First Steps

I was prepared to fall in love with Lisbon and tolerate Porto.   I think I got it backwards.  Don't get me wrong, I really liked what I saw of Lisbon, I just didn't have time to see even the top few things on my list so decided not to be bothered by what I wouldn't see.  Porto, however, has surprised me from the start.  

I was getting ready for bed Friday night when I checked to see when the tourist information office would open on Saturday.  Their webpage took me to a listing of events.  That page said there would be 3D mapping at city hall on Friday every half hour from 10pm to 1am.  I checked to see where city hall was and it was 6/10 of a kilometer away. I threw on shoes and asked the reception desk for directions.  They said they didn't know of any events, implying it was a waste of time, but gave me directions.  (If you haven't heard of 3D mapping check YouTube for the one done at Santiago de Compostela.)  The show wasn't as intense as I expected, but it was being done for the Saint John festivities so I am giving them a break. 

Saturday morning I headed for the cathedral.  I turned the corner just a block from city hall and the cathedral was revealed, seated on the top of a slow sweeping hill with fortress like walls.   Even the dozen tour busses couldn't diminish the moment.  Lisbon's cathedral was surrounded and dominated by the buildings around it; Porto's was something that took your breath away. 

I followed the yellow arrows for about five minutes when I came to another church with tremendous views of the city.  I wandered a few minutes and came across a street market, but then chose to visit another church first and never got back to the market.  The church, right across the street from another church, led me to the river walk.  A few hours later I was at Matasinhos, a 20 minute subway ride from my hotel. 

Tomorrow I'll jump the subway back and start walking.  

Here is the Rio Douro where it enters the Atlantic Ocean.  

Twelve km down, 245 to go.