Today we made the move from Cascais to Porto. We knew we had to take the Cascais to Lisbon train line to the final stop Cais do Sodre as we test-rode a few days ago. Then we knew we needed to catch the #728 to a different train station (Santa Apolonia.) We just did not know whether the 728 was a train, bus, trolley, or metro or where to find it. Fortunately, we arrived at the Cascais station early so took an earlier train to Lisbon than we had planned. We needed all of the extra time to figure out how to get to the next station.
Poor Wayne dragged both of our suitcases in the heat while I carried the loaded backpack and briefcase. We eventually found our bus stop and got on. My info had said it would be 7 stops, but 4 stops later, I saw on the sign in tiny print; Sta. Apolonia and we leaped off.
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We Suck at Selfies.
We found the right train line and were able to board and find our first class assigned seats with 25 minutes to spare. We were able to plug in and charge all our gadgets at our seats and connect to the train’s own WiFi. The train was an AP (Alfa Pendular) which is the more direct and cushy. 2 hr 44 min to Porto. This is not a bad way to travel.
We sat in 2 seats with a table in front and 2 others facing us on the other side of the table. The only rude person I’ve met on this trip was the woman across from me. She insisted on putting her feet all the way across under my seat! They were speaking Spanish, not Portuguese. That explains it.
The weird part was when we bought our ticket online, they asked for a lunch meal selection. Which we did. It was so much like a meal on an airline, that Wayne even noticed the carts & the aprons said Air France (surplus maybe since the companies are unrelated as far as we know.) The food was also every bit as good (meaning awful) as airline food. But, it did break up the trip. The time went quickly and we arrived at the station in Vila Nova de Gaia (across the river from Porto) as scheduled at 2:44 pm. We hailed an Uber and quickly got to our apartment. We had a keypad code to get in (bizarrely the same number as my real estate lock box code!) so did not even have to wait for a host. Much better.
The apartment was fine but the view was to die for. This will ruin us for what we can afford to (eventually) buy. OMG – I could stare at it for hours. Especially when day turns to night and all of Porto lights up. Stunning.
After unpacking, we took another Uber over to the condo building where we had put a hold on a unit to meet the sales guy, Dharmit. He gave us a tour. The building is just concrete currently. No interior walls yet. In the US, we’d never be allowed to climb up 4 floors to see the view on a a construction site. Stepping over gaping holes and standing on “terraces” with nothing but a flimsy 1 x 4 to keep you from death.
What we learned was the view they plastered all over their brochure is only seen from one or two top dollar units. They are the only ones that actually see down to the river Douro. For our unit, just one over, the river view is blocked by large trees on the private estate of Adrian Bridge. He is the owner of the nearby 5 star Yeatman hotel with a Michellin restaurant and the Taylor Port cellars. (Think serious money.) So, unless he decided to cut down some trees (not holding my breath), the unit we had on hold would only have a very limited city view.
Of course, Dharmit, was prepared for this issue and suggested we look at a unit back a building up the hill with a much bigger city view (but still no river view.) We walked back and forth between 3 units and got very confused (it was hot, as well.) We left somewhat disappointed. The thing is, if they hadn’t over-sold the view, we probably would have been very pleased with the view it actually has for the price. We told Dharmit we’d get back to him and probably want to come back to see it when it is dark or close to dark to see the city lights. But, when your slogan is “The Duoro in view, the Douro in you” – you expect to see the Duoro river!
From there, we hoofed it down hill (steep) to the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river where all the Port wine warehouses are located. The view was fabulous but we were hot & tired, and the setting sun was shining on most places, so we continued across the bridge to Porto in search of a place for dinner. The riverside there (Riberira) is packed with restaurants and wine bars – and people! We went to stop at a place we read about but could not get a table outside. So, after a quick glass inside, we kept walking for an hour or so until we snagged a table at an Italian place. Nothing fancy but the food was delish and the view was wonderful. And house wine everywhere is so good. We truly have not had a bad wine yet and many house wines are 2.65 euros a glass.
After that we dragged our tired butts back up the steep hill to our apartment in Vila Nova de Gaia and crashed. Unfortunately, someone in Vila Nova de Gaia was doing serious fireworks that woke us up. That, the heat, the brain overload, and voices on the street made for a restless night. At one point, Wayne bolted in his sleep to standing by the bed and yelled “there’s a squirrel messing with your bra!” (I had hung my bra over a chair, but there are virtually no squirrels in Portugal.) Just one of his crazy dreams… Oh, well. Go with the flow.
