PORTO
So, after missing the bus by a close 2 hours I was forced to spend a few nights in Madrid and in turn unfortunately cut my days in Porto down.
After choosing to stay at a funkier hostel (than the one I was dropped off at) seemed like a good idea at the time of booking. How I was incredibly mistaken to realise Porto consists of hills...and not just hills, bloody steep, cobble stone ones which were honestly the death of me. After previously thinking it would be a simple 20-minute walk away I soon discovered that would not be the case. The only way to describe it would be climbing mount Everest (except in 40-degree heat) with approximately 19 kgs in luggage and suffering of severe dehydration. Turned up red face, dripping of sweat and probably looking more of a male than female to Pilot Designs Bar and Hostel and soon ran into a small group who requested I join them on the nights pub-crawl," It won’t be a pub crawl without you"-and from that moment shots were flowing, beer pong became competitive and complimentary port wine tasting was calling our name( which I stupidly found out originated right in the heart of Porto).
This city definitely comes to life at night but expect none the less for pure daylight. I soon found out why JK Rowling fell in love with this vibrant city, with quirkiness hidden around every corner, the inspiration behind Harry Potter soon became very evident after a stroll around. For example, Livraria Lello Bookshop which sparked the creation of the flying staircase and students walking round with cloaks as a part of their uniform.
There are three things which make this city so unique:
-The buildings are covered in brightly coloured tiles which they call 'Azulejo'
- The riverside which is bursting with atmosphere: restaurants, river cruisers, buskers, break-dancers. a spot on the boulevard matched with a gelato and beautiful sunset is the only way to conclude the day.
-It’s an art lover’s city, you don't have to go all philosophical looking at the structures of the big buildings but some part of you will subconsciously have an appreciation at the least and result in a touch of awe.
La La Land or Lisbon???
I then found myself discovering a city that soon made the top 3 favourites or was it just because of the people I met? Who knows, but I loved every second there! Once again booking a separate hostel to the one I get dropped off at, I set out preparing for the nights to come after I walked my way straight into one which prides itself on parties, and only that! This became evident after receiving a wristband stating,' If found please return to Travessa Do Falla-So'24B', so from that moment I knew I was not here to rest with a free beer upon entry.
Once again it was that family nature that arose around the communal dinner and the luck of getting 9 awesome roommates. Some spoke limited English, some were nocturnal and only came out at night and some had my stomach hurting so much from laughter. The only thing, I was the only girl amongst a room full of messy men and fighting over the mirror became mission impossible (as well as attempting a night in).
Lisbon was a city of vibrance, colour, gorgeous beaches and bakeries better than Crescent Head (sorry to offend anyone).
It was weirdly wonderful in every aspect! Not to mention the view from the shower pretty much on the balcony offering panoramic views, of course there was a curtain but I can guarantee not one person would have slid it across for privacy. With a sight like that no one was worried about their 'bits' being seen. I couldn't decide when I liked it better, seeing all lit up or watching the sunrise after adventuring home with some buddies in the morning. Watching the sun peak through the buildings was one of the most beautiful things after a long night out.
Lisbon is a city which doesn't sleep unless your recovering with a day at the beach and a necessary siesta. In this case though you need to prepare yourself for the extremely cold waters and daring hot sand.
P.s Apologies in advance for the lack of photos I currently don't have a phone and lost all of them.
