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Back from an Amazing Week in Portugal…

 

 

View from the hotel in Vila do Conde

View from the hilltop our hotel graced in Vila do Conde

 

Had a great week in Portugal visiting factories and making new friends.  The people there are incredibly friendly and gracious.  Enjoyed a crazy Wednesday night in Porto hitting the locals on the head with hammers (all in good fun), music and fireworks over the river.  After a couple days we finally stopped saying “gracias” (dumb gringos that we are…) and thanked them properly.  Obrigado!

 

 

Incredible old stonework in Vila do Conde

Incredible old stonework in Vila do Conde

 

 

View from the hotel deck in Vila do Conde

View from the hotel deck in Vila do Conde

 

 

There were incredible lush gardens just behind the walls of this private home in Vila do Conde.

There were incredible lush gardens just behind the walls of this private home in Vila do Conde.

 

 

Vila do Conde

Vila do Conde

 

 

Vila do Conde

Vila do Conde

 

 

Santana Hotel sign in Vila do Conde

Santana Hotel sign in Vila do Conde

 

 

Flags at Santana Hotel in Vila do Conde, Portugal.

Flags at Santana Hotel in Vila do Conde, Portugal.

 

 

Parked outside the Santana Hotel in Portugal.

Parked outside the Santana Hotel in Portugal.

 

 

Next to the Santana Hotel was a small, old church.

Next to the Santana Hotel was a small, old church.

 

 

The church next to Santana Hotel, Vila do Conde.

The church next to Santana Hotel, Vila do Conde.

20 thoughts on “Back from an Amazing Week in Portugal…”

  2. It was a great trip, man. The holiday I referred to that is celebrated by whacking each other on the head– St. John’s day, as in John the Baptist. You remember what happened to him, right?

  3. Ahh, always wanted to go to Portugal. Very cool. Great photos. Just glad you didn’t lose your head during the holiday…

      • I have been visiting The Selvedge Yard now for a while. It’s a great place to come to. Just as my country, Portugal. You should try the south as well (maybe next time around). Cascais and Estoril, the beach area near Lisbon, where i come from. Obrigado for the nice words about us. Um abraço (another one to learn – it is our way to finish off a letter or message between friends and it means a hug), JP (that’s João Pedro)

  5. Thanks for sharing the photo’s, sounds like an amazing trip…can’t wait to hear all about it!

  7. Those are some lovely photos, JP, and it looks like you had a wonderful time in this quiet, old country of ours.

    Fun fact: back in the day, being hammered on the head during St. John’s Day with a smelly leek was commonplace. You can still find people in Oporto who opt to leave aside the little plastic hammers and engage in some ferocious, good-hearted hammer fights with that oddly humurous vegetable.

    Definitely come south next time, and drop by Lisbon. The equivalent of St. John’s happens on the 12th June and it’s St. Anthony’s Eve. The streets are packed with costume parades (along with excruciatingly sung popular music) and you won’t leave town until you’ve eaten a few kilos (sorry, pounds) of deliciously grilled sardines.

    – Anthony

  8. Well, always nice to see that someone visits my country and doesn’t just go to the Algarve, probably the most unportuguese region in the country. I think the North of Portugal is very, very beautiful and Vila do Conde is just about 15Kms from where I live.
    Even so, the most beautiful parts of the country are in towns like Ponte de Lima, Ponte da Barca, Viana do Castelo, Caminha, Arcos de Valdevez, Guimarães and Braga. If you liked Vila do Conde, you would love the places I just mentioned. Check them out on the web, you’ll see what I mean!

    Cheers!

    By the way, if you have time, check my blog. Got some good portuguese music there as well, maybe to illustrate your Portuguese trip video!

    • Thank you very much for the recommendations. It’s a beautiful country, I look forward to returning.

      Obrigado!

      JP

  9. I loved your pictures!! I’m going to Portugal next week, hope to see great things as those you saw!

  10. I’m from Portugal, a small village called Cascais near Lisbon, besides all, the crisis and all the bad things i just love this country! the people, the nature, i can’t imagine myself living on another country 🙂

  11. beautiful!! I was in Portugal last year, in Aljezur, Carrapateira, and Sagres and absolutely fell in love! I left my heart there!
    So nice to see images from a somewhat familiar landscape that brought back so many memories!

  12. JP,

    Missed your posts over the last couple of weeks. Looks like you’ve been busy. Great pictures, lets catch up this week…want to hear about Portugal…..Lee

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