Travels with Mel

08/25/2024

Kashmir 2025 the trip can be adjusted ahead one week but for planning purposes we are using these dates

The plan is May 4- May 18, 2025.

· Price $2800* plus international airfare (maybe $12-1400)

· *Internal flight (Delhi to Srinagar and Leh to Delhi ) are fluctuating but if the price changes it will be most likely adjusted down

· Prices are based upon double occupancy for the Kashmir component. Rooms will be individuals in Delhi unless request to share (or for couples).

· May 4 Depart Birmingham

· May 6. Flights generally arrive around 1am in Delhi.

· May 6 Breakfast Provided

· This is an easy day to adjust and rest after the international flight. Perhaps a visit to Jhandewalan Hanuman Temple or Qutb Minar (dependent upon where our hotel is located). Depending on energy and interests both could be accomplished. This decision will be made by participants.

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhandewalan_Temple

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qutb_Minar



· Wednesday May 7 Breakfast Provided

· Visit Taj Mahal/ Agra Fort/ Visit to the inlay/carving artisans. Ancestors of the same artisans who built the Taj Mahal



· Thursday May 8 airport transfer at both ends, entrance to gardens. Breakfast. Dinner

· Overnight on HouseBoat on Dal Lake

· Flight to Srinagar, the main city of Kashmir in the Kashmir Valley. Meet our guide Irshu and Check into our houseboat. After tea and bread we’ll head out to the Tulip gardens and a tour around the Grand Boulevard and Dal Lake area. Perhaps an evening shakira ride on the lake before a traditional Kashmiri dinner

· https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/srinagar-houseboats-india-cmd/index.html

· https://travelmykashmir.com/tulip-garden-srinagar/

· https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/srinagar-houseboats-india-cmd/index.html



· Friday May 9 In town transportation included. Breakfast. Dinner

· Overnight House Boat

· Visiting some of the various sites around Srinagar and taking in the market around Jama Masjid as well as visits to the famous white mosque Hazratbal Shrine, Masjid Dastgeer Sahib Mosque and others. Masjid is the term Muslims use to refer to their place of worship.. I will use these terms interchangeably

· Saturday May 10 and Sunday May 11 Breakfast. Dinner

· Overnight (2 nights) in Pahalagam

· We set off late morning for Pahalgam, a beautiful mountain village bisected by the Lidder River and located in the Anantnag district about 90km from Srinagar. I share these details that mean nothing to you now but are a great guide to help you google places and learn more about the area.

· We’ll stop along the way to visit the shrine of Aish Muqam, which is located inside a deep cave. The 260 stair climb to the top before venturing in to the cave shrine is a unique experience. At the top you’ll also look out over the mustard colored fields of saffron.

· We quickly reach Pahalgam and the day is yours to sit in a scenic spot and relax or wander this quaint town. The following day (May 6th) will be visits to the papier mâché artisans and a day to just be in one place. Sometimes the most interesting days are the unplanned ones with serendipitous discoveries. This area offers lovely hikes or an opportunity to sit in a restaurant and drink tea and write in your journal. The possibilities for the day are endless. Let us know what in this area interests you and we can help you connect with the opportunity or arrange a tour.

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahalgam

· May 12 Breakfast Lunch Dinner

· Overnight Kargil

· We will set out late morning and begin our 192 mi (309 km) trek to Kargil. Although we could fly to Leh, the countryside we will travel through is stunning and not to be missed. And because the altitude in Leh is 11,600ft it can be harder to adjust if you fly in. By stopping in Kargil (elevation 8,800ft) our bodies will have a bit better time adjusting (Srinagar btw is approx. 4500 feet)

· May 13 Breakfast

· Overnight Leh

· We set out from Kargil to Leh,

· Leh and Ladakh are ‘other-worldly’ places with Buddhist monasteries perched on soaring hilltops, shattered looking landscapes splashed with small but brilliant patches of green and ancient palaces clinging to sheer rock walls. In Leh, the main city in the Ladakh region we will visit Pangong Lake, the highest lake in the world and take in the breath taking beauty of crystal blue waters with a backdrop of mountains. Pangong Lake is located in the Changthang region of eastern Ladakh, about six hours drive southeast of the erstwhile capital of Leh. The route crosses the Ladakh Range through Chang La at a dizzying 17,586 feet (5,360 meters) above sea level. It's one of the highest motorable passes in the world.

· Possible activities: Leh Palace - Explore a traditional 17th century Tibetian style palace built by King Sengge Namgyal

· Stok Palace - Tour this museum housing the heirlooms and relics of the of Namgyal family, Sankar Gompa to view the image of Avalokitesvara

· Shey Monastery - Visit this monastery which houses a 24 metre high image of Buddha cast from copper and covered with gold leaf

· Leh Bazaar - Wander around the market place, mosque and newly built Buddhist temple

· May 14 breakfast Dinner included

· Overnight at Lake

· To Pangong Lake (5 hours drive but when else do you get to drive around the foothills of the Hinalayas

· May 15 Breakfast ,Dinner Included

· Overnight at Thicksey Chamba Camp (hopefully)

· An easy morning and a 3 hours drive back toward Leh with an overnight in Thicksey Chamba Camp. Thicksey Monastery - Enjoy this replica of Potala Palace in Lhasa

· May 16 Breakfast Included

· Overnight in Delhi (hotel near airport)

· Back to Leh for our flight to Delhi

· May 17 Flight Home

· May 18 Home sweet home

· Can arrange additional days in Delhi or can help you take a side trip elsewhere if no ready to end your India experience



· Comfortable clothing. Shoes for lots of walking. Ladies please no shorts in Kashmir and no dresses with spaghetti straps. Sundresses are ideal as they are easier to navigate in Indian toilets (most are squat style) Bare arms are fine except when entering masjids. Head coverings only required for visits inside holy places. It will be very easy to buy scarves or wraps in Kashmir (or Delhi) and will make for a great souvenir. Men shorts are fine but should be longer Bermuda style.

· There are many questions to be answered and details to share but this is the first edition of information to help you decide if this a trip you want to sign up for.

· Spaces limited to 5 and deposits will not be accepted until after I’ve had a direct conversation with you

Pahalgam (Urdu pronunciation: [pɛhɛlɡɑːm]), known as Pahalgom (Kashmiri pronunciation: [pəhəlʲɡoːm]; lit. 'village of shepherds' in Kashmiri)[3] is a town and a notified area committee, near Anantnag city in the Anantnag district of the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Ka...

08/19/2024

The details for the Kashmir trip are being fine tuned. The first two weeks of May 2025 we travel first to Delhi, then to the crown of India, the northernmost state of Kashmir. The trip will be approx $2800* plus international airfare. Detailed itinerary coming soon, but in the meantime these are sights you’ll see along the way… stay tuned if you think you want one of the 5 places. (This is a small intimate trip, no drive by tourism for us)
* based on shared rooms. Single supplement $800

06/17/2024

The trip is booked but I'm taking names for a waiting list in case anything changes.

Don’t miss out. Please contact me before sending a deposit
Oaxaca 2025 Taking Reservations NOW

The hotel, Hotel Cazomalli is booked from Oct 29 to November 4, 2025. Each room has two double beds and is $118 per night (split between 2 people makes it a super affordable $59 per night). This is a new hotel to me as hotels are now filling up more than 2 years in advance and my go to choices are booked. I do however know the location, and it’s a short walk to the cathedral and botanical gardens and about 10 minutes to the zocola (town square). Its in a quiet but convenient part of the city center.
If you are interested a $100 deposit is required to secure your room. Please let me know if you are traveling alone, if you want to share a room, or if you will have be traveling with one or more persons (and sharing your room). Please note the deposit is refundable if you cancel prior to December 26th or if after that date if someone is able to fill your spot). A second deposit of $200 will be due in January and the hotel balance will be paid 30 days prior to the trip. Excursion fees will be paid the week prior to departure.
The hotel does not have a restaurant on site although a café half a block away has coffee and pastries to start your morning.
All the activities listed in the itinerary are optional. Oaxaca is vibrant and safe and you can fill your days just wandering around the city center taking in the sites, sounds, and smells while shopping, sampling food (think street corn or if adventurous the crickets and grasshoppers roasted up and being served by the bag full) or you can select the activities below which interest you. Some of the activities will need to be secured in advance, others can be decided on closer to the trip. I’ll discuss options with each person individually.
The proposed itinerary with associated costs for each activity is below. After the proposed itinerary is additional optional items (and approximate costs) that I can help you book if its of interest to you.

Wednesday October 29 arrive in Oaxaca Flights are your responsibility. I generally fly delta trough Mexico City and if you want to see the Frida Kahlo Museum or other sites in Mexico City its easy to book an extended layover there. American has a flight that’s straight from Houston to Oaxaca.
Airport transfers are your responsibility and are about $15 per person. If several people arrive at the same time I can have my go to cab driver pick you up. These details can be worked out when we know schedules and the number of people attending.
We will have a group welcome to Oaxaca dinner that night (see note below regarding food/ dinner checks)

Thursday October 30 10am-4pm Artisan visits. A short 30-40 minute drive outside of the city center takes us to Ocotlan de Morelos and the home and studio of Concepcion Aguilar. Read up on her and her clay art as she is rather famous within Mexican folk art circles. This is a great article about her: https://gallery30south.com/aguilar/
Note the prices in this article are 10x what you will pay in person for her imaginative and unique pieces. She is one of my favorite artisan visits and her items are a perennial favorite in the store.
After a visit to Concepcion’s we will stop in San Martin Tilcajete and visit Jorge, an alebrije artist. These whimsical figures are the consummate Oaxacan souvenir. Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alebrije.
Jorge will give a demonstration of craving and painting of the alebrijes and am working on the possibility of us trying our hand at painting an alebrije and experiencing the complexity of this art form.
The cost will be approx. $50 per person to cover transportation and lunch.

Friday October 31
The morning will be a trip to Monte Alban, the Zapotec archeological site. A fascinating site and the location of one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Alb%C3%A1n
This component will be $30 and includes transportation, a guide and entrance to the site.
Return to city center for lunch and free time
At approx. 8pm we depart for the Pantheon Tour The tour for the night of pantheons (graveyards) is only for October 31 from 8pm to 12am approximately. After midnight on the 31st cemeteries are closed to outsiders and for local families only. This is your only chance to visit such a somber and important part of the day of the Dead celebration. This component MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE as it will fill up and space is extremely limited.
We visited the 3 main pantheons of the city, the General pantheon, the Xoxocotlàn pantheon and the Atzompa pantheon.
The cost is $54 per person
Includes transportation, coordinator per unit, passenger insurance And also an offering that is, Bread, Mezcal, Chocolate, Candle and flowers to leave at the site to show our respect
From the guide: Day of the Dead, a celebration of memory and a ritual that favors memory over oblivion.
In this Day of the Dead celebration, death does not represent an absence but a living presence; death is a symbol of life that materializes in the offered altar. Every year many families place offerings and altars decorated with cempasúchil flowers, chopped paper, sugar skulls, pan de mu**to, mole or some dish that their relatives to whom the offering is dedicated liked, and as in pre-Hispanic times, incense is placed to aromatize the place. Likewise, the festivities include decorating the graves with flowers and often making altars on the tombstones, which in indigenous times had great meaning because it was thought that it helped lead the souls to transit through a good path after death.

Saturday Nov 1nd Botanical Gardens Tour/ Free Day in the City
Jardin Etnobotánico de Oaxaca: I highly recommend this 2 hour tour that costs $8. There is limited availability and is a first come first serve basis so we will need to get to the garden early (pay on site). This tour provides insight into the development of the area and how the plants and geography shaped the food, culture and day to day life of Oaxacans across the centuries. I was truly surprised at how fascinating it all is.
This is two hours of standing /walking and limited sitting. Be sure to take water and a sun hat and sunglasses.
https://jardinoaxaca.mx/

Sunday Nov 2nd Free day or Trip to Tlacolula Market (price will depend on # of people attending but we will hire cab driver for the day or if you want a true cultural experience we can look into the taking a local bus)
Tlacolula Market: what beautiful chaos! If you’re in the city on a Sunday, it’s an absolute must that you experience this Oaxaca Sunday market in Tlacolula. The small town of Tlacolula (full name Tlacolula de Matamoros) is 45 minutes by bus from the centre of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Local people come weekly from towns and villages all around to sell their wares, and the market spreads for seemingly miles. The Tlacolula Sunday market is one of the oldest and most traditional markets in Oaxaca, Mexico. It has a history that dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when the Zapotec civilization dominated the region.
The market was an important meeting place for traders and farmers from the surrounding villages who would come to exchange their goods. This holds true, even today.

Monday Nov 3rd A visit to learn about the weavers and the dying process. The tentative plan is to depart very early and get to a nearby village and meet Orlando, a local weaver. He has proposed we go to the morning market with his wife and select the eggs and other items for our breakfast. We will then get a lesson on and assist in the preparation of a traditional Oaxacan breakfast. Next we will venture to his workshop where we will learn about and try our hand at the natural dying processes of the wool used in the local weaving projects. We will spend some time time trying our hands at the looms and learning about the patterns and techniques used to create Oaxacan textiles. We will have lunch (late for us but the usual time for locals) at a local café. We will make our way back to the city center for a free evening of exploration. This experience will be approx $60 per person. May be slight adjustment depending on number of people

Tuesday Nov 4th Fly Home (if you want to stay extra days or arrive earlier please let me know and I can arrange extensions at the hotel

Additional Options/ Notes:

We can help arrange a mezcal tasting, cooking class or a day trip to Mitla, another fascinating archeological site that offers unique insight into the history of the area for either Saturday or Sunday. (In some cases, a minimum number of people is required)—I can help you connect with a local company that provides the service and is reputable if no one else is interested.
Read up on Oaxaca and if you are interested in an activity I have not mentioned, please let me know and I’ll discuss with my local contacts and find you the best option to meet your interests.

Food/Dinners- Its is very difficult and not customary for restaurants to split checks generally it easiest if I pay and then each person can Venmo me their payment. I have each person pay me $100 in advance toward dinner bills. If we have more than one group dinner, it’s easiest for me to keep a running tab and we can settle at the end of the week if you owe more than $100, or if less for me to refund you. Because its high season food is a bit more expensive and depending upon choice of restaurants, dinners can run $10-$40 per person.

Please keep in mind I am not a tour guide. I can help with many questions and logistics but generally I am acting in a coordinator role and here to help make Oaxaca more accessible for you but not to handle your every need.
I reserve the right to decline participation of any individual
To fully enjoy this trip you must be able to walk 5-6 miles per day and stand for extended periods

06/09/2024

Later this week I will start taking deposits for our October 29, 2025 through November 4th trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. Yes I have to book rooms 18 months in advance but have secured rooms at a hotel right in the middle of the central area just blocks from the zocala. Rooms have two double beds so great for sharing with a friend to help with costs. Prices, itinerary and optional add on activities will be detailed soon so keep following

05/31/2024

Today was 28,000 steps of visiting cultural sites, artisans, shopping and taking in the night market in Jemaa el-Fnaa. The streets are a clog of locals, tourists, motorcycles, and cats. It’s hard to convey the sites, sounds and smells. Especially the smells— of spices, and sweaty people, and motorcycle fumes, the donkeys that pull the carts, the perfumes and incense and of course the foods wafting past from stalls selling sweets, olives, roasted lamb and tagines of bubbling spicy goodness

The first photos are from a cultural site that rivals the Alhambra in detail, although not as large. The others are sites around the Medina and artisan visits

05/31/2024

Tonight’s sunset call to prayer

05/31/2024

While visiting the labyrinth that is the Medina

05/31/2024

Jemaa El-Fnaa. Bucket list item achieved!!

05/31/2024

It may have taken 2+ hours to clear customs and get out of the airport but Marrakech is fascinating. After a manic taxi ride we arrived at the edge of the Medina where a man with a cart met us. He loaded our luggage and we traipsed behind as he let us into the labyrinth of narrow streets. The buildings are concrete gray or possibly painted the color of desert sand. The outsides are unremarkable. Inside however, they are full of plants, birds ( caged and wild), pottery and cushions and welcoming staff.
We had a bit of pampering at the spa next door after the Camino then explored the souks for a bit.
It’s now morning the next day and as I enjoy mint tea and roosters crowing I’m looking forward to seeing what this ancient place has to offer

05/29/2024

One day in Lisbon. Maximized the time by taking a TukTuk tour of the city….

05/28/2024

Sintra.
A tour of Pena Palace and Quinta de Regalaria.
Just when you thought you were done with hills…

05/26/2024

So what did we do after finishing 82 miles over 8 days? We climbed 200 stairs and did a rooftop tour of the Cathedral of Santiago of course! (Then of course we went inside and took in this amazing ornate and beautiful cathedral.

05/25/2024

The Camino is in the books. The days were longer and there were more miles to walk each day than we anticipated. Camino math is different from math in the real world. But the Camino isn’t the real world, not really. It’s a unique experience where strangers encourage each other and wish each other buen Camino ( good walk). As we made the 700ft+ ascent yesterday I was hit by leg cramps and had to stop frequently. Luckily I had a walking partner that was patient and encouraging. Couldn’t have made it without Talitha. But the encouragement of others helped too. Just the energy they sent your way makes you want to continue. One man encouraged me and sometime later when I passed him and his friends as they were at a cafe taking a break, he saw me and cheered. We bonded for a brief second and it meant everything to me.
We stopped just 8km short of Santiago and the last big hill. I wanted to arrive early in the day and watch other Peregrinos arrive. What an emotional experience.
There were days I didn’t want to continue. There were days I thought I couldn’t. But in the end we did it. Two sorority sisters from college, a dear friend from Birmingham and me…. And thousands of strangers encouraging us to push past the pain and achieve. And achieve we did

05/24/2024

72 miles down. Final 4 is tomorrow. The scenery has been beautiful. The conversation funny and thought provoking. Today was only 8 miles but pretty much all uphill. Those hikes up 20th street to Vulcan certainly helped us prepare.
How privileged I am to be able to do this. Not only the ability to step away from work, but the money and health to do this. A unique way to see the world and knowing I shall never pass this way again I’ve tried to take it all in through the leg cramps and sheer exhaustion while Robert Frost’s Two Roads played over and over in my head today.
And way leads onto way.
Padron to O Millidoiro in pics:

05/23/2024

Yesterday was the dreaded birthday that ends in a zero and an off day on the Camino. Today we left Caldes de Reis and headed for Padrón. We still clocked some distance but the wooded areas and the little villages were some of the most scenic yet and overall the day was sunnier….and easier. Less hills but also think I’m finding my pace. We talked bout distance ( Camino math is you had 9.6 miles to do, you finished 8.4 so you only have 4.1 miles left.). Is always longer or further than you thought but somehow you grind it out. Time is also a bit amorphous…. I’m not sure that time moves slower here, just that we cram less into it. Americans are always in a hurry and it’s go, go, go. Maybe the Camino is teaching me that it’s not the quantity of tasks that we accomplish in a day but rather the quality. If you ever get a chance to get off the hamster wheel and just be, then do it

05/21/2024

14miles. 51/2 hours of walking. Yeah I hurt all over. Actually a bit easier as less hills but a bit of rain and just a few extra kilometers . We made our way out of Pontevedra through the old quarter in the rain. Then it was a mix of eucalyptus groves, past grapevines, cows and through small villages. Stunning green. Stoic chapels. The click of hiking poles. The sites and sounds of the Camino
We’ve got an apartment as we are in Caldas de Reis, an area of hot springs so we stopped by the fruit market, the patisserie and a market for laundry soap as we spend a rest day in this lovely place. Our feet are happy for the rest.

05/20/2024

13 miles. 30,000+ steps. Lots of ways to measure a day. Today I measured it in how many times I said you got this. You can do this. You can’t quit now ( no taxis nearby). Or just buck up sister, you signed up for this. Each was about 200+ times with a dozen or so “what were you thinkings” thrown in for extra flavor. One more of day similar to today ( maybe a few less hills) then the distances are consecutively shorter.
I got this. I can do this. I can’t quit now.

I was slow. I’m always going to be the slowest. But slow or not I’m doing this. Today was Redondela to Pontevedra. Rolling hills with stone houses, horses, a mixture of pathways and a stretch along a beautiful creek. I encountered a man, I call him the crazy Albanian but he was fun and had a pop up shop with water and bananas right when we needed. There was the man playing bagpipes as we approached the edge of the eucalyptus grove. The farmers and other pilgrims. A beautiful and unique day.

A truly unique experience that I hope to elaborate on more when feeling has returned to my feet and coherent thoughts to my brain.

05/19/2024

No Camino is ever the same and few Caminos go as planned. The unexpected. The challenges. The delights. Each await around various corners. On Friday morning I woke with what I thought was food poisoning. The day was spent traveling by train from Porto to Caminha. There we would cross on the ferry to Spain. The train saw the last of the food poisoning wrath. I had bread, cheese and sprite for lunch and bypassed dinner to sleep. But first was the fun of trying to get a taxi from the ferry port to the hotel. ( I wrongly assumed taxis would be easily accessible ). Because we had luggage in tow the 3 mile walk to the hotel up hill on cobblestone paths really didn’t seem like a great idea. Luckily a local man was nearby and in my minimal Spanish with the help of Google he understood our predicament and called us a taxi. The Camino provides.

The next morning we set off and although I was feeling better I nonetheless was still a bit dehydrated but we were STARTING OUR CAMINO!
We set off on a chilly breezy walk and soon found the Camino placards. Before long the misty rain began to start and then it became heavier. And heavier. Just before we hit the town I called no mas. It was then that I realized we could hear singing from the church. The voices of the choir were amplified and rang out across the hills. The promise of warmth and dry space ahead is what the voices sang to me. The Camino provides.
Luckily, maybe half a kilometer later we hit the village. 9.81 miles of rain soaked Camino had been walked. The cappuccino revived me and a quick taxi ride to the hotel through what had become torrential rain ended the first day. Our hotel was an oasis on the hill looking out across a breathtaking ocean vista. We dined with seagulls and reveled in warmth with hot tea.
It seems the Camino was giving us a gift for an accomplished first day.
This morning, day two, we awoke with plans to make our way to the glass beach. Formerly a dumping ground for bottles, the sea had smashed and smoothed them with time and turned trash into beauty. Now these smoothed out pieces of glass and shards of pottery were a minor tourist attraction. It was high on Mary’s list of “must sees” and we happily checked that box. Sadly, it was Joyce’s turn to experience the food poisoning/ stomach virus and after only an hour of walking called “no mas”. Early on I had told everyone that there is no shame in the taxi game. If you can’t make, don’t push yourself. There’s challenging yourself and then there is plain foolishness. Do what you must for your own self care. She was just too sick to continue. So our days walk was cut in half. But we are still outside the 100km mark ( the distance needed to earn the pilgrims credential known as the Compostela). We try again tomorrow. But in the meantime our friend is resting and comfortable at a lovely country home that let us check in early. The Camino provides.
Mary and I back tracked a bit and walked about, appreciating the eucalyptus, the foxglove, the ferns and the crisp air. She left a memento of a loved one recently passed at a pilgrim’s shrine. She’s reading. I’m writing and Joyce is resting. We will prepare ourselves for whatever tomorrow brings. But whatever it is we’ll face it together because the Camino provides.

05/18/2024

The first day of walking was 1 mile of overcast along the sea followed by 9 miles of wind and rain along the sea. I tried to remind myself what a unique opportunity I was experiencing rather than focusing on the fact a was simultaneously hot, cold and wet. I tried to revel in the scenery as well as the wild boar that ran across the road just feet from where we were. All between bouts of keeping our heads tucked in between bursts of torrential rain.
At last we found a cafe after 4 hours of walking where cappuccinos revived weary souls. We also happened to be in a town that was bringing the Virgin from the Sea, as the barista described to us. Best I can tell from Google it’s the Fiesta del Carmen, a celebration of the patron Saint of fishermen. All in all an interesting first day. Sorry no pics of the fiesta as phone had died and it was raining. :(

05/17/2024

Last night in Porto it was dinner along the Douro river and today we took a train to the quaint little town of Caminha. When then took a ferry across the Guardiana River to cross into Spain. We stay the night in A Guarda and begin our Camino tomorrow.

05/16/2024

Arrived in Porto and the first day was jet lag and trying to stay vertical until 8pm. Today however was more energy— which is vital in a city of infinite and steep hills. Overall I’m in love with this place so far. A tour of the city, coffee and pastries and a stop at Livrario Lello, a stunningly beautiful bookstore. In the last 15 years Porto has seen an explosion of tourists and it’s seems to be a city replete with construction cranes as the city grows and takes on its role as top European destination