Olá, Monica!

 

Monica and friendly server with Porto Tonico in foreground.

Although our plane was more than two hours late from Stansted to Porto, arriving at about 9:30 p.m., that didn't deter our friend Monica from waiting for us. As soon as we exited the Arrivals area, there she was.

Kevin met Monica five years ago when we were in London. She is a talented artist. Over the years, both Kevin and I began corresponding with her by email, although I had never met her until the evening we arrived. "Our hearts met before we did," I told her. We share a lot of interests and values, so much so that Monica has called us her soul sister and brother. More than that, she introduced us to people in Porto as "familia." (Sorry, I can't type the accent on the "i.") I don't know if we deserve that, but one thing is certain: no one has ever received a better introduction to Porto. You'll see some wonderful photos in the coming blog posts to confirm that.

The first night, Monica took us to our studio apartment across from the Casa da Musica, designed by Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architest who also designed the Seattle Public Library. (I'm not including a photo, because it's not nearly as attractive as the library, in my opinion.) After we unpacked, Monica treated us to dinner at a nearby restaurant where we had the most delicious pork ribs that just dissolved in our mouths almost without chewing. But the big advent of the night was introducing us to Porto Tonico, a drink a little like a gin-and-tonic, but made with white port, which is now a new favorite.

The next morning we began our explorations at a nearby cemetery. We are always drawn to old cemeteries, and this one was no exception. The old tombs, some quite elaborate, and the statuary were outstanding.


Monica, like me, is a cat-lover. She feeds many cats in her neighborhood, and has adopted a couple. 

One of Monica's cute cats.

Because we both like cats, we are also pleased that the cemetery has organizations that spay and neuter the feral cats that live there.


It is somehow comforting to see cats, or birds, or other signs of life when strolling through those monuments of grief.

A statue memorializing a woman and her infant who both died at the birth.

ADDENDUM: I've included some of Monica's photos. I'm sure she'll say she has better ones, and these are just a sample, but you can see she is an excellent photographer.

A photo of Monica's.


I am so impressed with this shot.

Another of Monica's masterpieces.


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