Day 11 in Portugal

Wednesday 4 February

Breakfast once again at the hotel of course (it's part of the deal), but really it is quite a robust buffet with a wide variety of items to choose from. The four of us then took an Uber down to the riverfront, specifically to the church of Sao Francisco where we could board the beginning of the No. 1 tram which would take us close to the Atlantic Ocean. 

We waited just a few minutes before the no. 1 lumbered into view. After disgorging the few passengers on board it reversed direction and allowed a new wave of sightseers to get on - including us naturally.

trying to figure out when the next tram will arrive

Similar to the old trams (also known as trolleys) in Lisbon that have become iconic for the city, this one certainly lived up to its reputation as being vintage: nearly everything on board was old and in sore need of refurbishment. Not like some of us I suppose. (If you want to know more about these trolleys, or streetcars as they were known earlier, visit the Market Street Railway online.)

rattan seats

arriving at the terminus, the tram is quite the star it would seem

Anyway, it was a lovely ride along the river all the way to  the Atlantic. The line ended at the Jardim de Passeio Alegre in the Foz de Douro district. 

There were few people out along the oceanfront, the occasional runner and serious walker and a handful of tourists like us. We soon reached a point that was cordoned off undoubtedly due to the high winds and waves, the latter making quite an impression on us. And of course Portugal is still in the midst of a severe coastal warning as I write. 

very nice promenade close to where the Douro empties into the ocean

looking back upriver you can see the tram at its terminus on the left in the distance

the open ocean

not many folks out and about

WCs in the park -- a handy feature

the barriers preventing access to the beach

Next to the barriers at a point where we couldn't walk on any farther was this seemingly empty and abandoned building.

The sign above the entryway reads Camara Municipal do Porto which translates as City Council of Porto.

But if you search online for that phrase you get this building: my how things have changed.

Our next objective for today was the Serralves Foundation Contemporary Art Museum and Park. The museum held little interest for us but the park sounded very nice. From the ocean front it was a bit of a hike and all uphill so we took an Uber which dropped us off right outside the main entrance. 

Once we walked onto the grounds we were all struck by the very angular and cold architecture of the buildings. 

the freestanding gift shop at the park entrance (left)

to the museum entrance

And inside we were equally struck by the open and empty spaces, also angular and rather cold. 

interior second floor (1st floor European)

But first things first and that meant lunch. We walked upstairs to the museum restaurant which had a nice view of the park below. It had just opened for service and we were the first to arrive. The layout was simple: an open buffet for a set price and then drinks. Period. The spread had a very nice look to it and the food was delicious.

After lunch we bought tickets to the outdoor sculpture park, deciding to skip the museum inside. Here we were reminded of the Meijer sculpture gardens in Grand Rapids.

beginning of the walk around the park

Plantoir by Oldenburg and Van Bruggen

Plantoir and  The Curious Vortex

The Curious Vortex by Olafur Eliasson

Unfortunately the powder puff pink Art Deco villa was closed for renovations.

The Teahouse and Tennis court, closed for the season apparently

Near the Teahouse I met Gil and his Harris Hawk named Tawny. The park hires a company to bring their hawks to discourage the seagulls. Gil told me that Tawny was in training at the moment but had great prospects. Anyway, the company he works for has seven hawks and perform their service all over the city.

A few minutes walk on and up a flight of series of stair cases found us admiring the views of the lower levels of the park - creative, imaginative and very informative with the occasional signage talking about the trees, the birds etc.

Soon we found ourselves strolling on the treetop walk. 

From the treetop walk we made our way back to the entrance and ordered an Uber which returned us to the trolley terminus just in time for the next one (they run about every 20-30 minutes) heading back into the city. 

Leaving the trolley we walked up to the nearby River Market. A gorgeous 19th century red metal structure, it once held an indoor market for the locals. As we soon discovered it is now a venue for casual drinks, music and the occasional artisans market which was then underway. We all thought the space a bit disappointing compared to the markets we have seen in Italy and France where they are well utilized for food, meats, produce, household goods, clothing etc.

There is a nice view of the small park that is home to a superb statue commemorating Prince Henry the Navigator. 

Market building

Looking down to the statue and the river

inside the market hall

rather empty today

We walked back down the hill to the trolley stop to meet up with an Uber back to the hotel. It was time for a bit of rest and relaxation before dinner.

The four of us met back in the hotel lobby about 6:30 and walked across the street and down a half block hoping to find Monteen,  our dinner venue for the evening. We found it easily but . . . it was dark and temporarily closed. Not wishing to continue strolling around looking for a place to eat we returned to the hotel for a lovely last evening meal together.

The food was delicious but, as always, it was the conversation that was both lively and warm. We didn't say our goodbyes just yet though. We will meet one last time for breakfast Thursday morning before we head for the bus station and Lisbon.  Richard and Pauline will spend one more day in Porto before they fly home to England on Friday and we fly home to the US.