By: MJ + PJ
Usually it takes a few days for us to get a feel for how locals interact with each other and with visitors. Porto was not a usual case – it only took a few hours..
On our half hour train ride into Porto from the airport we got an unexpected introduction to the Portuguese people.
We saw a young child in possession of her mother’s phone making call connections to who knows who, unbeknownst to the mother. The mother was as unsure as we were about the train’s destination, so was a bit distracted. At one stop this mother opened the train doors and had a very rapid and sprightly conversation with two old gentlemen who sat on the platform. The gentlemen appeared to be just sitting watching trains go by and so were up to the task! That conversation grew faster as she and one of the gentleman moved closer up until the very moment the doors closed inches from their faces.
A few stops later a neat but tough looking young guy got on the train with a friend – the kind you stereotype for safety when in a new place. Before he got off the train, he had engaged the aforementioned mother’s infant (who was relaxing in a stroller) with smiles and gestures, shattering the stereotype.
Another passenger, who seemed more sure about the train, was standing a little close to us making us a bit wary and uncomfortable. It turned out this was only because he was wanting to engage and check that these two families were going where they intended.
It had been utterly fascinating, and unexpected, to experience what unfolded on that train ride. However, there was more to come from the local people.
Our Airbnb host had patiently waited an extra half hour for us to arrive (since we took a wrong street) and then helped us get oriented to what we needed. It was already getting dark, and if he hadn’t waited we would have been stranded with all our luggage until we could find some WiFi.
Finding our way to the grocery store shortly after arriving, we obtained some food for the week. The cashier was happy and full of smiles and winked goodbye at us as we lifted our bags to search for our way to the apartment.
Halfway up the escalator to exit the grocery store we declared that we already loved Porto – we had arrived only three and a half hours earlier.
This was further confirmed the next morning when MJ visited a local laundromat. Struggling with Portuguese he was helped to navigate the use of the dryer by the laundromat attendant, who could see this traveler needed some assistance. She too was all smiles and all too helpful, stopping only just short of actually doing the load for him.
At this point we had seen virtually nothing of the city. It too would impress us quickly and strongly, but it was the consistency and demeanor of the human interactions that really caught our attention.
If you are looking for a place where the people are the definition of congenial, then go visit Porto.
Our main post on our time in Porto and our photo album of Porto gives you an idea of what came next for us in Portugal!
