Portugal - Porto

I keep saying 'Iberian Peninsula' a lot these days because I think it sounds cool. Iberian. Say it. Iberian Peninsula. Right? Don't you just want to say it FOREVER?!

(IBERIA)

So I've been in Porto for a few days now and it's actually pretty great. The lesser known of the 'big' cities in Portugal but by far the biggest city in the north. It's got it's own feel to it that seems less touristy than Lisbon and more sort of culturally charged. English isn't AS good here (still quite amazing); the waiters are a little more brusque (but subjectively, obviously); and it's much smaller (but tiring nonetheless).

(CULTURE)

Here's a handy fact file to lure you in to reading more. J.K Rowling wrote a lot of the first Harry Potter book  here in Porto. She came here to teach English, married a Portugese guy, had a daughter and wrote a lot apparently. The marriage has since dissolved though. I bet the guy is kicking himself. But you can't fight true love. Harry Potter taught me that. No it didn't.

(LOOK MORE CULTURE JK WRITE ABOUT THIS)

During the first day I went on a walking tour again. We just had a small group of about five people including a Japanese girl who I had fun chatting to her for a bit in Japanese. It vindicated my embarrassment at only speaking English ha haaa. Our tour guy Sergio took us around and because our group was small we all had lunch together by the river. It's a really nifty way to see the city I feel and because Porto is so small it was good to just get a general feel of it. On the day of arrival I got suuuper lost and ended up walking through the busiest part of the city with my huge ass backpack fighting my pride to get out a map or my lonely planet guide.

(THIS GUY)

On that note, there is not seemingly any Starbucks or McDonalds here which is nice in that whole 'fight consumerism' thing but gosh darn it is hard to find wifi. I got there in the end - and I got to see the busy side of Porto all in one go. Not too bad.

INSTEAD there are a lot of proper Portugese restaurants selling the fun kind food that is half the reason for travelling! Francisinha is kind of a meat sandwich. I've provided you the wikipedia link so if you want to get all cultured go nuts. Portugese people really like their meat and they just want to give it all to you all of the time. Not that that's a bad thing but I've been getting indigestion that is either from my weird eating/sleeping/drinking habits or from all of the meat I've been shoving into my face hole. Likely both.

(MEAT SANDWICH WITH CHIPS YEAH!)

(It's actually rocking my world. So unhealthy though ... )

There's also a tripe dish that people keep talking about. I know it'll taste nice but everyone is just really bad at describing it. I'm thinking I'll grab it tomorrow when I'm on my day trip to Guimaraes. Next blog will mostly be about Madrid though I'm imagining.