The Road Goes Ever On: Porto

Monday, June 5, 2017

Vila Nova de Gaia; and Port

Our goal was to cross the river to Gaia, walk a bit of the quay there, sample some of the better port, and then catch the bus back to the campground on the beach in Gaia. It worked out pretty much like that, except for some temporary uncertainty about where exactly to catch the bus. Not our best day with buses. But our two days in Porto ended well.

Now on the Gaia side

Looking back at Ribeira and Porto

On the river in Gaia; the gondolas are one of the scenic ways
to cross the river

We ended up at Sandeman's, a name I had been noticing since Lamego

I know very little about port; the Don enticed me

View from our table

I had the 10 year old tawny; and bought a sampler to take out

All kinds of stag and hen parties going on; and a great place for them

Above the port warehouse district

And a last look at two pretty fine days

Back on the beach in Gaia

The campground was just across the road

Crossing The Dom Luis I Bridge

It's a big, historic, scenic bridge you can walk, with some cheap thrills at the end...

Walking across, looking up

Looking upriver, two more bridges in view

Back to Ribeira and Porto

Pedestrians on the bridge

Gaia

Port warehouses

So this guy and a partner, and friends on the banks collecting
coins, will dive off the lower part of the bridge (when enough
coins have been collected)

And there he goes

Interesting way to make beer money; I'll have a YouTube
shortly, maybe

On the far shore, looking back to Porto

On The Douro Again

Our last walk in Porto, Saturday afternoon, was along the riverfront of Ribeira, enjoying the views of the city above and of the other city across the river, Vila Nova de Gaia. And, of course, the river itself.

Looking across the Douro to Gaia

Tour boats

Ribeira and quay

The Dom Luis I bridge; designed by one of Eiffel's associates
(he did the RR bridge upstream), it was, in 1885, the longest
iron span to date, 385m; the Metro rides on top; cars, trucks,
and buses on the bottom; pedestrians on both

Us, there

More Ribeira

Music and dancing on the quay

Replica Douro river boats...from the vineyards upstream to the
warehouses in Gaia, where the wines are blended and aged

Welcome to Porto

V. N. de Gaia, that way

Franciscan Church And Two Markets

We pressed on, working our way down toward the river. First was the Order of St. Francisco church, famous for its gold-leaf job and other items, then the stock market (more wealth), and then another (now defunct) mercado. Porto's sights are not very great. We did not tarry. Its little things add up to much more, however...shoppes that feature authentic and interesting crafts, everyday sights and sounds and smells, the urban environment, verticalized, buskers all around, the river, the wine trade...(also it was a beautiful weekend and everyone was out)...