Yesterday I said the final goodbye to Dora and Pablo at the bus station café. We had our usual café con leche goodbye celebration. Tears. Dora and I split a couple of donuts one last time. It was the perfect ending to a magical Camino.
I hopped the bus from Santiago to Porto and quickly walked to my hostel…because I knew where it was by memory. I stayed in this same hostel last year with Luca on our way to Italy. It’s owned by an Italian. It’s super clean and has everything you need. I haven’t forgotten my pilgrim ways so I carted the cheese and chorizo from Spain and ate part of it for my lunch in the kitchen of the hostel.
I walked around the city for most of the day. I really enjoy this place. It’s not too big but it has a ton of flavor and culture. I love all the colors, architecture and the people are friendly. The Port wine is absolutely delicious as well. The views of the water are great. There is always someone playing live music on the street. I can’t say enough good things about this place. Porto is known for many things including; beautiful blue tiles on the buildings, sardines, street art, cork (I learned a great deal about how they harvest it from local trees from one of the shopkeepers) and obviously the Port wine. At the end of the day, I sat at a café by the water, ate dinner and enjoyed a glass (or two 🤫) of Port wine near the famous Ponte Luis I bridge.
They have several old time phone booths…in red! ❤️ I’ve only see one that has a working phone though.
This morning I got up and went to the famed and historic Majestic Café for breakfast. Coffee and scones with jam and cream. ❤️ I would give it a 9/10 on taste and 10/10 on experience…sorry, the chocolate croissants still hold the key to my heart. The building was just as gorgeous as the food tasted. The weathered mirrors, the detailed architecture and the leather benches and chairs that have held so many derrières over the years, felt like being in another century. It was fantastic. A must try if you are in the neighborhood.
I always check out the restrooms in these fancy places just to see if there is anything exciting to see. You know, fun monogrammed paper towels, interesting decor, etc. Nothing fun to see in this one, but in Sophia Loren’s restaurant in Florence there is a fun gold toilet brush cleaner. I’m a curious creature…
After breakfast I had to change hostels. Travelers are back in full swing and these places are booked out. The place I’m staying tonight is really nice as well. It’s called Wine Hostel and they literally serve you a glass of wine when you arrive no matter the time of day. Hello, 11am. A nice young American woman from Atlanta is in the bunk above me. We only met briefly but so far she seems nice.
This afternoon I took a boat ride! A Canadian couple I met at a restaurant recommended it. Lots of bridges and pretty views of the city.
This evening I rode one of the old timey tram cars out to Foz to meet a friend of a friend for drinks at the beach. Guess what her name was? Melanie – of course. She is a lovely American who has moved to Portugal for her retirement. We had a nice conversation about life, work, travel, etc. Plus, the views of the ocean were spectacular. It was nice to see the coast again. I’ve missed the waves.
Last year, Luca and I were in Porto for less than 24 hours and the top item on my list to visit was a bookstore. Yes, I am a nerd. But this bookstore is not only know for its books but for its amazing architecture. I’ve included a photo from last year of the red staircase. I highly recommend that you Google Livaria Lello. And high-fives to Luca for tolerating my nerdiness and going with me. It is a tourist attraction so it cost 15€ to get in but you can put that cash towards a book. He bought The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Maybe he was trying to send me a message.
My brain is a little overloaded. I finally got the hang of speaking broken Spanish and now it’s Portuguese. Thankfully, Hola/Olá is universal. Other than that I’m pretty much screwed.
Great news! I can see and feel the leg getting better. Not hiking and carrying my heavy backpack everyday has made a huge difference. I’m going to continue to take it easy and be a tourist. I’m feeling very grateful and thankful.
Porto has some “big dig” happening. It looks similar to the one they did in Boston. It’s a little bit of a headache to navigate but more so for the cars than the walkers.
I found the Portuguese Camino! 💖 And I’ve seen a ton of sardines.
I am officially out of my smelly hiking gear and wearing normal clothes again. I not only look better but I smell better too (I think).
Goodnight and much love from Portugal. 🇵🇹
