A Fond Farewell to the Family

Besides the roast chicken meal for the last dinner, I got really lucky as my sister-in-law, Cio, made up three different desserts to enjoy.  She works at a restaurant where she is always learning new recipes, and fortunately for us, we got to taste her practice.  A layered cookie cake, a chocolate pudding, and a coconut cream mousse - these names do not do them justice, because American mousse and pudding is very different and bland by comparison.

While the women folk chattered about the beauty of these desserts and how to make them, my nephew Toni and I were ready to eat.  We'll let them talk as much as they want, it leaves all the more for us to eat.  It was one of the few nights to have the entire family together to talk and eat and enjoy one an others company, accompanied by great jokes, some verbal spats, but ultimately everything that makes up a family.  But just like the food we were eating, the family is like a recipe with many ingredients to give it body, make it sweet, and finally throw in a few nuts.

Last Meal Request - There Can Be Only One

Coming down to the end of this great trip, I was asked for my last meal request, and there can only be one response to that - Frango Assado (Roast Chicken).  And when it comes to roast chicken there is only one place to go, the Central Churrasco.  The are highly recommended as having the freshest chickens and the best side dishes.  Arriving at the restaurant, there are two entrances, one for dining in, and the other for take-out.  As we entered the front part, I thought we would be in and out quickly, since not all the table weren't quite filled, but then we got to the take out bar, and it was mass chaos, as dozens of people were placing orders and waiting for their orders hot off the grill.

Chickens and ribs are quickly pulled off the grill, cut into pieces, smothered with your choice of gravy, hot sauce or blood, and placed in a to-go container.  Many people were ordering 3, 4, 5 or more chickens on each order.  We ordered three chickens with salad and, of course, french fries.  But these guys are used to such a crowd and we only had to wait about 20 minutes for our order.  So how do you cook up and serve a thousand chickens each evening?  Let the video speak for itself.

A Final Order to Go from the Primazia

There's No Place Like Home....of the best pastries and snacks in Porto.  This was the fast food shop of its time before all the American companies moved in with their own brand of fast food.

Espinho Market, A Weekly Tradition for Hundreds of Years

One of the most interesting parts of Portuguese culture is the weekly markets that occur in most cities.  These markets have been going on for hundreds of years, when people would go to the local open air market to buy what they needed for the week.  Now a days super markets offer a majority of the items that are sold at these markets, but the experience itself can never be copied.  Different sections come together in these markets from fish and food, to household items, to clothing, to livestock.

Being Monday could only mean one thing - the Espinho Market.  Espinho is a small coastal town just south of Porto, but the city explodes on Mondays.  The cry of food vendors and fish mongers could easily be heard as everyone is trying to sale their wares.  Some are aggressive, calling out their offers to the passers-by while others sit patiently awaiting their next client.  After seeing booth after booth filled with fruits and vegetables, I'm not sure how some of these people can make a living with so much competition.

Continuing on through the market, I arrive at the far end and enter into what is known as the gypsy market.  Just as many vendors, but perhaps not exactly "licensed" goods being sold.  On every side I was offered Armani sunglasses and Dolce & Gabana watches, Levi jeans and Luis Vuton purses.  One man was slowly moving through the crowd and coyly asking if I wanted to buy an iPhone 4, while others wanted to sell me the latest Hollywood movies, 4 DVDs for $5.

A Drive Around Porto

For my last Saturday in Porto, I decided to take a drive around Porto, visiting many of my favorite places and drinking in one last long fill of the sites, sounds and smells that I may not see for another year.  Thus here is my photo essay of the day.

Castelo de Queijo - Foz do Douro

Castelo de Matosinhos

Praia dos Ingleses

Looking west down the Douro River

Dom Luis I bridge and ancient city wall of Porto

Visiting the Porto Water Front and Docks

Since Porto is an ocean front city, we couldn't just stay in the center eating grilled chicken everyday.  We had to visit the water front near the docks where fresh seafood is brought in each day for the local restaurants to serve.  We decided to visit the area of Matosinhos and Leca de Palmeira to find a good seafood place to eat.  There had been a popular buffet restaurant in Gaia called Trombarija that we had heard was relocated to the Matosinhos region, but we couldn't find it.  And so the next recommendation was the Casarao do Castelo restaurant.

This was certainly a 5 star restaurant and well worth it for the fresh seafood and portion sizes.  A tank full of fresh, live seafood greets you at the door where you can choose your "Plate of the Day".  In the states I had usually only seen these type of tanks with lobster, but here there were at least 10 different type of seafood alive and kicking there in, from lobsters and crabs to fish and eel.

One of the things my wife had wanted was a salty appetizer called "percebes" - the closest translation I could find is barnacles - and fried sardines.  Not especially to my liking but she certainly snapped them down like popcorn.  I stuck with the bread and cheese.  But I did have the Cream of Seafood soup, full of crab and shrimp in a cream broth.  While my wife got her fill of seafood, I asked for a half order of the Veal Cutlets with Mushroom sauce.

However, what arrived at our table was enough to serve 4 people.  We had to verify that this really was a half order and we were assured that it was.  The veal was tender, the cream sauce delectable and the potatoes fried and seasoned to a perfect golden brown.

A Pauper's Meal and a New Best Freind

Since I had already had my meal fit for a king, I decided to go to the opposite extreme and have a pauper's meal, something that I did every once in a while when I was living here 20 years ago.  For a quick night time snack nothing can beat the mixture of oatmeal cookies and chocolate milk.  It makes up a wonderful type of chocolate sludge which is great tasting and filling as well.

Later that evening we passed by the home of our good friend Graciosinha, who has taken care of my wife, her family and probably everyone in the neighborhood and some point in the past 35 years that she has been there.  Age has taken its toll, but she remains an integral part in the life of the neighborhood.  Along with her, I also have another new best friend, Fofinha, her pet dog.  Fofinha is shy at first, but once she gets to know you she loves to stay with you and have her tummy rubbed.

Another Gastronomic Adventure

We finally got back to Porto and got everything cleaned up from our little side trip down south.  After arranging everything, we decided to visit the new Shopping Arrabida, which is near the Arrabida Bridge on the Gaia side of the river here in Porto.

I first went to see where my sister-in-law works, at one of the many food establishments that are in the mall.  Up on the top floor where are all the food shops are, they also have an outdoor deck where you can get a great view of the Douro River into Porto.

After meeting up with my wife's sister, we decided to have lunch at the mall as well.  And once again we were drawn to Serra d'Estrela, a restaurant with many traditional portuguese dishes.

This time I remembered to take pictures as I chose the Rice with Duck again, but here they top it all with cheese as well.

While my wife chose a typical portuguese sausage and potato dish topped with an egg, something the portuguese are fond of doing to their food.

Tourism, History, Religion and a Bygone Era

With some other things to take care of, we headed back north early.  Unfortunately, it was one of the few rainy days that occur here, so we traveled in the more than usual humidity.  We decided to pass by three principle cities that are major contributors to the Portugal experience.  We first headed to Nazare, a very touristy city on the beach.  Plenty of seafood restaurants and souvenir shops along the boardwalk, but what makes this city even better is a major outcropping or rock from which you can see the city.  Of course there on top are plenty more souvenir shops and women in traditional folkloric dress selling all variety of nuts to all the people getting off the tour buses.

From there we headed in land to a major historical monument at Batalha, where a great example of baroque architecture is on display at the local cathedral and monastery.  Even though Batalha is only 20 miles from the coast, it takes about an hour to get between cities since there are no real direct routes between the cities.  Instead you go along all the local, one-lane back roads where you can get stuck between large trucks that have to down shift to first gear to get over the local hills.

Our final stop was at one of the most famous religious sites in Portugal, Fatima.  This is where a couple of proclaimed miracles have occurred.  The first was with an appearance by the Virgin Mary to three local children, and the second was witnessed by a large group of people gathered at the sanctuary that was subsequently built for the first miracle, with an apparition of the sun.  Even to this day over 80 years later, millions of tourists are drawn here each year.

Along the back roads, you sometimes come across the most unique and memorable places.  One such place I first encountered 11 years ago on the outskirts of Nazare.  We saw an announcement for a concert featuring one of the biggest groups of Portugal, Xutos & Pontapes (the U2 of Portugal) and one of the newest groups at the time As Tentacoes.  I passed this same concert venue today and was devastated to see that it had been abandoned and left in ruins.  It was a strange sensation to see what had been the site of so much energy and entertainment, left to rot and deteriorate.

Free Form Thoughts on some Portuguese Food

First of all, I would just like to say Thank Heaven for the man that invented Calippos.  This is Portugal's version of a Popsicle and I downed many of them in my original days of living in Portugal during the summer.  My favorite flavor at that time was Lemon, and it is still one of the best thirst quenchers to be found here when the temperatures rise to near hundred.  But this year, a new flavor has emerged, Cola.  It has now become my favorite flavor and I have probably consumed at least a dozen by now and will continue with even more until I leave.

The other odd thing to note, not only here but around the whole world, is how major brands that we know in America exist here, but with some different flavors that are preferred by the locals.  Here it is Pringles that come in paprika flavor.  I remember these from 20 years ago when they were made by another company here, and it looks like Pringles finally clued in and took advantage of the local preference.  Now how can I get them to sale these in America?  They are my favorite variety of potato chip here and I'll probably end up bringing a few can home with me.

Taking our Own Lives in our Hands - Driving in Lisbon

Contrary to the wishes of Claudia, I wanted to drive into Lisbon today to visit a few places that I had been before and see what was new.  We sort of went to Lisbon, since we only made it to the outskirts of the city in an area called Benfica where the Colombo Mall is located.  To my advantage, I had by GPS working with my Portuguese maps and it worked like a charm.  We were able to make a straight shot to the mall without problem.

We entered the mall through the local Continente Supermarket and then into the mall area full of stores, though a lot more American ones now-a-days.  They had McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Pizza Hut, The Gap, Timberland, etc.  Although it may be opening up Portugal to the world, some of these influences are hurting the country more than helping.  I can personally see an increase in the child obesity rates here, I wouldn't doubt that it is because of the fast food restaurants that have popped up on every side.

After a nice lunch at the Serra d'Estrela restaurant, we headed out to the Cascais area to visit Boca do Inferno (The Mouth of Hell), a cave where ocean waves enter and cause an upspout of water to shoot out of the ground.  The typical tourist market was there, along with some newer, more permanent cafes and restaurants.

From there we headed to the Cascais Beach for some pictures, and then continued on to the Estoril Casino to take a quick look around.  I had passed the front many times, but this was the first time inside.  The funny part was that we found a slot machine with the same Hot Sauce theme that we had played in Vegas.  It was an older machine and not all the lights worked, but it payed out regularly and we spent a couple of hours there and broke even on our money.  Good time to leave.

We ended the night by visiting our very good friend Ines and her daughter Beatriz in Carcavelos.  She has been freinds with my wife for many years, but this was the first time I had met her in person, because we had spoken by computer many times before.  It was a great reunion for all of us.

A Meal Fit for a King

For lunch today, I went to the Serra d'Estrela Restaurant at the Colombo Mall, the same place I went the first time more than 10 years ago to eat one of my favorite dishes - Arroz do Pato do Forno (Baked Duck and Rice).  It's not just the duck, but the whole experience there that makes this meal so special.

First they bring you a basket of breads, a dish of presunto ham, and a bowl of Queijo de Serra, a runny goat milk cheese that even some portuguese find harsh, but that I love.  Breaking off morsels of bread, I dip it in the cheese and savor the bitter, salty flavor of this most delectable concoction.  Then I take slice of presunto, thin and salty, over-powering my mouth with its salty ham flavor.

While waiting for the duck to arrive from the oven, we asked for an order of Morcela blood sausage, another delicacy of Portugal with a wonderful mix of flavors and texture.  And then I made a crucial mistake - the flavors and experience had overcome me and I forgot to take pictures of my Duck Rice with Chorizo slices.  But this was indeed the same flavor I had experience over 10 years ago that makes one's mouth water.  And finally to top it all off, a dish of Chocolate Mousse as can only be prepared in Portugal.  It has a thicker texture than in America, almost like a chocolate cake batter, but thinner with a richer chocolate flavor.

If ever a day were to come where I had to choose a Last Meal, this is what I would ask for, maybe two or three servings even, so that when they through that switch, sausage, rice, duck and chocolate would explode across the room.

Taking a Tour of Lisbon

I have no problem driving between cities here in Portugal, or any other country in Europe for that matter.  But when you get inside a city, things kind of change.  My observation here is that everyone drives as if they are an hour late for some important event and figure that the only way to drive is at maximum speed all the time.  When you combine this with inner city driving and unfamiliar roads, it can get quite stressful.  So instead we decided to take the train/metro into the city and then take another open-top bus tour of the city.

This way we don't have to worry about traffic, and we get to see all the sites that we probably don't know how driver to anyway.  Lisbon has many beautiful parks, monuments, and plazas, along with many different museums.  Just as with Paris, you would need a good week or more to truly see all that the city has to offer.
Some areas like the Torre de Belem and the Jeronimos Monastery pay great tribute to Prince Henry the Navigator and all those who contributed to the discovery of new lands.  While some parts of the city are thousands of years old, others were rebuilt in 1755 after a devastating earthquake leveled major parts of the city.

But from that disaster rose up a great victory when the Marques de Pombal took over and re-planned and rebuilt the city from the rubble.  Even as recently as the 1990's a major part of the city known as the Chiado was devastated by fire that spread through many old buildings.  But just as with the earthquake, the Portuguese have since rebuilt this area to be bigger and better than before.

Check out all the photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/jroberts.px/Europe201002#

Transporting Tripe to Lisbon

Now that we had spent nearly a week in Porto, we are making a run down to the Lisbon area to visit friends and family.  Usually I have taken the A1 freeway from Porto down to Lisbon, but the whole thing is a toll road.  So this time I decided to look at Google Maps and see if it could give me any alternatives.  Besides the normal A1, there is also a series of freeways that run closer to the coast and only have a partial toll along the way.  I also checked for a route with no tolls and Google gave me 3 different routes, but each would take nearly 5 1/2 hours, while the partial toll road would only take 3 hours.  I decided it was worth the partial toll to save over 2 hours on our trip.  The normal A1 toll down to Lisbon runs about $35, but the new route we took only came up to about $16, and the roads were all just as good as the A1.

Even though Porto and Lisbon are only 3 hours apart, there are some distinctive foods that aren't readily available in one city or the other, and we had been asked to bring some Broa bread and Porto Tripe with us to deliver to friends in Lisbon who were from Porto.  And this is how we ended up transporting tripe from Porto to Lisbon with us in the car.  Now I know what you're thinking by looking at this picture, but trust me, it's not what you think.  This is tripe, pork intestines filled with mashed up pork innards with other spices and fillings.  OK, so maybe it is what you were thinking it was.  To each his own, as long as they don't make me eat their own.