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I left my liver in Lisbon
March 29-April 21, 2022
Pre-trip prep This trip was originally booked for late April/May 2020, but we all know what happened there. After pulling off a month long trip to Switzerland in October 2021, we optimistically booked a three week trip to Austria, Germany and Italy for December 2021. But then along came Omicron, sending Austria into lockdown, putting the kibosh on our Christmas trip just weeks before departure. We quickly pivoted, did some reshuffling and booked Portugal for the second time; a fairly easy task considering most of the research had already been done for the first doomed trip in 2020. Then things went sideways again; Germany was not doing well; Christmas Markets were being cancelled, new restrictions were being introduced and we worried that they too would go into lockdown. This created problems because we’d kept our original flights to Munich, planning to spend some time on either end of the trip, and had just added an extra flight to Portugal. Flying into and out of Munich no longer seemed like a good idea, so Portugal got cancelled for the second time. Then in January 2022, we booked Portugal again, this time for late March/April. The itinerary: Porto - five nights Pinhão - three nights Coimbra - three nights Evora - three nights Sintra - three nights Lisbon - five nights In the weeks leading up to our departure, COVID restrictions changed a few times. Portugal required an EU Digital COVID Certificate or a negative COVID test to enter the country. Fine, no problem. However, they also required an EU Digital COVID Certificate or valid negative COVID test enter hotels, museums, restaurants, etc. Big problem. We had EU Digital Certificates from our trip to Switzerland last October, but when we pulled them up on our phones, we discovered they had expired. I wrote to all our hotels to ask if we’d be allowed to check into our hotels with our US CDC vaccination cards, and was told no. So at the time, the only way to gain entrance would be with a negative COVID test, which meant we’d have to test many, many times during our three week stay. Thanks, but no. We decided not to worry about it until closer to the trip, as things were rapidly changing and a person could lose their mind trying to keep up. Fast forward to March. Portugal had now done away with the EU Digital COVID certificate and testing requirement to enter hotels, museums, restaurants, etc. An EU Digital COVID Certificate or a negative COVID test was still needed to enter the country. No worries. We booked free NAAT COVID tests for late afternoon at Walgreens, three days before our departure. Results were promised (and delivered) in two hours. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 9:20 am on Tuesday. I was a bit worried about flight delays that would put us outside the 72 hour limit, and toyed with rescheduling the test for Sunday morning. Bill preferred to find out early, so that if our results were positive, we’d still be within the cancellation window for two hotels. No worries, all went to plan. A few weeks prior to our departure I heard rumblings of how busy Portugal had gotten, as the tourist floodgates had re-opened. I began to worry about our three nights in Sintra, as we don’t do crowds. I had concerns that our preferred method of going with the flow might seriously impact our stay in Sintra and we considered booking what we absolutely didn’t want to miss, but in the end going with the flow won out. This trip would be much different than our usual trips. We’re outdoor loving, peace-seeking, wine drinking types who don’t usually visit museums, monuments or palaces. Neither are we city people, preferring quiet villages, mountains and long walking/hiking trails to city trappings. This was going to be interesting. Would the third time be a charm? We were about to find out. Getting there We’d uploaded our documents to United before departure, preventing the need to show them at check in. Our boarding passes said Travel Ready; we were good to go. We flew from COS-DEN, DEN-EWR, EWR-OPO. As is our custom when flying with United, we purposely chose long layovers. Our first flight was delayed due to a broken flight attendant seatbelt. Our second flight left the gate on time, but we sat on the tarmac for 30 minutes prior to departure (another minor maintenance problem) and then circled the Newark airport for 40 minutes prior to landing. Both flights were very full. Our third flight (Newark to Porto) left an hour late, but the Economy Plus section was near empty – we each had an entire row to ourselves. Woo-hoo! We passed on food, stretched out and tried to sleep. To be continued... |
Following, with great interest.
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Sleepless in Porto
Our COVID tests results were checked upon arrival in Porto. They seemed to be just looking for the magic word – negative – they didn’t seem to pay much attention to names or dates. We purchased train tickets from the airport to the city - €4.65 for both. We validated the tickets, but couldn’t find a train route map…sought out help and were soon on the train, which we took to Trindade, then changed to B metro to Porto. Two stops. Finding our hotel was a breeze. Nice place this – Eurostars Porto Centro (€610 for five nights including city tax). I’d requested a quiet room and they delivered. We were tucked away on an offshoot from the main corridor with our own hallway in an interior room that felt like we had the entire corner to ourselves (#214). The room was spacious, quiet and had an interesting bathroom set-up – made entirely of glass. Dead tired, but wanting to stay awake as long as possible, we hit the streets. I was immediately taken with the colorful tile covered buildings, the architecture and the overall buzz – busy but not frenetic; and so very different from any place we’d visited previously. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...565e91a86b.jpg And there it is...Port! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cfc2fb25b2.jpg Porto https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c1f1935b2f.jpg Porto https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de2774f8b8.jpg Porto https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f80fd2ac7.jpg Porto https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...856e8dfe30.jpg The reason we're here https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...31db9b7004.jpg Porto https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...399f19ddc0.jpg Ah yes, the good old Dick waffle https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f5089d48e.jpg Porto https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e27b9dff44.jpg Porto We randomly selected Garota da Baixa lda and settled in for an alfresco lunch; vegetable soup, bread, butter and cheese spread for me, washed down with sangria. Hake, chips, and salad for Bill, washed down with some Douro white wine – very good and surprisingly inexpensive - €22.90. Then we wandered, just taking things in, eventually ending up at VinoFino Wine House for more alfresco beverages – here we discovered a lovely sparking Rose and tried the port (€15). I’d earmarked the much acclaimed Tapabento S. Bento for dinner, which was a challenge for us sleep-deprived newcomers to locate. We knew we were in trouble when we saw the line outside the still closed restaurant. Reservations? Nope. We were told to wait a bit, just in case there was a no-show. There was, so we were seated upstairs in a tiny room with tables entirely too close for our COVID comfort level. The food was good, the place heaving. Bill tried the tuna tartare and beef carpaccio. I went for the Bruschetta – which I had to send back as it was burnt to a crisp, but the replacement was good - and more vegetable soup as most items on the menu were on my ‘no thank you’ list (€41.70 with wine). Then – finally – some much needed sleep. To be continued... |
Signing on. Twenty year tawny for 19.90 euro and Bin 27 for 13.80? I so live in the wrong country!
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A fabulous bridge, petiscos and oh, that wine!
We slept for 12 hours. Didn’t get up until 9 am, which is pretty much unheard of for us. Our hotel included a nice breakfast, where we both had our first taste of the world famous pastel de nata, or in Bill’s case, pastéis de nata (he liked them and devoured several, me not-so-much, it’s an egg thing). I did rather enjoy the big blocks of dark chocolate to melt in my cappuccino though. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af404f6639.jpg Pastéis de nata Later we walked to the double-decker Dom Luis I Bridge via a series of steep rocky side roads. I was fascinated with the obvious challenges of building on these steep slopes, the abandoned buildings, the shops and cafes tucked into impossibly tight spaces, and, for lack of a better word, the vibe. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3cc9e71f2a.jpg Tuk-tuk near Sé Cathedral https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4a7b4e08c6.jpg Sé Cathedral https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a1469c5c9.jpg I believe that's Clérigos Tower in the background https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb07b24ca2.jpg Walking to the Dom Luis I bridge https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5e4edd7031.jpg Drinks vendor https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...218eb7eec5.jpg Dom Luis I bridge overhead https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d608c7bb76.jpg Cafe https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dc24fae889.jpg Porto side of Dom Luis I bridge We then worked our way through the Riberia district and on a whim walked alongside the Douro River to Foz, logging four miles, but not realizing at the time that Foz do Douro is where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean, so we turned back too soon. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...409ab90220.jpg Dom Luis I bridge, Porto side https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f8776a4019.jpg Riberia district https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cab6604d4f.jpg Riberia district https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3d690e5993.jpg Riverside dining https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...32b9b8be0b.jpg Douro River https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...656964252c.jpg Douro River and bridge https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7d0fc16e6c.jpg Tile! We randomly chose Casa de Pasto da Palmeria for an alfresco lunch sharing a few small plates - petiscos - fried goat cheese with pears, walnuts and what I think was sorbet, fried smoked chicken roll-ups, and some fried cod patties for Bill (which he said were really fishy), chased down with massive jugs of strawberry sangria, the highlight for me. Had I bothered to read the thick pile of notes I’d complied when planning this trip, I’d have realized that Maribel had suggested this very place and had some specific food recommendations. How did I miss the frozen chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and salted ice cream? Had I been paying attention, I’d have ordered that as my entrée! Oh well, it’s not the first time my painstakingly gathered notes have fallen by the wayside. (€36 and what we ordered was underwhelming). https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5fc195133.jpg Big honking jugs of sangria! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3404405161.jpg Fried smoked chicken roll-ups https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...146d97643f.jpg Fried cod patties After more wandering, and now back in Porto we revisited the VinoFino Wine House for more sparkling Rose, a platter of meat, cheese and bread and a wee bit of port (€43). https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8d213045a9.jpg Douro River https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...128492e73c.jpg Porto https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...708f7fea73.jpg Porto https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c7596d7cfc.jpg Porto https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...97e94e083e.jpg VinoFino Wine House We watched the world go by from our outdoor table, and right next door I noticed a place I did recall from my notes, Chololataria das Flores, which I’d read had a nice chocolate and orange cake, so I picked up a slice to take back to the hotel. It was underwhelming. Maybe my taste buds were broken? To be continued... |
Looking forward to the rest of your report!
We were scheduled for Portugal last June and had to make a hasty last minute diversion to Basque Country when Lisbon closed down. |
What beautiful photos! Very sharp quality. Are you using a camera or a phone camera?
And oh those egg tarts! I will return to Portugal one day for the gorgeous scenery and those tasty egg tarts. Looking forward to more of your report |
Originally Posted by thursdaysd
(Post 17377028)
Signing on. Twenty year tawny for 19.90 euro and Bin 27 for 13.80? I so live in the wrong country!
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Originally Posted by TPAYT
(Post 17377056)
What beautiful photos! Very sharp quality. Are you using a camera or a phone camera?
And oh those egg tarts! I will return to Portugal one day for the gorgeous scenery and those tasty egg tarts. Looking forward to more of your report |
Fodor's members never stop surprising me! So, Progol was at Barredo, and Melqn was at Codeçal, but besides being at Codeçal, Melqn was at the uglyest street/place (or at least one of them) I've ever seen, right in the heart of Porto, Rua Senhora das Verdades, where a nice lady lives on the hope that some tourists less informed of "the must visit" places will cross in front of her door and buy some juice/water/beer! This is the most "off the beaten path" I can imagine.
Melqn, the Luis I bridge has two levels; tourists are suposed to be in one of them... not in the midle, in an exquisite street. I wander how did you find your way there! I am really surprised! (Melqn, I must say you suffer of the same problem as Progol: your pics make things look much nicer than they are) |
This is fun! Now I know exactly where you are! Wonderful photos, Mel! Porto looks a bit less busy than when we went 2 months later, and you had a lot more blue sky than we did, and it does look great!
By the time we got to Porto at the end of the trip, whatever notes I had were long gone and whatever “plans” I had were ignored! |
So interesting. The architecture, and the crowded alleys…..I’ll never get there so I love my armchair travels.
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Walking our tails off, broken buses and Sergio
Our day began at the São Bento Train Station to study the azulejos, Portuguese tiles depicting historical life – just wow. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3d0c3edef0.jpg São Bento Train Station https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8e9bf5e1ae.jpg São Bento Train Station https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6ff9198e5a.jpg São Bento Train Station https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6780e368f2.jpg São Bento Train Station https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...987ec841ef.jpg São Bento Train Station https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b3cde4f1fb.jpg São Bento Train Station We then tried to find the Livraria Lello Bookstore to check out that staircase, but the GPS on my phone was giving us fits. We finally found it, and with it, a huge queue with like-minded tourists. I tried to buy tickets on my phone as we stood there (€5), but had no luck, so we bailed. https://www.livrarialello.pt/ So it was back to and across the Dom Luis I Bridge, the climb up to the courtyard of the Monastery of Serra do Pilar to take in the fabulous views, and then the steep walk down to Vila Nova de Gaia. The port cellar lined promenade was busy on this beautiful day, the tour boats on the river doing a booming business. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6fdfdcc565.jpg View from Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6efd77e846.jpg View from Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...931a62cf1c.jpg View from Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...42dadc885f.jpg Views from Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...78e988205f.jpg Views from Monastery of Serra do Pilar https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...98da6c7f55.jpg Views from Monastery of Serra do Pilar https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...11051bfd68.jpg Vila Nova de Gaia We’re not fans of ruby port, but love a good Tawny, so we partook of a Tawny tasting at Calem (€11) and poked through their shop, me zeroing in on the port chocolates. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa579a94ac.jpg Calem port tasting We walked along the river, popped into the elaborate and colorful Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau, wondering what the heck we’d stepped into. Turns out this shop, complete with organ player, specializes in codfish cakes made with Serra da Estrela DOP cheese, accompanied with port. A very interesting place, but nothing either of us wanted to try. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b0001f3c8b.jpg Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1366336e90.jpg Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...95936fb871.jpg Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau We eventually sought out sustenance at the Mercado, busy and somewhat confusing. We found a table outdoors and made several trips back inside to gather lunch from various vendors. Bill took one for the team and agreed to try aFrancesinha from a place called Meat Me (€9.50), a Portuguese sandwich that originated in Porto, downed with a pint of Super Bock stout (€3.50). It looked like a gut buster, a sausage, ham, and beef sandwich covered in melted cheese and a spicy sauce. He said it was okay, but the beef was really chewy; an experience he didn’t feel the need to repeat. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...23d7c921c8.jpg Francesinha I played it safe with a nice little margarita pizza from Mama and Papa and a glass of wine, both very good. And cheap – the pizza was €5.5 the wine €2, reminding us - not for the first time - of how expensive our beloved Switzerland is. A bit more wandering... https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ee069a28a3.jpg Vila Nova de Gaia https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7497e9f994.jpg Vila Nova de Gaia And then it was back across the bridge – the lower section this time – which was narrow and cramped due to construction – and very busy - so we wore our masks. We caught the 500 bus to Foz do Douro (€2 each), getting off somewhere near the park, and then kept walking in search of the beach that we missed yesterday. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...621974b4aa.jpg Foz do Douro We walked along the esplanade, took in the views and stopped for a drink at a busy beach café (Praia da Luz). Music was blaring on one side of the café, attracting a lot of young people on this beautiful day. Many of the women were wearing pantyhose (say what?) and toting rodent dog accessories. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ad5efae2aa.jpg Beach cafe, Foz do Douro https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0664ce77f0.jpg Beach cafe, Foz do Douro We walked back to a bus stop via the pier and the park. A bus motored on by, already packed. We caught the next one, which drove for a few minutes and then stopped, the driver kicking us all off; we had to ask a fellow passenger what was going on, seems there was a mechanical problem - which we saw for ourselves minutes later – a huge shredded fan belt hanging from the back of the bus. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...690e81fdf2.jpg Park https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eab3529458.jpg Onboard the bus https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12852c8ee1.jpg Onboard the bus We all stood around, our bus blocking traffic and creating havoc, horns blasting, lots of near misses as cars carelessly changed lanes; in a word, chaotic. Eventually another bus came by and a few people squeezed on, but then it was full, so we continued to wait. All we could do was laugh (especially when a young guy said “but what about the old people?”). We finally got on a bus, which deposited us at an unfamiliar stop, but we eventually found our way back to the hotel, passing that elusive bookstore in the process. We walked through a major construction zone, foot traffic directed through narrow passages, very congested – on go the masks. We later learned that the project has something to do with extending the metro. Finally back in our hotel, an oasis of calm, too tired to head out again for a much needed beverage, we sat out on the cold atrium patio and ordered that week’s €5 cocktail offering – a bright pink mystery beverage. Enter Sergio, a 20 year old who was manning the bar for the first time, we his first and only customers, he having to consult notes to make the drink of the week. It took him awhile but it was so good that we ordered a second, which came out entirely different than the first. Sergio is a work in progress. Nice kid. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...03a502c582.jpg Dinner found us at the kabab/kebob/kebap place on the corner, Estambul, which was crazy busy at 9 pm – our stomachs not sure what time it was. The place was teeming with young people, us the oldies again. Food was inexpensive and tasty; little did we know we’d become regulars (€14.70 with beer and water). It’d been a day and a half. To be continued... |
Originally Posted by HelenaFatima
(Post 17377083)
Fodor's members never stop surprising me! So, Progol was at Barredo, and Melqn was at Codeçal, but besides being at Codeçal, Melqn was at the uglyest street/place (or at least one of them) I've ever seen, right in the heart of Porto, Rua Senhora das Verdades, where a nice lady lives on the hope that some tourists less informed of "the must visit" places will cross in front of her door and buy some juice/water/beer! This is the most "off the beaten path" I can imagine.
Melqn, the Luis I bridge has two levels; tourists are suposed to be in one of them... not in the midle, in an exquisite street. I wander how did you find your way there! I am really surprised! (Melqn, I must say you suffer of the same problem as Progol: your pics make things look much nicer than they are) |
I love your trip report title, as well as some Portuguese foods that you don't like!
I might have a little Portuguese family history, rumor has it that they passed through after they were kicked out of Spain. |
Love your report, and, as always, your photos!
s |
I am still dreaming of a trip to Portugal and love your report!
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Thanks for reading along!
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Banged up abroad
I can’t seem to fly without acquiring bruises and my legs were looking rather colorful by now. We were both sunburned from the previous day and all the walking had left behind a few blisters. We took the train from Porto to Guimarães, often referred to as the birthplace of Portugal (€14 for two, round trip, took about 1:20). Before we left, we’d looked for – and found – a laundromat (lavanderia), as long trips and light packing can only mean one thing. Upon arrival in Guimarães, we sought out the UNESCO World Heritage listed historic town center, me unable to resist Gelato Sabores when we passed, which turned out to have the best lemon gelato I’ve ever had (and a massive serving at that). https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a600586456.jpg My kind of serving! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4c3b1b53ed.jpg Largo República do Brasil, Guimarães https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb004d6b13.jpg Guimarães The medieval center of Guimarães is fascinating; we spent quite some time wandering aimlessly through the winding narrow alleyways, always surprised when we came upon yet another square. I was particularly taken with a square full of these trees which I’m hoping someone can help me identify. I couldn’t seem to stop taking photos. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...30edf8242a.jpg Largo da Oliveira, Guimarães https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...85da08a881.jpg Guimarães https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54ac8d676a.jpg Guimarães https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8bc15b753a.jpg Guimarães https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...31e07dc9c3.jpg Guimarães https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b958d2ce43.jpg Guimarães https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...02418fcdb3.jpg Guimarães https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c7ad921b62.jpg Guimarães https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ecca06f06c.jpg Guimarães https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...51a007c918.jpg Guimarães We explored the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, not knowing at the time that it’s one of the city’s most historic churches and dates back to a Benedictine monastery founded on the site in 949. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ead5bc9026.jpg Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira We had a nice alfresco lunch at the randomly selected Restaurant Paraxut, both of us ordering from their set lunch menu, which included soup, bread, entrée, a big glass of wine and dessert for €14.50 each. Good food, good value. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a4527785fb.jpg Restaurant Paraxut https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d6206823c.jpg Restaurant Paraxut https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d26fbf4eb9.jpg Restaurant Paraxut After lunch we sought out the cable car to Penha Hill, which was a bit of a challenge thanks to a lack of signage and walkways (€7.50 each return). It was incredibly green and rocky up here, and would probably be a nice respite from the city on a normal day - but not today - due to some sort of car race, disrupting the peace with roaring engines, announcements and loud music. We visited the Santuario da Penha, took in the views over Guimarães and wandered the trails. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...89b4800847.jpg Santuario da Penha https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...afef598a32.jpg Santuario da Penha We eventually took the train back to Porto (train schedule somewhat limited), revisited our corner kebab shop and then paid Sergio another visit for a cocktail. Once again we were the only customers; Sergio must have been bored to tears because he regaled us with stories of life in Porto for quite some time. To be continued... |
I would guess plane trees….
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Originally Posted by martharap
(Post 17377322)
I would guess plane trees….
If you could pinpoint the location in Google Maps, maybe street view would show them in leaf. |
Hi
The tree is called Plátano in Portuguese. It's leafs are very similar to Maple tree leafs. Happy travels |
Platanus is the Latin genus name for plane trees
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Love your photos of Guimares. It looks lovely! I love lemon gelato, too! We recently returned from Greece, and I had lemon gelato many times! So refreshing, especially on a hot day. The dessert with berries and whipped cream looks scrumptious!
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Thanks Karen. That gelato was fabulous and I ate more than my share of desserts this trip.
And thanks for the info on the trees...so, they're pollarded Plátano/Platanus/Plane trees? Do they normally have leaves? I'll try to google the location as suggested by mlgb. If so, that square would be very inviting in the summer. |
Were the trees on the square next to the Dukes of Braganza Palace? If So, Google “plane trees Guimares.”
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Originally Posted by Melnq8
(Post 17377367)
Thanks Karen. That gelato was fabulous and I ate more than my share of desserts this trip.
And thanks for the info on the trees...so, they're pollarded Plátano/Platanus/Plane trees? Do they normally have leaves? I'll try to google the location as suggested by mlgb. If so, that square would be very inviting in the summer. Are you familiar with Maple 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁. That's what they look like but in green. It's the same leaf that's in the Canadian flag. Happy travels |
A mellow Sunday
Our day started at the lavanderia, a tiny place with three washers and two dryers (€4.90 to wash, €1.80 to dry). Afterwards, we walked over the Dom Luis I Bridge and down those steep hills to Vila Nova de Gaia again, taking a different route than yesterday, this one snaking down many sets of stairs and alongside some interesting street art. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dfa1cc0f6e.jpg Near Dom Luis I Bridge Porto side https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6dae678ab.jpg Near Dom Luis I Bridge Porto side https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d2e43d1308.jpg View from Dom Luis I Bridge Porto side https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f7660a0a36.jpg View from Dom Luis I Bridge Porto side https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7c7c539136.jpg Crossing Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...767e03942f.jpg View from Dom Luis I Bridge looking down on Vila Nova de Gaia https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f2d9153d7c.jpg Walking down to Vila Nova de Gaia https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73cbc3dddc.jpg Walking down to Vila Nova de Gaia - street art https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...79c76b449b.jpg Walking down to Vila Nova de Gaia - street art We passed right by Real Companhia Valha, tucked into a tiny storefront on a quiet narrow side street. We popped in for a port tasting, we the only customers. We thoroughly enjoyed this random find, where we shared a €10 port tasting (four ports) and then shared a 5 euro taste of a lovely 10 year old tawny. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e2c5f36c74.jpg Real Companhia Valha https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a397b6722d.jpg Real Companhia Valha Afterwards, we worked our way down to the riverside and made an encore visit to Mama and Papa at the Mercado, where we tucked into pizza while watching the seagulls attack some poor woman for her fish scraps. The place was busy, but not heaving, and we had no trouble finding a table outdoors. We then walked along the very busy waterfront – lots of people out enjoying the Sunday sun, vendors hawking sunglasses and purses, food trucks selling churros, boats busy with customers, people at outdoor tables eating lunch and drinking jugs of beer and sangria, the gondola passing overhead. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8129d7e59a.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...59649bbb3f.jpg Vila Nova de Gaia https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bb86749efb.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...32d05ba831.jpg Vila Nova de Gaia We popped into Quevdo port cellar for another shared tasting (€11) enjoyed in their large warehouse-like cellar while being serenaded by a woman singing Fado. Nice atmosphere, quite enjoyable. We then returned to Calem to purchase a bottle of their 10 year old tawny and some of those lovely port chocolates to take home. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d98a9d7eeb.jpg Calem Then it was back to Porto – under the Dom Luis I Bridge again - via a narrow pedestrian walkway alongside the bridge construction area. And then UP a series of steep steps and alleyways lined with street art, graffiti, crumbling buildings and repair works; this route filled with interesting views of the bridge high above us. (Another off-the-beaten-path street Helena?) https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...526463bc8e.jpg Under Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fdf42fd9da.jpg Under Dom Luis I Bridge https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cd7182f22d.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac72e61efc.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9578e85616.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...94c9573daf.jpg Soon we were back in the center where we purchased a few gifts and mysteriously ended up back at VinoFino for yes, you guessed it, more sparkling Rose, the proprietor amused to see us for the third time. It’s here that we met two women from Arizona who had flown into Lisbon a few days prior – they said it took them five hours to get through Immigration and said ‘never again’. We bought a print of the Porto skyline we’d been eyeballing at the shop next door, ate gelato, and then later returned to our corner kebab shop. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4a6a690805.jpg Porto print, now framed and on my living room wall This was shaping up to be a serious eating and drinking trip. We only hoped that the miles of walking and hill climbing would offset at least a few of those calories. So far, the temperature had been between 9-14 c – cool and comfortable. But the sun was intense and we still managed to get sunburned, even with our sunhats (which we noticed no one else was wearing). It must be fierce in the summer. Our impressions of Porto - Diverse. Colorful. Vibrant. We really enjoyed our stay and were a bit surprised at how much so. We were so busy just poking around that we didn’t seek out any historic sites or visit any churches, although we passed a few. Neither of us had ever seen so many deserted crumbling buildings in one place. I was fascinated at the sheer number of abandoned buildings that had fallen into ruin and was curious as to the backstory. Evidently, I’m not alone and here are a few theories (perhaps Helena could chime in too): https://www.travelwithwinny.com/port...ned-buildings/ https://www.timetravelturtle.com/vis...rtugal-unesco/ https://www.auraree.com/portugal/rea...-homes-europe/ The city was busy, but not so much that we felt smothered (other than in a few narrow spots through those construction areas). Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful and language was a non-issue. Our phone GPS had proven pretty useless in Porto. We had trouble finding street names, especially at first. Mask compliance indoors and on transportation was excellent, which impressed both of us. Hand sanitizer was everywhere – on every table in the hotel, at the entrance to every elevator, at the entrance to every shop. The toilets in train stations and other public areas were a bit dire. No toilet seats, often no TP, no soap and towels. Guimarães too. The 516 Arouca Bridge (supposedly the world’s longest suspension bridge) had piqued my interest during my research, and remains on my wish list should we ever find ourselves in Porto again (and with a car). To be continued... |
Originally Posted by aulop
(Post 17377377)
Hi
Are you familiar with Maple 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁. That's what they look like but in green. It's the same leaf that's in the Canadian flag. Happy travels |
Wonderful photos, so interesting.
I’m more accustomed to your remote alpine hiking photos, so your urban city photography is quite the contrast! |
Adelaidean - it certainly is a contrast. More grit, no snow-covered Alps...but nonetheless I found the subject matter interesting and took a gazillion photos.
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Originally Posted by Melnq8
(Post 17377367)
And thanks for the info on the trees...so, they're pollarded Plátano/Platanus/Plane trees? Do they normally have leaves? Most likely they are the "London Plane Tree" which looks like this when leafed out https://images.theconversation.com/f...w=754&fit=clip |
That square in Guimarães must be quite the sight in the summer. Not that I'd want to visit in a Portugal summer:)
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Ah, Mel, your lovely posts freshen memories of our Porto visits. Agree it is an eating and drinking and walking intense experience, with so many friendly people. I'm glad we visited before it became so popular and crowded!
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Thank you Seamus!
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Melqn: "another off-the-beaten-path street, Helena?" - Well, yes. I gave you tips of where to stay, indicating the new renovated area, among the best 5 stars Hotels, 2 steps from Av. dos Aliados that even has a Burberrys and a Hard Rock, and then you decide to go to these not mentionable streets!
Quoting Melqn: "(perhaps Helena could chime in too):" I liked reading those articles whose links you left here. They all mention true things. But I can only give my example: I'd love to live in Porto, but not in the city center. Where would I park my car? And what about groceries, buildings don't have a lift! And the size of the sidewalks are ridiculous! Etc. So I would love to live in Porto, in the squirts, for instance where my parents moved (from the heart of the city) 50 something years ago. They moved from a brand new building (they were 1st tenants) but in a narrow street (Rua de São Miguel), surrounded by other narrow streets. They moved to Ramalde neighbourhood, to a big house, with a garden, a lateral garden, a backyard, and things like a supermarket (instead of markets or grocerie shops), large sidewalks, new schools for the children... and the tram, in those days the tram was not a touristic thing, it was a public transport, took 30 minutes to get into the city center. There are of course other reasons, but center of Porto got into ruins because people from Porto found better places where to live. And these were social choices, not economical ones. But you can think about other things: Porto industrial center moved to larger spaces; Porto airport is not in Porto, it is in Maia; Porto Port is not in Porto, it is in Matosinhos; Porto terminal cruise is not in Porto, it is also in Matosinhos; Porto wine production is not in Porto, it's in Gaia. Porto has the name, but is not earning the money. |
Well, yes. I gave you tips of where to stay, indicating the new renovated area, among the best 5 stars Hotels, 2 steps from Av. dos Aliados that even has a Burberrys and a Hard Rock, and then you decide to go to these not mentionable streets!
Helena - We did discuss hotels (and I booked one you recommended), but don't recall you and I discussing a new renovated area or Av. dos Aliados (perhaps progol or another Fodorite?), but it doesn't matter as I have no interest in Burberry's, Hard Rock or upscale shopping/dining. We didn't plan to visit any of these 'not mentionable' streets, it just happened. We set out to explore - with only a plan to walk to/from the river - and that's where we ended up. I thought these hilly alleys were interesting and rather enjoyed poking through them (and we weren't the only tourists doing so). And I'm now curious as to how we missed the main street to the bridge! Center of Porto got into ruins because people from Porto found better places where to live. And these were social choices, not economical ones. Porto has the name, but is not earning the money. That makes perfect sense. Thank you for your input! I fully appreciate that we as casual tourists barely scratched the surface of Porto and environs, and I now feel the need to go back to see what all we missed! |
Fantastic cityscapes and chocolate and wine to boot - awesome Mel. An awesome read and looking forward to more.
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Thank you tripplanner!
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Heading upstream
We had a short travel day ahead and didn’t need to check out until noon, so we spent the morning lazing about. We’d hoped to find a café at the São Bento station to cool our heels between noon and our 1:20 train, but no such luck. I left Bill with the luggage and went out to investigate, finding a small drinks/snacks place across the street. Here we awaited our train while sipping a massive glass of wine and eating Bugles (surprised they still make them), and marveling how even the plonk in Portugal is quite good (wine, €1.20 a glass!) The train (€11.20) to Pinhão took about 2:20, but arrived late; the ride bumpy and noisy. The carriages were busy until about an hour into the trip when most people got off in Regua. The seats were straight backed bench style and my back was none too pleased. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1ee37a048d.jpg We were both surprised at how developed Portugal is – so far we’d not seen much open space. We’d noticed this on the trip to Guimarães as well. The scenery improved as we approached Pinhão, me noticing a lot of orange trees - although the landscape was very brown; not unexpected in April. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0035707de5.jpg Pinhão train station https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3540bd3d5d.jpg Pinhão train station Our hotel, the Vintage House, was only two minutes from the train station as the crow flies, but it took much longer than that to get there, due to a safety fence. We had to walk the length of the fence, cross the train tracks and then walk through the hotel’s parking lot to the front entrance. The terrain was a bit challenging, with sand and broken cobblestones, and my suitcase wheels chose this moment to rebel. Needless to say, I was a bit flustered by the time we arrived at the hotel. The employee who checked us in told us that we needed to decide very soon where to book for dinner, as the few restaurants in town quickly filled up. We asked if any place might be still open for lunch - those Bugles were well and thoroughly digested – we were told no. So we booked in for dinner at the hotel, got settled and headed out to explore, quickly learning that 1) the guy was incorrect, and 2) Pinhão is not a very attractive town. It felt rundown and much more developed than we expected. There was no good place to walk, so we alternated between hugging the buildings and walking in the street, trying not to get mowed down. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0371b05fbf.jpg Pinhão We located a few small bakeries and snack shops, choosing a random bakery for a slice of not-very-good cake and quite good coffee to tide us over until dinner. We then worked our way back to the hotel, stopping at a small grocery store to pick up a few snacks. Not surprising, we noticed a lot of small shops selling wine and port. So far Pinhão did not impress. Back at the hotel, we cracked open that wonderful bottle of red wine that came with our room - and tasted all the better thanks to the nice thin wine glasses provided by the hotel. I’ve since Googled that wine, Quinta Do Cotto Douro 2017 Vinho Tinto, and discovered it goes for $9-14 a bottle in the US, €7.30 in Europe! Once again we were amazed at the quality of inexpensive wine in Portugal. We sat on our terrace and soaked up the views. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0c721255b.jpg Vintage House https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7b0cec0677.jpg Views from our patio https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...361621e351.jpg Vintage House We’d booked a double room with balcony and Douro river view ($750.33 for three nights). The room was comfortable, albeit a bit small; nice tile in the bathroom and a lovely patio. The grounds of the hotel were gorgeous and well-manicured, the pool enticing, but very cold. It probably feels wonderful in the summer. The hotel itself was a bit of a labyrinth, consisting of several buildings on different levels. It used to house a former 19th century winery, and the overall feel was old world aristocracy. Dinner that night in our hotel (Rabelo Restaurant) was disappointing. The service was excellent, the food, not-so-much. Bill had the salmon with tomato risotto and lime, which he said was extremely salty. I had the only non-meat, non-fish, non-seafood option, pasta with cream, lentils, walnuts, and pine nuts, which sounded good, but was really bland and sat in my stomach like a brick for hours afterwards. However, the olive oil we had with bread was excellent and tasted incredibly fresh (€54 with one glass of wine each). We were both perplexed with the offering of ‘codfish swim bladder stew’, but Fodorite Helena has since explained that one to me. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9fbdcbc7bb.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eff752eeab.jpg Salmon with tomato risotto and lime https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d57b523e71.jpg Pasta with cream, lentils, walnuts, and pine nuts To be continued... |
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