Porto Portugal

The hired tour is now over and we’re back on our own.  We had a good time with them and learned much more history than we otherwise would have.  We met a lot of good people and some others. Didn’t really build any new friendships that will endure. 


We have an 8:00 AM train to Porto, Portugal.  This is the port wine region in the north of the country.  Our last stop in Portugal.  Let’s see if our luck with trains here, is any better than Spain. 


Cab to the train, no problem. Inquiring at the ticket booth, $4 more, each… still not sure why.  On to the train into a car marked #2 (matching our tickets), wrong car. Turns out ours is at the OTHER end of the train. Nicer seats anyway.  






Right now the view is so foggy, we can’t see a thing.  An hour and 15 minutes or so into the trip, the fog lifts and we can see the countryside.  It’s a combination of forests, farmland and small villages.  Quite picturesque.  We’re scooting along at up to over 220km/h.  







At the first hint of our approach to the Porto station, we grab our bags and are poised at the exit door, long before the first announcement is over.  I think we got this!


Porto does not disappoint.  This is a beautiful old city just oozing with character.  We catch a cab to our apartment for the night and meet the owner.  Bedrooms claimed, we head off to find the hotel that our local tour guide will meet us at.  A wrong turn here and there, and we finally arrive at the Crystal Hotel.  


We had time for a light snack before the guide arrived.  In total for this tour there were 8 people, between 2 hotels.  We were driven around and given descriptions and explanations in English, Spanish and French.  We stopped at only 1 out of the 130 churches in Porto.  









Our final stop was a high end Port wine winery where we toured and tasted some much better ports than we had the other day in Sintra. 



Back at the Crystal, we were now on our own.  It was nearing dinner time but cocktails were the first order. 


The apartment owner recommended a local restaurant for a taste of authentic Portuguese food. That restaurant was between the hotel we were at and our apartment, so off we go.  


The sign on the door said they open at 7:00 for their dinner hour.  It was 6:38.  Just a few doors farther down the street, Eric spotted the now familiar beer tap towers in a small bakery looking shop.  We finally conveyed that we wanted two beers and two red wines.  Total bill: €2.50!  We like this place already. 



The bartender was a Tim Conway body double when he played the old man who walked very slowly.  That was this guy’s top speed, unquestionably.  His wife, was the all-caring little old lady that would make sure you were well and never went away hungry.  The place had a number of afterwork laborers in the back, having a beverage and exchanging lively banter.  We took a table nearby and began our version of the same.  Very enjoyable and certainly affordable. 


It seems the intended restaurant wasn’t going to open.  We left our little bar, checked the restaurant and found it still closed way after 7:00.  We decided to return to the little bar as it seems they serve food we well.  


WOW!  Talk about old world home cooking.  The workers were now having dinner and more people showing up every minute.  Plate after plate of delicious looking home cooked meals were slowly passing by, being served to the locals.  We saw a delicious looking stew go by and indicated that we would like 4 of those.  Great choice.  It was much like a Hungarian goulash. Tender and satisfying. The bread that accompanied it was hand made and just recently out of the oven.  There were many other unfamiliar entres being served. One of the most unique was a sandwich, served in a bowl. Every imaginable meat was placed on the bottom toasted bread. Fried beef, cured ham, salchicha, hotdog and finally a slice of bologna and American cheese. Finally the top toast, then 4 slices of white cheese draped between the top it the bread and the bowl. That was topped of with a perfectly cooked egg. Not done yet… the whole towering stack was drenched with a tomato-ish sauce. 







Perfectly satisfied, back to the apartment.  Tomorrow, Toulouse, France. 



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