Porto, fittingly, is our final port o’call. (Sorry, but just a little bit.) I signed up for a tour described as a “hike,” a word that evidently struck fear into the hearts (literally) of our largely septuagenarian cohort, because only two of us showed up. Apparently, Viking’s definition of “hike” means no bus was involved; it was a pleasant stroll through this gorgeous, exciting, city, led by a wonderful guide named Ana.
After taking a brief water taxi ride across the Douro, we boarded a tram that took us into the city center. Our first stop was the Porto Cathedral, a 12th-century Gothic structure that marks the beginning of the trail to Santiago de Compostela. We didn’t tour the inside, but I wasn’t disappointed; for me, the graph of enjoyment of cathedral viewing vs. time spent on vacation has a negative slope.
Instead, we walked along narrow alleys lined with centuries-old, narrow rowhouses, many with beautifully tiled facades, until we reached the São Bento train station. The anteroom of this station is justly famed for its beautiful tile murals depicting key moments in Portuguese history. Tourists gawked and took pictures; commuters hurried by without a glance at their surroundings.
After a refueling and “comfort” stop at a café (Portuguese fruitcake, not nearly so dense as its American counterpart, and a peppermint green tea), we walked past the Livreria Lallo. This bookstore, known for its beautiful interior, is a mecca for Harry Potter fans. Word is that J.K. Rowling based her description of some of the Hogwarts interiors on its décor and may even have written some of the first book here, but she denies that. (My view: If every establishment that makes such a claim were correct, she couldn’t have written more than a sentence or two in each place.)
Next up: the Clérigos Church and Tower, founded in the early 1700s to assist poor and ailing priests. I climbed to the top of the tower (75 meters) for terrific views of Porto and its surroundings. The church interior is very nice, but I’m a bit churched out at this point, as noted above.
More lovely streets led us past the Church of São Nicolas (patron saint of goldsmiths) to the Church of São Francisco (patron saint of Tony Bennett), an enormous edifice built as a spartan place of worship for the Franciscan order in the 15th century. In later centuries, as the nobles made their homes in Porto – in a power play, the Bishop of Porto had barred their residence for a couple of hundred years – gold proliferated, to the point that 800 pounds of gold paint now enliven the wood and stone interior. No photos were allowed, so if you’re interested, look on-line.
And so ends my visit to this wonderful, warm, fascinating country. Before signing off, though, I have to extend my gratitude to the Viking staff and to new and old friends, who have made this voyage so enjoyable:
- To Sius, my stateroom steward, who is kind, gentle, capable, and a pleasure to talk to.
- To Bruno, my group’s Tour Leader for the week, whose humor, expertise, and enthusiasm made me feel welcome, entertained, and well-informed.
- To chef Misha, who provided the tastiest food I’ve had on any Viking cruise, which is saying a lot.
- To Meike, our Program director, whose confidence, competence, compassion, care, and jokes (I ran out of “c” words) are unparalleled. She is a true star in the Viking universe, which again, is saying a lot.
Thanks to my new friends:
- Steve, Donna, Tom, and Julie, fine people all (and, in Steve and Donna’s case, fellow ‘Gislanders).
- Bobbie, possible long-lost cousin and newfound source of book recommendations.
- Bridgett, whose warm, fun personality made this trip even more delightful.
Most of all, to long-time (I almost said “old,” but that’s a loaded word), dear friends Andy and Char. This trip wouldn’t have been anywhere near as fun without the two of you. I’m looking forward to our next adventure, wherever and whenever that may be!
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