For those of you getting tired of Porto posts, this is (probably) my last post from the trip. LIke many old European cities, Porto has the regal architecture of an empire in its heyday. However, Portugal’s heyday is only visible in the rear view mirror these days. The city is now a wonderful mix of old (glorious buildings decaying before your eyes) and new (Casa da Musica), formal and informal, with all the accompanying contrasts and textures.
Vast quantities of graffiti around the city suggest an active tagging scene. This shot, taken out the window of that zooming cab, reveals the iPhone’s difficulties with high-speed shooting.
Porto’s streets are … irregular. Up, down, left, right. The hilly city was built this way to defend against the Spanish, I was told, but getting around with an experienced taxi driver these days is a bit like riding a rollercoaster.
While the stated purpose of my week in Porto was to learn more about digital technologies and their impact on societies, I took full advantage of the Portuguese culture of long meals full of Port wine and savory seafood.
When I lived in Argentina, I learned that the best way to cook meat is often to simply salt it and pop it on the grill. The Portuguese take the same approach with fish:
I returned from Portugal last night, where I was attending the International School on Digital Transformation (ISDT09). The event featured many notable scholars, professionals, and activists in digital media, international development, intellectual property, and more. I feel fortunate to have spent a week in gorgeous Porto and to have met so many inspiring people … many over a bottle (or two or ten) of port.
