I will post some pics shortly from the concert last night but here are some more sightseeing pics from our travels today. I can imagine Porto in 10 years, when all the renovations are complete and you walk the streets with all the buildings beautifully restored. That would feel a lot like Santa Barbara where I live -everything is very manicured to a degree that is almost unrealistic. It is a fantasy town of great beauty but the history has been lost to some degree where roads have intersected great buildings and others been demolished in favor of the new (but still in the old style reflected throughout with great care). Mother nature has taken several sites by earthquake too but I would have loved to have seen the great Potters Hotel before it caught fire and burned down to the ground. But I must admit, watching it happen might be more interesting. There is something fascinating about seeing what was before it was given its facelift. I actually like to see that almost more than a completely clean and tidy street. So right now in Porto, as it seems to be transforming into this idyllic place (one could argue it is already fantastical), you can see the old, the worn out, the abandoned alongside the beautifully restored. That for me, tells a more authentic story and one I am enjoying while visiting briefly for the Viola Congress.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 20:32:30 +0000