We arrived in Porto after a pleasant drive in the French countryside from Mt. Saint Michel to Nantes then an unpleasant sojourn in the Nantes airport.
The Nantes airport (pictured above), for those who have not had the displeasure of visiting it, is both ugly and inefficient. It reminded me of the Burbank airport in L.A., without even the benefit of some Hollywood kitsch. In its favor, the staff are excellent and allowed Steven back through security to retrieve his oft lost UCI jacket. (This jacket has had many lives). UCI jacket in hand, we boarded EasyJet, Europe’s discount airline, and landed in Porto without incident to clapping from the passengers.
Steven had gifted us a prearranged ride to our fabulous hotel, Hotel de Virtudes. Our driver had excellent English, a nice suit and tie, and driving skills to equal the getaway driver in the movie Baby Driver. He wanted to get us and our luggage to the front of the hotel, which sits on a steep hill on the banks of the River Duoro. The last road was so narrow his car alerted him he was too close on both sides. It was a steady beeping to the door.
Hotel des Virtudes (Hotel of Virtues) occupies a large 16th century aristocratic residence that has had many lives, as a factory, a gym, and a school. Two years ago, it was converted into a stellar hotel with no expense spared, and many features of the original building were retained. The receptionist rushed out to greet us, take our luggage, offer us a drink, all in perfect English.
Our driver had pointed out a viewpoint close by that he said had the best sunsets in the city. A sweaty steep interior climb from our hotel, and we were there. As was the rest of Porto! It was a happening scene, with bars lining the street, couples and families picnicking on the park overview, waiting for the sunset. And it was as advertised, the sun illuminating the Duoro River to a brilliant blue, the sun just behind the famous bridge Pont Luiz I, designed by Gustave Eiffel himself.
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