I think that today was the first day of my whole entire trip that I did not take a single picture. That doesn’t mean that today wasn’t interesting; in fact, it was, in its own special daily-life kind of way. I interpret my lack of photo-snapping as a sign that I feel more or less at home, which is fairly easy for me once I have a routine. Today’s routine was the same as Monday’s and yesterday’s, so apparently, it takes only a few days for me to feel that a routine has become… well, routine.
That is a welcome thing after our week of travel last week, but I am itching to get out again. Good thing we are traveling this upcoming weekend, travels that will involve a boat! But more on that later.
Since I have no pictures from today–which basically involved me waking up, drinking a meio leite (“half milk” espresso), taking the metro to school, doing my reading before class, discussing Ec,a de Queiros in class, taking a lunch break, listening to a lecture from an American author living in Porto, going home, feeling exhausted and writing this–I will post pictures from yesterday and from Monday.
On Monday we had our first day of class and we took a walking tour of Old Porto with a local professor whose research focuses on space and how people choose to represent the spaces they visit, inhabit, etc. It is very anthropological, philosophical and sociological stuff. We talked about how the photos we take to represent spaces and their objects are significant. I wonder what mine might signify?
A house in a section of Upper Miragaia, which is a type of parrish, as our guide explained it...
Lower Miragaia
Sao Nicolau, one of the more touristy parrishes, with a view of the famous Ponte Luis in the background. This area is also called the Ribeira.
The Ponte Luis cuts through a neighborhood that used to be more upscale but, ever since the plague in the 19th century drove rich people out of the city center, it has been home to a more working-class population. And the bridge cutting into the buildings probably doesn't help property values, either.
So, I kind of lied… I didn’t take any pictures yesterday, either, I just realized. But I took some more on Monday, after our walking tour was over. We wanted to try the sandwich that apparently Porto is famous for, a monstrosity called the “Francesinha”. It is two thick pieces of white bread between which three types of meat–bacon, beef and cured ham–and which is then smothered in a tomato-beer (yes, BEER) sauce. With cheese on top. French fries on the side. And a fried egg if you feel wild.
We felt wild.
I split one of those horrors with my friend, but I STILL had heartburn all through the afternoon the following day (yesterday). It was tasty in a way that all fatty, salty food is tasty, but far from gourmet and far from something that I would want to eat every day. My professor was horrified when we told her what we’d eaten. She says that everyone knows that the francesinha is letal. I don’t think that’s too much of an exaggeration…
