The Pantzers parlay Portugal

June 28: Porto

Our hotel has a lovely outside area and that’s where we went for breakfast.

The odd seagull would come close to us, but we could shoo them away.

Until….a very crafty one came by and within seconds had stolen Diana’s bacon. So when she received her replacement breakfast, she was highly protective of her bacon pieces!

After breakfast, Warren and I headed off to walk along the river towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Then I went to explore the Museu de Serralves, which is the Museum of contemporary art, and also an interesting sculpture park.

Now…can you spot me in the last picture??? Here I am…

This sculpture was appropriately called Sky Mirror, by Anish Kapoor.

The museum had some interesting but also weird paintings and exhibits. I was not overly impressed with this washing line until I read the background. It’s called “Oh pigeon, don’t sleep, don’t sleep”, the reversal of a popular lullaby in Lebanon and Syria. As a child coping with sleepless nights amidst the relentless sound of bombs during the Lebanese civil war, the artist’s mother would allow her to poke holes in her pyjamas and to stitch them back together. This became a soothing ritual and a path to sleep amidst the chaos of war.

Thought I would try the bus system to get home ( as it was about 5 km away). Was told to get the 207 bus, which I dutifully did. The first 207 bus driver told me to get another 207 bus and dropped me at the “right” stop. When I tried to get on the next 207 bus, the driver told me the service ended at that stop and I should walk around the corner to get the 207 bus! Finally got the right bus, but about halfway through the journey, the guard told everyone the bus could go no further because of a procession or something like that. I caught a cab home!!!

Meanwhile, Warren and Diana ventured out to see an immersive art exhibition, which was closed, but they did find an old operating tram and the ferry (which we could have taken to our restaurant across the river, except its last service was 5.30 pm, in the middle of peak tourist season?!?!)

In the evening, we dined across the river at Gaia, which has beautiful views of Porto

Want to show you the area in which we are staying. It was not easy to initially find our hotel because it is situated behind a lot of restaurant tables. Also, when you enter the area, only two taxis are allowed in at any one time ( bollards come out of the ground to prevent other taxis entering). This means it can take some time to go 50 metres!