Falling For Portugal: A Mai Tai Tom “Trip” Report

Chapter Nineteen: O Sé Can You See & Farewell Portugal

Day Twenty-One: Up On The Hill, Porto’s Cathedral, Nap Time, Strolling Through Porto, Exceptional Views, Like “Little Cat Feet,” Train Coming Through, Anthony’s Azulejos, Ginjinha Treats and Buon Appetito

Our final full day in Porto and once again we were greeted with a beautiful morning. Our first stop would be the Sé do Porto (Porto Cathedral). Just outside the cathedral we passed the statue of a 9th century nobleman and the first Count of Portugal, Vímara Peres.

Climbing up to the cathedral we looked out at the ever-present Torre de Clérigos.

The 12th-century Sé has had many additions since it was first constructed.

Azulejos, we need more azulejos. We entered the Baroque cloisters, which were added in the 14th century. The azulejos depict scenes from the Song of Solomon. Not being biblical scholars, we didn’t know what that entailed.

You’d think after three weeks one might tire of seeing these tiles, but not me. However, I can’t speak for the others in my party.

After catching a glimpse of the courtyard …

… we stepped into St. Vincent’s Chapel. We didn’t get any real good photos here, because the clean-up crew was hard at work.

We climbed the 18th-century Baroque Granite Staircase to the upper floor where more incredible azulejos adorned the walls.

A “steep and irregular staircase” with a sign that cautioned seniors to be careful lead to the Torre. Not wanting to end our trip with tragedy, the others climbed, while I stayed behind. Tracy captured many views from the top while I relaxed.

The orange rooftops and the River Douro beckoned on this sunny morning.

She also grabbed a shot of the upper part of the Dom Lúis I Bridge we would cross later in the day.

Back on the terrace, it looks like I had relaxed a little too much, and my beloved wife took a photo of the slacker who stayed behind. She said, “Well, now that you are finally relaxed, it’s almost time to go home.”

I need to start this relaxing thing earlier on trips.

Off the terrace is the Chapter House.

I immediately ran into my good friend, Michael, who is kept busy on our travels saving me from one accident or another.

Michael can also be seen in the center of the ceiling paintings in this room.

Here he is seen literally putting his foot down.

We ventured inside the Cathedral with its huge granite columns.

We wandered through cathedral and some of the chapels.

Below is a famous bronze bas-relief of Christ being baptized by St. John The Baptist.

Finally, we hit the Sacristy with its baroque murals and chest of drawers.

No visit to a cathedral would be complete without seeing at least one Gothic tomb.

Virtually adjacent to the Cathedral is the Paço Episcopal do Porto, which is the Bishop’s Palace. This had not been on my radar. The palace was constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries and enlarged four centuries later. The gigantic granite staircase is an impressive sight upon entering.

Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni designed the staircase as part of an 18th-century remodel.

The painted ceiling is magnifico.