Porto or Oporto ...whichever you choose
After our first Ryanair flight to Portugal and another user-friendly experience of the Porto Metro, we arrived at our little B&B in the middle of Porto....a traditional terrace house ...and our little room is right under the roof with a window overlooking the square below. It is just the way I imagined it ...quaint, small, authentic and with the added benefit of a small garden up a few flights of steps. Great !
Got a great overview of this very varied city by getting on the Hop on Hopoff Tourist Bus. This city has so many different faces - the imperial squares and baroque facades of great buildings and churches, the amazing monuments depicting many historical events, the very small and quaint terrace houses of the fishermen and working folk along the river, the quaint alleyways of the Ribeira, and then the 70s really ugly cement highrise blocks to provide housing for the working class population. The modern buildings - especially the apartment blocks - may be very functional, but extremely ugly. And there are so many of them !!! The plastic flowers are also an interesting addition to the urban lamdscape.
I had read that urban decay is a major prblem in the main cities, as the young people move out to the suburbs and the inner city houses are left to decay, as the older owners do not have the money for the upkeep. It is sad to see so many of the old heritage homes falling into serious disrepair and crumbling away ...with broken windows like sad eyes staring into the streets. They are becoming the norm rather than the exception, which is really sad. The larger buildings also look worn and in need of cleaning and refurbishment...but I suppose it lends it more authenticity and a charm of its own. This is the reality of the age that they are ....can't always have a facelift ! There are signs of work being done on upgrades, but it will surely take a very long time to touch sides. There is just so much here that needs and should be preserved.
It is amazing to see though, in what small spaces houses are built and lived in.sometimes it does not seem possible !
Now that we have gained an overview, tomorrow is the time to get into the detail...to admire the interiors of many of the churches and also the train station. This town definately has a very special charm and the people are really friendly.