Porto - Aveiro Day 8 - Europe 2023
As you read earlier, the day began with a train ride. But before the train ride, Z had read about a hidden gem of a diner (Hidden gem finding; one of his talents.) right around the corner from our apartment so the three eldest went to the shop around the corner to check it out.
The reviews he had read were spot on, and reminds me how grateful I am to people who consistently write reviews. The food was inexpensive, the people were friendly, and it was delicious.
We were awed because that thick bread got panini-ed into that thin sandwich. And both were delicious.
The diner was also a reminder of something we’ve learned about travel; you have to be in a location for a bit of time to find some unexpected, unique, or hidden local varieties. Three or four days in a spot is generally the sweet spot for us.
After the diner, back to the apartment to pack up clothes and children.
Once we got to Aveiro, we headed to our apartment. For this new city, we had separate spaces a couple blocks away from each other.
This is a beach-feeling sort of town and we are in love with the vibe of it. We’ll have a post about the Portuguese tile in general, but Aveiro is a mix of old and new buildings and tile that is a little different than we’ve seen before.
Case in point. Our apartment has been totally redone on the inside and out, and around it is a mix that is old, young, and in need of help.
Notice that green house on the end? It took a bit to realize…
We have consistently found people to be so friendly and kind here. Check-in wasn’t supposed to be until 3, but we called from the train station at noon and the wonderful owner told us we could come over and drop off our luggage, get the keys, and just come back at 2 when the cleaning was all done.
We were all ready for lunch, so Buds headed to pizza with the other duo, and Yessa and I scampered to a vegan restaurant we were thrilled to find. The waitress moved a table into the shade for us so we could be outside in the beauty, but not roast.
The rest of the crowd came over after they ate. Yessa wandered off with them in search of gelato and I sat and sipped my cappuccino while watching the people stroll by. My favorite find in that moment was a white, non-English speaking woman about my age who walked by wearing a baseball hat that said “Cowboy Woman.”
Ahhh, translation…
My two travel buddies were enjoying the view out our upstairs window when they saw a douchey dude-bro toss his glass beer bottle in the canal. They were so fired up I thought he’d tossed in a puppy.
Off they went to thwart the attempted carnage.
It was Buddie laying under the bench and grabbing the bottle that led to success.
After a little relaxation and a load of laundry, we headed off to explore.
This circle bridge by our apartment is lovely.
For dinner the goal was to find seafood or tapas for our last dinner all together. It took a bit to find a restaurant that was open and had good food options for the folks who cared. It turned out that the winner was at the end of our street and it was a hit in both experience and food.
Its English name, “The Neighborhood,” sounds better in Portuguese, “Obarrio.” It was a little more expensive than typical for us, but what a delight.
A huge part of the great experience was the Maître d’. He was so friendly, so kind, explained the dishes and how they could alter them to suit our needs. He made the experience.
Great example of wonderful service. Though risotto is normally made with butter, they conjured up a vegan one with enthusiasm.
Z said some loving, generous words at dinner about how much they’ve enjoyed this trip. It’s been such a treat to travel together, and I love the shared memories and inside jokes we’ll share going forward.
It was a perfect capstone for this part of the journey.
