Winter Travels Part 3

Why Portugal? Because this Californian misses the sun! Sweden was rainy and cold from October onward. I needed some sunny warmth and a trip to the beach. Portugal was the answer. Flights were cheap, beaches were abundant, and the weather forecast was good.

Getting there was not so much fun though. My flight was out of Dublin at 6 am and I was in Belfast. In the middle of a dark and stormy night I walked a mile at 2am through Belfast and sat at a bus stop. No one was around except the occasional passing taxi and the homeless guy sleeping across the street. I must have looked a little scary since the other people who showed up for the bus avoided me. My black clothes, hooded sweatshirt, scruffy face, and low hat are sometimes good for urban camouflage. I dont look like a gullable travelling foreigner so I don't get treated like one. On the other hand people are less likely to start up conversations.

I caught the bus to Dublin airport and finally got some sleep. Two hours of bus sleep later I was at the airport. Two hours of plane sleep and an awesome sunrise later I was in Porto, Portugal.

WTF! Raining and Cold! I want my money back. Oh well.

I explored the steep back street alleys of Porto for most of the day. I was meeting Gabriela that night to stay at her place. I met her through www.couchsurfing.com and she said I could crash at her place for a couple nights. Couchsurfing is a great website/community with the soul purpose of connecting people with places to stay for free while travelling. Its by travellers, for travellers. Check it out.

I was super tired from not really sleeping the night before and I had hours to go before I met Gabriela so I needed a warm place to rest. Where can someone rest for free...the library! I grabbed a Portugese book, found a soft chair and was out like a light. Jerked awake an hour later. Another tip: The top floors of public libraries are also good place for clean and quiet toilets

Met up with Gabriela and went to her SUPER SWEEEEEEEET place. She is an engineer who has travelled more than anyone I ever met. She lives for travelling and enjoys meeting different people. That is why she is couchsurfing host and that is also why she kicks ass. Thanks Gabs! I had my own room and so did the other Canadian traveller staying with her. Gabs took Doug and I to some cool bars and even an unmarked nightclub where you have to knock to get in.

I spent the next two day wandering the city and the nearby beaches. Every night Gabs was the entertainer. Ok its time for pictures...

Finally a warm sunny beach!

Old beach Comber

Later I went to another beach with tons of surfers. Attention CA surfers: Go to portugal!

I met up with Canadian Doug and we walked across the river to go Port wine tasting. Good stuff.

Here is a shot back at the main city waterfront.

And a shot of me

Unfortunately most of my city shots were taken on the cold rainy day so I left them out.

Soon I was on a bus to Lisbon. The plan was to stay with a Portugese guy that studies in Sweden with me. That was the plan...