fleetfootkath

We had a rest day. We all seemed to be so tired and I think apart from the actual physical walking, we are all finally slowing down. Each of us had been furiously busy leading up to the trip and then we caught colds plus also our concerns over Anne’s seriously ill daughter and our various families. Walking gives your mind rest even if your feet are feeling the kilometres!

It was a public holiday here today so the town was quiet and not too many restaurants or cafes were offering meals. A fast day wouldn’t go astray as we have been eating wonderful food for the most part and enjoying Sangrias and good wine as well as port. It is years since I had port( probably when I was in my twenties and we used to play cards after dinner for cheap entertainment.) I have discovered white port, chilled as an aperitif , or room temperature afterwards. It is not uncommon for a restaurant to offer you shots of port after a meal-gratis. Very pleasing.

The museums were all closed because it was Monday so we had only the Templo do Sagrado Coração de Jesus atop the Monte Santa Luzia, the hill situated behind Viana do Castelo, to explore. It was an amazing structure modelled on Sacré Coeur in Paris. Fortunately we could take a funicular up which our feet much appreciated. It is a beautiful building that we thought resembled the Taj Mahal from a distance when the sun was shining onto it. It has elaborate carvings but is quite modern inside and relatively plain and unadorned. They have built an elevator so you can go up 30 metres but then you need to climb the most narrow winding staircase to reach a viewing area above the dome. The staircase has traffic lights! Something that would have been useful in the tower in Porto. The view was an amazing 360 degrees but obscured by cloudy mist. You could see up the estuary of the Lima river, down to the sea, across the market gardens to the north, and around to the hills surrounding the city. They also have a prayer and reconciliation room behind the church that emanated peace and tranquility.

There was an Albergue up there for backpackers/pilgrims too. Not a great thought after a long days walking to face that hill. Overlooking the church is a beautiful hotel in the grounds of which are the remains of a Celtic/Iberian settlement dating from the 4thC BC. We took the longest way round to find that it was closed, because it was Monday! Eventually we returned to the hotel to collect rain jackets as the temperature started to drop and rain was forecast. We struggled to find lunch anywhere but in our search we gained a good sense of the historical centre. It is very charming.

We are very aware of the low key nature of advertising here. There doesn’t seem to be the push of posted advertisements or neon signs that we suffer at home. It makes for a much calmer environment.

After trying a few restaurants and cafes without success we found a place that did toasted sandwiches. The place was bursting at the seams but the waiter was so good natured and a great salesperson. He quickly explained what was left on the menu and guided us to a decision! I love that they bake so much and when it’s gone, it’s gone; you have to chose something else. Fewer choices is so less stressful. Our toasted sandwiches came promptly and when Anne’s was missing the cheese they just took it and returned with the correct order. No discussion or apology but swift gracious correction. Same thing last night when Irene’s vegetables didn’t come with her dinner. People are polite and pleasant. When it came to cakes the same waiter just told us what was left and sold us two types cut into four to share. He gauged us well!

With everything closed we returned to the hotel and rested. Bill found a laundromat and went off to wash. We had done all ours the night we arrived so we were up to date. The rain settled in as forecast and we enjoyed a quiet afternoon reading and writing and sleeping.

We had booked dinner at a Café at which we couldn’t get a table at lunch time because it was so busy. The Cafe Sport. It had all the Portuguese football heroes jumpers and other paraphernalia. The only female waitress said it was her husband’s passion and she was over football! We laughed and sympathised. Poor Bill has a very poor audience for his football discussions! We had to kill some time and as it was raining we continued past the restaurant and stumbled on a little art gallery. The theme of the art was the liberation of Portugal from dictatorship. The 25 th of April is liberation day and the carnation is a symbol of the day. The gallery assistant was very happy to show us around and wanted to show us the art of the local children who had produced pieces too. It is a very joyous day. We felt quite privileged.

We went back to the restaurant and were the first customers. The staff were so full of fun and keen to please. We had the most delicious roast lamb but it was ribs and back bone or neck not a leg. The meat fell off the bone and was so sweet. I had my first white sangria. Definitely will be making that at home.

We had a late start yesterday because breakfast wasn’t available till 9.00am. It was a treat to be able to sleep in but of course we didn’t. Habits are hard to break. Still waking at 6.30 gave me time to write and post the blog etc. I also had time to wander around the grounds too. Weird that I had to let myself out to do that and lock the door again when I returned! Our sumptuous breakfast was served in a pavilion apart from the main house. There were only two other couples staying.

Irene had organised a taxi to take us back to where we had left the Way but when she told him to take us back ‘to the church’ he took us to another church on the hill top. Bill meanwhile had taken off to the original starting point. Note to self: be sure you know which church because there are many even in small towns! We rang Bill and he followed the arrows UP hill to us.

The church of St. Tiago of de Castelo do Neiva had been on the way for centuries and during renovations the inscription commemorating its consécration in 862 was discovered. It is the oldest evidence of devotion to Saint James outside of Spain. In the renovation they built a shrine right across half of the plaque!

While we waited we visited the graveyard adjoining the church. All the graveyards we have seen are well cared for and tiled of course-no mowing. They literally sparkle with care and fresh flowers. From the hill top we could see to the beach we had left yesterday. Once Bill joined us we set off again into the forest up hill then down to another chapel. They had a toilet block with a cross on it but it was locked much to our disappointment. We met several young backpackers who had stayed at the Albergue Miguel the previous night and who accepted our challenge to walk up the 861 steps to a chapel/monastery on the hill before us. We had seen several chapels on the surrounding hills as we walked.

We pressed on and the day grew very warm. We were eager for a stop to refresh. It was much more undulating terrain with patches of green between villages which seem quite prosperous as the houses are all pristinely painted with immaculate gardens. The flowers are gorgeous so the ground is fertile. We have hardly seen any animal husbandry at all along this Way but lots of industrial estates.

The next town had another Church dedicated to St James beautifully decked with flowers for Easter Monday. While we walked we heard fireworks going off and remnants of flowers at driveways. Apparently on Easter Sunday in the villages the priest visits the houses of the faithful to bless them. It went in all day and we saw the flashes of explosions in the hills while we had dinner in Viana that night. This sculpture in dedication to the liberation from dictatorship was so impressive.

We are all really tired and footsore( except for Bill). we are still afflicted with colds to varying degrees and obviously not as fit as we would like to be. Bill has had a tough time with the bike on the tracks too. We were glad to reach Viana do Castelo a very pretty city on the Lima river. Our hotel is right on the Way this time. Though it is not so flash it is comfortable. The clear glass wall to the shower and toilet is a bit novel. We have a door to a patio on which we found a fellow pilgrim in towel only, sunning herself. Like us she had done her washing. She really is travelling light.

The bridge we crossed which was narrow for pedestrians and windy is another Gustav Eiffel building.

We had a later breakfast at the hotel and set off with instructions from the hotel staff that perhaps we misunderstood because we did not see any yellow arrows or shells. We chose to follow the seaside anyway which took us through some very attractive modern villas with lovely gardens and ended up at Ofir a place on the beach. We stopped for morning tea. As we were leaving a group of youngsters arrived for a surfing lesson!They were all togging up in wetsuits.

From here we then rejoined the Way at Fáo where we crossed the river to the next town which was Esponsende.. We stopped at a market here and bought rolls and prosciutto and tomatoes for a picnic lunch. It felt like we could be at Tweed Heads or Barwon heads except for the language! The walking on cobblestones and hard surfaces was paying havoc with our feet though and we were looking for a place to picnic.

We opted for the beach and found a wooden platform on which we could perch and eat our rolls looking out to sea. It was heavenly taking our boots off and letting our feet breathe. I decided that my boots were too tight so I loosened them from toe to ankle. What an improvement. I hadn’t adjusted them for the warm weather. My feet just seem to be spreading. I will have flippers by the time I finish.

From here it was just villages non stop and hard cobblestones. This is a very urban Camino so far. We could see glimpses of the sea but we were no longer beside it and there were no breaks between villages at all.

Eventually we took to a dirt road which led into a forest. This was more my usual Camino terrain. The funny thing was it was a eucalyptus forest and we felt like we were in Sherbrooke forest at home. Beside the path was a river and small waterfalls which just lifted our spirits because we were out of the urban jungle!

We came to a monument to the Camino which had rocks and papers and items left by pilgrims. Anne placed a rock and I stepped back into the road to find a suitable rock too. I saw a rather lovely oval one half buried in the dirt. I picked it up and dusted it off then turned it over to do the same to the other side. Imagine my surprise when I saw written onto the side” In it together 8/5/2018 Australia!” The universe had spoken clearly.

We continued along the track which was rocky and therefore quite hard for Bill with the bike. We finally arrived at a quaint White House right beside the river and crossed a stone bridge. In the shallows of the river was a brown dog swimming and playing. He was so joyful.

We were then faced with a stiff climb up a hill to Castelo de Neiva. At the top we were all pretty tired and were most disappointed when we realised we would have to walk a lot further to our Hotel. Quinta do Monteverde is a boutique hotel and after arriving all hot and sweaty we felt most out of place.

The receptionist Carla seemed unfazed but after we registered she insisted on trying to carry Bill’s case up the stairs. She struggled but insisted till Bill took it from her. We are the only people in this wing! She then showed us around the place. It would be lovely to stay for more than one night. They do breakfast at 9.00 am! No early starts when you stay at these places! We had to ring the bell for them to open the gates when we arrived!

It has an honour system for the bar because there are no staff on the premises half the time which is quaint and then in our room Anne and I spied two little port bottles and tea making facilities. We promptly opened the port. Today due to our diversion and the hotel not being on the Way we have walked 23.3kms. Irene has ordered a taxi to take us back to the starting point of The Way in this town tomorrow morning!

Carla suggested a place for dinner that was close by. Just a left turn and another left turn, 5 minutes. Hmm! After refreshing with showers, she was quite surprised to see us spruced up and looking quite decent. We set off but in the end resorted to google maps to find the place. What a find. The small restaurant O Tasco Regional Restaurant was filled to brimming soon after we arrived. We settled on Tapas for a change and everything was delicious. We asked for vegetables and we got our favourites, padrones but also snow peas. We had octopus and again it was so tender with a type of salsa. Scrumptious. Irene had a white sangria which was the best she has ever tasted and I had a taste and agreed. We had pork, mussels, cold savoury morsels as well and the best cod cakes yet. It really was a fabulous meal. So many of these Portuguese restaurants are quite tiny (about 20 people) but they fill up and turn over tables yet you never feel any pressure to move. Very easy going and good quality food. It cost us €70 including dessert, tips and drinks ( a bottle of Rose, two beers and two white sangrias).

This us a common. Table setting when we come into a restaurant.

I couldn’t resist ordering Baba de camelo. When I translated it to camel’s drool I was too intrigued to resist! I thought Google Translater had made a mistake but it was correct. It was a caramel sabayon. Quite sweet but not sickly and light.

The poncho kid.

Anne getting something out of my backpack.

This morning we woke to a wet and cold day. We were eager to get away early but the breakfast didn’t start till 7.30 and we were told to come back later. Our route today was supposed to be short on cafes so we were warned to buy lunch. In the end we just made a sandwich from the breakfast spread as we had already stocked up with nuts and fruit before we left Porto. I hauled out the poncho for the first time and found it pretty good to walk in once I had the hood sorted! I look very funny but it is cooler and it kept me drier because it comes below my knees. It is not ideal for rough terrain but this sort of walking is perfect.

We saw the Church and the Aquaduct this morning when we were leaving Vila do Conde. It has 999 arches. It seems a funny number!

The route lead us out of town to the seaside. There is barely any demarcation from one town to another. Povoa de Varzim was a lovely town with a pretty town square. I loved this sculpture called woman. The way lead to the beach with lots of cafes surrounded by sand bunkers. The beach is very wide and quite flat so there were lots of volley ball courts, and soccer goals all along as we walked. The architecture is modern 70’s/80’s(?) and lots of apartments and pretty plain but overlooking the beach. The beautiful breakfasts are meaning we need a few pit stops in the morning so we were on the look out for cafes which were plentiful to begin with but soon we hit boardwalks and there was nothing, and no cover either. This route is hard on our feet because it is all pavements or cobble stones!

The sea was not so turbulent here and we saw surfers catching waves. This was all fishing villages once and we saw the remnants of windmills that were used for winding fishing nets and humble cottages. The dunes are being protected by the extensive boardwalks and loads of pink and yellow pigs face that grow into a luxuriant carpet of green and colour.

We walked through market gardens that were separated from the sea by a golf course. There is no forest or wilderness except the beach. We hardly saw any pilgrims till about 1.00 then a group stopped at the same cafe but we left them and didn’t see them again. It is different staying in hotels. Very comfy with your own bath and room but we aren’t meeting many people. In all honesty we are a bit tired. We don’t need to go hunting for wifi in a bar either. I do miss the communal washing line outside. It is harder to dry stuff in our rooms because there is no heating. Once we start seeing the same people and are fitter I am sure it will be more communal.

A lady at one of the vegetable gardens stopped Bill to ask him his age and a conversation ensued in Portuguese and Spanish. She was so delighted we were going to Santiago and clasped our hands and kissed Irene and wished us well. It was so touching. We notice lots of old people wishing you Bon Camino or bon Voyage.

At one point Bill had said turn left at the polycovered tunnels and Irene misheard and called them holy tunnels. We were getting tired and really hot by now and all of us are footsore so we had a slightly hysterical laugh about that. Another 20 km day.

We were picked up at 8.30 am to be driven to our starting point just outside Porto on the coast. It was a flurry getting down to the van and we managed to fit the bike in. Once we arrived at our stating point we were like the keystone cops. Everyone felt dishevelled and needed to sort themselves out. It was9.30 before we really got going and we only walked for about 40 minutes before we stopped for coffee and loo break! The walk was really easy in terrain, flat and on boardwalk most of the way with the surging waves on the beach to our left. We were blessed with a sunny day and news that Anne’s Sophie had been transferred to Monash hospital from Sydney by air ambulance. Now she can see her three month old son at last and her family able to be more supportive now she isn’t interstate.

We stopped for a lunch of soup, toasted sandwiches and juice or beer. All along the way there have been rather nice cafes overlooking the sea. The beaches are long and sandy but the surf looks treacherous. There are many little fishing villages and also lots of apartments. It reminds me a little of the Gold Coast about 15 years ago.

The coast was notorious for pirates and luring ships to shipwreck in the 17th and 18th Centuries. we saw a few pirates along the way!

Bill was riding and he was a little like the hare and we were the tortoises. He would ride ahead and wait. We would walk up and he would wait a bit then set off again, overtaking us. He complained of a sore bottom but we didn’t have a lot of sympathy because we were slogging away for 20 kms and he only walked about 5. He still had a sore foot at the end of the day but was pretty chipper, while we were all a bit tired.

Vila Do Conde is a pretty town, with an aqueduct, a 12 th C Church and a history of shipbuilding. We stumbled on a great Italian restaurant for dinner. The town seemed quite lively and had several bars and restaurants from which to choose.

Our first day accomplished, we mostly followed or found the yellow arrows and with the sea on our left it was hard to go wrong. It took us about 6 hours. We are not at our peak but it was comfortable.

This morning we woke to heavy rain. We intended to visit the Livaria Lello Book shop so we got up early and decided we would eat breakfast out after the visit. When we set off my boots were slipping on the wet pavement tiles and I grabbed Bill’s arm for stability. I felt like a child because he is so tall. I was nervous about falling. When we arrived at the bookshop there was already a long queue, even though it was wet. We resigned ourselves to waiting this time and played a geography quiz while we waited. We had got there about 8.45 and the shop didn’t open till 9.30 am so we were shocked at the queue that continued to grow while we waited. Eventually a young woman in a Harry Potter cape walked down the queue telling us that there was no entry without a ticket and we needed to buy one. This was news to us ( we were so naive!) . Anne and Irene went off while Bill and I held our space and the space of the young man in front of us. Eventually we had to let ticket holders go in front of us and the girls finally returned with tickets. They had had to queue at the ticket office. By now the queues was two blocks long behind us! What an amazing marketing ploy they have. Apparently J.K? Rowling had lived in Porto for some time and had based the library in Harry Potter on this book shop. That explains why there were so many people .The shop has a Harry Potter room and this amazing double staircase. The book shop is lovely but it was full of people. They were like ants on a lolly pop! I could hardly believe they actually sell books too but we all bought something and we were the 50 th Australians and it was barely 10.30am. it is hard to convey the beauty of the bookshop. It had a great atmosphere even though there were hundreds of people.

When we emerged the rain was just as heavy and we looked for a breakfast place. Irene and Bill had decided they would head home to get sorted for our departure the next morning. Anne and I wanted to go to the Cathedral and the Church of Sao Francisco.

It was still pouring so we took the metro but could not avoid the wet altogether. We were impressed with both churches and enjoyed exploring Porto further. so many of the churches are well lit with natural light which always surprises.By the time we returned it was late afternoon, we were wet and cold. Soon after our Portugal Green Walks representative arrived to brief us on the walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostella.

We all felt very excited and some felt emotional. We went out for dinner and a local dish, a Francesinha. It is a heart challenger! Bread, steak, ham, cheese layered then smothered in cheese and drizzled with sauce. It was huge and I couldn’t eat it all.

Home in the rain and packing. Our bags are pretty full so it is hard to get everything in. I am carrying some things for Anne because her bag is really stuffed. I am cursing myself for bringing too much but I only had 14 kegs when I left home and now I have 16 kg. I miss the discipline of the backpack.

Queues and queues today. Bill has finally decided he cannot walk the Camino and will have to ride a bike instead. It is not unusual to do that but we are faced with the dilemma of getting a bike. Hiring one is very expensive apparently so we went searching for a reasonably priced new or second hand one. We checked out a sport store like Rebel at home but Bill thought the bikes were a bit pricey so we found a Cash Converters and he managed to get a bike and helmet for €92.50. He then bought a bike repair kit, pump and lock. All set. We did see a wheel chair that we said we could push him in. We would be sure to lose a few extra kilos then! He wasn’t amused. We returned to the flat and managed to get Bill and the bike in the lift only to have it go up to the fourth floor instead of the first. We ran up the stairs to try to call the lift back and eventually he stopped at our floor and we extricated him from the lift.

That task accomplished we set off for the famous book shop Livaria Lello which is considered one of the most beautiful in the world and which served as a model for the Harry Potter books. Apparently, J.K.Rowling lived in Porto for some time and used to go and sit in this book shop having coffee and reading. When we arrived we were shocked to see the queue snaking halfway down the street! We decided to go tomorrow REALLY early instead. Now we had the tower in our sights.

The Torre and Igreja dos Clerigos was built in the 18th Century and is still one of the tallest buildings in Portugal. It is only 75 metres tall but on a hill and affords fantastic views all over Porto. You can even see to the ocean. There are 240 steps and our queue didn’t seem too bad until we actually got inside and up to the tower. To get there you pass around and through the Church which had a live organist playing Bach. It was pretty spectacular to hear the music surging around the church. Then we had to wait in an ante-room while they let a certain number of visitors up and down at a time. It wasn’t until we started climbing did we realise how narrow the stairs were and how crowded it was. By the time we reached the top it was body press! The narrow winding staircase was a squeeze if you were going up or coming down. The views were great. You could see to the ocean but there were so many people it was hard to take photos.

Irene had diverted to a China shop and in the end we missed her completely. When we finally escaped from the tower we waited for her in a cafe until we decided she had gone off on her own. Bill was anxious but she didn’t have a useable phone so we couldn’t ring. While we waited we had a Portuguese experience of codfish and cheese balls and port! They were quite delicious. We set about making plans to keep visiting the sites when my phone rang. It was Irene. She had gone off and got a local sim so she could call us and we made plans for a rendezvous down at the river. Bill greeted her like he hadn’t seen her for days. It was very sweet. She had waited for ages and saw a few people come out quickly and had concluded she had missed us somehow. She then went to lunch herself. We had failed to make a plan if we got separated! All ended well and we took a river Taxi across to Vila Nova de Gaia.

This independent town was originally in competition with Porto for the port trade. They had a completely different political government but are now part of Porto. There are many port cellars there and we had seen an advertisement that offered 10% off a port if we presented the map. After walking up the hill amidst winding cobbled streets we found Taylor’s, an old English firm and presented our maps only to be told we had to do the port tour first which cost €15 each! We declined and settled for a 20 year old tawny. It has a great view of the city of Porto from this side. The house look like toys!

Next we took the sky rail up to the fort. This is an actual army barracks and has been since the English Duke of Wellington and Napoleon both stationed troops there at different times. The English helped drive Napoleon’s troops out of Porto. While we were exploring the church and cloisters of the Fort we were shepherded by soldiers. The church is unique because it is round and so are the cloisters. The design was based on theories related to the solar system and the two circles of church and cloister were symbolic of unity with God. The Alter is in the circle but in a side chapel there was the alter of seven steps to perfection. We had wondered about this design.

Walking the iron bridge was our last experience and by now it had started to rain. We had been lucky up to now. On the way home we passed a little restaurant near our apartment and bolted in to eat. They were so friendly and warm with a lot of home cooked food. I had an octopus flower which was so tender. All our meals were great and the service was so happy and attentive. We loved it.

We woke to a very wet morning which did not inspire us to leap out of bed. Eventually it eased and after everyone had made phone calls to family and friends we met our guide for an afternoon food tour. Diogo was a delightful young man. He took us on a walking tour around Porto to very specific local places to eat local food. He was a font of information and a lot of fun too. We started at the city walls then walked to our first stop which was a Portuguese hot dog. It is eaten as a snack with beer or wine. It was very tasty. The meat was slightly spicy with melted cheese and a crispy bun. You could add chilli oil for extra punch. Then we wandered through the streets passing the National Theatre where they hold operas and classical concerts etc.

The remnants of the old city walls.

Portugal has the most interesting pavements with different patterns in different cities.

With further walking we arrived at the famous Pork bun restaurant. It is served with a sparkling rosé. The queue was so long it snaked out the door and we thought Diogo may have abandoned us. This place goes through at least 6 pigs haunches a day. It is like pulled pork and served with sheep cheese melted over the pork in a bread roll. It was delicious.

Margarida our guide on Sunday, said these buns where the reason there are hardly any fast food chains in Porto because they can’t compete with this relatively cheap, tasty, fast local food. More walking followed and we headed towards the river and deviated to the famous Central Railway station to see the tiles that adorn the walls. They tell the story of Portugal during medieval times and the battle for Tangier where Henry the Navigator lost his life.Along the way we visited a patisserie of great charm for coffee and a Bolas de Berlim ( a round doughnut filled with egg custard). It was light and delicious.

Diogo played the guitar that was sitting on a stand. He used to play in bands at Uni and in Fado groups. It was lovely to hear.

Further on he took us into the Institute of Port which has an interesting exposition on the history and making of Port. I didn’t realise that port comes in so many varieties. From Rosy to white and Tawny in between. They have an instrument for taking the top off an old vintage port when the cork is too old to extract. The tongs are heated then placed around the top of the bottle and then plunged into cold water. The glass breaks cleanly and the port is decanted.

The production of port is regulated by a a certification board and the name is like Champagne. Only port from Porto is really called port. Australian port is fortified wine!

From here we were on our own and we wandered right down to the Ribeira and it’s winding streets, back up the hill past the Convent and Sao Bento up to the tower where we joined a queue only to be told the limit of people allowed up had been reached and we could come back at night or tomorrow. We opted to continue our walk home.

We passed through a whole lot of upmarket bars and shops before arriving home and realising it was nearly 8.00 pm and we should eat dinner. We had been recommended a little restaurant close by which we found easily and managed to get a seat before the place was inundated. We all had chicken curry with rice and salad. It was a curry powder type of curry but tasty and generous and for the four of us only cost €12.50 each for food, dessert, wine and water. We have managed to keep under or close to budget since we have left Lisbon. Hooray! These family restaurants have simple but tasty local food and are well priced so it is no wonder they are always full.

I loved the cat boxes lined up near a viewing spot we stumbled upon. The Portuguese love their cats. They are everywhere.

While having dinner we saw on a television that Notre Dame in Paris was burning. We all felt so shocked. The blaze seemed enormous.

We mooched around this morning which was a delicious luxury. Anne has now come down with Bill ‘s cold so it was good to have a sleep in. We all had to negotiate the fancy shower. It has three areas from which water flows out. Irene got Bill up because she couldn’t work out which knob did what. Anne also was confused. I had seen them before in Spain and been bamboozeled then, so I had some idea how to get it to work. The morning is not the best time to solve puzzles!

At about 1.30 pm we set of for the Marquise de Pambol Park to meet our tour guide Margarida, an architect who works for a group called The Worst Tours. She took us around a whole different part of Porto, not touristy at all, and explained so much about the urban development. It was so interesting. She has a theme that there is actually lots of space within Porto but because it is within old derelict wharehouses and homes, it is not being used or developed. The usual obstacles of city laws and rules plus also the penchant for Portuguese to just lock up a property and leave it contributes to the lack of development. There is also a very strong social attitude to not take advantage (as in squatting, or stealing from empty properties) of these places.

She showed us the ilhas dos Porto https://www.historytoday.com/grand-tour/islands-porto and explained their significance. They were housing built behind bourgeoise homes, small cottages with communal toilets and bath facilities to house factory workers. We passed by a few that are proudly kept and provide a strong community feeling. We wandered along an old defunct railway line that the group is advocating for conversion to a bike trail and came upon a few streets that looked as if we were in the country. All these places are close to the centre of town, overlook the river and have a train station close by. In any other city they would be prime real estate (think Red Fern, or Surry Hills Sydney).

She had a leftist view of life but was not apologetic or strident and it was so interesting to hear her perspective. Porto is not so large, about 1.3 million people so everything seems very accessible and surprisingly a quiet town on Sundays. We were amazed to see the Maria Pia bridge, designed by Gustav Eiffel now abandoned. It is a delicate and graceful construction replaced by a modern utilitarian concrete bridge because it could only carry a train line one way. Tourism is quite new here and they ( local government) are not yet fully across their opportunities. Property prices are escalating due to predatory property developers which are unregulated.

Above the old rail trail there were some washing tubs that were used by professional laundresses. They used to wear clogs and the steep road up from the tubs had special heel indentations to prevent slipping while carrying heavy loads of washing on their heads!

Along the way she explained why they tile the buildings. It was to reduce the absorption of water into the granite which was the preferred stone for building. As it is porous the winter damp is absorbed like a sponge and then the houses are cold and humid. The tiles seal the surfaces. This is a classic from the 60’s.

Towards the end of the walk we visited a studio/gallery in a converted wharehouse where there was a silent art auction and music to raise money for the victims of the hurricane in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony. The music was interesting. It is the first time I have seen a jazz electric violin. The musician had the most delicate fingers.

We then all went to the station to return home. We all needed to add money to our train passes. Irene was being ‘helped’ by some concerned citizen who was confusing her no end. Finally we all got our tickets and as we were saying our farewells the train arrived. Anne, Irene and I rushed to get on and suddenly the doors closed and Bill who had been saying his farewells was left behind. We weren’t too worried but he called us to wait at the connecting station which we had already thought to do. Then we realised our station was the next one anyway. Bill arrived on the next train only 7 minutes later! It had been a fast walking tour of 3 hours non-stop so we were a little tired.

The women went off to get some dinner from the supermarket and we had a healthy lentil soup followed by a nice spicy roast chicken and vegetables and wine at home for a change. I managed to open the door to the building which is about my knee height but not the bottle of wine. There are no screw tops here. We are all out of practice with the waiter’s friend! It was good to have a night in.