After breakfast we head for the No. 2 route of the Yellow bus. We have to wait a short while but eventually it turns up and we head for the upstairs deck. We lament that we hadn't visited the cemetery nearby while we waited, we could have and it looked interesting. No matter, it's a beautiful day.
The bus drives north up the coast towards the town of Matosinhos. We are not really sure what is there but there is a beach and the nice man at the hotel says it is worth a look.
Before reaching the beach, we go through the town and past the port. Then the audio commentary mentions something about seafood grill restaurants right here in the street serving fresh catch. That takes our fancy. The bus turns the corner and we see a busy street with smoke and steam billowing from grills and decide to hop off immediately. There are a heap of restaurants along the street, and all have little outdoor dining rooms set on the street itself, with an associated outdoor grill. The weather is superb and we wander along looking at fresh seafood being salted, sizzled, basted and turned. It isn't quite midday, and not that long since breakfast, but we believe it is time for lunch. Choosing a restaurant is not so easy. There are many and they are much the same, but subtly different in their offerings, choice and decor. One has a cute roof made of umbrellas.
We wander for a bit (oh boy, there really are a LOT of restaurants), find one that ticks all our boxes and take a seat. Brett orders squid and I have prawns. We share a salad and bottle of wine. It is all delicious. Brett declares this the best squid he has ever tasted. Better than that in Cudillero and Cambados - and that's saying something.
All the restaurants are busy, with some tourists, but mostly with locals. Friends gathering, families getting together, business meetings. Everyone is enjoying the freshly cooked seafood right off the grill, right there in the street. Way out here by the northern port, away from the city centre. Auckland could do with a street like this. We have seafood that should match things although our weather is much more unpredictable.
After a great meal, we walk on towards the beach, through a nice little park. There are a few youths hanging about under an ancient monument, swearing and drinking and doing their best to look cool, showing off to each other in the middle of the day. Aren't they supposed to be in school? They look ridiculous, more so because we have not seen any such behaviour in the entire time we have been away. Not once. Not anywhere. Drunken irritating obnoxious youths have been pleasantly absent from our world the past weeks, along with bad news stories associated with the behaviour of said beings and others with questionable behaviour. Very nice it is too.
The beach comes into view and it is quite beautiful in an austere way. On one side is the port and oil terminal, all industrial-looking, along with the new cruise terminal which is a circular white bunker that looks very 21st century in an Eastern bloc way. It's a good job the cruise ship was here yesterday or it would be a lot busier. Today it is nice and quiet.
Running along the length of the beach is a wide esplanade with large apartment blocks stretching to the far end where there are some old castle ruins. In the middle is a fabulous sculpture called 'She Changes', inspired by fishing nets, created by an American artist. It is stunning from all angles, with subtle structural and colour changes depending on where you view it from.
The beach itself has sand that is a blend of caramel, off-white and salt and pepper grey, depending on which part of it you are on. There is gentle surf. It's hard to describe but the setting is highly unusual, in a good way. The whole place feels like something out of Eastern Europe, even though it's on the very western coast of Europe.
I really like this beach, the vibe is great and people are out enjoying every aspect of it. We walk the length of it; the water is not too cold and the sand is silky. It feels like we are a million miles from the big city of Oporto, yet it is so close.
We are about to hop back on the bus to town when, egad, Brett discovers he has lost his real glasses this time. [NB: by the way, the sunglasses "lost" in Cambados were consequently found later that same day upon unpacking in Oporto ... They were in the car boot, exactly where he had put them!]
This loss is more critical ... Without his normal specs, he is in trouble. No driving. No reading menus. No reading wine labels. Disaster.
He thinks perhaps he may have left them at the lunch restaurant. Or perhaps they dropped out of his pocket on the beach. Hmmmm ... We have no choice but to retrace our steps. Again. He has a quick scout on the beach, but I suggest that if they had fallen out of his pocket (he was wearing his sunglasses), surely he would have noticed. Or I would have, given he was 20m in front of me as usual - actually make that 100m+ today! Or someone else would have. A pair of glasses in a big case does not clunk out of one's pocket unnoticed! We walk back along the Esplanade to the restaurant. No, they are not there. Oh, hang on, there is an epiphany, he may have left them on a rock on the beach when he took some photos. Did he actually stop and take photos? I was way behind smelling roses - make that the the sea air - and taking photos. I go and wander round the old town while he goes back along the beach to his rock. We agree to meet at a cafe on the beach in half an hour. The tide is coming in. Quite fast.
Part of the old town is very very old, and part of it quite new. There is a street that is devoted only to pedestrians and the above-ground Metro line that comes out here. It is lined with buildings so old they look like they are about to crumble or topple over, many derelict and/or for sale. Most have tiled facades in the Portuguese style. Or did have. Amongst them, new buildings. Or old ones restored. Zooming through them all is the latest in rail technology ... and a few people on bikes. Plus me. I don't have much time to explore this interesting slice of life before making my way back to the cafe at the said time to meet Brett who is already there, chirpy as a chick that will never be eaten. His mood is upbeat, I gather he found his glasses. Yes, indeed, they were on that rock - and about to be swallowed by the high tide. Caught in the nick of time. Phew. We have a wine in celebration and sit back and enjoy the beachside location.
Back on the Yellow bus we head back to Oporto and hop off near the tower, a city landmark that dominates the skyline from all angles. We find our way to Livrare Lello, the "must see" bookshop. What a little gem. Even though you have to pay to enter this bookshop, it is worth it. The central staircase is a work of brilliance. The Harry Potter staircase was inspired by this beauty. The steps twist and turn and it really does seem like they might take on a life of their own and transport you to the shelves on the other side of the shop. This is not an easy staircase to photograph because of all it's gorgeous angles and it is hard to find a people-less moment as everyone walks up and down and round, marvelling at the clever design and beautiful decorative designs. The ceiling is stained glass, there is a little cafe at one end and a Harry Potter corner at the other. A rather lovely bookish 'wearable arts' style garment is on display, along with books of all descriptions over the two levels. It is not a large shop but it is very old and very lovely. And well worth a visit.
The Yellow bus has finished for the day so we take the public bus back to our hotel. No probs. We are exhausted by our beach outing and decide to buy some food from the lovely delicatessen next to the hotel. We will have dinner in our room tonight ... Bread, cheese, sliced meat, custard tart, wine ... Nice and simple. It's been a most excellent day. We love Oporto and its environs.
Observation of the Day: We decide Matosinho wouldn't be a bad place to live if you were a Portuguese person of means ... beach and fresh seafood on your doorstep, an easy commute to work or shop in Oporto, home in time for a surf, wine at sunset and a port nightcap under the stars on the balcony of your apartment with a view.
Extra Observation: Oporto would be a fantastic cruise stop, with the Yellow bus taking you everywhere, and so much to see and do. I bet that austere looking cruise terminal is pretty neat inside, too.
A great city, end to end.
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