May 14, 15, 16
A three hour drive northwest from Manteigas found us in Porto, Portugal's second largest metropolis. We are staying at the Guest House Douro, a small, boutique hotel right on the river Douro and at the start of a cobblestone street that is about 800 years old. Our hosts, Carmen & Jao, have big, gregarious personalities, eager to make suggestions on touring and restaurants. Our hotel is in the historic district, perfectly located for walking and exploring. The people and the food are fantastic. We love the restaurant Terreiro which is 50 steps away from our hotel. They are known for fresh seafood; we like them for the hot-guy-waiter (Heldar - kind of pronounced Elder, only not quite), good service, and good food. Heldar won our hearts on day one not only with his killer smile, but also his complimentary chocolate cake.
Oporto, as it is known to the Portugese, is distinguished by the Duouro River and its position on the Atlantic sea coast. One afternoon, after missing the trolley only to find out the buses weren't running, we walked the promenade along the river until it met the Atlantic. (Another happy day for the Fitbit). Looking for a bathroom, we discovered a small market promoting local businesses and crafts. Free popcorn, cotton candy, and Zumba in addition to the talent of the local artists - what's not to love? That afternoon we did a port wine tour of the W.H. Graham winery where we made friends with Nelson, the young taxi driver, who drove a BMW on his off time & wanted to be sure his mother & cousin saw us with him, and David & Jason a fun , young couple from London. David was into the arts & had a degree in medieval literature and music and Jason owned a wine shop and was into the art of drinking, sharing his expertise quite freely.
A three hour drive northwest from Manteigas found us in Porto, Portugal's second largest metropolis. We are staying at the Guest House Douro, a small, boutique hotel right on the river Douro and at the start of a cobblestone street that is about 800 years old. Our hosts, Carmen & Jao, have big, gregarious personalities, eager to make suggestions on touring and restaurants. Our hotel is in the historic district, perfectly located for walking and exploring. The people and the food are fantastic. We love the restaurant Terreiro which is 50 steps away from our hotel. They are known for fresh seafood; we like them for the hot-guy-waiter (Heldar - kind of pronounced Elder, only not quite), good service, and good food. Heldar won our hearts on day one not only with his killer smile, but also his complimentary chocolate cake.
Oporto, as it is known to the Portugese, is distinguished by the Duouro River and its position on the Atlantic sea coast. One afternoon, after missing the trolley only to find out the buses weren't running, we walked the promenade along the river until it met the Atlantic. (Another happy day for the Fitbit). Looking for a bathroom, we discovered a small market promoting local businesses and crafts. Free popcorn, cotton candy, and Zumba in addition to the talent of the local artists - what's not to love? That afternoon we did a port wine tour of the W.H. Graham winery where we made friends with Nelson, the young taxi driver, who drove a BMW on his off time & wanted to be sure his mother & cousin saw us with him, and David & Jason a fun , young couple from London. David was into the arts & had a degree in medieval literature and music and Jason owned a wine shop and was into the art of drinking, sharing his expertise quite freely.
No comments:
Post a Comment