Day 10: Porto

Day 10:  Porto

Sofia

Paolo's responsibility

POTD:  Yes: Sim

Weather: Cool and raining early on, then overcast the rest of the day, clearing at night enough that we see both the moon and stars, a first on the trip

THB gets a great night’s sleep, maybe the exhaustion from the drive had something to do with it. Breakfast buffet at the hotel, and Sofia and Paulo are here at 9am to start off our tour of Porto.

For the most part, we are within a few miles of the hotel all day. The exception was a visit to the contemporary art museum (to see the building, not the collection), which was more like 5 miles from the hotel.

Rather than use a ton of words, THB is just getting lazy and will show the highlights through pictures and a few choice, well chosen words, and leave it at that…

Our greeting from the hotel:

Port and "nata" (as there called in Porto)

The local specialty, called a "Berlin" in Porto, on the breakfast buffet below; THB resists

At the train station, which we can see the building from our room, there's gorgeous tile work, and nearby landmarks:

The building burned down, this is the artist "front"

The place to get a Berlin, closed on the weekends

J collected silver birds

A church near the train station:

The mid-morning spot, next to hotel and across from the train station:

THB's americano and a Berlin to share

A "nata" which is a small tart filled with custard

What the two women next to us had for pre-lunch meal

Shots from around town:

Playing (not singing, though that's part of) Fado

The lookout point

The third most famous book store in the world, per Sofia. It's undergoing renovations so to THB it has dropped down quite a ways in the rankings. They sell tickets to get in, a total waste to THB so he goes scouting nearby and strikes (cookie) gold:

Scaffolding covers the stained glass on the ceiling

More shots from around town:

Usually for Xmas, now all year round

In the category of "Everybody knows" fans are now able to vocalize what they think about the corruption trials starting up

Sofia showing us where Jews from the middle ages hid mezuzah's 

Palacio de Bolsa:

By Eiffel

On the ceiling, THB's fave

Shots from around town:

Lunch at Cafe Majestic, very mediocre (DA likes his salad), more of a spot for tourists...120E for five:

Casa de Musica by Rem Koolhaas: 

Can't tell if this is upside down

Shots from around town:

Poor guy, we think he was trapped in fence, partway in, partway out

Utility boxes!

Dinner at Cantinho do Avillez: THB ordered traditional Portuguese dishes (sausage and salt cod) and did not like his meal. Everyone else liked their meals a lot (giant shrimp, tempura string beans, steak, veggie tagine). Everyone liked their drinks and desserts (including THB). 100E per couple

Bread, crackers, olives, tomato bisque dipping sauce, truffle butter