Porto, PortugalMay 7, 2008
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O Muro pub
port tasting
Oporto river and ancient port boats
| Onto Portugal: Portugal, I really didnt know much about this country at all. I really thought I liked Portugese food and since its on the coast we wanted to see what it was like. The one thing about Portugal is that there is a lack of fast trains that connect it similar to other European countries, and since the tracks are often in steep, hilly, rough areas that it is often faster to take a bus to your destination rather than trainin' it. Based on that we jumped a shuttle to Porto, Portugal and spent an uncomfortable 4 hours on a bus. Most of the buses that I have been on in Europe resemble flying charter, so your legs are literally touching the seat in front of you the whole time, there is usually no working washroom so you have to run out at a station if you need to go, and most smell like someone puked, (which is probably true as well.) Arriving in Porto was a bit of a shocker, I think I was expecting an Okanogan type of place with fruit growing everywhere and a laid back-retired people type of vibe. This was not the case, Portugal is in a bit of struggle right now socially so the town is grittier than any other town we have been in so far. There is loads of graffiti, trash, loads of burnt buildings or boarded up buildings and way too many stray dogs and rough looking cats. Its a world heritage site so all of shops are built in old stone buildings, many looking very tattered. The people yell at each other when talking, clumps of men spill out of coffee shops and scam artists try any sob story on you when they see the back pack, plus of course everyone is speaking Portugese which neither of us speak so we have no idea what people are saying. So as first impressions go, we were a bit on our guard when arriving. We checked into our very cheap, yet 3 star dusty Pension. I think that this is something between a hotel and a hostal, it was a small room but had a bathroom and a tv. We walked to the water through windy cobblestoned streets, with wash hanging above our heads and battered windows passed with the odd funky business poking its head through. We ate on the water and overlooked the Port houses on the other side of the river, Portugal is very cheap live in though and the beer was a lot better than Spain. We bought a bottle of Taylor Flagate 10 year old Tawny, (my fav) for 9 Euros and a torte de noz, (nut tart) before heading back to the room. The next two days we rocked the port houses. Most places you pay 2-5 Euros, ( or some are free) and you get 3-6 glasses of port. It wasnt like Bordeaux where you get a wee sample, you get a glass of port. The first day we went to Calem, which is the largest port company in Portugal, and then hit up the famous Sandeman which is the most branded port, then we trekked up the hill to Taylor Flagate to have lunch, (which was amazing and wearing a tshirt felt so touristy, 3 course meal for 2 with port and water for 45 Euros). Afterwards we did the tasting at Taylor and then looked at the fancy french chickens and peacock in the garden. We drank a lot of port that day, do not drink a lot of port in one day the hangover is horrible. More Portugal fun via my facebook account http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=19593&l=d5b05&id=507029507 |
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