24 | O Porto - uma cidade ribeirinha...

Uma apresentação para o curso de português na Universidade de Tallinn…

23 | O Porto chama por ti...

I was and I still am missing Porto a lot. For that reason I decided to visit that amazing city again.. só para matar aquelas saudades.. finally it didn’t work like that because now I’d like to return even more. Anyway, this time I had short but super nice time there and as I already have a blog about Portugal I thought I am going to write something about this trip and all the following ones in the future.
When arriving to Tallinn Airport my heart started to beat like three times faster than normal because only then I realised that ’’meu deus’’ – I am actually going to Porto again!! During the flight from Tallinn to London nothing special happened.. at Stansted these 5 hours between two flights seemed like 10 although there would have been plenty of activities to do – this airport seemed more like a shopping centre than an airport. But the anticipation was still so huge and that made the time slow down..
Then.. 35 minutes before the flight, when it finally was announced to which gate the passengers on the way to Porto should go, I almost ran there. :) Most of the people in the line were Portuguese and it was like a caress to my ears to listen to Portuguese language again!! I even dropped a tear, seriously. In the plane one Portuguese guy Francisco was sitting next to me and with him I could practise a bit of Portuguese. He didn’t know anything about Estonia nor it’s location. I didn’t expect that either. He had been in London with his son for few days to attend some football trainings or something like that and had the same flight back to Porto as I did. I told him where and what I studied in Portugal and which places I visited. Francisco lives in Vila do Conde where I have been myself. :) Nice place!
When we started to land it was dark outside and Porto was extremely be-a-u-tiful in the lights! This view I will remember forever. Before getting out from the plane, Francisco gave me his phone number – next time when I go to Porto, I could visit them. :D. We’ll see.. finally-finally, when we entered Porto Airport then we lost each other but at least I have his contacts just in case. :P … But this feeling that overtook me when we arrived!! Undescribable! It was so enjoyable to arrive to that familiar place. I went to the metro and all the way to Porto I was smiling because of that joy what this familiar feeling caused in me. ’’Sentido/Direction: Estádio do Dragão’’ was sounding in the background all the time.
At Trindade I hopped off from the metro and met Miguel first – one really sympathetic Portuguese guy who visited Estonia last month with his friend Pedro and they stayed at the hostel where I work. It was nice to see him in Porto! Nazan was late as always as it’s common in Portugal but she came. I was really happy to meet her as well finally and then the weekend could start.. first all three of us we went to Nazan’s place that I could leave my bag. There we also met Nazan’s flatmate Yamur. After that we headed to one Turkish cafe which belongs to one cool Turkish older couple living in Porto. There we met with some current Erasmus students from Poland and France and had some nice time there altogether for few hours. Then we went to Setenta e Sete to have some welcome shots. There I met with some more of my Portuguese friends. We bought some drinks to take away and went to Piolho. Oh god how good it felt to visit these places again! I remembered all the good old times. I saw João and Rafael there. With João we were supposed to meet anyway but for this night we didn’t make an appointment or anything. He just came to me unexpectedly - I like this kind of positive surprises. Rafa told me before that he wasn’t sure if he was going out in the night. But talking with João, he told me that Rafa also is in Piolho! I was very glad to see him there as well. Later some Portuguese guys who I know – they sang to me ’’Nossa, nossa.. assim você me mata...’’ with these special moves. They were so, so drunk and I even didn’t want to listen to them until they finish. :D With Nazan, Miguel and his two friends we went to Havana. Nazan easily managed to get us in – free entrance for women and four free drinks! What a night! The club was hu-u-uge and still very crowded! Party was cool and even better was leaving the party when Nazan organised a weepy dramatic show in the street and then walked about one kilometer to the opposite direction of home. I was too tired to run faster after her and turn her around. She totally lost her sense of orientation due to alcohol. Finally I managed to turn her around though and we could go home to sleep.
On Saturday we slept until afternoon then we went to eat some kebab. Yummy! Then a little walk along Aliados and Santa Catarina and then heading home to prepare ourselves for the night. First we had some drinks in Piolho because we were waiting for two more persons, then we went to Estrela Douro restaurant-cafe. We had quite fancy francesinha dinner there! It’s not that expensive place to eat but popular and decent. Tables were covered, there were many people and live music as well. One older senhor played guitar and sang famous Portuguese songs and there wasn’t missing ’’Ai se eu te pego’’. During that song people were doing these special moves as well. It was fun! :D
Later we met with Iulia and Philipp and went altogether to Casa de Ló. There they didn’t allow me to speak in English, not even a word. We were playing some games which were good to practise my Portuguese. :D Finally Ricardo and Anna joined as well and some of their friends. So good felt to be with ’’old friends’’! It was really nice evening there and later we went again to Piolho where Luis had a chance to meet Nazan after a long time. :D French people were also there and I met with other intresting people. In the end after a funny journey with Nazan we arrived to Pitch. There – surprise, surprise! – I saw Paulo who was Erasmus student in Estonia almost two years ago. In addition all my friends from ESN Porto. ;) What a night it was! Hehe..
In Sunday afternoon I had a walk by the ocean, in Matosinhos. Later I met João, a friend of Triin (she is a friend from my Portuguese classes from Tallinn Uni), and I gave him a little present from her. It was a short meeting as he was on the way to somewhere else. As he seemed sympathetic, I hope we will meet next time. :) In the evening we were having dinner at Cédric’s place with Nazan and one other French guy and eating a stack of pasta by Nazan. :D We drank portwine and laughed like crazy ones.
On the last day before leaving Porto, I went to visit my school. I was looking forward to that! I was happy to meet the coordinators and see ISMAI once again. Also I met with Kätlin, a current Erasmus girl and 2nd Estonian in ISMAI. :P We were talking about Porto experiences all the way back to the centre. WE LOVE PORTO! Later we went for a walk with Nazan, took some photos and visited all the sweet places in Porto – Ponte Dom Luís and Ribeira. We did a little shopping in Cedofeita, had a lunch break in Turkish cafe and visited some more shops in Santa Catarina. Before returning I bought some wine to have some glasses to say a proper good bye.. Then I packed my things really fast and we went to metro. I arrived in the last minute to the airport and by the midnight I was in London. Until morning flight to Stockholm my bed was the floor of Stansted Airport. In Tuesday morning I spent few hours in teeny tiny Skavsta Airport and then had a flight to Tallinn. By the way, on the flight to Stockholm there was one steward called Nuno and from Stockholm to Tallinn there was one called Pedro – Portuguese are all around me. :D
But I so didn’t want to land in Tallinn! It was snowing, raining and it was cooold. ;( It didn’t help to cheer me up as I was sad anyway because of leaving Porto.. I know I will go back but I can’t help that feeling of.. saudades. I miss you!

Até à próxima!
Beijinhos;*