$132!
Frances, Carole and John spent the rest of the afternoon was spent shopping and wine tasting, while I caught up on emails, etc. Unfortunately the rain really set in and they got soaked on the way back.
Later, Frances and I dashed out to Empanadas Malvón, a bakery specialising only in Argentinian empanadas to get a snack for dinner, but we got caught in another downpour and got drenched. After changing into dry clothes we enjoyed the empanadas with some white wine in the hotel bar.
Frances, John and Carole find a small store with a good selection of tea towels at a reasonable price
Tile image on the corner of a building
A view of the Douro River looking inland
More abandoned and graffitied buildings
It was a public holiday (we did not know) and young people are already having an early beer
One of the historic trams still in operation, dating form the 1940s
View of the Douro River looking towards the ocean
Part of the Crystal Palace gardens
The “Super Bock” stadium originally built in the 1950s.
A white sangria and a beer
Typical Portuguese savoury pastries with cod, meat and vegetables.
Portuguese salad
Carole tries to cut a cake into 4 parts
A slice of Portuguese flan
Empanadas Malvón Argentinian empanadas in Porto (their photo)
A selection of empanadas (their photo)
Day 26 - Thursday 2 November - Porto, Portugal
Today is the day that we prepare for our Douro cruise with Nicko which departs tomorrow morning. Unfortunately we woke to pouring rain which didn’t bode very well for the rest of the day.
Fortunately checkout wasn’t until midday, so after packing up and leaving a suitcase at the hotel we caught the Metro a few stations north of Porto and as the rain has eased a little, we gradually walked back towards the hotel.
We stopped for a test and some snacks at a local bakery which had an interesting range of savoury pastries We gradually made our way back to the bar of our hotel to wait until 5 pm when we would be able to board the cruise boat.
