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MrSweary
Gustav
Back from Porto after a few days up in Viana do Castelo.
VdC is pretty sleepy compared to Porto (about an hour by coach or 1 1/2 by train)although the bolas de berlim from Fernanda Natario were pretty epic. Hired a bike from FeelViana and had a good ride up into the hills - they've were really good and pointed out how to avoid tailwinds on the route :)
Figure in London I'm spoilt for photography with the Photographers' Gallery so loved the setting but wasn't so taken with the collection.
Cassa Serralves was beautiful from the outside but would have been much more entranced by it if it was furnished (recently been to Eltham Palace which is amazing and something of a comparison point). Enjoyed the museum but would have loved to have seen more local work - again figure Londoners are spoiled with the Tates and all the dealer galleries.
Priscina das Mares is a lovely salt water swimming spot although pretty rammed come the weekend - provides something of a respite from the rather cold Atlantic Sea
Food was generally great although gf generally avoids gluten and dairy which meant that it wasn't an endless stream of custard filled pasties (although i did get my share). Ate plenty of ice cream given weather was screamingly hot and was generally v good.
Street art is pretty amazing and love the tiles and architecture - they've done a pretty good job of keeping the centre pretty intact.
We stayed in an Airbnb which was lovely although the fan was on through the night as temperatures were high. Found Spot Hostel useful spot for dumping our luggage before our evening flight. Taxis aren't cheap but Uber is.
Found both VdC and Porto to be very white (suntans aside...) which I found pretty surprising given Portugal's colonial history - but then I guess my comparison point is London which is a bit of an outlier.