Porto’s Sticky Secrets & a Whole Lotta Rain
okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm coffee. 3397967 and 1076849673… honestly, those numbers just kinda appeared in my notes. felt important, i guess? like a weird password to a city. porto, portugal. it’s… damp. like, aggressively damp. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the humidity is clinging to everything - my camera, my hair, my sanity. it’s 22.58°C and 23.5° feels like, with 1009 pressure and 100% humidity. feels like a sauna that’s been left open to the Atlantic.
seriously, the rain. it’s not a gentle drizzle. it’s a persistent, insistent, ‘you’re going to get soaked’ kind of rain. but you know what? it’s kinda beautiful. the way it reflects off the *Ribeira buildings, the way it makes the cobblestones gleam… it’s moody. it’s perfect for a dark beer and some melancholic fado.
I spent yesterday wandering around the vila nova de gaia district, which is basically a giant, open-air museum of azulejo tiles. someone told me that the best place to get a pastel de nata is at Manteigaria - apparently, they’re obsessed with butter. i’m not arguing. i had three. don’t judge.
I stumbled across this tiny little bar tucked away on a side street - Bar Alcao. it was packed with locals, all nursing glasses of vinho verde and arguing about football. i overheard a snippet of conversation:
“The galos are a mess, man. A complete and utter mess. You won’t believe what happened in the second half…”
It’s like, that’s porto in a nutshell, right? Passionate, slightly chaotic, and obsessed with football.
I tried to capture the vibe with my camera, but honestly, the light is a nightmare. it’s constantly shifting, battling with the clouds. i’m pretty sure i’ve spent more time adjusting my aperture than actually taking pictures. my gear list is a disaster:
Camera (obviously) - needs a serious cleaning.
Rain cover (essential, duh).
Extra batteries (running low).
Notebook and pen (for scribbling down random thoughts and pastel de nata locations).
A healthy dose of pessimism (just kidding… mostly).
I found this amazing vintage shop near the *Dom Luís I Bridge - Loja do Rato*. it’s crammed with clothes from the 70s and 80s. i scored a seriously rad denim jacket for like, 15 euros. it’s probably covered in someone else’s rain, but who cares?
Someone else told me that the Livraria Lello, the bookstore that inspired J.K. Rowling, is worth the wait. it’s ridiculously popular, so i’m planning on going early tomorrow. i heard that it’s like, a pilgrimage for Harry Potter fans.
I’m seriously considering just staying here and drinking wine for the rest of my trip. it’s tempting.
If you get bored, Lisbon is just a short drive away. I heard that they have amazing seafood. Seriously, check out this TripAdvisor page for Porto: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g190968-d226633-Reviews-Ribeira_Porto-Porto_Portugal.html and this Yelp page for Manteigaria: https://www.yelp.com/biz/manteigaria-porto.
And for a local’s perspective, check out this forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/porto/.
Okay, I’m officially done. Time for another pastel de nata and a very large glass of wine. Don’t even think about interrupting my rain-soaked bliss.
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