Mercado do Bolhao, Palacio da Bolsa, and Bocca fun
Mercado do Bolhao
Dating back to 1850, the Bolhao Market is housed in this Neoclassical wrought iron building which covers a two-block area.
This is the main produce market of Porto. Fresh produce, seafood, meats, cheeses, bread, flowers and other stuff make this a one-stop shopping venue.
Two levels of shopping.
Many seafood stalls.
Fresh everything.
Even a wine and trinket selection. Can you see that perfect birthday present I bought for Norman?
Palacio da Bolsa
The Palacio da Bolsa is the large granite building on the right. Literally transulated, this is the "Stock Exchange Palace". The Neoclassical building was completed in 1850, but the interior took until 1910 to complete. You can see why it took so long in the following photos.
One of the ante rooms at the building entrance give a hint of the quality to come.
The central courtyard is covered by a large iron dome. By passing through that open doorway at the far side you enter the sumptuous stairway leading to the upper floors.
A delight to the eyes.
The granite used is among the hardest in the world. The carvings required extreme talent and patience.
The Tribunal Room.
A special room - the dedicated office for Gustave Eiffel. During and after the construction of the Maria Pia bridge.
The Golden Room.
This is the highlight of the Palace - the Arab Room. Decorated in the exotic Moorish Revival style, this room required 28 years to complete.
The detail is simply perfect.
Even the floors are amazing.
Another look at the staircase as we head out. Look at the carving details in the granite.
Also, the decorative lamps and chandeliers. Amazing detail.
Fun at Bocca
One day we decided to head over to the beaches on the Atlantic. But, we found the entire ocean front blocked off due to preparations for the anniversary of the Armed Forces which was to occur the next day. As a fallback, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant we had noticed earlier, located near the mouth of the Douro River. The name of the restaurant was simply "Bocca" (mouth).
The Bocca is a modern glass and steel structure, and situated next to the river and the riverside promenade.
We choose to sit on the outside terrace so we could enjoy the sun and the parade of pedestrians and bikers on the promenade. Excellent food.
After lunch we passed through the inside of the restaurant so I could take this photo. On the way out the front door we were greeted by the four gentlemen seated at the far table just beyond the bar. These guys were obviously having a great time for lunch on this Friday afternoon. They wanted to know all about us. And after lots of friendly banter, they had us seated at their table and ordered two glasses of Port for us. One of the men was the owner of a winery, and he presented us with a bottle of his vino verde. One of the other guys was Norwegian, but long time resident of Porto. He was the head of Volvo in Portugal. After much time and many laughs, we eventually said goodby to these great guys.
And here they are. Wish we could join them every Friday!
The gift bottle of Vino Verde was excellent...