PORTO
DAY
10
Grande Hotel Do Porto
We left the Duoro Valley with warm memories and more knowledge of vinification. When our bus made a comfort stop halfway to Porto, Kevin and I had one of those "being in the right place at the right time" experiences. If you've seen any of my other scrapbooks, you will know we have a knack for serendipity. In this case, we are avid WGN radio listeners and were aware that one of their hosts, Mr. Fix- it, Lou Manfredini, was leading a WGN listener group in Portugal, which overlapped our trip. I wondered early on if our paths would cross but by now had forgotten about it. The line at the restrooms included other Americans and then we noticed someone wearing a WGN t-shirt. Sure enough, it was Lou's group heading in the opposite direction! He was kind enough to chat and give us recommendations on sites to see in Porto. It really can be such a small world!
Food & Wine Tour
Our bus arrived in Porto late morning, we all dropped our bags at the hotel and split into two groups. Our group met up with Andrea, from Taste Porto, at the Mercado do Bolhão (Big Bubble Market) for our food tour. Kevin recognized one of Andrea's colleagues from an episode he watched recently of, "Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown," and got some behind the scenes scoops. Another bit of serendipity I suppose! Back to the food tour, Andrea gave us samples of green wine, canned cod and sardines, and a charcuterie platter of meats. Then we checked out the variety of produce, fish, meats and offals etc. throughout the market. On our way to the next tasting tavern, we were given an architectural tour enhanced with facts of history and Portuguese culture. We passed colorful ceramic designs not just underfoot and on side walls, but also above as one building's exterior ceiling tiles told their own story. Our next meal included rice, chicken sausage and cod cakes paired with rosé green wine. The final meal with, in my opinion, the best wine (red and white port) was an individual meat pie and a "little Jesuit" which is a traditional meringue dessert. Yum! Our entire group rejoined at this last eatery and returned to the hotel with full bellies.
The spring evening welcomed us back outside as the two of us wandered the tourist route toward the river. We spent most of our time strolling the beautifully landscaped grounds of the Crystal Palace Gardens. We encountered the return of the peacocks and took in some incredible views of the river below. We were thankful for Google Maps to get us back to the hotel in the dark!
TOURTIDbits
We decided to purchase eSIM data plans for this trip, primarily to communicate via WhatsApp and to have live maps available to keep us from getting lost. That feature was invaluable when on our own in the large cities of Lisbon and Porto. Airalo worked well in Portugal and on a subsequent trip to Italy, plus the plans are very reasonably priced.
DAY
11
Grande Hotel Do Porto
Our last day in Portugal seems to have arrived so quickly! There was no slacking off as we had a full schedule for the day. The morning city walk was led by local guide, Marguerita. She showed us the Dom Luís I Bridge designed by a former partner of Gustave Eiffel, then to the São Bento station with its famous azulejo tile murals. We also visited the Church of San Francisco and it's stunning Baroque interior, which cannot be photographed. We could and did take photographs inside the Stock Exchange Palace, one of the places recommended by WGN's Lou Manfredini. It was most definitely worth seeing and is now on our recommendation list, as well!
Cruise on the Duoro River
Rafael arranged for our group to take a boat ride on the Duoro River midday and mother nature blessed us with gorgeous weather to perfect the experience.
MORE PORTO STREET SCENES
The Cat's Meow!
We saw this tail hanging over the top of a building when we walked along a back alley from our hotel. Later, when were on the hotel's terrace for our last night Happy Hour, I noticed the rest of the cat on the adjacent building! I'm sure there is a good story behind it!
Last Night Together
Our group gathered one last time to share memories and break bread. We gave a toast to Rafael and gave thanks for his expert leadership. There was more friendly conversation during our meal at the Guarany Café Restaurante and then it was time for the sad good-byes. We can always be hopeful that our paths will cross again, but realize there is no guarantee. For now we'll hold dear the treasured memories we made together as we journeyed through unparalleled Portugal!
Good Night MOON...
Good Night PORTO...
Good-Bye PORTUGAL!
