Post Camino

Valença do Minho to Porto

We left Valença by train this morning and enjoyed the two hour journey down to Porto. Initially we followed the Minho River to the coast so had views across to Spain for that part of our trip, we then went along the coast for a short time before going inland - for a while we saw pilgrims walking on the Portuguese Coastal route then Inland. Later we went even more inland until we got closer to Porto.
Porto is busy - traffic, people and seagulls everywhere. None of the Camino quiet here! As soon as we checked in at our accommodation we walked down to the Douro Riverfront ...cafes by the dozens and people by the hundreds. Ah, the serenity.

The railway station at Valença:

Looking down on the station from our apartment. Our train was just arriving.

There were several pots on hydrangea on the platform.

A couple of photos from the train:

A very poor photo of a stork nest complete with the stork family. We hadn't seen one for so long.

Our last glimpse of Spain across the river.

Two photos of the tile work in the São Bento railway station in Portugal:

The tile work is simply amazing but the station foyer was incredibly busy with people who were traveling by train and tourists taking photos of the tiles! These photos don't show just how busy it was.

Rock tile art in the street

The Porto Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady:

Porto rooftops.

Some snaps taken on our route down to the riverfront:

...and down at the Douro Riverfront:

Traditional Rabelo boats - they now carry passengers but the original purpose of them was to carry barrels of port wine from the vineyards in the Douro Valley.

Tried to capture how busy the riverfront is but this snap doesn't show it.

...a church squeezed in amongst all the cafes.

Some tilework we saw on our walk back to our accommodation: