All posts tagged: Porto

A weekend in Porto with friends

Where are we going this year? That’s how this journey began … After Madrid last year, we made a statement: – A weekend just for friends, once per year! The choices were: Edinburgh or Prague, but Portugal spoke louder and we chose the city of Porto. And so it was… Where we stayed at Porto We stayed at the Gallery Hostel, Rua Miguel Bombarda. This is a street full of art galleries, alternative shops and friendly cafes. It is also a few minutes walk from the ‘Aliados’, not far from ‘Ribeira’, near the river. One of the highlights of this area is the street art and historical buildings covered in beautiful tiles. It also has a “ commerce center that is not a shopping”, the CCBombarda which offers affordable restaurants and creative shops. The Gallery Hostel is excellent. The rooms are nice, clean, spacious and so are the bathrooms. It has a very nice social area and breakfast is included. They also make dinner for 10 € with drinks included. Staff is very welcoming. What …

Porto

A family adventure in Oporto

A Family Adventure in Oporto Oporto is one of my favorite Portuguese cities, not only for its authenticity but also for the memories it brings back to me. My older brother studied in Oporto, so I have a few friends from those times. Also in my college days, it was customary to visit the Madeiran friends distributed by the Portuguese Universities. Coimbra and Porto were a reference, especially at the time of “Queima das Fitas” Festival. The last times I went there, Oporto proved to be a city full of creativity and ability to reinvent itself. Walk along the street of Flores, the area of ​ Clérigos tower, in Miguel Bombarda Street without forgetting of course, the colourful houses of Ribeira, the crossing of the river Douro in Dom Luis Bridge and the walk by the river to the sea. Despite its serious look, this city is not at all dull, on the contrary, it is full of life and adventures to be discovered. This was our family adventure in Porto: – The more I …

From Madeira to Oh Porto!… meet Gonçalo Taipa Teixeira

Quando as palavras valem mais que mil imagens…   A minha Ilha Lá, o mar abraça-me; embrulha-me em carícias frescas com a electricidade de uma amante que quer mais e mais de mim. Lá, o sol confia em mim; entrega-me o seu calor aos poucos escurecendo a pele de cor em cor sem temer que o abandone. Lá, a brisa conhece-me; sabe que sei o que sussurra às folhas grandes e pequenas nas tardes que passa comigo. Lá, na minha Ilha, conheço o chão e o horizonte. Sei onde acaba o mar profundo e começo eu — um imenso oceano. Gonçalo Taipa Teixeira   Biografia O Gonçalo (sim, vou falar na terceira pessoa, para já) nasceu no Funchal há já alguns anos. Filho de um madeirense e uma vilacondense, foi metido num avião pela primeira vez aos 3 meses de vida, para ir conhecer os avós maternos. Viveu até os 4 anos de idade em Lisboa, porque a vida dos progenitores assim ditou, altura em que foi devolvido à Ilha natal. Numa adolescência de karate, …