The weather had unexpectedly changed to be a lot nicer than anticipated so I headed out into the sunny skies for a final day of exploration. I walked down the hill to the now familiar Rua de Flores and decided to check out the other restaurant owned by the Hungry Biker, appropriately named the Floresta Cafe.

I took a seat outside, enjoying the nearby performance of men’s troupe robustly singing and strumming their guitars. I already knew what I wanted to eat after perusing their menu online – brioche French toast with fresh seasonal fruit in a pistachio sauce. It was even better than expected and something I was already jealous I could probably never have again. The bread was light and fluffy; the various fruits nice and juicy; and all covered in this wondrous pistachio sauce which had just the right amount of sweetness.

For a change of pace, I had read about a popular microbrewery that wasn’t too far from where I was, so up the hill I went until I arrived at MUSA. I had read it had a nice view of the river from its elevated perch and that was indeed the case.

After sampling a few of their more creative beers, including one I really liked but at 9% was not advisable for the day ahead, I settled on their apparently award winning Twist and Stout. It was a very flavorful stout with nice coffee and chocolate notes. It was just what I needed and only 6%. An older American couple came in while I was chatting with the manager who was from Brazil originally and the woman ordered the 9% stout in a pint. I was pretty sure she didn’t see what the ABV was, and I silently wished her good luck.

I made my way down the steep narrow roads until it finally flattened out on the river bank, which was teeming with people enjoying the nice weather.

This time I crossed the bridge to go back to Gaia and explore more of it while it was light out. One thing that was already different, besides now throngs of people walking about, were the gondolas crossing the sky above me.

I made my way over to my main destination, the House of Sandeman, which had always been a favorite of my dad. Its very distinctive character logo of a mysterious man in a cape and hat was created in the late 1940s to reflect the combination of their spirit lines of sherry (Spanish sombrero) and their ports (the Portuguese cape.)

I chatted a bit with the manager who was from Toronto but had moved to Porto because of his girlfriend. James told me the company, after being dumped by Seagram’s, had recently been acquired by a Portuguese consortium, proud to be once again owned by locals. I decided I had enough port so after buying some gifts, I said my goodbyes and continued my wandering.

I was pretty tired from all of my walking so I was relieved when I found this complex which featured a small screening room where one could select from various short programs about the Douro region. Using it initially just as a way to sit down for a bit, I actually found myself really enjoying the various shorts, especially one that featured silent footage of the process of getting the port barrels up and down the then treacherous river. It was truly backbreaking work involving the unique low line boats and teams of oxen to push against the current when coming back from Porto.

After that, I decided to head up to the 360 Lounge which truly lived up to its name. It was entirely outdoors with a great soundtrack so I pulled up to a coach overlooking everything and ordered a not so great red wine. It was fairly windy trout so the warming of the wine helped with my chills.

The setting sun made my shivers all worth it, with the sky turning golden as it set. Shortly thereafter, they said the lounge was now closed. That was fine as my tolerance for the cold had come to an end. I took an Uber and headed back across the river for my final dinner in Porto.

Walking home from Mito the other night, I had noticed a very striking looking spot called By the Wine and had made note of it as a possible last dinner choice. I had actually gotten there a bit early and was one of the first guests there. They had a pretty extensive list of wines by the glass and ended up selecting another one from the same Alentejo region I had last night. This was a reserva that reminded me a lot of a Malbec.

I decided to do my usual 2 starters instead of a main and first selected their octopus carpaccio. I hadn’t had something like this since Colombia and their version was quite delicious. The briny octopus had been thinly sliced with salt and lemon with nicely diced tomatoes in the middle with some red onion.

The other starter was a no brainer for me – veal croquettes. I first thought the sauce was aioli but was actually a mix of mayonnaise and mustard. It was perfect to cut through the rich croquettes with some needed tang.

None of the desserts were appealing enough so I paid up and walked back into the cold, making my way home for the final time. Tomorrow would be the last leg of my trip with a train back to Lisbon. My time in Portugal was quickly coming to an end.

Given my late night, I made no apologies of sleeping in until the sun peeking through the curtains finally woke me up. I guess it was time for lunch.

I was in no condition to go very far but literally a block from me was an intriguing looking to go spot that claimed to be the only place in Porto that did pasta talegio style. I was instructed to pick a pasta type – tagliatelle sounded good along with a sauce – Alfredo with mushrooms. She then placed the fresh pasta in boiling water for about 4 minutes. When it was done, she put the pasta in the hollow center of the massive cheese wheel, added first the Alfredo sauce and then mixed the pasta with the sauce, scraping the sides for more cheese. Finally, she put the mushrooms in and combined it all. It was then boxed up and ready to go.

I took it back to my place and finally used my dining table. The pasta was nicely cooked and the sauce was very flavorful. Not too shabby for 10 Euros.

After resting and blogging, it was dinner time and my final meet up with Ray. He came to my place, and we walked down the hill, past the Rua de Flores and eventually to our destination – Mistu, one of Ray’s favorites. As a gesture of thanks for his hospitality, I had brought with me a bottle of the rose I had quite enjoyed at Quinta de Beijos. I asked our server if there was a corkage fee, and he explained there was a city tax of 15 Euro. Nao problema I said.

Our server set up the wine and presented us with their couvert – cheese puff with herbs. It was nice and creamy, assisted greatly by the punch of the herbs.

One of the advantages of having a dinner companion is the ability to share a few different things so we started with a Chinese duck salad with green apples in a hoisin dressing. The duck meat was actually at the bottom of the layers of arugula and thinly sliced apples. When all properly mixed together, the rich duck was nicely balanced with the slightly sweet dressing and the acid of the green apples.

Next up was my selection – Seabass with grilled asparagus and carrots in a truffle Hollandaise sauce along with mushroom tortellini. At last, actual filet, which had been nicely cooked and very tender. It turned out Ray was not a fan of asparagus or mushrooms so I ended up eating all of those portions. I told Ray he didn’t know what he was missing with these expertly cooked asparagus and the surprisingly light tortellini.

Next up was Ray’s pick of the NY strip with parsnip puree and vegetables. I had been initially taken back by him ordering it medium but both he and pie served assured me it was like the medium rare I was used to in the States. They were right, of course, and medium turned out to be just the right balance. The steak was nicely seasoned and went great with the parsnip puree.

I was actually pretty full by this point so I told Ray to order whatever dessert he wanted, and I would just try a couple of bites. He settled on a peanut butter cake with a Brazilian vanilla ice cream. It was way more peanut butter than either of us expected. I was glad to only have my couple of bites but they were very tasty.

After finally asking for a picture of the two of us, we said our goodbyes. It was still fairly early so I wandered down the street a bit for cocktail. This place’s main thing was a series of cocktails based on the 7 continents. All of them were pretty creative but the Oceania one intrigued me the most – tequila, mezcal, pineapple and BBQ sauce cordial with eucalyptus foam. The foam actually was the most interesting part and helped cut from some of the sweetness of the cordial. It was a bit too cold for it but would be a real winner during the summer.

The bar itself felt more like a college hangout with the young crowd to match. There was a DJ who was, quite frankly, terrible – James Taylor into Pitbull is a hate crime – so I quickly finished my drink and went in search of something a bit adult.

Fortunately, a couple of blocks up the hill, was the inviting Provesa wine bar. I chatted with one of the servers about trying something a bit more bold and robust. After a couple of missteps, I finally landed on one that was off menu he liked from a region I hadn’t tried yet. It was more like a Malbec and a nice change of pace from the mostly fruit-forward reds I had been imbibing.

I sank into a comfy couch, sipping my wine and chatting with some fellow travelers. I decided to stop at a single glass as I wanted to do a final one back at the bar next to my place I had previously visited.

The streets were filled with mostly younger partygoers and as I walked up the hill, my eye caught a large and very fancy looking McDonalds which had a steady flow of traffic. I realized some fries might be just the thing to sop up the various alcohols swishing in my stomach so I used the touchscreen and soon had my prize.

I continued walking up the hill, munching on my fries and eventually approached the bar, which had been transformed into a club complete with a stern looking security guard who explained that guys had to pay a 20 Euro cover which would give me 3 tickets for beer or wine. So much for my nightcap. I declined and went back to my place. Considering the almost 100 percent certainty of a hangover even before adding more, it was the right decision.

The rain had disappeared but in its place was overcast skies and cooler weather. Still, most of my day/night would be indoors so not that big of a deal.

My first stop was at the famous Galeza which was a steep hike up the hill from me so I was pretty hungry when I got there. There was a line but this wasn’t place you linger too long so it moved fairly quickly.

People come here pretty much for only one thing – their take on a hotdog. In this version, it was a sausage with a spicy spread, topped with cheese and then hot pressed. They had several pressed going at once to speed up the process and then would quickly slice them in rows to serve. I paired mine with a Super Bock and small fries. The hotdog didn’t have quite the snap I like, but the combo was a good one. It paired nicely with my beer and fries. A solid lunch.

Afterwards, I headed down the street to a museum and church that has been recommended by my Douro guide to check out. I paid 10 Euros for the museum exhibits and access to the church and made my way up to the top floor to the portrait gallery, which featured people both associated with the church and supporting hospitals as well as their benefactors.

The museum itself was built in the late 1800s to house these portraits as well as artifacts from their collection, explaining the history of the Misericordia movement in Porto, which began with the construction of the church in the mid 1550s. Essentially the main purpose was to help the poor and the sick.

To showcase this era, the museum features several Renaissance works.

There were other rooms showing the more administrative end of things and eventually ended in this beautiful atrium, which had been built to hold discussions and performances.

I had the church to myself when I entered into the cool, large main room. The famous Portuguese tiles lined the walls and there was a massive wood-carved gate with a private space where I assume the priest would emerge to give the homily. The large, thick walls and windows made the space very quiet even with the busy street next to it.

Having been made right with God (that’s how it works, no?) I exited the church to wander around the trendy shops on the street, including stopping to watch some sort of performance from a local high school troupe.

The weather had turned pretty cold now so it was a perfect time to find a cafe for some hot chocolate. This version was quite different than the one I had in Lisbon, topped with a generous amount of whipped cream and a tasty cookie. It was exactly what was needed to give me a final boost back to my place.

My destination for dinner wasn’t too far distance-wise but it was straight up yet another steep hill. I channeled my inner San Franciscan, eventually landing at the top and then once last slight climb to Mito. The restaurant had recently won a Michelin Guide recommendation and was quickly becoming a local favorite. The menu was fairly small but with some very intriguing options including what I made my starter.

It was a playful twist on the pastel de nata but in this case the cream was actually mixed with bacon. I was surprised when I lifted the bite that the pastry was warm but the filling was cold. It made for a very interesting mix of tastes – salty and sweet, cold and warm that made my brain try to comprehend the dichotomies.

As soon as I saw one of the mains was a 20 day dry aged Ibérico pork chop that was the only option for me. I wasn’t prepared though for how it would plated and literally gasped when it arrived. I mean look at it! Much to my relief it wasn’t just expertly cooked but also perfectly seasoned, something that had been lacking elsewhere. The single best item I had so far on my trip. It was nicely paired with some tempura battered onion rings and tomato salad.

Knowing the long night I had ahead and the need not to overindulge, I declined dessert and headed back down (huzzah!) to my place to digest and relax for a bit.

At just before midnight, I made my up (sigh) and over to Plan B, a club where I would be seeing the legendary Gilles Peterson, a long-time BBC radio host and one of the first to bring world music to the masses. I had already gotten a ticket in advance so walked into what appeared to be some of lounge area but no DJ so quickly noticed the steep set of stairs that must lead to the dance floor.

I got there right when he started to the cheers of the crowd and danced my arse off for the next three hours as he expertly mixed everything from Afro house to acid jazz to disco to even some IDB and jungle. The system was Phazon so the bass shook the entire room and the sound was crystal clear. Truly a magical experience.

At 3AM on the dot, after finishing up with a jazz track from Portugal, Gilles got on the mic to thank everyone, and I took that as my cue to leave. The club’s other room was packed with a DJ playing some hideous mashup which gave me the strength to haul my very stiff body up the stairs and out of the club. The street was filled with Friday night revelers in various states of inebriation, including some sort of bachelorette stumbling their way down the main drag.

I gingerly walked back to my place and crashed, grateful I had remembers to bring my earplugs so I could still actually hear. Achieving my goal of getting in bed before sunrise, I went to sleep knowing that at least the day would be very easy later as I needed the time off.

The good luck I had with the weather so far had finally run out as I awoke to the sound of rain brushing against my bedroom window. I relaxed in bed for a bit and the rain finally subsided a bit.

I walked down the street to a cafe that had previous caught my eye. It was already full of people speaking in several different languages, escaping the rain for some coffee or lunch.

The menu was full of interesting options but one truly stood out. Savory waffles with Parmesan, smoked salmon, fried eggs and pickled red onions with a honey mustard sauce. It was also supposed to come with hummus but since that’s a no no for me, they gave me an extra egg. This was simply Heaven on a plate. The smoked salmon paired beautifully with the surprisingly light waffles and the perfectly fried eggs. I then tried it with the honey mustard and the pickled red onions, which added some nice acidity to all of the richness. Sublime.

It was starting to rain again but had to meet up with my friend Ray to go across the river for a port tasting and tour. He had selected Cockburn’s – a port house started in 1815 but recently sold to a large distributor. However, they had promised to keep the history and tradition of the namesake.

Our guide, Victoria, was very knowledgeable and friendly, taking us through the history of Cockburn’s (Scottish so pronounced “co-burns”) and port making in general. Their port house was the largest in Gaia, as the pictures above show. In the last image, Victoria explained how they can check to see the current color of the port inside. This was becoming a tawny due to its now rich light brown color.

One of the cooler parts of the tour was stopping by the cooper workshop. There an apprentice was hard at working repairing a 100 year barrel. The trade had sadly all but disappeared in recent years due to changes in the industry and Cockburn’s had the last remaining group of them. Victoria explained her grandfather was a cooper but now it essentially no longer exists as a full time job except for here.

We continued the tour, passing the seemingly endless rows of massive barrels, some of which were standing upright on large white blocks. The reason they were painted white so that they can see if any liquid is leaking out of the barrels. Victoria also explained the cobwebs were a good thing as the spiders eat the insects attracted by the sweet liquid of the port.

We were finally led to the very nice tasting room where our requests were already laid out for us. Ray and I, both fans of tawny ports had decided to splurge a bit and get the 20, 30 and 40 year old option as neither of us had one older than 20. The 20 was a familiar taste but the 30 especially tasted completely different, lots of dark fruit notes and not so much the usual nutty caramel tastes. The 40 was similar to the 20 with a slightly longer mouthfeel.

Her talk about the vintage ports, which are much more like wine, had me curious so she gave us a taste of a 2008 vintage. It reaffirmed to me once again I’m just not a fan of ruby and vintage ports although it was a very good version of that. To finish off, she gave us a bit of a vintage white port, which was one of her favorites. This one I actually quite liked as it wasn’t too sweet at all. A nice way to close things out plus to add to our impressive assortment of empty glasses.

Ray suggested walking down to the World of Wine complex, which consisted of bars, restaurants and museums. Our destination was Pip, which was known for its good pizzas but when we got there, it hadn’t opened yet. So, we rounded the corner and headed upstairs to one of the bars for a glass of wine.

This turned out to be a great idea as the bar had a spectacular panoramic view of Porto. We both tried a Pinot noir from the Dao region as neither of us had had a single varietal Pinot from Portugal. It was very similar to a French Pinot, lighter and drier than its American cohort. But even better was the popcorn with smoked paprika and thyme – a topping I had never had before but now want more in my life.

It was finally dinner time so we made our way back to restaurant and ordered first their couvert which was an olive focaccia that was warm and very tasty. For our meal, we decided to split their prosciutto pizza with mushrooms and arugula. This was a very good pizza with a light fluffy crust and the spice of the arugula went great with the salty prosciutto.

It was getting late so Ray and I said our respective good byes, and I headed back across the bridge via a very friendly Uber driver named Ana who was happy I was enjoying her great city so much. Tomorrow was going to be a light day but a long night so it was time to sleep.

The alarm rang at the very displeasing 7:30am, but I had no choice as I was to be picked up at 8:30am for my day tour exploring the Douro wine region. I had booked a seat on an 8 person private tour so I made my way to the meeting point and was soon greeted by our guide, Vasco.

The Mercedes van was already full of the other guests – 3 older women from just outside of London, a couple from Italy and soon to round out with a couple from Germany. Vasco declared us his family today and as Papa he would make sure we were taken care of.

We were soon out of the city and on the way to our first stop (“not a gas station, I promise”) Vasco explained that the city of Amarante was known for two things – a 13th century church on the river and a pastry modeled after the fact that the town was home to the Patron Saint of fertility.

We took our snaps and soon climbed back into the van to make our way up and over the mountain that led to the Douro Valley, stopping at the top for some breathtaking views.

Near just on the other side of the mountain was our first winery (Quinta) where we would also have lunch – Quinta do Santa Julia. We greeted and led through a very pretty garden which overlooked the valley below.

We were led into the cellar where a table had been set up for our tastings. Our cheerful host explained the winery had been in the family for 8 generations and featured both wine and port.

The massive oak barrels, she explained, had to be cleaned every couple of years. The process involves climbing into the barrel through a small entryway and then can stand up inside. They have to wait an hour for the alcohol fumes to subside and even with that, the person doing the scrubbing has to stop every hour to avoid the toxic fumes and has a spotter outside of the barrel to ensure they are ok. It’s a laborious task that can take up to 3 days to complete.

We sampled their white, reserva red and a vintage port (a designation that can only happen on a particularly good year but no more than 3 per decade.) All 3 were quite good and after finishing we were escorted to the adjoining kitchen for our lunch.

The three course meal consisted of a very tasty vegetable soup, a hearty beef stew and a local egg tart. Simple but satisfying. I decided to add a glass of their 20 year old Tawny port for an aperitif, which was superb.

We made our way now down to the river across a bridge that had been designed by Gustavo Eiffel’s firm (yes that Eiffel) and to our next destination, an hour cruise along the Douro River. Our very friendly captain explained the river was brown because of all of the recent heavy rain the region had been experiencing.

He offered us a shot of a port that friends of his had made recently – not bad – and pointed out the now familiar looking boats which, back in the day, were using to transport the port wine barrels to Porto, which would take about 3-4 days to get there. However, due to going against the currents, it would take 3-4 weeks to get back due to the currents and required mules to help pull the boats through.

He also explained that the orange trees that dotted the landscape weren’t for eating but rather to attract the bugs away from the grape vines. Also, if we saw a terrace without any vines, that means the landowner had given up making wine, which happened a lot after a devastating wave of pylloxera wiped out most of the vines in the 1870s, causing some to believe the land was cursed.

We said goodbye to the captain and headed to our final stop – Quinta do Beijo (kiss) which was a much smaller producer. Our guide, Cara, was just delightful, combining deep knowledge with genuine hilarity.

She explained that all wine produced there was done the old fashioned way, with their feet. The whole winery gets involved as well as friends and neighbors. Like Julia, they have both wine and port. Sara noted that their port is what they used to be known for but that about 10 years ago started making wine as well.

The barrel on the left was 187 years old and used for their tawny ports. She was also proud of their vintage white port, which she said was not to be mixed “I will murder you if I see you do that!” and gave us some to try. It was a bit too sweet for my tastes but not bad.

Like at Julia, Sara covered the cleaning process of the barrels but went further by showing us a sample of what they have to remove. The ridges are crystallized sugar which will eventually throw off the balance of the wines so need to be cleared every couple of years or so.

Sara then said it was our time in the barrel and had each of us, after showing us the proper technique to go in head first and twist, go inside. I thought there was NFW I could possibly fit but amazingly I did and could even stand completely upright. After a couple of minutes, she showed me how to reverse the process to get out “like birthing a baby” and as I twisted my way she kept saying “push! push!” When I finally freed myself she exclaimed “it’s a very big boy!”

I ended up buying a couple of bottles of their very interesting rose and headed back to the van one more time. Most of the “family” was now asleep but I chatted with Vasco the entire ride home learning even more about Portuguese history both ancient and current. He eventually dropped me off, and I thanked him profusely for being such a great guide.

After a brief respite, I ventured out for dinner. Given my long day, I picked somewhere very close to my place. Scarlett was a mere 2 blocks up from me, and the menu had intrigued me earlier. I needed to use the bathroom and was escorted into the very cool lobby of what turned out to be the attached hotel.

One of the starter that had caught my attention earlier was a beetroot “tartare” with crackers and dill. It truly did taste a tartare, with the diced roasted beets mimicking the usual beef and the familiar flavors, just without the egg as it was a vegan dish.

I decided to stay on the vegetarian tip and ordered another meatless starter – Shroom Wings. It consisted of oyster mushrooms, shaped into “wings” and deep fried. The thick mushrooms were not greasy at all and nicely seasoned. The kicker though was the absolutely perfect remoulade. Delicious.

The long day had finally taken its toll on me so I declined dessert and made the quick walk back to my penthouse. Tomorrow was supposed to be cold and rainy, which would be perfect weather for some tawny port tastings.

I knew the next 2 days would be the last good ones of my stay so today seemed like a great time to check out my new surroundings. First up, I had to have the local staple – francesinha – and Mico insisted I had to try it at his favorite spot O Alfonso.

From the twin shrines to Anthony Bourdain (who filmed his show there once) and racing legend Senna to the walls filled with all kinds of awards and portraits, this place was a trip. They also had 6 different types of the ubiquitous Super Bock beer so I tried their sweet stout. Nice and refreshing after my hike up the hill to get there.

There were several options for the francesinha but Mico had suggested the pork version. I had purposefully not looked up what it was so it would be a surprise. And soon… surprise!

The best way I could describe it is a Croque Monsieur on steroids – pork loin, ham, mortadella, sausage open face with two types of local cheese and pan sauce. This thing was ridiculous but oh so tasty. It was a good thing I planned to go on a long walk after this.

I started walking with the goal of reaching the river, passing through a couple of different neighborhoods until I got to the Crystal Garden park.

It was slightly surreal hearing roosters crow loudly and a couple of peacocks wandering around the gardens. I walked over to a terrace with another garden and thought it had a path out to the street but it was blocked.

I finally found the exit and kept walking down the cobbled streets, taking in views of the river along the way as I kept going down increasingly steeper pathways.

Finally, I found the main drag along the river and eventually a throng of people enjoying the weather and getting on various boats for a river cruise.

I kept walking towards the bridge to Gaia (which would be my focus on Thursday) and eventually came across a funicular which would spare me of a truly steep climb back up to the center of Porto. Note: no pics of the funicular as it arrived right after I got there so had to hurry to catch it in time.

I was pleasantly surprised how far up the hill it went and appreciated the break on knees for a bit. I was now in the center of the city and only a mere few blocks from my place.

Looking at the map, I veered a bit off course so I would have a slightly more gradual climb and finally made it back to my place. According to Apple Health I had climbed 15 stories – sounds about right.

Exhausted and knowing I had an early day tomorrow, I walked up a block to an old school-looking restaurant called O Manheiro. I ordered a glass of the house white and looked at the nice assortment of seafood options – from grilled squid to salt cod in 3 different preparations. Knowing it was squid season thanks to my meal at 100 Maneiros, I asked my server if she preferred that or a preparation of bachalau I hadn’t seen yet. She quickly said the squid so that was done.

My attitude towards squid had fundamentally changed when I had it in Croatia, and this version was just as good – firm but not too chewy, perfectly seasoned. The simple sides of boiled potatoes and oil & vinegar dressed salad paired nicely too.

After my first dessert choice was sold out (milk and coconut cake), I ordered my server’s favorite. It was basically a dulce de leche custard with some cookie crumbles mixed in. Simple but delicious.

It was still a bit early so I walked across the street to the FE Wine & Bar I had passed a few times already. It was empty but that was fine as I only intended to have one glass. My friendly server explained they had several Douro reds and after telling him I’m not a big fan of dry reds, he returned with 2 ones to sample. Unfortunately, I wasn’t too crazy about either one so he pivoted and poured me one from Dao.

This was a winner. Full bodied, bursting with flavor and not dry at all. Not bad for 6 Euros. Knowing the very long day of touring I had tomorrow, I finished up my glass and made the short trip back to my pad to get some rest.

My train to Porto wasn’t until 4pm so I lounged in bed and then eventually headed down to the hotel restaurant where I still had some credit left. I had read they featured an “anytime Eggs Benedict” so seemed like it was indeed time for that.

Of course, no eggs Benedict is complete without a mimosa.

One curious thing about this version was lack of ham. Still, the hollandaise and the poached eggs were pretty much perfect so I didn’t mind. The hash browns were also exceptional and the perfect vessel to sop up the yolk and sauce that spilled over. A very proper way to finish this sprint of my trip.

I took my last Uber to the Santo Apolonia train station, the oldest in Lisbon, and located the 3rd platform where it indicated my train was now coming about 10 minutes late. I went to the shop, got some water for the trip and sat down at a bench. Something felt off so I walked up to a worker and asked in Portuguese where I should be for the front car. She looked at my ticket and said my train was actually over there. Mierda.

I took off running as fast I could dragging my bags behind me. I could hear the train starting up but fortunately, the conductor saw me and told them to stop. Whew that was close!

Panting heavily, I took my seat in the first class cabin and tried to calm down. We took off shortly thereafter and on route to Porto with a few stops along the way. The seat was fairly comfortable and just enough legroom so I relaxed and watched the scenery go by in the rain flecked window.

This was also a great time to finally have the creme caramel tart I had been toting around with me. It was worth it as the rich creamy filing paired beautifully with the slightly burnt caramel and the flaky crust.

We arrived at the main train station in Porto, but I decided to abandon my original plan of transferring to the metro to get to my Airbnb in favor of just taking an Uber directly there. I had dinner plans with a local friend so only had time to dump off my luggage and briefly check out my home for the week. More on that tomorrow.

My friend Ray, who has lived in Porto for almost six years, suggested we meet up a local tapas spot called Popina, which was only a few blocks from my place. By this time, I should have known better that meant uphill. I hiked up and entered the restaurant to find Ray already there with a table. He suggested we share a few plates and I told him to go ahead and pick.

We ended up with some local sliced tomatoes, some really good cod fritters, braised beef cheeks with potatoes and some herbed fries. Ray also picked out a bottle of white from Douro which was perfectly chilled.

We ate, drank and reminisced about days of yore. It was interesting speaking so much English for the first time in a few days but a welcomed change of pace.

We decided to split a dessert and settled in on the cheesecake, which as shown above was definitely not typical. Dare I say though almost superior this way – almost like a soft serve cheesecake and absolutely delicious.

We heard a gasp from a neighboring table and saw it was now pouring outside. Well, we still had some wine to finish along with the cheesecake so we continued to chat until about 30 minutes later it stopped. Using that as our cue to say goodbye, we left and went our separate ways until Thursday, when we would meet up across the river for some port tasting. Tomorrow had the best weather of the week so I planned to explore the city and indulge in a local delicacy.

I woke up to surprisingly sunny skies and slightly cooler temperatures which meant it was perfect weather to walk and explore. I wanted to check out a different part of the city so I eschewed the typical path down Liberdade and crossed over a couple of streets.

My ultimate destination was a brunch spot that had been recommended to me called Seventh Brunch. However, in veering off the beaten path, I now found myself in unfamiliar terrain and my Maps had given up. I put the name back in and once again had a route, although to my chagrin featured a pretty steep climb. Not entirely sure how that happened as the normal path is straight downhill.

Eventually, I arrived at the restaurant and gave my name for my reservation. It was then that I discovered I was at the wrong branch, which explained why I had to hike up a hill versus what had looked like a downward path. Fortunately, they had space for me. I had been told pancakes were the thing to get there and after struggling to choose, I finally landed on this magnificent creation.

It featured 3 of some of the lightest, fluffiest pancakes I had had in ages with a delicious lemon cream and apple jam topping. I was almost sad when I finished them but also quite full.

When I was walking up to the restaurant, I had noticed the familiar tram tracks and also heard a few trams go by when eating. It turned out I was a couple of stops from the beginning of the tram that goes through the old part of town. I had been reticent to take it as I expected it to be quite crowded but when it pulled up to the stop, it was virtually empty.

I took a single seat by the window and off we went. Having lived in San Francisco I was, of course, quite familiar with cars like this but this was an entirely different kettle of fish as we veered around corners and went up and down the steep hills. Wheee!

A few stops later the horde arrived, a mixture of locals and tourists cramming into the now packed car. Still, I had my seat with the open window so it wasn’t too bad.

We whipped along the now familiar sites from my tuk tuk tour and eventually landed at our final stop in a quiet corner of the old town. I had read that not too far from there was the famous Elevador tower, which I knew wasn’t working at the movement but still wanted to at least see it.

There was also some sort of street market going on with various stands of both food and wares. I strolled around a bit but was too full for any snacks nor did I care to schlep around any wares.

I continued to wander back towards one of the main plazas but this time I went to the other side after noticing a narrow pathway, which turned out to be their theater row.

My feet needed a break so I took an Uber back to the hotel to rest for a bit. My next destination was a new part of town by the river called Belem, home to a famous pasterie and my restaurant for the evening. It was a bit outside of the city center so I figured it was a good chance to try the other ride share app called Bolt.

In a slightly different change of pace with Bolt I had to pay in advance and then I was paired with a driver. I ended up getting boosted to a higher service – a Tesla (fancee) at no extra charge. After the freeway for the first time, we drove down a steep pathway until it flattened out along the water.

I had chosen to stop first at the Pasteria de Belem to pick up their world famous creme caramel tartes, which they had been making since 1833. Even though it was about 7:30pm on a Sunday there was a line out the door but fortunately moved very quickly and soon I had my tartes.

The restaurant I was going to, Canalha, was about a half mile from there so made the quick walk up the hill and eventually landed at its crowded doorstep. The restaurant had recently won a lot of awards, including a Micheline Guide stop so I had fortunately made a reservation weeks ago.

I was escorted to the long counter and took my seat, watching the action unfold in front of me. Known for its charcuterie, I selected the Ibérico pork jowls as a starter.

Despite the generous portion, I ate the entire plate of buttery soft and smoky goodness. A nice start.

While there were fancier dishes on display, my eye had been drawn toward the flank steak with fried egg and fries. Food is a sense memory and my mind was immediately drawn back to my stay in Valencia as a college student where this was a weekly staple.

This was a slightly elevated version, especially the pan sauce but still had that old school charm. The steak itself was a bit tougher and under seasoned than expected but the fries were perfect so overall a solid dish.

Continuing down memory lane, I opted for the flan, curious to see if Portuguese flan was any different. Turns out, nao. But this was an expertly done version of the classic. A great way to finish the meal.

I walked along the river path and made the steps up to the Hyatt, which featured a rooftop bar. However, when I approached the hostess stand, I was informed that there was a 30 Euro minimum cover per person. Given I had just eaten and only wanted one drink, I said no and left. I crossed over pedestrian bridge, which was about the same height as the bar so got my view anyway.

The only other option was a large club just on the other side of the walkway. I entered into a dead space with a few scattered patrons having dinner and since I was only there for a drink, was escorted to a corner table. Next to me were to 2 guys who had ordered a bottle of wine but quickly realized there was no action to be had. They were gone in 10 mins after chugging down their wine. In fairness, I’m sure the club was poppin the previous night.

I decided to get a ginger mojito and was soon presented with a much larger version than expected. To my surprise, it was absolutely delicious and the perfect nightcap. I finished up my drink and headed back to the hotel for a final night of sleep. Tomorrow was getaway day and for now, the end of my time in Lisbon.

The weather had improved a bit but that was moot for the time being as I planned to spend the next few hours in culinary land – 100 Maneiras. Run by a chef known as “Portugal’s Gordon Ramsey”, including the fact he stars in their versions of “Hell’s Kitchen”, the restaurant is his crown jewel nestled on a side street of the bustling Bairo Alto.

I was warmly greeted by Mico, the sommelier and lucky for me, also my host. I took a seat on a comfy corner table and was soon offered some sparkling water while I decided on wine. My original plan to do the wine pairings no longer seemed as pleasing so I opted instead for a Portuguese sparkling wine Mico liked and said would go great with the first few courses.

Soon after an assortment of items appeared and Mico said “welcome to Bosnia.” He explained that the chef is originally from there and anytime someone enters into a home, they must be fed immediately. He said he wouldn’t tell me what anything was yet. It was meant to be discovered.

I started with the bread and assumed that was to be used as the vessel for the other items. The bread was warm and dense with a slight cheesy taste to it. I took what I assumed was some sort of dried meat, added this red paste (tapenade maybe?) and took in a bite – a lovely combination of flavors and textures. Next I tried scooping up what appeared to be some sort of butter – nice and creamy. I was pretty sure to the far right was a pate (not my favorite) so I only had a small bite of that. The final dish looked like some sort of melted butter – yep.

Mico soon came back and asked me what I thought each was. The meat turned out to be beef (Bosnia is mostly Muslim so no pork) that is dry aged and sliced. The tapenade was fermented red peppers and the butter was a special cream that greatly reduced from the original milk. And the pate was chicken liver.

The next bite was called “Bite a Beet” which consisted of both roasted beet and a beet puree with a dill cream underneath. I popped it in my mouth and the intense beet taste exploded through. A very nice amouse bouche.

Next up was my “cigar” – a favorite of the chef – except in edible form. Inside was dried shavings of pork and cheese wrapped around a cracker like texture. Very clever and delicious.

To this point I had not been given any silverware and this continued with the next dish called “The Mess.” Mico explained that it was to be eaten with my hands – a Caesar salad with truffles and Parmesan cheese. He said there’s no one way to eat and not to worry as they had all of the wet cloths I needed to clean up.

I first cleared away some of the top layer so I had a better sense of what to do. The cheese was light and very flavorful, and revealed what was basically a lettuce boat underneath. Aha that’s how I can do this. I picked up the bottom of the lettuce and bit into the center where now the truffle and anchovies came to the fore. Definitely one of the most interesting salad courses I had ever had.

After I cleaned up, I was presented with this beauty. Mico explained that in their bistro restaurant their most popular dish was the “spicy octopus” which had been distilled down into a couple of bites for this course.

I couldn’t quite get it in a single bite but the octopus was perfectly cooked and the avocado gel with the crispy cracker was nice as well.

On the other side was a “savory octopus mochi” that the chef had fallen in love with while visiting The Azores. The old woman who served it to him refused to give him the recipe so he eventually tried to recreate the best he could. I was finally given some utensils – chopsticks in this case – so I could break open the mochi and see the octopus in the center. The familiar chew of the mochi was offset by the briny octopus flavor. Very unique.

Next up was squid “pasta” in an Ibérico ham broth. Mico explained that the chef’s favorite restaurant in town serves Ibérico ham and one time he had just eaten a mouthful of it when a friend wanted him to try his fish. His mouth still had the salty ham taste but went great with the fish. A lightbulb went off and he decided to recreate that experience combing seasonal seafood with a rich Ibérico ham broth. Today it was squid which had been sliced into strips like noodles. This was an inspired choice as there wasn’t much flavor from the squid but more than made up for by the broth. Very creative.

The last savory course was one of the only memories of father when he was a child, when he used to make a dish using the whole head of a cow, slow cooked. For this version, he focused on the tongue, sliced thin into strips and using a Bosnian crepe like shell. The “poison” I had been presented earlier turned out to be a hot sauce from their former sous chef who was from Mexico.

Mico told me to basically pick it up and eat it like a taco. I folded it in half and took a bite. I’ve had a lot of cabeza and lengua tacos but this was on another level. Incredibly rich, bursting with complex spices. I said I’m from the land of damn good tacos, and this was a damn good taco.

Mico asked if I wanted another glass of wine, and I told him to surprise me. He smiled and said “I love when I’m told that.” He soon returned what he called an “old white”, which had become an obsession of his. In this case, it was a Portuguese white wine from 2015 that transformed over time in the bottle. It indeed had and now had almost some tawny-like nuttiness to it but not overly sweet.

To cleanse the palette, I was offered a pineapple sorbet with a lemon membrane over the top and a pineapple sauce. Breaking through the membrane revealed the tart sorbet and the pineapple goodness. A nice transition.

The next dessert was a stunner. Mico explained that during the massive wild fires in Portugal a few years ago, the chef was helping out get some horses to safety and entered a barn where the smell of burnt hay engulfed him. As someone who believes in confronting his traumas through cooking, he worked to create a dish with burnt hay. After failed attempts as a starter or savory course, he landed on a dessert – a burnt hay ice cream with caramel tuile.

The ice cream did indeed have some smoky notes but not overpowering and offset by the candied nuts and the cracked tuile. Very interesting.

Finally I was presented with “The Tree of Life” which were 3 petit fours that represented where the chef had been (the classic Portuguese creme caramel), where he is now (his version of baklava) and where he’s going (miso dark chocolate) All 3 were delicious but the miso dark chocolate was the standout.

I was beyond full at this point so I waved off coffee or an aperitif, thanked Mico and headed out. A couple of blocks away was a cool lookout point where many people were taking pictures so I joined in the fun.

Needing to walk off that epic meal, I wandered down the steep streets and soon made my way to the plaza I had first seen during my tuk tuk tour. The weather had turned a bit so I decided to Uber back to the hotel and rest for a bit. And of course, blog!

It was a good thing I had such a massive meal for lunch as my dinner reservation wasn’t until 10pm at another famous Lisbon chef’s speakeasy concept called Mini Bar. Located in the back of a sprawling restaurant complex behind a faux bookcase, Mini Bar featured both experimental “bites” and more traditional bar food like burgers.

The reason for my late meal was because at 11pm it would become a cabaret so I didn’t want to miss out on that. I was lucky to get a great corner table, close to the raised stage and also able to look across the room.

After initially choosing a cocktail my server said was not a good starter, I opted for his suggestion – Primo Basilico – Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, lemon, basil and egg white. He was right as this was indeed a perfect starting cocktail, smooth, flavorful and just the right amount of foam.

I wanted to try at least one of the bites so I selected the roasted chicken and avocado. This turned out to be roasted chicken skin with avocado cream and a piri-piri powder, which I mostly brushed off given its heat. It was an interesting bite of food with still a slight kick of the spices. Paired nicely with my cocktail too.

I didn’t really want a burger or any of their mains and having enjoyed a unique Caesar salad earlier, decided to give this one a shot – Caesar mille feuille salad with anchovies and crispy chicken skin topping. I hate to say, dear readers, but this was the superior version. It was so good I even eagerly ate the large anchovy on top. The salad was indeed layered like the famous pastry and the crispy chicken skin added a nice salty note with all of the cheese and anchovy flavor. A masterpiece really.

I ordered another one of the same cocktail as the show started. The two women danced and sang along to slightly jazzed up versions of various pop songs and were quite talented. It was both slightly cheesy but pretty much perfect for the room. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and stayed for both of their sets.

Soon it was time to head back to the hotel and after battling some late night traffic, crashed into my bed after my requisite Alka Seltzer. Tomorrow would be my last full day to explore Lisbon but at a much slower pace.

I slept in to shake off the rest of my let lag as well as avoid the rainy morning but eventually headed out into the now drizzle for a short walk to an old skool place for traditional Portuguese seafood – O Cubo.

It was bustling with the lunch hour crowd from all walks of life and nary a word of English – exactly what I wanted. The menu had several fish options but I decided to simple but hopefully delicious – grilled Seabass (róbalo) with roasted potatoes and a salad.

Grilled with just olive oil and salt, the fish was super fresh and cooked perfectly, especially the crispy skin. And the potatoes were soft and creamy inside. Simple but very satisfying.

The rain had stopped so it was time to explore. I had purposefully selected a spot close to the Parque Eduardo VII, which is also across from my hotel. Created in 1903 in honor of King Edward’s visit to Lisbon, the sprawling park is on a steep angle that goes all the way through to the adjoining plaza on the other side.

A bit past the halfway point, I saw a large covered structure that looked like maybe a space for concerts. However, I soon heard the familiar thwacking sound of tennis balls being hit. Sure enough, as I rounded the corner, it was indeed tennis courts.

I walked back to the main path and came to the end of the park along the hedge maze. The statue I had seen in the distance was now in front of me – the infamous Marques of Pombal, who helped rebuild Lisbon after the earthquake and created a new autocracy.

I walked around the plaza and rejoined Avenida de Libertade (Liberty Avenue) to continue to my stroll, noting the various statues along the way.

The slant continued all the way down the avenue until I reached another large plaza, this one as a tribute to Portugal’s liberation in 1640, with some stunning tile patterns.

Now, I was clearly in the tourist zone, with hawkers trying to lure saps into any number of I’m sure terrible restaurants. I quickened my pace to get around that mess while snapping some shots of the area above it.

I was getting pretty tired plus the wind had picked up so I went in search of a spot for some hot chocolate. I turned onto a side street and eventually came across a quiet square with a coffee cart at the end, which also served hot chocolate.

This was exactly what I needed and sipped my very good hot chocolate and enjoyed the quiet for a bit. I decided to use time to write my day 1 post and eventually took my now standard $5.98 Uber ride back to my hotel.

Soon enough it was time to head for dinner at a small restaurant that had developed a loyal local following for its take on traditional Portuguese food with Latin American flavors – Trinca.

I always know I’m in a good spot when the menu is on a chalkboard. My server suggested a glass of red from the Dao region of Portugal so I had that along with their very interesting take on pozole, with wild mushrooms and of course hominy.

The mushrooms were nice and meaty and pared well with the slightly spicy broth. The homemade tortilla chips added a nice textural element as well. A good start

For the main course, I chose the slow roasted pork ribs in a fermented red pepper sauce and roasted cauliflower. The ribs and cauliflower were perfectly fine but the sauce is what made the dish exceptional. It was incredibly flavorful and unique, with both sweet and sour notes balanced together. I couldn’t get enough of it.

I wasn’t originally going to get a dessert, but I was intrigued by the mint panna cotta with lemon curd. My server insisted it wasn’t too “minty minty” and counteracted with the lemon curd. She was right. It was a great combination and the perfect way to finish my excellent meal.

I had read about a natural wine bar that happened to be a mere 3 blocks away so I headed out into the now blistering wind and ran up the street to Nat Wine Bar. After being disappointed by the lack of Portuguese options they were serving, the owner decided to open a red from the Dao region. I thanked her and took a seat watching the youngish crowd of what seemed to be a mix of ex pats and locals.

It was soon past the witching hour and given the epic meal I had planned for lunch tomorrow, stopped at a single glass and headed back to the hotel. I needed to be in top form for that.