Porto, portugal

We arrive to Porto Wednesday July 2nd - it is a quarter-century year. Relief is the primary emotion, 24+ hours of intense back pain reminding me I am now 30 myself and cannot move mountains (mattresses) like I used to be able to.

Porto welcomes us with equal parts blazing heat and a quenching ocean breeze courtesy of the North Atlantic to the west. Summer energy is immediately evident, the many folks enjoying vino and cerveza on every corner a welcome change from the winter hibernation happening back home.

Accommodation - a fantastic opportunity to cause immense pain across my back and shoulders lugging suitcases up flights of stairs. This opportunity I could not waste! I seized it, along with my rhomboid, supraspinatus, trapezius and all of their fleshy neighbours.

Back to the subject at hand, and rather than simply recounting a laundry list of everything we saw, ate and did, I'd rather talk about the feeling Porto imparted on us, with just a few special mentions.

You can spend full days here simply meandering the streets, soaking up amazing views and drinking in the culture - there isn't a dull vista to be found. The Baroque architecture is abundant and simply beautiful. Their centuries of life visible and worn proudly like a tattoo - the faded paintwork and gritty facades enhancing rather than detracting from the appeal. As children of the ocean we are drawn to water, and the Douro certainly commands you to come forth - it is the centrepiece of Porto from which all life radiates.

The city, whether intentional or not, expertly blends both tourist and local appeal. With some great tips from our host, we discovered places where everyone is welcome, whether you're there for a short while or a loyal patron that is now part of the furniture. This special characteristic makes Porto feel alive - where some places might feel this way as a byproduct of endless crowds, that isn't the case here. From impromptu Brazilian samba parties, to roadside ABBA karaoke, Porto is a city that still belongs to its residents, and this brings with it an inimitable vibe that the lucky visitor can feel on every corner and in each interaction.

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Hannah's thoughts:

A little something from someone who is dismal at writing but wants to be included. The trip has finally arrived and where did all that time go? I haven’t been to Europe since 2010, 15 years ago, again where did all the time go? I have been pestering Jesse about Europe for years saying "you just don’t get it, Europe is different there is so much to see do, eat, drink experience, you love history there’s heaps of that there!" To which he replied "but Asia is so cheap."

Anyway moons later we arrived on a trip of a lifetime, 6 months. Most people have asked what we are going to do for money? To which my response is always that’s why we work isn’t it? Or money comes and goes. For too long we’ve put off things like this trip because it wasn’t the right time or nothing was aligning. But here we are, Portugal being our first stop.

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Our hit list:

• Bifana from Casa Expresso
• 1, 2, 3 (4? I lost count) pints of Superbock at Guindalense Futebol Club
• Sunset at Passeio das Virtudes with the young chic
• Pastel de nata from Castro (best fresh, warm and sprinkled with cinnamon)
• Port wine - any type will knock your socks off