February, well known for 20ºC heat and cloudless skies...

I've decided that getting lost in a town about which you have no clue, with no map, looking for a slum with hardly any recollection of how to get there, in jeans, with a bag, in 20ºC heat, is pretty mental. I walked around Ermesinde for about 2 1/2 hours searching for what I think is a small slum. I didn't find it (although, I may have found it, but it wasn't a slum, in which case my whole idea is shot...), but I was in the right area! It was a very frustrating experience! Knowing that there was a train at 12.22, and not another until 14.30, and the time then being 11.30, I decided to try and get back. I retraced my steps, and it was all going fine on the way back (the way there had consisted of going round in a huge circle before realising I was on totally the wrong road, plus me trying to take several short cuts thinking I knew where I was going when I really didn't...) until I ended up at a railway station 2 stops down the line! Not sure how I managed that, but at least I had gone in the direction back to Porto Sao Bento, and I guess it saved me some travelling.... HA!

I felt a bit gutted I hadn't found this slum, although if there isn't one, then that's actually really good news. The rest of my day was spent in Porto. I wanted to go to the beach, via the riverside. Decided to walk down to the river, but ended up several hundred feet above it on the Ponte D. Luis I (the bridge drawed by the same bloke who done the Eiffel Tower in that French town, innit...). This is pretty cool, as the trains go along the middle, and you walk right next to them, with just bollards between you and the track. They go really slowly, and you walk across the tracks like a level crossing, no problem, to be on both sides of the bridge. Took some time to walk across the bridge which goes into Gaia on t'other side do Rio Duoro. Where the bridge meets land on both sides, the houses are old and rough, falling apart, and slum-like, although made of concrete, so it's not like Africa or what have you. It's tough though. Walked a bit in Gaia, but not much since I really wanted to be down by the river, so after almost getting lost walking around some backstreets (I get distracted easily, and thought I saw something, so tried to get to it, but didn't...) I headed back across the bridge and decided to get the bus to the beach like the tourist info lady had advised about, ooh, 2 hours before... The bus, it must be said, was rammed. I saw a notice that said 36 seated passengers and 49 standing. We were certainly meeting that, and most likely exceeding it (both there and back)! Heavy traffic along the river meant it took a while to get to the beach, and it was very warm, so I got off the bus before we reached the big beaches. Fortunately for me, we'd reached the first of the beaches, in a place called Foz, and so I grabbed a spot between somw big rocks as the waves came rushing into my little cove to greet me, lapping at my seat, refreshing me with their spray. It was delightful. I wanted to strip down to my European swimming trunks, but only had a few minutes to enjoy before I had to catch the bus back to Sao Bento to meet Mar and Joanna. Also, the hundreds upon thousands of passers by just a few metres behind me on the walkway stopped me from getting naked there and then. Probably for the best - it is still February, after all (despite the 20º heat. Have I already mentioned that?)

Caught the bus back (which took the best part of an hour) and had a drink with Mar and Joanna, before getting to Mar's car and driving home. A long day (it is now 11 o'clock, and I woke at 6.45am to a gorgeous sunrise over the mountains. I think I'll do that some more) and tomorrow we've got more cementing followed by some fun at the carnaval! My A1 is alreaded loaded with a nice Kodak Professional BW400C film, so look out for some snaps from there...

Before I go, I've been told some people are having trouble commenting on my posts. I'm not sure what the problem is, but if you haven't already, try clicking on 'comentários' at the bottom of each post, and that should enable you to 'enviar comentário'. If not, then let me know and I'll see what the problem is.

Blessings to you all!
Aid xxx