18/09/2015
It’s our last day in Porto, and in Portugal. We don’t have any major plans. I do want to visit a shop where I suspect some filigree jewelry is made. But other than that, there are just a few places we could, or could not stop at, depending on how the day takes us.
The smell of pizza, and the tune played on the church bells, are what sets us off again. We slowly make our way down to the river. We had not been to the northern shore of the river, where some of the colorful houses, and popular restaurants are. In Porto, you can choose between buses, the metro, and, in places, funiculars or trams. Or by foot, if you are a rather unfit middle-aged person on holiday.
The riverfront is a very busy mix of restaurants, curio shops, inquisitive tourists, and day-to-day local traditions. large rivers are something we in South Africa. It can add so much to a city’s ambiance and lifestyle, although I suspect somehow we would be doing all kinds of weird things to change the course of the river to suit our needs. It often feels to me that Europe takes what it has, both historic and natural, and ensures that it is preserved for generations to come.
I found the jewelry shop, where the owner proudly explained to me that he makes all the pieces of jewelry himself. I always admire someone that can do such fine and delicate work, without getting inpatient about the obvious length of times it has to take to do it.
After a quick lunch, we headed back up the steep hill again, by foot of course. Niel wanted to visit the cathedral district, and despite many protests, I followed up some very steep and narrow roads, and numerous stairs. It was worth it. The view over the city from Terreiro da Sé is spectacular. The Cathedral, simply called Sé, was built in the 12th and 13th centuries, originally as a fortress church. I sat inside the church for a while, wondering about all the people, who must have frequented it over the centuries. How did they live? What did they wear? So many things must have changed over the centuries, and to some extent, so did this cathedral. But by and large, it has stood on this hilltop in Porto, providing a safe space for centuries. Far more than just the building so many tourists see it as.
After supper, we decided to see the riverfront with its impressive bridge by night. Again, on foot.
And just when we figured that that was finally it, we heard a Jimi Hendrix song emanating from a bar in one of the alleys. It was good to spend our last night listening to some blues and classic rock in a tiny bar set in an old building with stone walls in Porto. And we were not really surprised that the streets were still buzzing when we walked back at 01h30. It feels like life in Portugal only really starts at midnight.
