Day 34 - Off to Portugal

This morning we left Fisterra by bus. First 2.5 hrs back to Santiago. Then a bus change for a four hr trip to Porto.

When we got our tickets for Porto there was some confusion. Lots of delays with the computer to issue the tickets. The bus was pretty full, so we did not get seats in the same row. We were told it would be bus #601 in platform 19 or 20. The sign on the bus would say Lisbon, not Porto.

We got to the platform. There was a bus in slot 20 with of lots of people going to Porto.  But it was bus #410, and there was no sign on the bus with a destination.  No bus was in slot 19.  The driver arrived to start loading luggage. He said, “airport this side, Porto city the other side”. We stood in line for the Porto city side. When he saw us he said, “you, no. You next bus. Few minutes”.

A few minutes later another bus arrived and pulled into slot 20.  It had a sign saying Lisbon. That was good, but it was number #610, not #601.  When that driver started loading luggage he looked at our tickets and said,”no. You other bus”.

We went back to the first bus  and told the first driver the that the second driver said we were supposed to on his bus, he looked, and smiled, and said, “no, I say you are on his bus”

So we go back to the second bus. We tell the second bus driver that the first bus driver says we are supposed to be on his bus.  He looks at us and says something like a Spanish version of, “whatever”.  He took our bags but kept them separate from everyone else’s.

So now we begin the estimated four hour trip. Just about four hours later we pull into a bus station.  It seemed smaller than I expected. Some people started getting off.  The driver announced “1 hour”. I asked a young man from Spain where we were. We wanted the Casa de Musica station. He said we were in Porto.  I asked if there were more stops and he said yes. Then the driver said everyone had to get off the bus. As we got off I asked him if we had to wait 1 hour.  He looked at his watch and said, “now only 55 min” then he locked the bus and left.

The bus that pulled in ahead of us was the first bus from Santiago that we did not get on. All those people got off and got their luggage and left.  Most went into a building and down into a subway. 

So, now the passengers from our bus were standing around waiting.  I asked the Spanish guy from earlier if this was the Casa de Musica stop. He said yes. I asked if he was going to Lisbon. He said yes.  Now I understood.  The driver from the other bus came back. I said we were staying here so we needed our backpacks. He said ok, but he did not have the keys to our bus. Our driver would be back after he was done eating.  Then he left with his bus.

30 min later our driver appeared. I told him we needed our backpacks. He had an attitude and said something in Spanish or Portuguese to the effect of, “I don’t know why you are on my bus at all”. Then he walked away, unlocked the door, and started the engine. I wasn’t sure if we’d be getting our backpacks or not. After starting the bus he sat and made various bus adjustments with knobs and levers. Then he came back out, unlocked the luggage compartment and retrieved our backpacks. Welcome to Portugal from Mr. Grumpy driver. I am not holding that against Portugal. I am sure he was Spanish.

Everything was good now.  We got a map and started walking to old town. Just 3km.

Old Town Porto. More pics tomorrow.

We did not have a place to stay yet. After our experiences in Spain with little old ladies coming out to rent their rooms I figured we’d have no problem here.  It was Fri night about 6pm. As we walked thru old town there were no old ladies renting rooms. In fact, we walked for a while and saw no signs for hotels, pensions, albergues, rooms for rent. None. Well almost none.  We did walk past a 5 star hotel. After another block I was going to walk right past it,  but Sue saw a sign on the corner for Blue Sock Hostel - “are you traveling alone or with someone?”

We checked in.  It is a super swanky hipster hostel.  Whereas last night we paid 25 euros for a private room in Fisterra, tonight we paid 25 euros ea to share a room with 8 other roommates.  But, our bunk beds do have curtains, outlets, lights, and drawers for storage!

Mother’s Day sign in the hipster hostel.

We walked around a bit, then had dinner along the river at a nice place with heat lamps and blankets outside.  When we were done we planned to look for a chocolate shop, but it started to rain, so we went back to our hipster hostel.  Tonight I am sleeping above Anna from El Salvador.

Tomorrow we’ll do laundry in the morning, then a walking tour of old town.