November 2024 – The Travelling Ginger

Our prayers were answered as we woke up to glorious weather. With the sun shining, we quickly adjusted our plans to revisit some of the stunning churches from yesterday, as the blue sky would really make the tiles pop.

The Cat – a bright blue painted one, and a real ginger one. Obviously he deserved a bit of money as we couldn’t see him go hungry! Unfortunately the Cat Momma hadn’t seen my Momma put her money in, and started telling her off for taking a photo and ‘not paying’. Despite her earnest attempts to communicate (by repeatedly pointing at the coins and herself) the lady remained unconvinced, and carried on muttering to herself as we walked off (if only we could understand Portuguese!)

Livraria Lello – another ‘most beautiful’ and this time it’s a bookshop. Thanks to Instagram and TikTok, its popularity has skyrocketed, fueled by rumors that JK Rowling found inspiration for Harry Potter here (even though she has said multiples times that this isn’t true, she’s never even visited!) The entry fee of €8 is credited towards a book purchase, and we secured our timed tickets. Once inside you get the glorious scent of an old book shop, as well as by an art nouveau staircase and colorful stained glass above. However, it was absolutely rammed inside, with everyone trying to get that perfect candid shot. Whilst it truly felt like stepping into Hogwarts, the throngs of people made it hard to fully appreciate the architecture or browse the books—especially with prices soaring three times higher than at Waterstones!

Majestic Cafe – the one where JK definitely went! It’s adorned with antique mirrors, marble sculptures, and an intricately decorated ceiling, making this Art Nouveau gem a feast for the eyes. We were very lucky as we didn’t have to queue at all, but with such an iconic cafe comes an eye-watering price. But we still settled in for a hot drink and pastel de nata while indulging in some people-watching.

With our bellies full, we made our way back to the bridge, ready to cross over to Gaia—the heart of port wine since the 17th century. There was a group of lads lads lads getting ready to jump off the bridge, so of course Momma got ready to take a photo. Cue the non-jumping friend shaking a plastic cup for some Euros. Momma informed him she wasn’t taking a photo of the jumper.. but he definitely knew this was a massive fib! Gaia has over 60 port cellars in the area and 20 open to the public, and it was time for some tastings. Even though Momma doesn’t drink, I managed to coax her into a spot of day drinking, and we enjoyed a Sandeman whilst overlooking the Douro River. We explored Taylor’s, Cockburn’s, and Cálem, marveling at their extensive port collections and gift shops. And of course, we took advantage of their complimentary toilet facilities! We had planned of going on the cable car for some panoramic views, but obviously this was down for maintenance…

Half rabbit – made from recycled materials and rubbish collected from the city. Positioned at the corner of a building, one half is a burst of colors, whilst the other displays the original hues of the materials – hence the name ‘Half Rabbit’. We walked past this quite a few times whilst exploring Gaia, and we couldn’t resist pausing to admire this creative masterpiece!

Sunset – we had planned to watch the sunset from Jardim do Moro, but the overwhelming scent of weed sent us walking up a hill to a nearby monastery instead. We found the perfect spot and positioned ourselves ready to watch the sun go down. Momma then had a tap on the shoulder, and was given the universal sign of ‘can you move, we want to get in’. She definitely wanted to give them the universal sign to ‘f off’, but instead politely declined, telling them we had been there ages. The sunset might not have been the most spectacular, but it was still a nice moment to reflect on our lovely few days in Porto.

Time Out Porto – the ultimate solution when you have no idea what you want to eat. There were lots of fantastic food stalls, and if you love fish, then this is the place to go. If you’re like us and fish is your idea of hell, there are still plenty of options. We had the most delicious pizza and mushroom risotto.

Goodbye Porto – our final morning, and as we prepared to say goodbye to Porto, we squeezed in a few final church visits and a stroll along the river. Of course, we couldn’t leave without one last pastel de nata from the renowned Castro! The Uber ride to the airport was smooth sailing, and all was going well with getting home until a security mishap: I completely forgot about the Um Bongo in my bag! Cue a bollocking from the security lady.

Porto is a perfect ‘48hr city’, and could definitely be done as an extreme day trip. There are lots of hills to climb, but it’s so compact meaning it’s very easy to get about and see everything. From churches to Nata’s on every corner, it is definitely one to add to your list!

A few days off work means it’s time for a city break! This time, Momma Wood is joining me for a trip to Porto – the second largest city in Portugal. Since we had a late flight from Manchester, we decided to arrive in the area early to explore Quarry Bank Mill, a National Trust site. It’s one of Britain’s greatest industrial heritage sites, featuring a rare surviving eighteenth-century cotton mill surrounded by 400 acres of beautiful woodland and countryside along the River Bollin. There was so much to see, and the two hours we had really wasn’t enough. With a latte in hand (after some not-so-subtle glares at the queue-jumpers) we headed to the mill. There’s 5 different floors to explore, and it offers an immersive and informative experience, with so much machinery and live demonstrations by volunteers. We also had a mooch along the river and soaked up the last of the autumnal colours before heading back to the car for the short drive to terminal 3.

After driving around for ages, we finally found a space in the car park and made our way to the terminal building. Security was surprisingly quick, except for the woman in front of me who had to take out 1001 items from her coat pocket. We had our obligatory cheeky squirt of the most expensive perfume in duty-free, and smelling like a tart’s fart, set out to find some food. We opted for a burger in the pub and ended up sitting next to a very inebriated guy who was excitedly slurring that he had never been on a plane before. I wouldn’t be surprised if that remains the case for him! Our flight was (obviously) delayed by half an hour, but all was well as we know how a Ryanair pilot likes to put their foot down, and we landed on time. Momma seemed to be taking a while at passport control, but was delighted to tell me that it was because the officer at the desk thought she looked younger than her photo—what a flirt!

Thanks to my Genius level on Booking.com, I managed to arrange a free transfer from the airport. The lovely Eduardo picked us up in his massive Mercedes and took us to our hotel. It took us a while to figure out how to get inside (as doors are locked after 8pm) but we were buzzed in and greeted by the most enthusiastic receptionist, who was excited to share all the wonderful things Porto has to offer. He even showed us on the map where he was born! It was refreshing to see someone who truly loves their job. We settled into our room, indulged in our complimentary Nata, and caught up with “Strictly” before heading to bed, ready for a full day of exploration ahead.

We had packed for the glorious forecast of 22° and sunshine. But lo and behold, we woke up to a thick blanket of fog, rain, and a chilly 14°. After demolishing all the cheese and ham at breakfast, we donned our warmest clothes and set out in search of an umbrella. Luckily, we found one at a souvenir shop for €5. I opted for a jumpsuit, but as it’s a Cider special and made for someone who’s 6ft, wearing it in the rain turned into a soggy adventure as the long legs soaked up half of Porto. A quick outfit change back at the hotel was therefore required into something a bit less absorbent. Momma was serving Asda realness as she paraded around in her bright green poncho.

São Bento – the train station that is currently surrounded by lots of construction. Inside, the walls are covered by 20,000 painted tiles, by Jorge Colaço, which illustrate episodes from the History of Portugal. It opened in 1916 and is considered one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.

Igreja de Santo Ildefonso – an 18th century baroque style church, with approximately 11,000 azulejo tiles covering the façade. Momma was getting incredibly annoyed at the amount of people who just walked in front of her while trying to take a photo!

Chapel of Souls – definitely in a tile-counting competition with the previous church, boasting around 16,000 tiles covering the façade. Our plan to take shelter inside was slightly thwarted as we were crammed into the back and rather close to the flickering candles—making us somewhat concerned about how flammable Momma was!

The Twin Churches – between the two churches of Carmo and Carmelitas lies the narrowest building in the city. This tiny house was built to make all contact between the nuns and the monks impossible. Another particularly difficult photo stop – at least we can now erase people from pictures 😉

Miradouro da Vitória – a free viewpoint of the city and full of edgy graffiti. This added an artsy touch to the place making it a fascinating spot to explore. Reviews suggest that it is usually rammed here, so at least the gloomy day came in handy!

Chocolataria das Flores – now feeling peckish, we found this little café down a side street. We placed our order, which arrived with the addition of a (very dry) giant chocolate cookie. As we don’t speak Portuguese, and they didn’t speak particularly good English, we decided against questioning the additional treat. Especially as we noticed other tables had one too. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a complimentary snack and we did have to pay for it.

Porto Cathedral – one of the city’s oldest and most important local Romanesque monuments. Adjoining the cathedral are the cloisters, and the architectural style is quite eclectic. It’s decorated with Baroque azulejos representing the life of the Virgin Mary. Underneath the poncho, Momma was rocking Portuguese tile chic and blended in nicely.

Ponte de Dom Luis I – the most famous bridge in Porto, with the mastermind behind its design being a protege of the famed Gustave Eiffel! It has an upper and lower deck and spans along the world-famous Douro River, and as we had a bit of time to kill before our exciting evening plans, we decided to take a stroll along the upper deck. There wasn’t a dramatic sunset, but the twinkling lights across Porto & Gaia still made it very atmospheric.

Fado – this evening I booked an absolute treat! A glass of Port and a Fado show. Momma wasn’t initially keen, but at 13 quid each, it would be silly to not experience this. Fado is a traditional Portuguese folk music genre known for its soulful melodies, expressive vocals, and melancholic character, and often reflect themes of lost sailors, broken hearts, bittersweet romance, fate, reunions, and the passage of time. The musicians were fantastic and the singer had an impressive set of pipes. It’s hard not to feel touched by the performance, even though we had no idea what she was singing. Considering this was the first time they had all sang/played together, they really did put on an excellent show.. although we both agreed that an hour was long enough.

Mcdonald’s – said to be one of the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world, we obviously had to check it out. The Golden Arches took over in 1995 in the space previously occupied by a famous Portuguese coffee shop, which was an icon in the 1930s. The building retained many of the original Art Deco features including the ornate ceilings, chandeliers, and a large stained glass wall, and along with the giant eagle at the entrance makes it the poshest I’ve ever visited! They had a great selection of different food (although lukewarm) and the whole place was so clean. We also realised that we are both obviously lovers of green patterned trousers…