12. Olá Portugal!

We arrived on the 9th of January in Porto and planned to stay for about 11 days. 

Porto is in the northern part of the country that's known for its wine growing and production. Every second store sells wine and its main export is Port Wine. The river Douro runs through the middle with the city split in two. The old city and the main business centre are on the northern side.

Max and I both feel safe and comfortable here. The locals are friendly, the streets are not busy and the food and accommodation are probably the cheapest in Europe. 

They certainly love their pastries here and the favourite seems to be their 'Pastel de Nata' - We know them as Portuguese custard tarts.  We first discovered these in Brisbane at Indooropilly shopping centre. They are ridiculously addictive. 

Google translate has helped us a lot with communications as there are not so many  English-speaking locals even though it's a fairly major tourist town. 

It is a bit of fun, though, having a go at some of their language. There was one time when we ordered food in Portuguese and were sweating on what we would get served! All part of the adventure!

The staple diet - Sets you back about $5 AUD



 In one of the many city squares


The street of our hotel 


Roasted chestnuts on the street. We didn't try them. You have to wonder why. 



One of the many buildings that have hand-painted tiles.



Don't come to Portugal if you're on a diet!

This is a typical counter display of a cafe in Porto.


The standard fare can be quite stodgy. Lots of bread and pastry like many European dishes. There are plenty of alternatives that start to cost much more. 

Portugal is fascinating. Their pottery is exquisite and their history is complex and adventurous. Think Vasco da Gama.  So third world in many respects and very earthy.  Impossible to get a grip without the language, though.




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