Showing posts with label Portugal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portugal. Show all posts

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Ode

This lovely little building in Porto houses one of my favorite memories of Portugal. Ode Porto Wine House is a gem among the many memorable places Porto offers their visitors. The proprietor, Cristovao welcomes guests by saying "I want you to treat this place as if it was your home" and he isn't kidding. In fact, if I were to own a home, I would have exposed beams, rustic charm and the same glorious wine storage. So, it wasn't hard for me to sit back and relax in this wonderful "home".
The stone, the wood, the orange...I fell in decor love!

The kitchen was open so you could see the fresh ingredients and interact with the chef. Guests are encouraged to send back food if it is not exactly what you want. However, I find this hard to imagine since every dish looks amazing and prepared with care. I ordered tiger prawns on top of smashed peas and to this day, I can't stop dreaming about those peas.
My dream wine storage!

Cristovao, Ode's gracious host
I wish I had more time so I could have visited one more time before leaving. Until next time, Cheers to Ode!!!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Home Away From Home

I stayed in the room with the balcony
We stayed in this wonderful guest house in Porto. The name says it all. This place is definitely 'homey'. Our hostess, Sofia, told us to treat it as if we were in our own home. Every corner had a special touch down to ribbon tied around each towel in the bathroom. There are five floors, you enter on the second floor, street level, into a small reception area with a beautiful mural painted on the wall. The breakfast room is down the hall where guests have sparkling water, fresh fruit and tea waiting for them. The first floor is down a flight of stairs from reception. It leads to a room with comfy chairs and a projector screen. They were playing silent films on the screen when we arrived! So special.
The third-fifth floors consisted of guest rooms, two on each floor. Three rooms face the river, three rooms face the street. We had the street facing rooms. I stayed on the fourth floor and enjoyed my view, especially at night. One morning, I woke up to the sound of a child singing while kicking a soccer ball...so sweet.
Everything is vivid in Porto...the colors, the people, the energy. I loved staying in the middle of it.
This is in between the breakfast room and reception. There are books, a record player and old records waiting to be perused. I adored this little corner.
Breakfast room

personal touches everywhere

Sofia, our gracious hostess
When I return to Porto, I will stay here again. However, I will ask for a room on the river side.
OBRIGADA HOMEY!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Beautiful Portugal

Portugal is absolutely beautiful. I was not expecting so much charm, warmth, delicious food and jaw dropping beauty. Everywhere I turned, there was something magnificent to see. I never had enough space on my memory card, no matter how many times I emptied it, to capture everything that left me filled with joy. There is an ancient simplicity that layers the country with history that captivated me.
 The City of Porto is vibrant with colors popping up everywhere. What struck me most, was the ceramic tiles on all the buildings. Some were monochromatic, others were intricately painted with amazing designs.
The Douro River flows through to the sea. Across the river is Vila Nova de Gaia, where you can find many Port tasting rooms. There are boats with barrels on them, just like the used before trucks to transport Port wine to the sea.



I can't wait to return!