August 20, 2011. We grappled with Porto’s tricky train system and emerged victorious. We arrived at the proper station and began climbing hills to our hostel. The streets and sidewalks were pieced together with stones, and the part of town our hostel was in was mostly gray and brown. When we arrived at our hostel, saturated with sweat, we hiked up another three flights to a six-person room on the top story. It was spartan, as expected, but had a balcony that looked out over clay roofs and that shared its berth with a small bathroom.
On the weekends, as we learned from the operator of the hostel, the blistering heat flushes the residents of Porto out to the beaches. As a result, our part of Porto was a ghost town. Restaurants and shops alike were closed. At her recommendation, we decided to undertake the long walk to the river, which was the hub of the city. The following pics are from our journey.
Molly On the Move 