I got into Porto Late

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I got into Porto late. With a Reservation? Nope
I get into Porto late, hungry and no idea where to stay or where to go. I take the metro from the airport to what I think is the right way. 45 mins later I get off on a random stop in what I can best guess is the city center. 2 other backpackers get off and ask me if I have a place to stay. One of them does, the other does not. So we wander around for over 10 minutes trying to find a place that was only 4 blocks away. Turns out it was full but they let me use there wifi to find a place for myself. There was a place open with a vacancy another 4 blocks away and this trip took over 30 minutes to find. The other guy gave up and just took a pension for the night. (yup pension is the right word) I am starving so I put my search for the hostel on hold and grab a bite to eat before finding my place.
Porto is famous for 3 things; Their soccer team, port wine and a sandwich called the Francesinha. This sandwich would make anything at KFC or Denny’s look healthy, but it was great and I had 3 while in Porto. It was made with cheese and 5 different types of meat (sausage, roast beef, ham, and 2 others), in-between 2 pieces of toast. Not that being enough, it is then topped off with an egg and a sauce that only comes close to a watered down enchilada sauce. Add some fries on the side and you got yourself a nap.
After eating my first Francesinha I find my place and crash.
In many parts of the city the buildings are a little run down. Not in a red-tag or condemned way but you could have a buildings bricked off and closed next to 5 other modern ones. There was no rhyme, reason or pattern but I imagine parts looked like a cross between modern Detroit and a Jewish ghetto in the 1930’s. I always felt safe but there were parts that were just run down.
In the morning I wake up with the goal of getting lost in the streets and hopefully coming out somewhere close to the river. Success. I get to the river make my way across it and start port wine tasting. When every tasting house was closed between 12:30 and 2 I make my way to a café and eat another Francesinha.
I ended up the day going to about 4 different wineries with a guided tour of Taylor’s wine cellar as well. It is the end of the weekend and I did not feel like going out, so I stayed in with plans to take a train ride up the river to the wine country and see vineyards terraced on the side of the mountains, and then head off to Lisbon from there.
This time I actually stick to my plan. The train ride was about 2 hours, with the 1st hour being really boring. Then the train glides right on the river for the 2nd half and I was able to see some great views. I find out there was an option to take a boat ride up to the wine country and then train back, or vice versa… But I did the train both ways. I wander around the city (forget the name) for about 2 hours before heading back on my journey for Lisbon.
Off to Lisbon to find out that it is a party city 7 nights a week.

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