Oporto: Four Days Next Door (Portugal)

Host family leaves for four days on vacation.  Thus, language assistant
(that's me) leaves on four day vacation as well.  Point of interest: Portugal.
Oporto.  A beautiful city about three hours north of Lisbon.

Saw most cathedrals, churches, bell towers, etc.
Loved the architecture and tile work throughout the vicinity.

Annnd.  Roosters/birds.  They're obsessed.
A sweet old man told me the legend.
I, unfortunately, could only make out a few
of his words through his thick, Portuguese accent:
"Men hate one Spanish man, people hang man,
man say rooster sing, rooster sing three time,
now is legend, all Portugal.  Very, very famous."

Visited the Serralves Contemporary Art 'Museu', 'Biblioteca',
and 'Parque'.  "Truck Alphabet" in the Biblioteca.

Grazia Toderi exhibition.
Cityscapes- video, animation, and photography.
Something new (for me), definitely.

Appropriate:
" . . . Artists are prisoners of trends."
Much truth in the statement.

Pretty flowers of all types throughout the parque.

Perfect day- had been raining all week.
Lush, tranquil, beautiful.

This may or may not be the best hostel I've ever stayed in.
Best in that it was clean- the beds, decor, and equipment
also on the newer side.  Minus the fact that it smelled of body
odor off and on, this pick was great.

Peeps at the gelato place, Cremosi.
We are all now the best of friends.
Every day, every day.

Pastries. Pastries. Pastries.

The BEST PASTRY I've had thus far in Europe.

"PASTEL DE NATA."
Delicious hot, cold, or at room temperature.
Perfect with a pinch of cinnamon.
Comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes with apples.
A mouth-watering egg custard baked in pastry crust.
Had at least two every day.
"Don't mind if I do."

Lots of markets, little shops, cafes.

Also stumbled upon the most ornate and gorgeous
bookstore I have ever stepped foot in.
Lello Bookshop.
(Sorry B&N... Still love you though.)

End result after having a complete stranger take
a snapshot with the "bridge and city" in the background.
Oh wait, nowhere to be found. Pity.

Casa da Musica.
Oporto's "architectural statement".

Took an evening to watch the Solistas da Sinfonica.
Violin, Viola, and Cello.
I'm a huge sucker for anything that involves the Cello.
This, was terrific.  Performed works by Mozart and Korngold
(first time hearing of him- nice name though right?).

Girl from the mountains appreciates a good seafood meal.
Fried prawns.  Yumma.

Obrigada, Oporto.
Até depois.