Passing the Port

My last blog referred to Porto as a "lovely" city on first impression. Having now spent more time walking round it, I think lovely, which implies to me prettiness and something a bit bland, isn't quite the right word to describe the city it is. Porto is much more characterful and gritty, full of interesting and striking buildings and it is a real working city. The Mayor of Porto in a publication left in our hotel bedroom describes it as, "not a city of great boulevards. It is a city of great corners, of endless surprises and of unravelling secrets." That captures it so well, and explains why it is a pleasure to walk round the narrow streets and up the cobbled hills to the next corner to find what comes next. We have seen so many working people here from construction workers to artisans in the shops, cobblers and bakers, people who have real skills and contribute in visible ways to the local economy.

In Porto, looking ahead isn't enough; you need to look behind you to discover some street art you missed and, even more important, look up. Porto is a city of spires and roof gardens, a city of aspiration.

We crossed the river Douro for the first time, walking across the mighty Ponte de Dom Louis I, designed by Eiffel, with trains passing by to the Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank.

A short cable car ride above the terracotta roofs of port wine warehouses took us down into the heart of the port houses and 5 minutes and a steep climb later we were at the gates of the Taylor's Port house for a 30 minute tour round the cellars and an entertaining explanation of how the port is made and develops its distinctive characteristics followed by a tasting of a white, ruby and tawny port - a very pleasant way to pass the time.

Another menu translation to add to the collection on our way back to the bridge - Calf's Stake and Veal's Chop; I reckon I could find a new career translating menus for restaurants across Europe!

I haven't mentioned yet how cheap it is here - and it really is! This was also commented on by an English couple we met at Taylor's. We had a wonderful dinner in a small, friendly restaurant called Sabores & Acores, 3 courses, a litre of house wine, coffee for 24 Euros for us both. Coffee and a cake in the afternoon came to less than 5 Euros for both. So anyone wanting a trip to Europe where the money stretches a long way could do a lot worse than come to Portugal, and Porto in particular.

Rain forecast for Wednesday so might be an indoors day! An opportunity to see some of the galleries, having seen a lot of street art already.