View of the Monastery Serra do Pilar
Looking down the Douro River (on the Luis I Bridge)
I had actually woken up before Fe--it was early-- to take these first few shots. Walked across the bridge to the Gaia side of the river. Unlike Pittsburgh which spans three rivers, Gaia is a separate municipality in the Porto District.
View of Luis I Bridge from the Gaia side.
View of Porto over the rooftops of Gaia
Display Boats in the river. They are advertising brands of port wine.
Gaia was originally the Roman city of Cale and in the 8th Century was the de facto border between Christian and Islamic territory. Most of the port wine cellars are on this side of the river since the winemakers were trying to avoid the taxes levied on the Porto side.
I was pushing it exploring so much by myself, so I hurried back to the hotel. Just in time, too--Fe was just finishing getting ready to go. She knows I always get up earlier on vacations to get good photos, so she wasn't surprised. Ha ha.
We then headed out together to see the Porto Cathedral (Se de Porto). This impressive structure is a mixture of Romanesque and Baroque styles. There has been a religious presence at this site since the 5th and 6th Centuries.
View of the courtyard. The Baroque pillory symbolizing justice is in the foreground.
Tiles
Tiles
View of Porto from the top of the bell tower.
Ceiling Detail
Next was Fe's first time to see Gaia and I could play the tour guide--ha ha. We did ride the cable car which was closed when I visited earlier.
The Gaia Instagram sign
If you look closely, you'll see this rabbit is made of trash.
This is the inside of Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau. Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod and it's everywhere. These pastels are very good.
This is what we had. Some port and a couple of codfish croquettes which have some goat cheese inside.
Finally, we went to see Bolsa Palace, which is not actually a royal palace but was a (very ornate) stock exchange built in the 19th Century. We were pressed for time so we took the very next tour--in Spanish. ¡Ay coramba!
Bolsa Palace
Atrium
Hallway Ceiling
Moorish Revival Room
Whew! I'm glad I had five espressos and a cappuccino today. Tomorrow is a day trip for us.
Portugal travel hints/tips:
1. Not every bathroom has toilet paper. Be prepared!
2. Your credit card will be honored at most places but it's not universal--especially in market stalls or for small purchases.
3. Wear comfortable shoes with good soles. All sidewalks we've seen are made of cobblestones which can be hard on your feet and also slippery if it rains.
4. Traveling in October means the crowds are a bit thinner, but it also means the weather is more unpredictable. Bring a raincoat and an umbrella.
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