Soundtrack: Beautiful Day
Wednesday, 18 September 2019
I was up at 03:55 and got ready. As far as I was aware, the Russian mother-daughter team did not even stir and both were snoring throughout as I prepared to leave. I had asked the hostel to arrange for a cab for me and the cab arrived just before 04:00. It took only 25 minutes to reach the airport and the ride cost me 105 lei. I couldn’t take the airport bus as it departs from the city only at 06:00 and my flight was at 06:10. I went through security (I was asked to remove my scarf and I told them ‘Musulman’ and they let me through) and passport check and then once in, went to perform prayers at the nursery room. I had another wait before I could board the bus that would take me to the plane as the airline staff tried to determine if I needed visa to enter Italy. I told them I didn’t need a visa but they went to check anyway. I was finally cleared to board the bus. Good-bye Moldova.
We landed at Milan Bergamo (Ciao Milano! Ciao lovely friendly Italiano!) at 07:50 and after freshening up, I went out. After a light breakfast on the food I bought at Chişinău Airport, I joined the queue to clear security then walked through the duty-free area to my gate, stopping to buy a bottle of water first. For some reason, I couldn’t access WiFi so I sat down to read instead. We started boarding for the plane at 09:30.
We landed at Porto Airport at noon. It’s a big modern airport and we had to walk quite a bit to exit. You could take the metro or bus and I opted to take GetBus to 24 Agosto station (the metro would take 33 minutes, the bus would take 25 minutes and cost €2.80 but the metro is more frequent while the bus is not as frequent (timetable here)). I headed for the Tourist Information shop to ask for some info (the lady there also advised me to take GetBus instead of metro) and collect some maps then sat down to wait for 13:00 and then went out to wait for the bus. Well, the bus was late and I even thought I had missed it or waited at the wrong place so I went in again to ask. This time I found the desk for GetBus and the lady told me which stop to wait. When I went out again, the bus was there and people were boarding. Phew, alhamdulillah.
We reached 24 de Agosto bus station and from there, I walked to my Airbnb. I had to call my host to ask her to let me into the building. Fortunately there was a lift. The apartment was on the second floor anyway but I felt like taking the lift. I was happy with the room and bathroom but when I enquired after towels, I was told that they would provide it at a charge of €2. Well, I refused to pay that (sadly, I don’t earn Euros). Good thing I brought a thin towel along. After performing prayers, I checked the map again and walked to Campanhã train station for the train to Aveiro. I knew Porto is hilly and how! I had read the time wrong (my iPhone time switched to Italian time and didn’t switch to Portuguese time. Portugal, like the UK and Ireland, is an hour behind Western Europe) so I had some time before the train was due to leave.
The train ride took an hour (there are faster trains taking only 33 minutes but they cost about four times more) and I arrived at Aveiro at 17:13. I exited the station and walked down Avenida Dr. Lourenço Peixinho to the canals. Aveiro is a charming city known as the Portuguese Venice that is famed for its canals, Nouveau architecture and colourful Moliceiros boats (barcos Moliceiros) and I walked happily along its streets and canals. I spent an hour there before taking the train back to Porto.
Once back in Porto, I walked back to my Airbnb apartment but decided to walk further in search of a supermarket. I was pleasantly delighted when I found a shopping mall within walking distance from the Airbnb and although most shops were closed, the supermarket Dia was still opened.
Thursday, 19 September 2019
I woke up early to perform prayers and after showering and a light breakfast, I left to explore Porto. I had limited time in Portugal. It was what it was and I was lucky and blessed enough to have any time off what with dad and work so I had no complaints. I just have to make the best out of the situation.
I left at 07:45 and walked to Capela das Almas de Santa Catarina. Then I walked to Igreja de Trinidade and down to Câmara Municipal do Porto (Porto City Hall) and Praça da Liberdade. Then I walked up to Igreja dos Carmelitas, passing Fonte dos Leões on the way. I then went back down and passed Livraria Lello, a historic book store. I wanted to go in badly but it only opened from 09:30 and I didn’t have the luxury of time so I decided to walk on and return later. I walked back down to Praça da Liberdade then turned and walked down Avenida Dom Afonso Henriques and on until I reached Ponte Luiz I. This is an arched bridge carrying low-level road & a high-level metro line between Porto and Vila Nove de Gaia. I was a bit apprehensive walking across to the other side of Douro River so I made my way across slowly and gingerly. Unfortunately, the weather had been somewhat hazy since I landed yesterday and today wasn’t any better.
I made it across the river successfully heh and stayed there for a while to enjoy the view. Spotting some people atop a hill, I walked and climbed the hill to Igreja da Serra do Pilar. I spent a few minutes here before reluctantly going down and across Ponte Luiz I. I quickly made my way back up Rua das Carmelitas to Livraria Lello. It had gone just past 10:00 and while the bookstore was already opened, the long queue outside outside told me I would not be able to enter it after all, at least not on this trip. Sigh. What a shame.
I walked back to the apartment, this time taking Rua de 31 de Janeiro and then taking roads I’d never taken before, I somehow made it back to the apartment. I was gone for more than 2.5 hours and my bladder was bursting at this point (oops TMI!). I hurried back, recharged my devices, finished packing and then asked my host if I could leave at 11:30 instead of 11:00. She said OK so I stayed on and left at 11:30 sharp.
I was contemplating taking the metro to the airport but thought I saw the GetBus pulling into the bus station and decided I would check it out. If it was there, I would take the bus; otherwise, the metro. And what do you know, the bus which was supposed to depart at 11:30 was still there with people scrambling to board so I joined the mad queue. We reached the airport just after 12 noon and after finishing up my drink, I joined the queue to clear security. It was such a long queue that I was glad I arrived early. While waiting for the gate to be announced, I went to explore and even found the multi-faith prayer room. I had to run to the gate though (yes, I know, despite arriving early) which of course turned out to be at the other end of the terminal - but of course considering Murphy’s Law and all that.
We took off on time and landed at Marseille Provence Airport at 17:10. I had decided to take the train into the city and went to find out the platform before heading for the bus station which is between Terminals 1 and 2. There is a regular bus from the airport to the small train station called Vitrolles and the fare to Marseille St Charles was €5.20. You can see the sea from the train platform but it was such a bright hot late afternoon that we were trying desperately to seek some shade instead.
From the train station, I walked to my Airbnb about 15 minutes away although it took me slightly longer as I stopped to consult my map every now and then. The host was away and I had to wait a while until his mother returned at 19:15 to let me in. I decided to walk to Carrefour Express but it was closing by the time I arrived so I returned to the apartment and had biscuits for dinner. It was pretty warm in the room but there was AC although I decided not to turn it on as the small roof window was opened.
To be continued
Wednesday, 18 September 2019
I was up at 03:55 and got ready. As far as I was aware, the Russian mother-daughter team did not even stir and both were snoring throughout as I prepared to leave. I had asked the hostel to arrange for a cab for me and the cab arrived just before 04:00. It took only 25 minutes to reach the airport and the ride cost me 105 lei. I couldn’t take the airport bus as it departs from the city only at 06:00 and my flight was at 06:10. I went through security (I was asked to remove my scarf and I told them ‘Musulman’ and they let me through) and passport check and then once in, went to perform prayers at the nursery room. I had another wait before I could board the bus that would take me to the plane as the airline staff tried to determine if I needed visa to enter Italy. I told them I didn’t need a visa but they went to check anyway. I was finally cleared to board the bus. Good-bye Moldova.
We landed at Milan Bergamo (Ciao Milano! Ciao lovely friendly Italiano!) at 07:50 and after freshening up, I went out. After a light breakfast on the food I bought at Chişinău Airport, I joined the queue to clear security then walked through the duty-free area to my gate, stopping to buy a bottle of water first. For some reason, I couldn’t access WiFi so I sat down to read instead. We started boarding for the plane at 09:30.
We landed at Porto Airport at noon. It’s a big modern airport and we had to walk quite a bit to exit. You could take the metro or bus and I opted to take GetBus to 24 Agosto station (the metro would take 33 minutes, the bus would take 25 minutes and cost €2.80 but the metro is more frequent while the bus is not as frequent (timetable here)). I headed for the Tourist Information shop to ask for some info (the lady there also advised me to take GetBus instead of metro) and collect some maps then sat down to wait for 13:00 and then went out to wait for the bus. Well, the bus was late and I even thought I had missed it or waited at the wrong place so I went in again to ask. This time I found the desk for GetBus and the lady told me which stop to wait. When I went out again, the bus was there and people were boarding. Phew, alhamdulillah.
We reached 24 de Agosto bus station and from there, I walked to my Airbnb. I had to call my host to ask her to let me into the building. Fortunately there was a lift. The apartment was on the second floor anyway but I felt like taking the lift. I was happy with the room and bathroom but when I enquired after towels, I was told that they would provide it at a charge of €2. Well, I refused to pay that (sadly, I don’t earn Euros). Good thing I brought a thin towel along. After performing prayers, I checked the map again and walked to Campanhã train station for the train to Aveiro. I knew Porto is hilly and how! I had read the time wrong (my iPhone time switched to Italian time and didn’t switch to Portuguese time. Portugal, like the UK and Ireland, is an hour behind Western Europe) so I had some time before the train was due to leave.
The train ride took an hour (there are faster trains taking only 33 minutes but they cost about four times more) and I arrived at Aveiro at 17:13. I exited the station and walked down Avenida Dr. Lourenço Peixinho to the canals. Aveiro is a charming city known as the Portuguese Venice that is famed for its canals, Nouveau architecture and colourful Moliceiros boats (barcos Moliceiros) and I walked happily along its streets and canals. I spent an hour there before taking the train back to Porto.
Once back in Porto, I walked back to my Airbnb apartment but decided to walk further in search of a supermarket. I was pleasantly delighted when I found a shopping mall within walking distance from the Airbnb and although most shops were closed, the supermarket Dia was still opened.
Thursday, 19 September 2019
I woke up early to perform prayers and after showering and a light breakfast, I left to explore Porto. I had limited time in Portugal. It was what it was and I was lucky and blessed enough to have any time off what with dad and work so I had no complaints. I just have to make the best out of the situation.
I left at 07:45 and walked to Capela das Almas de Santa Catarina. Then I walked to Igreja de Trinidade and down to Câmara Municipal do Porto (Porto City Hall) and Praça da Liberdade. Then I walked up to Igreja dos Carmelitas, passing Fonte dos Leões on the way. I then went back down and passed Livraria Lello, a historic book store. I wanted to go in badly but it only opened from 09:30 and I didn’t have the luxury of time so I decided to walk on and return later. I walked back down to Praça da Liberdade then turned and walked down Avenida Dom Afonso Henriques and on until I reached Ponte Luiz I. This is an arched bridge carrying low-level road & a high-level metro line between Porto and Vila Nove de Gaia. I was a bit apprehensive walking across to the other side of Douro River so I made my way across slowly and gingerly. Unfortunately, the weather had been somewhat hazy since I landed yesterday and today wasn’t any better.
I made it across the river successfully heh and stayed there for a while to enjoy the view. Spotting some people atop a hill, I walked and climbed the hill to Igreja da Serra do Pilar. I spent a few minutes here before reluctantly going down and across Ponte Luiz I. I quickly made my way back up Rua das Carmelitas to Livraria Lello. It had gone just past 10:00 and while the bookstore was already opened, the long queue outside outside told me I would not be able to enter it after all, at least not on this trip. Sigh. What a shame.
I walked back to the apartment, this time taking Rua de 31 de Janeiro and then taking roads I’d never taken before, I somehow made it back to the apartment. I was gone for more than 2.5 hours and my bladder was bursting at this point (oops TMI!). I hurried back, recharged my devices, finished packing and then asked my host if I could leave at 11:30 instead of 11:00. She said OK so I stayed on and left at 11:30 sharp.
I was contemplating taking the metro to the airport but thought I saw the GetBus pulling into the bus station and decided I would check it out. If it was there, I would take the bus; otherwise, the metro. And what do you know, the bus which was supposed to depart at 11:30 was still there with people scrambling to board so I joined the mad queue. We reached the airport just after 12 noon and after finishing up my drink, I joined the queue to clear security. It was such a long queue that I was glad I arrived early. While waiting for the gate to be announced, I went to explore and even found the multi-faith prayer room. I had to run to the gate though (yes, I know, despite arriving early) which of course turned out to be at the other end of the terminal - but of course considering Murphy’s Law and all that.
We took off on time and landed at Marseille Provence Airport at 17:10. I had decided to take the train into the city and went to find out the platform before heading for the bus station which is between Terminals 1 and 2. There is a regular bus from the airport to the small train station called Vitrolles and the fare to Marseille St Charles was €5.20. You can see the sea from the train platform but it was such a bright hot late afternoon that we were trying desperately to seek some shade instead.
From the train station, I walked to my Airbnb about 15 minutes away although it took me slightly longer as I stopped to consult my map every now and then. The host was away and I had to wait a while until his mother returned at 19:15 to let me in. I decided to walk to Carrefour Express but it was closing by the time I arrived so I returned to the apartment and had biscuits for dinner. It was pretty warm in the room but there was AC although I decided not to turn it on as the small roof window was opened.
To be continued
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