When in Porto, You Must Taste Port...and Ginja

So when I was in Porto 4 years ago, we had an apartment in Gaia but spent all of our time in Porto and now it seems as though I'm spending a lot of time in Gaia though I have an apartment in Porto.  Elaine and I met up at at the Ribeira (river) to take the water taxi over to Gaia for breakfast at 7G.  While Elaine opted for the healthy acai bowl, I thought I'd try their version of chicken and waffles.  The dish included a waffle with bits of bacon in it, a chicken thigh, a poached egg (a staple on everything here), cole slaw and maple syrup...it was delicious!

We wandered around the back streets of Gaia and the World of Wine for a bit.  There are all sorts of cute shops in Gaia.  This soap and candle store was a favorite.  I love how they display their products.  One of the things that always impresses me with the shops here of the knowledge the staff has in their products.  The salesperson told us the story of many of the products and also suggested we visit their store in Porto for a larger selection.  Another thing I have noticed since arriving is the pride everyone takes in their work...it is so refreshing.

We ended up at Quevedo lodge which is one of Elaine's favorite wineries so of course we had to stop in for a taste.  Their legendary wines and Tawny flights were just what we needed...along with a charcuterie board.  We tried a 7, 10, 20, 30 and 40 year old.  All were delicous but I was partial to the 30 year old.  I love the way the Portuguese do an Advent calendar as well.

We made our way back to Porto (2 flights of Port made for a fun walk back) and headed to Santa Catarina for a little more shopping for Elaine's new place. Santa Catarina is a pedestrian only street full of stores selling everything you could possibly need...and then some.

After a little shopping, we ended up at little confeitaria specializing in marshmallows.  To go with our coconut (Elaine) and caramel (me) marshmallows, we had a little chocolate cup of Ginja.  Ginja is a traditional Portuguese liquor made from brandy or fortified wine and infused with cherries, sugar and cinnamon.  During my last visit to Portugal, Julie and I had three different variations of Ginja during one of our EatWith dinners.  Our host made her own and each one was stronger than the last.