Porto (0 miles; 377 total)

 We took a rest day to explore Porto on foot. Lots of climbing, that being stair climbing. I'll let the photos tell the story.

Dom Luis Bridge from the south side of the Duro. Yesterday, we cycled across the top deck, reserved for the tram, pedestrians, and cyclists. The bottom deck is under repair, with a narrow, one-way passage for pedestrians on each side.


The long Viking-inspired boat known as Rabelo Boat is a Portuguese vessel, typical of the Douro River, which traditionally transported the Port Wine barrels from the Upper Douro region, where the wines are located, to Vila Nova de Gaia - Porto, where the wine was stored and marketed.

The Rabelo Boats are docked along the Gaia quay. This traditional vessel was used until the Mid-twentieth century to transport Port wine from the Upper Douro Valley producers to Gaia wine lodges.
As a mountain riverboat, the Rabelo has no keel, it is flat-bottomed and measures between 19 and 23 meters long. From the way it is built, using superimposed crunched planks, specialists concluded it was inspired by Nordic models, contrasting with Mediterranean vessels.

With the conclusion of the Douro railroad, in 1887, the development of the road communications during the 20th century and the construction of the Douro dams in the mid-twenties, the river traffic until then secured by the Rabelo boats declined. Nevertheless but for many years these vessels were the only transportation used for the wine casks for many years.

Other than the boats used for tours, most are owned and labeled with the name of a large port producer, moored outside their warehouses on the south bank of the Duro.



An Italian Festival was in progress on the south bank of the Duro.

Rabbit. Up close, we failed to see the rabbit. The sculpture comprised found, trashed items, including many bicycle items.




Port Warehouse 


Cork Exhibit

Dog of the Day

Another tiled church

Shop Facade



The Bolhão Market is where farmers came to sell their fruit and vegetables, now mostly just food, produce, and beverage vendors. Colorful pasta in various shapes.

 

Tapas. Carefully arranging various canned fish on crackers/wafers.

Dried and candied fruit

Beautifully arranged mushroom display.


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