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Published: September 25th 2009
I've been in Porto for two days now and it's the most wonderful place. The buildings are old and somewhat run down, but it also makes the city ridiculously charming. The entire city is all hills - I am going to have the best calves after climbing up and down the streets the last couple of days! - with the lowest point being the Douro River. Similar to Edinburgh, the most recognizable buildings - the citadel and the castle - are visible from almost any point in the city, so it's relatively easy to orient yourself. The weather has been absolutely amazing - hot and sunny every day, and it only goes down to about 15 degrees at night.
My hostel is awesome. It's right across from the Teatro Rivoli and the staff are super friendly and accomodating. Every floor has a full kitchen so I've been making a lot of food in the hostel, and the grocery store is soooo cheap. Yesterday I bought enough to make a bunch of sandwiches and a huge bottle of water and a bottle of wine for 5 euros! You can buy a bottle of wine for as little as 75 cents, although
I'll admit that it wasn't the best wine I ever tasted lol.
I met a bunch of people here and we've all been hanging out together on the roof top patio at night - a girl from South Africa, one guy from Israel, one guy from Germany, and a group of French people from Belgium who are endlessly entertaining. They have this stuffed weasel with them that they swear is just another one of the group members, and they bring it around with them everywhere. It's hilarious! It's been pretty interesting hanging out with people speaking French all the time since I thought that I knew some, but it turns out I really don't unless they speak...like....this lol. I'm a disappointment to Canadians everywhere haha.
Yesterday I went down to the beach and chilled with Kirsten, the girl from South Africa. The water was freezing, though, which I wasn't expecting so we didn't go swimming. She's been down to the Algarve already, though, and she said it's a lot warmer there. I had some great seafood paella and sangria, and then we took this tram back into town that looks like it's as old as the city! Today
Me and some folks at Taylor's
This was taken in the wine making cellars at Taylor's winery in Vila Nova de Gaia, the winemaking area of Porto. We got free Port! Sweet!I did a boat cruise with the Frenchies on the Douro River, and then I toured a second winery and drank some port. Not really my thing, but I figured I at least had to try it since that's mostly what Porto is famous for (obviously). There was a bottle of vintage port from one winery that was 450 euros since it was made in 1900 - crazy! They also use the same barrells for hundreds of years, so the oldest one at that winery has been being used since like the 1850s or something like that. The barrells have to be cleaned out between usages, but there's only this tiny little door to fit through and then whoever's cleaning it can only be in there for like 15 minutes because they'll get so drunk from the fumes that they'll just pass out inside. True story!
I'm off to stay in the Douro valley tonight, so it's likely that I'll be drinking some more wine since that's wine country in Portugal! And then off to Lisboa on Sunday. Signing off! B xoxo
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Caaaaaaaait!
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AMAAAZINGERRRIFIC!
AHh! I'm now completely caught up and I'm so pumped! Your trip looks like it is going perfectly. You pictures are great, I feel like I'm there with you....really wish I was! How was the Van Gogh museum?? I can't wait for the next entry, it's a nice escape from the mundane here in TO. Nuit Blanche is this weekend and I'm going to see Van Morrison on Friday night. Guess that's the most culture I'll get for one weekend (HA!) Anyway, keep'em comin'. Missyou!