Porto, Porto District, Portugal
Daniel and Sara, our amigos from Sweden, flew down to spend some time with us in Porto. Along with Renate Schoenbach from Bayern, there are five of us now. Renting an apartment for a group of this size can have its advantages. Elenka found a palatial apartment/mansion so large that after three days some of us are still disoriented and occasionally get lost when going from one room to another. Living in splendor, however, can have a downside. There’s a party-club just 70 metres from our abode which doesn’t open its doors until sometime after midnight. It stays boom-boom base loud until after six in the morning, so ear plugs are a must. And it’s a ski run-type walk to the river, which means going home feels like a mountain climb - especially in 35+ temperatures.
After spending just a short time struggling through the tourists by the banks of the beautiful Douro River I began feeling sorry for the Tripeiros (what the residents of Porto are called). Tourists are very much like flies. They congregate. After lunch we broke free, taking a saunter through the narrow, winding streets just off the Douro. Lost in thought I imagined myself in the shoes of the poor Tripeiros. The ancestors of those living in the homes we now walked past might well have been here for half a millennium. And now they’ve got the stray congregators walking by their homes, looking in their windows, photographing their underwear as it drys on clothes lines outside their windows; all the while giggling at what a silly lives the Tripeiros live. Back at the Centre of the Universe, in Toronto, Elenka and I live adjacent to a small parkette and are often annoyed by lazy dog owners who bring their canines there to crap on the flowers. What sheltered lives we live compared to the Tripeiros.
Today, we five will go back down to the river. We’ll visit the port cellars along the Douro, sample the product, make a purchase. After lunch we’ll take a wonderful river cruise. Just like all of the rest of the tourists in Porto.
Cate
2018-09-25
I wouldn’t mind being one of those flies.....I’m sure the locals are well seasoned and hardly bother anymore and maybe some of the older ones would like a little chat... Koodos to Ellen......she sure knows how to pick great sleeping quarters, too bad about the music etc. Another beautiful place to roam around and take in the culture.......Europe is so beautiful.....enjoy. I’m at the bingo so I’ll let you go for now ......enjoy enjoy!
David
2018-09-25
Looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing. Safe home.
peter
2018-09-25
Great Photos Elenka as always, you have an eye. Is it you or Jack that like to take the underwear photos cos I my have to rethink our relationship. Some advice.... get google maps for the apartment and join the boom bass party (well at least till 1/2 past 12) x
Margo
2018-09-25
Great to catch up with your travel blog Jack! It's fantastic to see the pics of Porto. It made me reminisce of my trip their with Krista. As you know, we loved Porto. Did you catch any Fado music?
Lina
2018-09-26
Gosh! How I wish I was there with you. Everything looks fabulous. Keep it up I love reading about your adventures.