To Porto (from Baku, Azerbaijan)

Our 38-hour westward odyssey from Baku to Porto…consisted of a series of unsatisfying siestas in stupendously contorted positions…three budget airplanes featuring a zero degree pitch on their seat back tilt…a hate/hate, literal on/off relationship with my now compulsory compression socks …and our saving grace thanks to our Venture X credit card, a stream of Shangri-La-ounges with gluttonous rewards of readily flowing free red wines, lattes and culinary delights ranging from terrible to tempting. 

Lounges…they’re kinda like smartphones. I seriously don’t know how we survived these endless travel “days” before without them. 🤣 That said, the glory days are numbered on the Venture X card, because you now have to pay additional for your guests. It’s still worth it…for us. And would be for solo or frequent travelers like us.

Anyhow, we did all this to arrive to the stylish Portuguese apartment of our VIC for a 2.5 week housesit. This very important cat, named Mr President, may be the world’s greatest…both president and cat…which we can arguably say after serving him in his former abode of Constanta, Romania in 2022. 

We’ll get into that soon enough, but in the meantime…here’s some notes from the journey…

We flew 4.5 hours from Baku, Azerbaijan to Rome, followed by a 14-hour layover. This was followed by a 2.5 hour flight to Madrid, another 3-hour layover, and a final 1.5 hour flight to Porto. I tried to get Chat GPT to draw a sketch of this but she embarrassingly kept dropping Rome in Northern Africa. Not sure if her geographic skills are all there….yet. Anyhow, it was a lot, but the flight cost $472, or the equivalent of about 47K Venture X points for both of us. An okay, but not fabulous redemption, for the two obscure airports we flew in/out of. 

The award for our efforts. Mr President even wore his most dapper tie to welcome us. And unlike a Baku street cat, he’s would be ours…to have and to hold…because he loves it, until December.

Backing up a bit…we arrived at the airport in Baku around 6 p.m., where they had an amusing vintage time table for arrivals and departures. Also, we were elated to see that Wizz Air would allow us to exchange our already checked in “not boarding passes” for real boarding passes. And, yes, the budget airline Wizz flies to Azerbaijan. 

Of course, as usual we were eager to get to the lounge to have some dinner and a couple nightcaps before climbing aboard our long, no-leaning-allowed flight at 10:30 p.m. 

We arrived to Rome at the sprightly hour of midnight thanks to a three-hour time jump, and were tossed landside until we could re-enter security back into the Schengen flights area, which didn’t open til 4:00 a.m. Thus, we got to luxuriate in some ice cold tile napping. Aww….now this feels like the good ol days!!

Finally, at 4 we were allowed to re-enter the airport where we encountered news that momentarily perked us up immensely….WE CAN TAKE F’ING LIQUIDS ON AN AIRPLANE AGAIN!!!! At least in Rome. But since all roads lead to Rome…good news is starting across the EU. Travel gods willing…

Speaking of travel gods, the first lounge, of the three we’d indulge in Rome opened at 4:30 a.m, which meant, after 3.5 months of highly unquaffable freeze-dried “coffee,” life was about to be revolutionized this Italian morning. Ah yes, life was complete again…at least during the two minutes that this micro cup lasted. Fortunately, bigger cups were available in the second lounge, for we pretentious Americans. 

On that note, it is utterly ridiculous how much we consumed over these 36 hours. Thank goodness this isn’t our normal life. 

Also, why is everything complicated since we got back to Western Europe?! 

Like I understand how these “cool” looking systems are probably designed to prevent waste, but they do not.

The soap comes out nearly three times before you can position your hand correctly to catch it, while their auto flushing toilets flushed about 15 times while I was trying to release myself from the death hold of my compression socks in the stall. 

STOP FLUSHING YOU MORON!!!!

Anyhow…it’s slightly possible I was just a bit cranky. 🤷‍♀️

Fortunately it was time to visit the best lounge of the day… the “Primeclass Lounge,” which even included a “quiet room” with dim lighting where we able to get a few zzz’s in a proper lounge chair before we had to board our 1:00 p.m. plane to Madrid. 

A “help yourself” wall of Spanish wine, and other spirits, were calling our name as soon as we rolled into the fifth lounge of trip. And yes, it was way more delicious than the Azerbaijani variety we’d had the night before. And at long last….welcome to Porto!!

The VIC: Domnul Presidente, aka Mr. President

We were simply elated to have landed for 2.5 weeks at the trendy lair of Mr. President, the world’s most perfect and cuddly cat whom we first babysat in Constanta, Romania in 2022. 

Yes, nine years in, Trusted Housesitters has struck gold again! THS is travel on a whole other level. It fills our hearts with a feeling of home and love, provides us with opportunities to make local friends, can give us a sense of stability and all the creature comforts (literally) of a home, and of course, the chance for cuddles with new companions is a major perk.

If you’ve been thinking about housesitting as a way to travel for free, or as a way to have a reliable sitter stay in your home while you travel, use our link above to save 25% off your annual fee, and we’ll also be happy to personally mentor you by making suggestions on getting started and your profile. And if you have any questions before that, please let us know. 😻

Mr President, aka Domnul Presidente, in Romanian, was rescued from the streets in 2020 by our sweetheart host, Annie, who is an American who was working with the Roma population in Constanta at the time. She named him this because she didn’t care for either presidential candidate and said her cat could do a better job. Mmmm….probably. 

Mr President today is now 7. In the last few years, he has sadly lost all his teeth except two, which is due to lack of care when he lived on the streets. 

It is absolutely astounding that a tender ‘lil creature like this lived on the city streets, where conditions were not so nice as in Istanbul or Baku. Annie and he were lucky to have found one another. Today, of course, he gets spoiled rotten with delicious wet food, chicken, and butter which he loves to lick off our fingers 

Mr President helps Greg exercise while his mentor hangs on the wall nearby. 

Exploring Ribeira: ON FOOT!

This visit to Porto has been drastically different than our first hurrah in May 2022. There are several reasons for this…off-season so the crowds were significantly lighter, and it rained…a lot. That said, since we were there for 2.5 weeks housesitting, we could move at a relaxed pace, and explore only when we felt like it. Most importantly, the spirit of the city had metamorphosed for me because…I. COULD. FREAKIN’. WALK!! 

Yes, it was certainly hard not to reflect on that first visit when I was gimping around Europe on crutches for months. Although we managed to make the best of it and soak in a lot of the city by scooter, it was challenging to say the least. It was also virtually impossible for me to see areas entirely made for the feet, such as the UNESCO gem of Ribeira.  

This atmospheric neighborhood is an icon of Porto’s Old Town and if you go up from the river, is loaded with winding tucked away Medieval alleyways integrating richly vibrant facades which look like they tumbled from a storybook. Despite the setting, the cat didn’t talk though…we tried. Of course, it is also dotted with al fresco cafes, which are used despite the cold on the rare sunny days.

Love the way the moss dusts the cobbles, which we hit during the delicate glimmer of golden hour.

Note the ladies draping their laundry from an upper floor. The 16th Century hidden baroque gem of Ingreja dos Grilos, is folded within these alleyways and its name comes from the Augustinians, who were colloquially referred to as “Grilos,” meaning crickets. 

From this labyrinth you could pop out at various intervals to catch glimpses of the layers of history that surround you, and the meandering Douro River just below.

We went back to embrace more atmospheric wonder in Ribeira early one November morning. By early…in Portugal…we mean 9:30. Minus a stray fisherman, a runner or a few shopkeepers setting up as the fog burned off, it was eerily entrancing to be there at such a tranquil moment.

Also, this was the first fall we’ve experienced in three years so it was inviting to see the color pops and feel the satisfying crunch of leaves beneath our feet. Speaking of color pops, they were abundant in more ways than one.

Wandering the medieval alleyways 

The historic street car, usually packaged with tourists, ambles vacant  down the tracks. 

The fog burning off created quite the veil of mystery about this storied place. Nearby, this tiny chapel folded amongst the residences was possibly where fishermen and explorers prayed before heading out to sea. Dear God…Please let me find another bit of land I can take over and steal from…

Ribeira Square, or Praça da Ribeira, is medieval in origin, recorded in documents as early as 1389. For centuries, it served as the site for fish auctions, fresh produce markets, and goods brought by boat, making it economically important for the city.  Now it looks like the perfect place for an overpriced meal and for tourists to ogle a modernist cube which bizarrely juxtaposes the medieval ambience of the setting.

It was so picturesque and desolate, it felt like a movie set. 

An expressive and weathered woman. She feels very “Porto”…at least the vibe we’ve been picking up. A striking stained glass window box

Real life=laundry. Like 99% of the countries outside of the States, they hang their clothing to dry. Hmmm…wonder why our electric bills are so high?! 

Speaking of the States, even the McD’s are cute here….

The meandering continues…Just don’t mind the creepy dolls in this residential overpass situation

The 14th Century Church of Saint Francis looked gilded and beautiful and though we were somewhat attracted to the catacombs inside, we really didn’t want to pay 9€ a piece for the tickets. 🤣

Street Art of Porto

If you take the time to roam aimlessly amongst the streets of Porto, you will be rewarded with one entrancing slice of artistic magic after another. Much of that comes in the form of wondrous patches of street art and murals, while others simply exist as shellacked mosaic tiles, or azulejos, that embellish what would normally be common edifices. Some combine a little bit of both. Regardless, your eyes will encounter some form of candy at every turn.

The street art scene blossomed in the 1990s and 2000s out of rebellion, not tourism. The city was definitely not trying to be cute or hashtaggy and the  early wave of street art sprang from frustration with urban decay and lack of public investment. Artists responded by claiming empty walls, abandoned warehouses, and rundown stairways. You still feel that edge today. Even the polished murals have a trace of protest in them.

Mural “Dona Rosa” by Mr. Dheo represent a real working class local woman…the hospitable and wonderful kind that everyone knows.

This second one was done by contemporary artist Joana Vasconcelos who is known for mixing traditional Portuguese craft with bold, modern aesthetics, and this façade is one of her most public, unmistakable works in the city.

The colors on this building resemble a little burst of Christmas, or Natal, as it’s called in Portuguese.

A peek inside the artsy Florbela Patisserie. Of course some of the street art is more graffiti-like…punchy and bold.

Mosaic tile art can also be found inside the train station, through blue and white masterpieces.

And…just in case you forgot when and where you are. Love these.

A view from the train platforms which link you all around Spain and Portugal.

Near our apartment in the Bonfirm neighborhood.

According to the plaque, this statue represents the “Carquejeiras” (Gorse women) of Porto. They were a handful of women who in the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, transported 40 to 50 kilos of gorse (spiky shrubs) from the Douro River to downtown and surroundings of the city, through the hard and cruel sidewalks of Corticeira. For many years they contributed to the city’s social and economic development. Despite the important work they performed, they did not have a voice, were not respected in their human condition, and were not praised.

Another section of the Dona Rosa mural. She seems busier in this piece. 🤣 Also, love the fish scales on this house. So much charm

Who needs colorful paint when youve got a white surface and some concrete. This one is called “Look at Porto” and is unique it that it chisels away the paint down to the concrete surface to make quite an effect. So cool! We’ve never seen one quite like it! 

Exploring Other Parts of Porto

The shifting autumn light and the fickle skies make Porto a temperamental place this time of year.  But it kind of fits with her textured layers. Sometimes she sparkles. Sometimes she’s gritty. Sometimes she’s endearing. Sometimes she’s weathered.  But no matter what mood you find her in…she’s utterly captivating. And we really like her more than our first visit in May 2022.

The neighborhood of Ribiera as seen from across the Douro River in Gaia. 

The bluff in front of Serró do Pilar is a popular place to watch buskers, and the dipping evening sun. 

Little pops of color against melancholy skies, as liquid sunshine and gray skies saturate the city, which has a distinct climate cousin of San Francisco.

The buildings are topped by the reaching claws of an ancient fortress wall, and riverside residences which blend the layers of time, which astoundingly date back to the 4th Century.

But that didn’t stop drizzly nights from being brightened up by male choral groups rolling through the cobbles on a toy train.

The double decker Dom Luís I Bridge dates from 1886 and judging by its sleek curves and lines was unsurprisingly slapped together by an Eiffel engineer. 

One of the many churches blanketed by a sheet of white and blue tile mosaics. 

But some are just wearing their birthday suits. In fact, throughout the city you’ll find buildings, sidewalks, churches, bridges — all heavily stone-based, which seem to provide the city with a heavy, rugged, long-lived feel.

Peering down from one of the bridges, you can see the old train tunnels weaving alongside the cliffs. We also noticed a few homeless camps set up which gave it an even more San Franciscan vibe.

Sunset over the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia. This entirely separate city is the actual birthplace of port wine…(not Port…oh?)

The lower entrance to the Luis Bridge. Nearby you can find beautiful views across the river and weight bearing locks of love now being replaced by the hair ties and ribbons from the locks of more educated Millennials and Gen Z’s. 

As much as I wanted to contribute a meaningful hair ribbon to the cause, we decided to just take a photo. 

The 1900s Neoclassical City Hall of Porto. Being here in the winter is incredible…light crowds, and an early golden hour.

Even though it’s easily avoided, some tourists must just desire being enveloped in tight places with others, as they clamor aboard the 6€ historic trolley! 

Another tourist hot spot, The Torre dos Clérigos, or Clerics Tower, was finished in 1763 and is the tallest church tower in Portugal. 

Life in Porto

As expected, our 2.5 weeks in Porto with Mr. President wrapped far sooner than we would have preferred. But the comfortable apartment, stellar location near the heart of Old Town, and cuddly creature was still almost exactly what we needed after many months of moving at what feels like breakneck speed to us these days. 

While here, we luxuriated in having access to To Good to Go for the first time in years, taking care of some maintenance needs, as well as aches and pains, cooking healthy meals, and mostly just enjoying walking freely, living like a local, and avoiding touristy things. In this section…you can see a sampling..

“Draw me like one of your French felines, Jack.”

Back in charcuterie land. Yay! And this time complemented by a bottle of Tawny Port, aged 10 years. We splurged $10 for this bottle. 🤪

Our first Too Good to Go order (food waste program) was fantastic. We got an entire chicken, 500 grams of shrimp, fine extra beef strips, and a bag of arugula. Easily $15 worth of meat and produce for 4 euro ($4.64). 

In case you haven’t joined TGTG, check your area, (it’s expanding a lot in the US), or use it when you travel like us! There’s a link in the comments to save you $2 on your first order! Please use our link to join ! Help reduce food waste with Too Good To Go

And naturally since we’re still desperate for any form of Mexican food, we turned our shrimp into art comparable to Senora Frida’s.

Babying the president after my 20 euro haircut, which was desperately overdue. 😬 (Note uninvited lunch guest.) Having just woken up from a nap, like usual, he was exhausted but still found a way to do some nasal exploration.

Speaking of guests, we were treated like royalty by our host Annie. Not only did she stock the fridge, she gave us a thoughtful welcome gift, including things to enjoy in the bath…another luxury we haven’t had in months. Mr. President helped. 

Of course, we returned the favor with some treats for her and a welcome home dinner. She’s a wonderful, spirited American lady who has lived in Porto for two years after moving from Romania after nine.  

And as every wino knows who has visited Portugal, it is winevana. Bottles start at 2 euros ($2.30) which tastes at least equivalent to an $8 bottle in the States. (Or most places.)

Dating from 1839, Cemetario do Repouso was Porto’s first public cemetery. With its grand Neo-Gothic style mausoleums, and unique chapel style tombs, it reminded us of some of the cemeteries we saw in Buenos Aires. We lived nearby so on a few occasions we came bearing excessive red meat for the street cats we’d gotten through TGTG. They’re clearly not all as fortunate as Mr President, but we try.

Me trying on another Too Good to Go…a vegan cupcake made with avocado cream frosting. 🤣 Not today!! 

…But tomorrow I’ll be king. We loved this photo so much we printed off a copy and gave it to Annie. 

Other than TGTG, we were pleased by grocery prices in Porto. They were comparable, if not cheaper than our three months stay in Bulgaria this summer. 

To give you an idea, this small load was $12.12 and included:

• 2 zucchini
• 2 (very!) large bell peppers 
• 4 carrots
• 2 cans sardines
• 1 bag lettuce
• 1 cucumber 
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 beer
• 1 jar of olives
• 1 chunk of ginger

A less successful TGTG. We thought we’d give “Portuguese food” one more time and were unsuccessful once again. Ugh. Old fries and roast beef? 😣 That said, we highly wouldn’t recommend TGTG from Bicho Papao. 

Also while here we had dental appointments at Prof. Machado Capelas, which offered excellent service. The cleanings were 70 euros and we got updated X-rays for 25. I also visited an osteopath for 50 euros at FOR+ who did excellent work on my shoulder/neck. Not our first rodeo here. More wins for Portuguese healthcare!

Portugal’s pride and joy can been seen…and inhaled…everywhere. Bacalao, aka dried fish. 🤢 It’s a good thing, at the central Mercado do Bolhao, which dates back to 1839, visitors can find many other temptations. This includes ample uniquely packaged and less nose wrinkling doses to get  your Omegas…

…dried fruits…liquid fruits (2.50 euro)…

….and Colombian drip coffee…from an IV bag (as it should be.)