Arrábida Bridge overlooking the Duoro River
There’s no place like Porto, but I can name a million like Madrid! Two weeks ago I spent my winter vacation with five IAU students exploring Porto, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain.
I remember Porto as a very small, inexpensive, cultured town. Its culture popped up everywhere – from the hostel, to homes, to small businesses.
We arrived Saturday night. As soon as we walked into Dixo’s Oporto Hostel, we saw the staircase painted “welcome” in a different language on each step, demonstrating how important culture is there. The best part about the hostel was going to the veranda at night to see the lit-up town. Oh, and the free breakfast: A broke college student’s dream!
The first night we went to a restaurant on the rooftop of Hard Club. I tasted Francesinha, a Porto original, which means “little Frenchie” in Portuguese. It’s a sandwich made with thin bread, wet-cured ham, linguica (smoked cured sausage), and steak, covered with melted cheese, tomato, all smothered with a beer sauce. It was delicious, but I couldn't finish it in one sitting. Half of it sent me straight into a food coma!
I remember Porto as a very small, inexpensive, cultured town. Its culture popped up everywhere – from the hostel, to homes, to small businesses.
We arrived Saturday night. As soon as we walked into Dixo’s Oporto Hostel, we saw the staircase painted “welcome” in a different language on each step, demonstrating how important culture is there. The best part about the hostel was going to the veranda at night to see the lit-up town. Oh, and the free breakfast: A broke college student’s dream!
The first night we went to a restaurant on the rooftop of Hard Club. I tasted Francesinha, a Porto original, which means “little Frenchie” in Portuguese. It’s a sandwich made with thin bread, wet-cured ham, linguica (smoked cured sausage), and steak, covered with melted cheese, tomato, all smothered with a beer sauce. It was delicious, but I couldn't finish it in one sitting. Half of it sent me straight into a food coma!
View of Hard Club from Dixo Hostel
At Hard Club we also learned our first (and only) Portuguese words. “Obrigado,” which means thank you (women say Obrigada), and Ciao, the common European farewell. We were already familiar with the salute “Ola.”
The next day we journeyed around the town. Along the way we saw many worn buildings, cathedrals and towers. We also observed laundry hanging in windows of apartment buildings; another sign of Porto's outspoken culture. Eventually, we found ourselves at a flea market, buying, hand-made jewelry, scarves, and other accessories. We bargained for pretty good deals on souvenirs.
Afterwards we bought lunch at a family-owned restaurant. Most of us tried a cheesy codfish soup, another Porto favorite. Then we sat along the Duoro Riverbank for hours, basking in Porto’s beautiful ambience. When hunger called again, we found our way to a local market. The girls and I bought pasta, vegetables, fruit and a bottle of wine for about 12 euros. That’s just 2 euros-a-piece!
The next few days we explored, tasted port wine and rode a gondola across the Arrábida Bridge! The gondola extends about 170 feet tall. The ride is pretty smooth, so it’s not as scary as it sounds!
The next day we journeyed around the town. Along the way we saw many worn buildings, cathedrals and towers. We also observed laundry hanging in windows of apartment buildings; another sign of Porto's outspoken culture. Eventually, we found ourselves at a flea market, buying, hand-made jewelry, scarves, and other accessories. We bargained for pretty good deals on souvenirs.
Afterwards we bought lunch at a family-owned restaurant. Most of us tried a cheesy codfish soup, another Porto favorite. Then we sat along the Duoro Riverbank for hours, basking in Porto’s beautiful ambience. When hunger called again, we found our way to a local market. The girls and I bought pasta, vegetables, fruit and a bottle of wine for about 12 euros. That’s just 2 euros-a-piece!
The next few days we explored, tasted port wine and rode a gondola across the Arrábida Bridge! The gondola extends about 170 feet tall. The ride is pretty smooth, so it’s not as scary as it sounds!
Left to Right: Rachel, Emily, Molly Arianna and Jessica On the Gondola!
We spent our last nights having girl talk on the veranda, soaking in Porto’s picturesque beauty.
We loved Porto. It’s not your typical tourist town. The line-dried clothes, the small markets, the familial businesses, all say Porto. Other countries or big corporations haven’t commercialized it. It's its own city, and doesn’t belong to anyone else.
We loved Porto. It’s not your typical tourist town. The line-dried clothes, the small markets, the familial businesses, all say Porto. Other countries or big corporations haven’t commercialized it. It's its own city, and doesn’t belong to anyone else.
Typical European style apartments, above department stores
Tuesday we left Porto, with lovely memories, and arrived in Madrid wishing we stayed in Portugal. Madrid, Spain, is more of a party city and very expensive. It sleeted the first day, and rained the other days we were there. Most students in our hostel partied all night and slept most of the day away. When we explored, we didn't see most people come out until sunset.
The large-scale commercialization in Madrid disappointed me the most. If I wanted to see a McDonald’s and KFC on every corner, I would’ve stayed in Chicago! It blended in as just another big city, with no memorable culture to set it apart. I would've loved to see Madrid before big corporations and restaurant chains moved in.
Madrid reminds me of major cities throughout the world, with one exception: The Prado Museum.
The Prado Museum is located exactly at the center of Spain, and is home to an extraordinary collection of Spanish art. The museum also hosts a large variety of European classical pieces. There were especially a lot of beautiful paintings of Christ, including the Crucifixion, last supper, His Resurrection and reigning/watching over us in Heaven.
The museum all my mind to my own spiritual beliefs. Photos were prohibited, but I found the painting of Jesus liberating Adam and Eve from Limbo the most intriguing. The piece was very moving. It was a reminder that Jesus came to save us all, no matter how great the sin was or when it was committed. It was a history lesson, art show and Bible lesson all in one.
The large-scale commercialization in Madrid disappointed me the most. If I wanted to see a McDonald’s and KFC on every corner, I would’ve stayed in Chicago! It blended in as just another big city, with no memorable culture to set it apart. I would've loved to see Madrid before big corporations and restaurant chains moved in.
Madrid reminds me of major cities throughout the world, with one exception: The Prado Museum.
The Prado Museum is located exactly at the center of Spain, and is home to an extraordinary collection of Spanish art. The museum also hosts a large variety of European classical pieces. There were especially a lot of beautiful paintings of Christ, including the Crucifixion, last supper, His Resurrection and reigning/watching over us in Heaven.
The museum all my mind to my own spiritual beliefs. Photos were prohibited, but I found the painting of Jesus liberating Adam and Eve from Limbo the most intriguing. The piece was very moving. It was a reminder that Jesus came to save us all, no matter how great the sin was or when it was committed. It was a history lesson, art show and Bible lesson all in one.
Tapas and Sangria!
Although I preferred Porto to Madrid, I still encourage people to travel to the latter. The rain and my drained mind from constant travel could’ve skewed my perspective, just a little. Madrid has great, inexpensive Tapas (platter of Spanish appetizers, served with Sangria), and specializes in piaya Spanish rice. Both are absolutely delicious! If you happen to stop by, make sure you check out the nightlife!
Exploring other countries in Europe on my own was exhilarating! It's amazing how much you can accomplish if you just do it! Returning to France was bittersweet. I still miss Porto, but returning to Aix made me realize I picked the right place to study abroad. I was excited to speak French again with my host. I think I was more anxious to sleep peacefully in my own bed; my home-away-from-home bed.
I’m all travelled-out – until April, at least. Next stop, Paris, France, followed by Italia!!