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| Rio Douro, Porto |
We have noticed since we've been travelling that you find two types of people on a campsite. The caravan with a large satelite dish and luxury sun lounger holiday maker type who isnt interested in speaking to anybody around them and will outright ignore you if you attempt to speak to them and then the laid back, lend you their atlas, buy you bread and chat all day types who sit on folding stools and play cards for entertainment. The campsite was full of holiday maker types unwilling to make friends so we didn't waste any time hanging around trying to chat. Aaron was due in a couple of hours so as soon as we had pitched up we set off in search of a supermarket.
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| Shopping for BBQ supplies |
We walked for what seemed like for ever in the blistering lunch time heat. We eventually came across a shop and set about stocking up on BBQ food. This was a special occasion, not only did we have a visitor from home, this was Jac's first BBQ of 2014, something he had been waiting in anticipation for since he packed the BBQ away last September. People had told us about the food in Portugal and how cheap it was but we were still amazed when we got to the butchers. We bought a full rack of ribs, six large fresh meat skewers, three chicken with onion and pepper and three pork with pork belly fat and pepper, six spicy sausages and four burgers for 15€. We also got 24 bottles of beer and box of king prawns for 9.99€, some delicious fresh bread rolls from the bakery and a bit of salad for good measure. We were that excited we practically ran back to the campsite to get the BBQ lit.
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| Jac, doing what he does best |
Aaron arrived around 5pm, we caught up over some delicious food and made our way through the 24 bottles of beer before heading down to the beach to watch the sunset, a view that rivals Cafe Mambo.
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| Jac & Aaron |
After watching the sun drop to the ocean we headed to a bar to watch the first game of the World Cup, Brazil v Croatia. After the football we headed back to the camper where we played blackjack and polished off two bottles of Vinho verde. By the time Aaron had won all of our small change we decided to call it a night and head to bed.
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| The sunset at Madelena |
The following morning we all wake like bears with sore heads. Jac makes cheese and bacon omelettes for everyone and we all start to feel more human. We head down to the bus stop and pay 1.85€ for a ticket to Trindade (Porto).
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| All smiles before the bus journey from hell |
No sooner than we start to feel human again we are thrown back into a world of head pains and sickness as we experience one of the most terrifying bus journeys known to man. Flying across traditional Portuguese cobbled streets, heavy breaking and emergency stops narrowly missing pedestrians, buildings and other buses on single track roads. By the end of the journey, forty minutes later Oscar is cowering under a seat, Jac is straightening out his clothes after numerous old ladies have fallen on his lap during the journey and Aaron is fighting his way off the bus for a cigarette to de-stress. We found our way to Aaron's hotel, Eurostars Des Arts, a beautiful 4* hotel right in the centre of Porto. Aaron checked in a dropped of his luggage, we spent the rest of the afternoon sightseeing. We visited St. Nicolau church, famous for its spectacular wood carved interior and Palacio De Bolsa which has a gold interior. We walked along the Rio Douro and across the Ponte Louis I. The bridge, at the time of construction, with its span of 172m was the longest of its type in the world.
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| The Ponte Louis I |
We found a restaurant along the river and sat down to dinner. We shared sardine pate with bread, butter and cheese, cod cakes and olives and a couple of jugs of sangria. We even had some evening entertainment as a group of around 10 boys were jumping off the bridge, from where we sat it didn't look that high but when we walked over it was a lot higher than it looked, none of us would have attempted it. After dinner we meandered along the riverside looking at the stalls and what they had for sale. A sucker for any kind of flea market, sale, stall or retail set up in general Kayleigh was straight over looking at the trinkets. We came away with a Nandos'esk rooster with six small olive forks inside. By far the coolest piece of tourist tat we've picked up so far although not sure how much use it will get when we get home.
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| The Rooster, with 6 baby rooster olive picks |
The following morning we met Aaron at the foot of the Ponte Louis I and went for breakfast along the river.
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| Breakfast along the Rio Douro |
We walked through narrow winding roads to the top of the cliff and along the top of the Ponte Louis I, we saw some breathtaking views and whilst Kayleigh stopped to take a hundred photos Jac, not a fan of heights rushed to the other side with sweaty feet.
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| Porto |
We decided to make our way to the Serralves Art Gallery, on the way we saw the Pavilhao Rosa Mota, the Museu Romatico and the Universidade Do Porto. We got the bus back to the square and found ourselves in the middle of a protest/demonstration. There were thousands of people with large posters and waving flags, there were riot police on every corner some kind of tribal drum band.
Porto holds a event called São Joao, this is essentially a six week festival in May and June to celebrate the dynamics and strategy alignment of both the City itself and Porto as a brand. There are music, art, food and craft events and the whole city comes together to celebrate. We think the protest/demonstration we came across must have been something to do with São Joao. After all the excitement we headed to a restaurant on the other side of the river for dinner.
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| Sangria |
We shared bread and baked Brie with honey and almonds for starters followed by steak, Mediterranean vegetables and new potatoes. Aaron had seafood paella which looked amazing. We shared three jugs of sangria and had strawberry cheesecake and mango mousse for dessert. We headed over to the riverbank where there was a large screen with a bar and seating showing the World Cup.
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| Watching the World Cup on the Rio Douro |
The following day Aaron flew home, it was so nice to catch up with him and hear about what's been going on back home. We had a lay in and spent the majority of the day eating before we start a two week detox the following day. It reaches 32 degrees, so we sit by the pool before heading back to the camper for curried BBQ prawns and a bottle of wine. After dinner we head to the beach with Oscar and find a starfish with a leg/point missing, he is now a little ornament on the shelf.
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| The starfish we found at the beach |
After leaving Porto we begin to make our way back into Spain, stopping at a few wild camping spots on the way...
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