EU 2017 (x): Porto (II)

Since it was slightly overcast, it was a good excuse to stay indoors. I reached a decision to go to Palacio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace), which was down the road from the hotel. One needs to participate in a guided tour of the building, but non-flash photography is allowed. That's a yay!

I couldn't remember the great details from the tour, for example the frescoes or the history of the rooms, but the building had some cool displays and rooms, like the room that has stucco painted like wood and the table that took years to complete.. using a pocket knife! Ooo-kay then. But the last room of the tour was the icing on the cake - Salão Árabe (the Arab Room).

There it is - Palacio da Bolsa

Pátio das Nações (Hall of Nations)

The coat of arms of Portugal and the countries that had commercial relations with Portugal in the 19th century are painted around the dome.

I can only tell the America from the bald eagle.As for the others, your guess is as good as mine

The glass dome

I love the tiled floor

The ceiling frescoes seen once you reached the next floor had similar idea as that of Würzburg Residence, except that they are very formal and not wacky at all, not one bit. It is the stock exchange palace.

Agriculture

Wisdom?

Err.. industrial?

Sala do Tribunal (The Tribunal Room)

Our guide

One of the hallway

The room that Eiffel once occupied. He didn't design the Dom I Luis bridge but another steel bridge.

Sala das Assembleias Gerais (General Meeting Room)

Everything above the smaller chairs is stucco painted like wood. Woah!

Sala Dourada (Golden Room)

This is the table that was carved using a pen knife

Saving the best for last is the Arab Room, clearly inspired by Alhambra.

Each green shield bears the "There is no victor than Allah" writing

Apart from the writings of Allah and There's no victor than Allah, there are also writings referring to Queen Mary 2, like in the below picture. I myself can read the 'Sultanah Maryam 2' (Queen Mary 2), but I can't be certain what the first word 'azalana' means. I forgot what the guide said. (will get back to this later...)

One selfie for the road :)

I then took the challenge of climbing up the 240 steps (I didn't count so I relied on the brochure :D) to the top of the Clerigos Tower. Once you finally squeezed through the human traffic at the tight stairwell, you would be rewarded with the panoramic view of the city. I was a bit unlucky with the weather but at least it wasn't raining, right?

The organ in the church

The church

Facing the river

Find the Se (Cathedral)

✌ :D

Passeio dos Clérigos (shops, restaurants/cafes, parking, etc)

Church of Saint Ildefonso, another one church that is covered with blue and white tiles

Up ahead is the Rua Santa Catarina, lined up with shops and eateries. It was OK in my book.

Majestic Cafe. I didn't make a stop, but one could enjoy the lavish deco

Shops and cafes

Mercado do Bolhão, a bit rundown so only the lower ground is occupied. Mercat de La Boqueria in Barcelona is far more superior

Yesterday, Lígia informed me that there'd be some sort of student march in the Liberdade Square (Praça da Liberdade) and the surrounding area. Obrigado to Mr Google, I learned about the Queima das Fitas (Ribbon Burning) event, where students from the higher institutions march through the city streets until the city hall. Students for each year would don different outfits, like the graduates wear a top-hat and a walking cane. Colours also mark the Faculty at which these students are attached to.

I believe those are freshmen where a bit of hazing would occur

The graduates led students who were wielding swords, along with some chants

Graduates with the top hats and walking canes

Joining the onlookers :)

A group of students running down the street trying to avoid the obstacles

All that walking, especially to avoid the student march, eventually led me to the Douro River :). I even wandered farther in the Gaia neighbourhood for pastel de nata e café com leite (egg tart and coffee with milk).

It's always the time for pastel de nata! Hehehe. I also drank a lot of coffee here too even though I'm more of a teh tarik person. They don't have teh tarik here

I did say that the bridge and the surrounding area would be most photographed here right?

That steel bridge at the end there was designed by Eiffel

Porto Cathedral, once more :)

Before we end the post, I'd like to park several random street arts here:

Ayam Alien penyet

Playing horsey?

I've seen the online version of these arts when they were freshly painted :)

Last but not least, I've been indulging myself with the local fruits since I've been here. They're pretty cheap in the local currency, like these strawberries only costed €0,98!