Port, Chocolate and Rose Wine

 Porto, like most other cities, has several museums. There were a few that caught my eye, actually there were a few that I felt that there was no way I was going to miss them. To get to them, I had to cross the Douro River on the double-decker Dom Luis I Bridge. This bridge is 600 feet high and one of the premier tourist attractions in Porto.

On the way there, I wandered around a little on my side of the Douro.  One spot I was going to stop at was the Livraria Lello bookstore, which supposedly inspired J.K.Rowling to write Harry Potter.  The line to get in was about a block long.  I peered in the door as I walked by - it was actually a bookstore that looked like a bookstore should look.  

This church had an incredible tile wall 

When you look at the detail, it is mind-boggling how much work and artistry this must have taken.

The church is actually two churches separated by a very narrow house. 
The church on the right is the Carmo Church.  On the left is the Carmelitas Church.

The Carmo altar

The Carmelitas altar

Crossing the Douro

My first must-see museum is The Chocolate Story. I guess I really knew nothing about the cacao seeds and chocolate production. While that was interesting, it was the chocolate samples that pushed it up into a world-class site. Did I mention that Port was also offered while you sample your chocolate.

Moving on to the Pink Palace Experience, also known as the Museu do Rose. As they say: “An exaggerated, flamboyant and sensory experience that immerses visitors in the world of Rose.” As you move through the museum, it would discuss different types of rose and the areas that they were grown. I think there were about six different sampling stations. I also had a lifetime first – they had a ball pit where I threw caution to the wind and jumped in. It was very weird – it was pretty hard to even stand up as the balls would shift and move you around.

In the evening I went to an educational Fado performance. “Fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sense of resignation, fate and melancholy” Wiki. I've been a fan of Fado and it was good to hear about the different types of Fado. Port was also served at the performance.

I finally decided that I should eat something.  This was from the restaurant right outside my hotel room.  

Shrimp and Corn