On this day, my cousin/travel partner returned to the USA from Lisbon, while I continued my journey north, up to Oporto (Porto). Months before, when I was consulting my Chapel Hill (NC) cousin and others about what destinations I should consider in Portugal, over and over I kept hearing, "Be sure to check out Porto." It's apparently one of the most desired cities (one that's hot with tourists "in the know") to visit in all of Southern Europe, and many say more preferable than Lisbon. So, as I was piecing together my itinerary, I ended up adding Oporto and sacrificing a day trip to Sintra. I had purchased my airline ticket beforehand, which had me flying out of Lisbon to the USA. Probably would have been easier and smarter to just to fly out of Porto. But when you're traveling, sometimes you tweak your plans a bit, then suddenly the most sensible way of getting in and out of a place might not be what you ultimately do. Luckily for me - and I had researched this possibility ahead of time - there was a high speed train connecting Lisbon and Porto. It was only going to be 2 h 50 min each way. If I had more days, I might have driven up there and back. But I didn't. So train it was. I bought my ticket while in Lisbon, and it was easy. You have the option of buying weeks or months in advance online, or even online while in Portugal. In my case, I simply walked up to a ticket window at the train terminal (Santa Apolonia) nearest where I was staying (Alfama district), and bought my ticket two days before departure. Perhaps you could do it the same day, but that's risking it a bit.
I arrived in Oporto on time, and was met by a train terminal that was a work of art. I noticed guides leading tours of it.
For the three weeks in Europe, I had these two bags. The red one was an Osprey backpack I use for day hiking in and around Asheville, North Carolina. On this overseas trip, I used it on hikes and as a great carry-on on some flights and on most buses. The other bag - the larger, dark green one - was a new purchase I made at Black Dome Moutain Sports in Asheville, an outdoor sports store I highly recommend. The service is so good there and the place is so conveniently located, I would pay a little more for their products. Their prices, though, are also as good as any. The pack I got from them was a fusion suitcase and backpack - the Mission Rover Pack by Mystery Ranch. And although it looks pretty big, it's compact enough to serve as a carry-on on international flights. I actually was able to use it as a carry-on (or personal item) on all my flights, which meant I never needed to even check a bag. The pack is just really super, and it's so well made and the design so thought through. I am certainly a believer in using what you have. But I also think having the right gear is wise.
I can't say enough about the Airbnb I had in Porto, and the mother and daughter who managed it. It was just perfect. And they were incredibly nice and professional. The blue swallows that decorated one wall definitely caught my eye. I ended up getting the name of the artist who made them, and later went to the shop (#3 on the map) to buy my own. In the photo just above, the street performer is setting up. To the right of her is a store named Tiffosi. Directly above it is my apartment balcony. I was in the center of the action on Rue Flores. And yet it was so quiet at night while I slept. Porto is a lively city, but it's also very relaxing and peaceful. Immediately when I arrived I felt in tune with the place. It was really the perfect city for ending my trip.
On my first day walking around the town, when I looked out and saw the old tower in the distance, I didn't think that on my final day in Oporto I would walk right up to it. But I did.
Again, that's my apartment balcony just above and over to the right of this artist. The door where I ended the building was right behind her!
The restaurant I tried for dinner was Catina 32, which was down from my apartment and recommended by my Airbnb host. Funny thing is, in my room, browsing online, I read a terrible TripAdvisor review by a solo diner who complained heavily, not only about the food, but the fact they were seated at the worst possible table, with their back to the silent movie shown on the far wall. This review made me really apprehensive about the place. But as I walked around the town, I was so indecisive, and so tired. I looked at menu after menu, and continued walking until I got close to my apartment, for the second or third time. And there was Cantina 32! From out on the street I could see the movie beaming off the wall. So I took a chance. I just wanted to see how it would play out. The hostess said me at the solo diner table (had to be same one!), with my back to the screen - honestly, the only way you could sit at the table. I laughed to myself. The hostess, though, was young, lovely and smiling a lot. She ended up taking my order, in fact. I simply just asked her what she thought was best. She recommended grilled squid as a starter, a salad and the steak and potatoes. She also told me a wine that would pair well with the dinner. I was too tired to question, too hungry to worry and was very curious to know if I would think the same as the reviewer, who was disgusted with the place. As it turns out, everything the hosted recommended was a hit. The steak, which I was not expecting to be anywhere on par with ones in the USA, turned out to be one of the best I've ever had in my life. And I have had lots! The moral of the story might be that one diner's opinion, on a particular night, might be precisely correct. And you might that review and strike the restaurant off your list, which is fine. Or, like me, you might try that same place and have the meal of a lifetime. This sums up the highs and lows of travels. We want consistency and dependability, but it's not guaranteed. You might experience some hardship that you never anticipated, or something unexpected could amaze you, or even humble you. That steak humbled me! And along with the burgers at Curb, I am now faced with the daunting task of sharing with skeptics back home that, in my 47 years, Oporto might just have given me my top steak experience, and my top burger experience. Now who is going to believe that?!?! This is why I love to travel.
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