The Hour of Transition

There is a moment in the day we have been experiencing on this journey that is quite special.  Somewhere around 5:30 (17:30) the whole ambience of this place changes. The sun drops low in the sky and the temperature falls accordingly.  It was in the high 80s when we were out and about earlier, but now the temperature is a very comfortable 76 F.  A breeze has come up.  The sky is clear, nary a cloud to be found.  This transition has been the norm over the past 8 days.  No matter how hot the day has been, the evening is cooler and quite enjoyable.  A light sweater or jacket is almost required. Sitting at an outdoor table drinking a beer on these evenings is almost a religious experience.  The calming effect of the shift in temperature is extremely relaxing. 

 

We tried to go to Miramar today.  It is a little town with a chapel that sits on a rock out in the ocean.  Problem is we tried to take the eleven o’clock train.  Oh, my goodness, the train was packed with only standing room available.  No matter how high the vaccination rate and it is in the mid 70%s in Portugal, I am not going to stand side by side with sweating, panting people, not with the Delta variant running amok.  Instead, we went back to the beach at Matosinhos via the Porto metro.  The metro was busy, but not insane.  The beach was fairly packed, as it should be on a warm day.

 

Tomorrow we move to an Airbnb midafternoon here.  I am looking forward to this was great anticipation.  I want to eat food that is not restaurant food.  Desperately.  Mind you I like restaurant food, but I want to control the size of my portions and I want to have a salad that conforms to my idea of what a salad should be.  We will see how it goes.  

 

I wanted to mention something I experienced having stayed in (Vila Nova de) Gaia for the last eight nights.  It is one thing to stop in to a hotel for a night or two and take the recommendations of the concierge as to where to eat and what to do.  It is another to walk about the neighborhood and discover it, and to discover the place’s rhythms. Over the past eight days we have tried out a number of pastry/coffee spots and come to have a favorite.  We have discovered a park that is calming and pretty. We have tried several restaurants, some of which are clearly 99% local frequented, and the ones at a distance from the hotel hit the mark for us. Having the time to get the feel of a place is a luxury I have never had before.  I think I will savor it.