Portugal in a Week: From North to South [Part 2: Day 1]; PORTO

 Porto is situated at the banks of the meandering Douro river in the north-west of Portugal. It is one of the most picturesque cities in all of Europe. It can be distinguished by its architecture and engineering marvels like the Dom Luis bridge over the Douro gorge. Porto is a bustling metropolitan with a unique blend of colour, culture and heritage. It is no wonder that the historic centre of Porto was declared a UNESCO world heritage in 1996 [source: wikipedia]. 

Porto Riviera, Serra do Pilar in the background

We landed a little before midnight at the Porto airport and spent the night at a nearby hotel (Solar Antigo hotel Aeroporto). It deserves special mention because of the staff's hospitality, they picked us up from the airport free of charge and also provided port wine and some snacks. Also for the next day, they gave us some tickets which were valid for the next few hours. We took the train from a nearby metro station and headed for the heart of Porto.

We got off at Bolhao metro station as we were staying at a youth hostel in the Rua de Santa Catarina. It was just a stone-throw away from the Chapel of the souls or the Chapel of Santa Catarina. The chapel showcases the distinct blue tile facade which is unique to this region of Portugal. Funnily enough, even though the church was built in the 18th century, it gained popularity when it was tiled in the early 20th century.

Left: Chapel of the souls; Centre: Rua da Santa Catarina; Right: Statue of Dom Pedro V

The entire area around the church is a bustling marketplace and we wandered around it for a while and found our way to Trindade, one of the biggest metro station in all of Porto. From there, we got ourselves day passes (Andante tour) which were valid for busses, trams and metro for 7 Eur each. At this point, we met my school friend, who is a PhD student at the local university and has been staying in Porto for a few years.

From there we headed for the Douro river on foot. I was awestruck by the arched bridges over the river and the contrast between the blue Douro and the red-tiled houses. From West to East there are 4 bridges that we could see, a mix of modern and 19th-century ones. We headed for the most popular of them, the Ponte de Dom Luis bridge. It is a two-level bridge, the bottom lever is for cars and pedestrians. The top-level is for trams and pedestrians. 

Dom Luis Bridge as seen from Vila Nova de Gaia

We crossed the iconic bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia and climbed up to the Serra do Pilar Church. It is a great vantage point to take in the panoramic view of the Douro river and Porto. A picture would do more justice to the place than my feeble words.

Panoramic view from Vila Nova de Gaia

At this point, we were super hungry from all the walking. After crossing the river again we zigzagged through the city, visiting several other landmarks. The Porto cathedral and the Sao bento railway station are the ones to be explicitly mentioned. 

Left: Sao Bento; Right: Porto Cathedral

We stood in line outside a local food joint as it was packed up from hungry locals and tourists during peak lunchtime. I had the iconic and stomach filling Francesinha sandwich, loaded with melted cheese and fenced in by crispy fries. They were all very delicious but it is not for those who stay away from greasy and oily food.

Lunch at Porto; Top right: Francesinha Sandwich

Next stop: Douro Foz or the estuary of the Douro river. We took the local bus from the Ribiera to the Foz (bus no 500). The bus goes along the river Douro towards the estuary and the Atlantic ocean. It was one of the most scenic bus-drives you can take in Portugal. We got off a bit before the Foz and continued on foot there to soak in the beauty of this place.

We reached the beach "Praia do Carneiro" and I was dumbstruck by the immenseness of the Atlantic ocean. This was my first time observing the second-largest water-body in the world. There were two adjacent lighthouses that provided a great viewpoint. My then-girlfriend Ruma (now my wife) went to use the free washroom adjacent to the beach and told me and my friend to walk ahead to the lighthouse and wait for her there.

Disaster: The lighthouse is built about 100 + meters into the ocean and the waves were thundering against its walls and the wind was strong enough to blow anyone off the wall. I did not notice that my phone was ringing. After 5 minutes when I noticed several missed calls from Ruma and came to know that someone locked the main door of the toilet and she is stuck inside. We immediately rushed there and found no one from the toilet maintenance people around. We realized that the toilet closes at 6.30 pm and the people just locked and left without even checking if someone was inside. We immediately called the police and emergency services and they came after 40 minutes, broke the door and rescued the damsel in distress. It is an experience we will never forget. 

Moral: Don't leave your companion in the toilets, wait outside.

Estuary of Douro River; Praia do Carneiro

We barely made it in time for the spectacular sunset. In the dusk, we walked along the coastline as the sky turned from yellow to red, to purple and finally dark. 

Sunset: Coast of Atlantic Ocean 

We ended up walking so much that our day-ticket was almost unused. I would definitely recommend spending at least 2 days in Porto. 

Portugal in a Week: From North to South [Part 1]

 Portugal, a land usually identified with historical world exploration, rich cultural heritage, great wine, spectacular beaches and football. But it has so much more to offer as we realized in the summer of 2020. It was the lull period after the first wave of coronavirus (COVID-19) swept the entire continent of Europe. Non-essential travel was prohibited by most members of the European Continent till July but as the restrictions eased up we started planning for a week-long trip to one of the most coveted European destinations. We needed to breathe the fresh ocean air and release our claustrophobic minds from the shackles of home-office, and studies.

Lagoa; Albufeira, Algarvae, Portugal

After much debate and discussion, revision and amendment we came up with the following plan:

Itinerary:

Day 0: Land in Porto (Late night flight)

Day 1: Porto sightseeing

Day 2: Porto - Lisbon; Sightseeing

Day 3: Lisbon - Sintra (Sightseeing) - Lisbon

Day 4: Lisbon - Algarvae (Lagos) - Sagres

Day 5: Sagres - Lagoa

Day 6: Lagoa - Albufeira

Day 7: Albufeira - Faro

Go Fish! (Albufeira, Algarvae)

The following map shows our entire journey across Portugal starting from the North (Porto) to the South-western most Point of the European Mainland (Sagres) and finally traversing along the spectacular coastline of Algarvae till Faro.

 

The map also shows suggested must-see places. Of course, we could not cover all of them in just 7 days but we tried to cover as much ground as possible. The day to day experience are coming soon but in this blog I am just providing general information.

Transport :

• Hands down for the most comfortable and flexible travelling you need a car. For most places, you would need an international license for hiring cars. 
• Public transport in Porto is good. The metro network covers the entire city and suburbs. It is possible to buy day tickets and cover most of the tourist attractions. The day tickets are only available at the tourist centres usually located at the metro stations (Big ones). Single journey tickets or multiple journey tickets are available at the kiosks in any station. Be careful about the validation, you must do it before each journey and whenever you change transport. We bought day tickets but ended up walking around mostly.
• In Lisbon public transport is also very good. You could buy single tickets or get a 50 cent Viva Viagem card and put money in that, it will get deducted as you swap it during validation. It works in the metro and bus. 
• One way to reach Sintra is to take S-trains from Lisbon. It takes around an hour and is very comfortable. But if you do not have a car, walking to the Pena Palace, Museum and Quinta de regaleira could be daunting. The local tuk-tuks charge 10-30 Euros for an individual journey. If you have time walking is a good option. Before getting on any vehicle, make sure that it reaches till the spot. Many vehicles cannot go till the end and would drop you halfway. there is a bus which covers the most famous tourist spots in Sintra and runs throughout the day. It is usually full and costs around 15 Euros per person for hop in hop out for a day.
• In the Algarvae usually, there are privately operated busses, EVA Transportes, RedeExpressos etc. But during COVID we suffered from a huge shortage and irregular service. We have got information from http://www.algarvebus.info/ but in some cases, it did not reflect the real situation. Again, rent a car for the best experience.
• Uber is available throughout Portugal and even in Algarvae. Since we did not have a driving license, we ended up booking an Uber many times just to save headache and time.

Suggested Itinerary :

After our travel, we realized that we made a mistake in trying to cover the most beautiful beaches in Portugal, especially in the Algarvae (See map). It is better to focus on one cluster of beaches and not all. The idea is to enjoy the beaches and not run around trying to see all of them.

Furthermore, we feel that Porto is so beautiful that it requires at least two days. The following itinerary shows, how we would have done it if we had prior experience. Nonetheless, covering more ground allowed us to have valuable experience and now we can share that with you.

Day 0: Land in Porto (Late night flight)

Day 1: Porto sightseeing

Day 2: Porto sightseeing

Day 3: Porto - Lisbon; Sightseeing

Day 4: Lisbon - Sintra (Sightseeing) - Lisbon

Day 5: Lisbon - Algarvae (Lagos) 

Day 6: Lagos

Day 7: Lagos- Albufeira - Faro

(Top) Panoramic view of Porto with the meandering Douro River from Vila Nova De Gaia
(Left) Ascent to the Pena Palace, Sintra
(Right) Belem Tower, Lisbon

We hope that you will follow our blog on the 7 day Portugal Tour and much more.

Day 7: Albufeira - Faro

Andaman: Call of the Emerald Waters; The Itinerary Question

Andaman; only the name is enough to make you imagine white pristine beaches and emerald blue waters. This colouration is where these Islands gets its name "the Emerald Islands". I shall dedicate another post for my 12 day journey in these islands in details but first let me clarify a few doubts harboured by people who want to go there.

1. How many days will it take to cover the Andaman and Nicober Islands?

    First, the Nicober islands are off-limits to tourists, only the tribal people who live there and on-duty Indian Navy personnel are allowed.
   Secondly, there are more than 500 islands but only 30-35 are permanently inhabited by people (tribal or otherwise). Even out of these few only 7-8 are open for tourists. This may seem like a very small number but trust me, to cover all these islands you will need about 20 days in total.
   But thankfully you can also visit the islands with just 5 days in hand. As you can see there is no easy way to answer this question, the number of days depends on how much of the region you wish to explore.
   My suggestion is take as many days as you can afford, you will not get bored or run out of places to visit.

Coral Bridge, Laxmanpur Beach, Neil Island: One of the most iconic landmarks in Andaman

2. Travel agency or Self-Planned ?

If you are planning to go in the peak seasons (October - January end) you may face difficulties in getting accommodation after reaching the islands. It is therefore recommended that you book hotels beforehand (via travel agencies or on your own). The problem is there is no internet connection (not mobile phone internet, anyway) and hence it is not possible to book most of the hotels online in a reliable manner.
The travel agencies have sources on the island who executes these bookings on your behalf. But if you can book the rest houses managed by Andaman tourism development corporation (a government organisation) it is ensured that you will get the best views.
Arranging cars and ferry services on your own may proof troublesome as well, travel agencies do make things easier but at the cost of money and flexibility of course. if you have sufficient time and if you are trained to adapt to tricky situations, I say, go for a self planned trip. if you study enough, you will be able to see places that most tourists do not go to.
In my opinion, book hotels on your own or give preference to the agency but leave the transport to a reliable agency. Just mention your planned itinerary and let the agency do the rest.

3. Itinerary:

6 DAYS 5 NIGHTS:
With this you will be able to say to people, 'yes, I have been to the Andamans'
Day 1> Port Blair.
Day 2 > Baratang (Lime stone cave + mud volcano) - Back to Port Blair
Day 3> (Ross island, North bay island // Jolly boy-Redskin islands )+ Chiriya Tappu
Day 4> Port Blair - Neil Island - Havelock Island (night stay)
Day 5> Havelock Island - Port Blair
Day 6> Port Blair - flight back

9 DAYS 8 NIGHTS:
This itinerary allows you to explore the entire length of the Andaman islands from the South to North and back.
Day 1>  Port Blair.
Day 2 > Baratang (Lime stone cave + mud volcano) - Rangat (Night stay)
Day 3>  Rangat - Diglipur
Day 4>  Diglipur - Port Blair
Day 5>  (Ross island, North bay island // Jolly boy-Redskin islands )+ Chiriya Tappu
Day 6>  Port Blair - Havelock Island (night stay)
Day 7>  Havelock Island - Neil Island (night stay)
Day 8>  Neil Island - Port Blair
Day 9>  Port Blair - flight back

14 DAYS 13 NIGHTS:
Leave no stones un-turned.

Day 1>  Port Blair.
Day 2 > Baratang (Lime stone cave + mud volcano) - Rangat (Night stay)
Day 3>  Rangat - Diglipur
Day 4>  Diglipur - Port Blair
Day 5>  (Ross island, North bay island // Jolly boy-Redskin islands )+ Chiriya Tappu
Day 6>  Port Blair - Havelock Island (night stay)
Day 7>  Havelock island (leisure)
Day 8>  Havelock Island - Neil Island (night stay)
Day 9>  Neil Island - Port Blair
Day 10> Port Blair - Little Andaman
Day 11> Little Andaman (Leisure)
Day 12> Little Andaman - Port Blair
Day 13> Port Blair (sight seeing)
Day 14> Port Blair - flight back

Now let me give a brief description of the places that I have mentioned in the itinerary.

1. Port Blair: 
This is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicober Islands. It has a very large port and the only airport. Port Blair is situated in the Southern part of the islands. Among many others, the following are the places of interest.
NOTE: Most tourist attractions remain closed on Monday.

Cellular Jail

• Cellular Jail: The infamous Cellular Jail where the most daring freedom fighters were sent by the British Colonisers. The jail itself was built by the inmates, between 1896 and 1906; and the brick walls are the only witness to the inhuman torture the prisoners were subjected to. A wonderful 30 minute light and sound show is played each evening both in English and Hindi. Generally, the first show is in Hindi (5.30 onward) and the later one is in English. Though as far as I know these timings differ widely. The jail museum is open on all days except national holidays from 09:00 am to 12:30 pm and 1.30 pm to 4.45 pm.
• Chatham Saw Mill: Established in 1883 it is one of the oldest in the world.
• Sagarika Emporium, Anthropological Museum, Samudrika Marine Museum, etc. etc.

2. Baratang:

Baratang island is about 100km from Port Blair. The road to this island goes through dense forests populated by the Jarwa Tribespeople. The island boasts the only limestone cave in these parts and the only mud volcano in India.

Limestone cave, Baratang

Mud volcano, Baratang

3. Rangat/ Middle Andaman:
Spending a night at Rangat, a small town in Middle Andaman is a good idea because it lets you enjoy gorgeous sunrises on the beaches like Amkunj, Morice Dera. On your way to North Andaman, you can also enjoy a walk through dense mangroves at Dhanninallah Mangrove Creek. And the lush forest can be enjoyed much better during day-time.

Amkunj Beach, Middle Andaman

4. Mayabunder:
Mayabunder is a scenic port in Middle Andaman.
5. Diglipur/North Andaman:
Diglipur is the main town of North Andaman. You would find pristine beaches like the Kalipur Beach, known as a breeding ground for sea-turtles. Twin islands Ross & Smith, connected by a sand bridge is a sight to remember.

Kalipur Beach, Diglipur, North Andaman

6. Havelock Island:
This island is probably most popular after Port Blair. Famous for great white beaches and emerald blue waters, Havelock is a magnet for tourists all over the world. Radhanagar beach is by far the most popular. Elephant beach is known for water activities like scuba diving, snorkeling and other joy rides. One of the most beautiful beaches, which will give Radhanagar a run for its money is the Kalapathar beach.

Kalapathar Beach, Havelock Island

7. Neil Island:
A small neighbour of Havelock, this island is by no means any less attractive. Sitapur beach offers probably the best sunrise in all of Andaman. Lakshmanpur beach houses the iconic coral arch. Bharatpur beach is adjacent to the jetty and a popular destination for glass-bottom boat ride and swimming.

Sunrise from Sitapur Beach, Neil Island

8. Ross Island:
An island where you can see the remnants of the lavish life British Army officers. The island is full of destroyed structures like a church, some houses and most of them are reclaimed by nature. It is definitely a must-see place.
There are other islands to explore if you want to explore the islands even more (as you should) add the following
1. Parrot Island
2. Long Island
3. Visit  Ross Island, North bay island & Jolly boy-Redskin islands in two days
4. Hike to Mount Harriet

Deer in Ross island

Nature reclaimed structure: Ross Island

9. Little Andaman:
All of the tourism agencies will tell you "There is NOTHING to see or do in Little Andaman" and they are dead wrong.
It is a paradise island far (80 nautical miles away) from the "madding crowd". If you want to live a few days in peace, have some privacy in the lap of nature then this is the place to visit.
Only government-run ships go from Port-Blair to Little Andaman and that too not daily. So you have to plan ahead and keep a day or two as a buffer. The tickets are very cheap and the journey takes about 6 to 8 hours depending on the weather condition and speed of the ship.
This island has the only waterfall in the entire Andamans. The pristine beaches are a treat for eyes and the perfect blue water is amazingly relaxing.

This was just a brief introduction to the wonder that is the Emerald islands. Do not fall for the statements like 'there is not much to see', '5 days are enough'. Decide on your own, ask yourself what you want out of this vacation.
Leave comments on how you liked my post. For more information, stay tuned or ask me questions.

Zwischenahner Meer: A lake which comes alive every spring

The Zwischenahner Meer is a lake situated in Ammerland , Lower Saxony, Germany (Near Bad-Zwischenahn). It is a popular place for the locals to feast their eyes on the deep blue still water of the lake and walk along the banks of the Meer.

How to Reach: 

From Bremen: RE4430 train (Get off at Bad Zwischenahn)
From Oldenburg: Bus 350 

The place is full of restaurants and cafes offering delicious food of various cuisines. You could enjoy a day in the sun, walking through the flower garden with ice-cream in your hand (and preferably the hand of a special person in the other).

There is a ferry service which runs between a few peers of different sides of the lake. The lake is not that deep, according to Wikipedia the deepest part is just 6 meters.