063 Portugal: Porto

Portugal: Porto
We have 81 photos in Porto, here is a selection:

We have a remarkable room, on a corner, with four windows, each with a panoramic view.
With the window open we can hear the city noises (not too loud, really quite nice). Below us is the railway station and we can just hear the jingle before the train announcement. Seagulls are flying level with us. A light cool breeze comes in the window. It is lovely.

This is one of the many 'real' craft markets. By real I mean that the artists/ creators have made the goods they are selling.
One thing that surprises us is how much they use cork in both their crafts and in goods such as handbags, glasses cases and wallets. The guitarist sings in English and most of the people also speak English. We think there is a lot of property investment by the English here.

A photo exhibition with a difference. This is open to all the elements. The photos are on a waterproofed canvas.

First we spot the unusual phone boxes 

and then this unusual post-box.

From a distance the old city looks wonderful. 

On the opposite side of the river are all the Port wine houses. They are on this side because the state owned the land and the taxes were cheaper. The Catholic Church owned (still does?) the land under the old city and charged more tax.

The Moor influence is everywhere (blue tiles here).  This is the railway station.

We hop on the Tourist bus which takes us out of the old city and allows us to get a feel for the whole of Porto.
We 'hop off' at one of the beaches and as it is so long decide a pedalo is better than walking, plus it gives shade. Note the fisherman's net in the sky behind us.

Look at the top window. The guy is cleaning the window - OH&S eat your heart out. 

 

Look at the bridge in these three photos.
There is a 'fog' that rolls up the river. It comes and goes. When we first arrived there was a haze over Porto, which we thought might be pollution but is the reaction between the sea and the land, which is extremely hilly.

 

We had a lovely stay in Porto but with mixed emotions. There is a great deal of poverty. Many areas of the old city are in a state of extreme decay. There are a great number of beggars. It was daunting at first. The difference between the haves and have-nots is wide. Lots to do. Lots to see. Need good knees to navigate the hills. I think I saw Sting and his wife.