Steppin'outtamyshoes: Crystal Palace Gardens Porto Portugal

mama and baby out for walk

I had an early bus back to Porto 10 am I got up and got ready to go I checked out of my hostel and headed off to breakfast I knew just where I was going back to Café for another one of those yummy bacon on a roll. I had checked the night before to see what time they opened and it was 8.00 am I was there about 8.30 I wanted time to enjoy my breki and make the rest of the walk to the bus station. The woman recognized me and smiled and again the bacon on a roll was quite yummy.

I arrived at the bus station and then caught the metro to Campanha Station I had a bit of trouble getting my suitcase off the metro and a woman helped me and then she started walking me towards my hotel, after a bit I thanked her and headed off to find it on my own. I knew it was across from the train station but I just could not see an entrance I walked into a butcher shop the butcher knew some English but he got someone who spoke more to come and help me and he pointed out where to go and it was not far. I had to wait a few minutes while they got my room completed and I was directed to sit in the little bar they had I had barely settled down when they said the room was ready. A man took my case up stairs for me. A woman up there showed me to my room and then we started talking. She had been born in Portugal and then went to Vancouver as a child we talked about Canada she knew all the provinces and she would say Saskatchewan was Flat and go on to motion, She gave me a bit of history background on Porto and we discussed Portugal in general we chatted for awhile and then she told me she would go and apologized for talking so much but it was good to find some to converse with in English. I told her I did not mind that I enjoyed our conversation and also learning some history.

Crystal Palace Gardens

I decided to go visit the Crystal Palace Gardens I started through the gardens and came across a number of Peacocks strolling around and noticed one of them had a baby so I followed them around trying to get some good photos but without getting too close to disturb them. I was enjoying the park there were different gardens Jardim das Plantas Aromaticas (Garden of the Aromatic Plants) Jardim dos Sentimentos (Garden of Feeling) I spotted a ice cream and a feast sounded good so had one and sat on a bench and enjoyed the peacocks and the gardens. I then headed closer to the river view so called Avenida das Tilias, I had to climb down into the gardens to view them and then also get closer for a good view of Douro river there was an area that you could even go closer to the river but I decided at that point I was just too tired to go further and decided to work my way back to my hotel. I had to follow the mother peacock and child as they were so cute, then I went to leave the park and the gate was locked so I was like WHAT but saw some other people and walked over to them and they knew the way out.

I went in search of dinner when I was back at my hotel and saw a Japanese buffet and decided that was a good place to try dinner was good.