Sausage and port in Porto

---

It was a 3 hour train ride to Porto from Lisbon. We checked in at the hotel and decided to head for town. We walked down the shopping street to the water in search of a late lunch. We found a collection of restaurants in sight of the river, went up to the nearest and got blanked by the waiter. We just keep walking to another one. Totally amazing simple meal. The kitchen was wiped out from lunch so all they could offer was a Portuguese fire sausage, bread, olives and beer. We went for it. The sausage came raw on skewer with a ceramic cooking grill. They fill the grill with alcohol cooking fluid, light it and then you cook it yourself. Amazing sausage.
We speak to our waiter about lunch tomorrow and he gives some recommendations, one of which was come earlier than 4 o’clock. Part of our amazement came from our bill. 2 beers, 2 wines, bread, olives and sausage: 11 Euros.

We hit the same restaurant the next day for the recommended lunch, our waiter remembers us. Another amazing meal. Codfish Cakes, Omelette, and a garlic sausage stuffed with real pork and chicken pieces. The garlic sausage may not be for everyone, it was soft and almost Haggis-like, rather than meaty and greasy. KIMMY AND I LOVE IT THOUGH. Next we hit the obligatory port houses and cellars. We got to a couple nice ones and had a good tour at Taylor’s.

3rd time lucky at the restaurant on Friday after an unproductive morning looking for my Groomsman attire near our hotel. More sausage and codfish cakes. We actually found it hard to leave the restaurant today, literally. When we asked for the bill, they thought we were being polite to let other people sit. “No, No, we like having you here, sit, sit”. Then we felt obligated to sit for a few more minutes before excusing ourselves.

I also found out this day I made it off the waitlist and into the French class. Woo hoo, 4 out of 5!

Finally in the afternoon there is a shopping breakthrough, I found some trousers for the wedding and also had the thought I might be able to rent shoes in Dubrovnik to save packing them.

Back to Lisbon for the next adventure.

---

Photos

Garlic Sausage
Have to show you this. You just eat the inside and it's not greasy at all. Super tasty!

Port Tasting No.1
Well, we thought it was a port tasting. Turns out you got a FULL glass, which was way too much to finish.

Port Tasting No.2
Much more reasonable and better port than the first place.

Port Tasting No.3
Shane's a happy man at Taylor's cellars.

On the Taylor's Cellar Tour
Their biggest exporters are the U.K and then Canada, go figure.

At the Taylor's Cellars still
They had the prettiest location, up the hill.

View of Porto
The cellars are on the left (South of Douro River) in Vila Nova de Gaia and the city of Porto is on the right (North)