Thursday, 29 May 2025

When Art Saved Me from Food Poisoning: Porto and Douro Valley

Went on a short weekend getaway to Porto to meet up with friends from the US. The upside is: I get to meet up with old aquaintances and chat over some delicious meals (which doesn't happen too often for an introvert). The downside is: the weather was fabulous and way better than when I last spent 2 weeks there during Christmas, but I couldn't sketch when and where I wanted. 

Anyhow, I did catch some break by (1) skipping fresh oyster treat at the market (because I never grew a taste for it, and because my first impression of it was from a Maupassant story) (2) skipping a wine tasting (because the scenery outside was way more attractive than having to sit at a table and watch people drink and come up with descriptions) (3) simply getting up early

Clérigos Church - while skipping oyster eating


View of Douro River - while leaving the wine tasting table at Graham's


Douro Valley wineyards - from hotel room terrace

 Skipping oyster turned out to be a giant blessing in disguise, because most people I went with got sick afterwards. Art and socialist upbringing saved me I guess?? My flight back was postponed by one day because of a technical issue with the plane, but I decided to chill at the airport hotel even though there was technically still some time to go back in town and do some proper sketches. I was just exhausted from driving and the anxious waiting at the airport. All in all a good trip, I went in unsure if I could finish the last 4 pages of the sketchbook, but I did and included the much coveted red roofs of Porto (Schmincke transparent orange's time to shine).

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