Day 7: All we are saying, is give Porto a chance.

Ok so we didn't get off on the best foot, Porto and I. I must admit normally I tend not to travel with expectations, but for some reason I really wanted and thought Porto would be the place I would fall in love with..... would Day 7 bring that?

Well it started well, as we were amazed that we had quite a good sleep in, given that we were in the middle of town and near the railway station. With the windows open all night too, I certainly was surprised by that. So being late risers we searched out a coffee and then strolled to the part of town we finished the day before in. As we wished to go to the Photographic Museum. First things first though. It was time to fill the growing bellies.

We found a great little spot on the square of the Jardim da Cordoaria the day before, but then we had already eaten. The best part about it was that they had a menu of the day. So we decided to be the first customers of the day, it ended up being a popular choice. By the time we had finished the meal, we were one of 6 groups eating there. We would love to have thought they wanted to be like us, but it was no doubt the fact they saw the lovely food we were eating.
Marty nervously awaiting to see what happens with the order she has placed.
First up with our carafe of Vino Verde was a legume soup with vine leaves in it.

Next for Marty she had her sardines flash fried and red rice.
I went quasi English having a sausage, chips and fried egg.
The difference with Portugal is that they still pride themselves on what they do in many things food associated, and the sausages are tagged with the group that makes them. These are called Alheira which was originally a Jewish bread-based sausage to hide the fact they didn't eat pork. Still it didn't help them, as the Christians stole the recipe added pork to the bread and other ingredients the Jews used and then proceeded to boot out the Jews from the country, and people tell me Hitler was original!

So after lunch we went and sat in the beautiful garden nearby to observe some persons. As really this is one of the most entertaining things to do, no matter where you are. It is great to see what sort of people live in a location or at least what sort of people a location can attract. With a long lens and a little patience, you can find some fun pics too.

I think he had a bad day at work.The old and the new, funny that the new is the one checking out the old!
If this isn't a uni lecturer I will be very surprised.

Whilst strolling around the gardens, we found a really nice set of little statues. Of a man falling down from the steps while his friends were offering great support. There were about 6 different sculptures around this park all in different orders, with different people on it offering different settings. Of course Marta couldn't resist but to get involved with these little characters, much to the amusement of some of the local people passing by.

A tickle for one.
A laugh for another. Admittedly, the photo below is not from the park, but just up the road. But she was scarily cool and had a big camera so she must be ok.We were in the Gardens as we were trying to kill off some time until the photography museum was open, as they had a 2.5 hour siesta. We did the park then grabbed a quick coffee. The coffee was really good. I also had a cake thing-o, it looks like a sweet vanilla slice but it is actually all marshmallow. So not only was it sweeter than sweet, but it was rather difficult to eat and if people know me..... I am able to make a mess of anything and so there was icing sugar, marshmallow, pastry and happiness everywhere.
All of this wasn't from the Casa Oriental, but the cafe nextdoor. I just loved that the Casa Oriental advertised chocolate and didn't really appear to have much in this description, but it did have mounds of cod (not smelling quite as sweet as the coffee or chocolate would have).
After my coffee and Marty's ice cream, we still had some time to kill before the museum opened so we strolled the streets behind the museum. As we turned the corner, we felt something staring at us..... was it a stalker, a serial killer, or even a rapist? No, it wasn't one of these things but it was all of these things. In the pictures below, you will see the scary blighter.




We continued down the street at a brisk pace so we weren't attacked by the dangerous local. We were looking at all the random doors of the area. Many old and crusty desperately crying out for some help, some love, or at least just a lick of paint. That is when we spotted something pink out of the corner of our eye. It was a man! A man in a pink shirt?! Surely not?!? I saw him working away on some boats and I asked if I could take a photo, he said no, because he said it would be better if I could come into his workshop and see what he does. How sweet, or was he related to the street's other serial killer?
So we headed in and struck up a conversation in our spanglishese (Spanish, English and Portuguese) and now know that Manueal Dos Santos Vilela is a retired gent who loves to make models. He makes mostly boats such as the Cutty Sark (as seen above) and now working on a ship from Columbus' fleet I think it was the Santa Clara. He has also made steam boats, planes and musical instruments. He was amazing, so fun, warm and welcoming.
He showed us how he worked.

And saluted as we disembarked his little world. It was about now that we started to really like Porto. It was a place which now filled us with imagination. Behind these crusty paintless doors there are locals like Manuel who have great stories and big warm hearts. This is what we had hoped to find everywhere, and we hope to find everywhere we travel. It made us smile the rest of the day and even now when we mention his name we cannot hide our smiles.

After the smiles of Manuel, it was off to the museum where the guards would ensure that we would only be allowed to enter at the exact moment the sign said. We entered the building which from memory was originally the law courts. It felt quite austere and souless at times, others it was like you had sections of sun poking in just to warm you, or a serial killer that could lurk by.



While the museum was nice, the exhibits really didn't stimulate me in the way I had hoped and we the decided maybe alcohol would do this. So we ducked down to the Vila de Gaia on the other side of the river from the old town. This is where all the port wine houses are and has a completely different feel to it. It feels open and breezy and really warm and welcoming. The buildings are the same age as the other side of the river but are less graffittied, vandalised and cleaner in general. You can tell which side is more touristy than the other.... is that a good thing? I am unsure. We went to a number of different port wine locations to sample. I was on a mission to buy a bottle of 1976 port (yes, the year I was born) and so we asked about this at all the cellar doors. This is a great tip for someone wanting to taste great port. Tell them you are interested in an old vintage and for a specific reason. We were able to taste ports from 1974, 1978, 1982 and 1988 free of charge, where as all the stupid tourists were paying 3 or 5 euros to taste the most recent vintages. There are many options here to taste and some have great feelings to them when it comes to being surrounded by barrels of port, some that are from the 1800's. But to be honest, I preferred tasting in the Douro. I like the rural and regional feel of it.

This said, it was beautiful in the late afternoon sun, all long shadows and smiles.
Sometimes buildings just offer simplicity that I adore, I love the way things can just be there and work and not be complex at all.
But I am a sucker for great detail when you get the chance too. :) This building was a very good version of both.Here you can see the Dom Louis Bridge in the background, a quick lesson in history that it was designed by the same guy as the Eiffel tower.... see the similarities?
Do you see them now then?I also had this strange feeling that I was being followed by someone famous here..... I am on the right.... I took this picture but there wasn't actually anyone next to me.

And then I saw this....... it was like..... like a..... sign.......! So that was a great day in Porto and a complete shock to me, Marty and the Sandeman! Porto is a great place... what will tomorrow bring?

Day 4, the big one.....

So once again we arose to a great breakfast, I swim my way through coffee and devoured, I swear it was, half a pig, combined with, what must have been, a weeks worth of bread. After our visit to the tourist office in Lamego, we had heard that there was a possibility that maybe there could be discovered, if it was plausible, a location that made cider. Which, as some of you may know, is something we would dearly love to learn to make here in Poland and maybe start a small cottage industry.... if only we had a cottage! (yes, the jokes get no better!) The location was the small town of Alijo, the other side of the river and a windy drive away. We set off post haste, ignoring many Quintas with the thought of Cider in our minds. We drove through some gorgeous and remote country side, down tiny little roads where we wouldn't see another car for extended periods of time. The Lonely Planet was right, as soon as you turn off the main roads, cars are rarely seen. Which was great, with the exception that Marta was slowly turning green from the constant hairpin turns and precision driving of Garth Schumaker.

We made it into the town of Alijo and it was indeed a pretty little place with a lovely shaded parque on the edge of the 'old' town. We parked here (or is that parqued?) and strolled the street, as we were hungry (yes, again). We found a nice little cafe and I bought the cheapest coffee I had found in all of Portugal, at 40cents, not only cheap but it was actually the best. I really enjoyed it, hence my demands of a second being met with a slight frown from Marta for fear of me bouncing off the car interior with caffeine. She allowed me another as long as I bought us icecreams too. Sold! We asked around about the address we had been given by the Lamego tourism office, but no one had heard of it! So the drive was fruitless but not bean a total waste (apple is a fruit so fruitless and coffee is in bean form... ok, Garth, if you need to explain your jokes they aren't funny!)
So, we jumped on a larger and much straighter main road to cruise into Vila Real. Famous for its football team and another age old tradition of Mateus wines. You know, the one which so many restaurants and people of the 70's-80's put candles in. The green bottle was flask shaped and had the palace on the label.

Here in Vila Real, we popped into the tourist office again to ask about simplest directions to see the Mateus Palace, and then we looked for somewhere to eat. We found a place that was a hubbub with activity.

All locals (it appeared) packed into a simple looking eatery. We ducked in to see what this commotion was about. We were seated promptly, even though the two levels of the place were heaving with hungry punters. We had a delightful couple next to us, a little tipsy, but delightful none the less. They gave us some recommendations from the vast menu.

House Special Cod. Also the entree servings of black pudding and grilled sausage can be seen on the left along with the vinho verde, yum yum.

Daily Special Baby goat (cabrito) Deeeeeeelicious!
and we tried in a bravest Portuguese to say "thank you", and ask them more questions. Many were lost in the noise or the happy alcohol haze that was in their minds at the time. Then I commenced my attack on the innocent baby goat.

It was indeed delicious, washed down with some delightful vinho verde. I was in heaven. This was probably one of the greatest meals I had during my time in Portugal, it goes along with one of my adages which is "if you can't get messy while eating, there is no point eating", or something to that caveman effect. Food is some of my greatest memories in life.... yes, Asta, even Hakarl in Iceland...... well maybe Hakarl..... For non-Icelanders or people who know not of Hakarl, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakarl . I do vow to try it again though... surely, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Anyway I digress..... often!

After the meal it was off to tackle the next challenge of my day, more will be revealed later. The stop was to be the Mateus Palace on the edge of Vila Real. It is really a pretty place and we spent some time strolling about the beautiful gardens admiring the scenes that had been well sculptured over time (the last 2 centuries to be exact).


The coat of arms of the Palace.

The view that greets you as you walk down the drive and around the corner to the Palace.

The manicured hedges are really nice, I couldn't imagine the patience required for topiary.

Vine covered walkway

Grapes of said vine

Ok, I think it is time to go on a diet when you get stuck in the hedge tunnels!

So after strolling we decided to taste some wines, so the first distinction to be made is something that is also hugely emphasised by the people of the 'new' Mateus wines is that the wine you can still buy in this odd flask shaped bottle is not the Mateus now. That is what they refer to as "coca-cola". The estate now has a new label with new and better wines. That, I can personally indeed attest to. We were lucky enough to have a delightful young lady behind the wine counter, who after talking to us, realised that we were fabulous people and connoisseurs of fine wines. So instead of giving us just the normal three wines, she took us on a journey through their entire collection from the 4Euros through to the 50Euros. I love it when people restore your faith in humanity!

Wine Eye.


Wine Try.


Wine Cry


And Wine buy!

Due to her assistance, generosity and devotion to information and customer service, we bought a three pack of wines! It had nothing to do with the wooden box (I am a sucker for them!) and the fact they all tasted great, nothing at all......

Marty was a little tipsy now, so we hit the road and drove on towards our accommodation, so that maybe, we could sun by the pool. On the way home we saw the name of a Quinta which caught our eye. Dona Matilde.

This was because a long story which is when Marta and I first spent some time together I sung her "waltzing Matilda", the Australian anthem of stealing and escapism. She loved it, we have also said that when we have a daughter, we will call her Matilda as it is really a lovely name, and hopefully she can steal us sheep too! Anyway, we eyed the advert across the river, so we ducked off over the weir/lock bridge and headed up a very rickety and rough road to the Quinta. On arrival we found a really beautiful place, full of Hydrangeas and other beautiful flowers, but no people and no cellar door to taste wine! So instead I decided to propose that Marta marry me. She said "No" cried a lot,

and then explained, that she meant "I can't say, no. Things this good aren't meant to happen".

So yes it was a nice cover up by her.

I gave her my late mothers engagement ring, and it seems to make her pleased.

Thanks little winery of no wine!

Later in our travels we discovered that this winery was part of a large corporation, and it now has been bought back by the original owners. So it soon will be making their own branded wines again! We will endeavour to locate these to celebrate with. Maybe that will mean we need to return to Portugal... what a shame that would be!

After this and some rapid phone calls home to Poland to explain that we aren't pregnant, Australia was later in the day due to time difference, we headed off to taste some more wines. This time we headed to Quinta Royal Porto.



Which is based right on the Douro on the fringes of Pinhao. We tried almost all the ports that we could muster.


Muscat, White, Tawny, Reserva, Ruby

We bought a Muscat which made me feel all creative.


We returned home, with smiles abound, and ducked out for a quick dip in the delightful pool. It over looks vineyards, on both sides of the Douro, and is certainly one of the most impressive locations, view wise, that I have swum in.


That evening we had some delicious House Port to start things, this was before we had another hearty home cooked, by our hosts, meal. They celebrated our engagement with the other guests at the house with champagne and lots of red wine.

Overall, I don't think the day could be better.