Kiwi Roaming

We headed back to Gaia to visit World of Wine. From our apartment we walked straight down to the river and hit a marathon! The largest bib number I saw was 14299 and it felt like that many people filed past us as we walked into the city. It was an interesting walk with the road and footpaths taken up by runners meant we needed to walk along the tram tracks – which weren’t running. Such great support for the competitors along the way, even a fire truck spraying them, a beautiful backdrop for running a marathon.

Our journey took us along the river again, this time we took a series of alleyways which were a bit grubbier but still pretty unique. We walked back across the lower bridge level again and then headed for a bakery to get my daily pasteis de nata before heading up the hill to World of Wine! One of the things I most wanted to do this trip was visit the Pink Palace (or Rosé museum), there are 6 others to see as well but we only had a couple of hours so I got to choose.

First up the building itself is beautiful, the upper level has a series of designer shops and a fountain built into the rock. The toilets were gorgeous too. The Pink Palace is a series of 11 rooms all dedicated to different Rosé making aspects or regions of the world who make Rosé. NZ didn’t make the cut but was on their world map. Throughout we got to taste wine too! after 5 tastings we were happy. It was corny but good fun with loads of great photo opportunities. We didn’t go in the ball pit but the South African woman ahead of us did which was amusing to watch.

We emerged into the museum shop and found their beautiful restaurant scoring the last table on the terrace with a simply stunning view of Porto across the river. Steve and I split a vegetarian lasagna (which was so yum) and a salad. One more Rosé meant we were definitely half cut when we got into the uber to the airport to collect Imogen about 2:30pm!

If I haven’t mentioned it ubers are cheap in Porto, every one we caught was an electric car too and they were plentiful. When we arrived at the airport there was absolute chaos, it was Sunday afternoon and there was a breakdown by one of the entry barriers so traffic was at a standstill. Even with this delay we beat Imogen to the gate and greeted her like the embarrassing parents we are.

That evening we took an exhausted Imogen, who had been traveling for over 30 hours, to the supermarket and food hall where she enjoyed some yummy vegan food while we all ventured to buy even more interesting Portuguese options. Steve and I shared a calzone stuffed with vegetables, salami and mozzarella plus we also shared half (as in we had quarter each) of the Porto specialty dish Francesinha – basically it’s a croque monsieur with steak and more cheese and egg on top, swimming in gravy. Gordon went to another vendor and got himself a whole one which also came with fries. An interesting meal but with Imogen so tired and the others leaving in the morning we all headed home for an early night.