Day 7 - Barcelona, Porto: Not A Good Day

I preface this day's blog with the fact that I had a fairly well-narrated blow-by-blow story of how I just-made my flight from BCN to OPO (Barcelona Spain airport to Porto, Portugal airport -- including that I got to the check-in counter only 45 minutes prior to plan departure), as I have found that drafting these blogs using the Blogger app on my phone was a good way to kill spare moments throughout the day and get some memorable details memorialized.

However, I never got to upload that draft to this blog account because... I lost my phone today.  So pissed about it.  My iPhone 5S that I barely got 4/5 months ago... lost at the airport here in Porto.  Lost in that I laid it down in either one of two different instances, and it was subsequently taken by someone else. I retraced all my steps (after taking the train ride BACK TO the airport after realizing two stops out that I was missing the phone, waiting 20 full minutes for the return train), I checked with lost and found, I checked with the airport police, I checked with the subway train security -- no phone.

Welcome to Portugal to me. I've never lost a phone before, so this is hurting big time.

Eventually got to my hotel after getting all turned around once getting of the train/subway (after re-boarding from the airport once I gave up once and for all on the phone).  After checking in and getting situated in my room, I attempted to clear my head of the lost phone negativity by going for a walk and finding that river that Porto is know for (the Douro River), and hopefully getting something to eat, something to drink, and a reason to even stay in this overcast, drizzly, hilly city.

I ended up stopping in at a place and buying a three-day pass for a hop-on/hop-off tour bus for Porto, which includes a full-day trip to the nearby cities of Braga and Guimaraes.  While I already have a hotel reservation for Saturday night in Braga, I am curious to see what it has to offer through this tour.

I probably should tone down my American-ness with some of my dining choices, but this afternoon/evening I seriously had zero interest in navigating some Portuguese food menu for a meal (after the mystery meat sandwich courtesy of TAP Portugal airlines -- pic of that thing is forever lost). Also, the language barrier is kind of a big deal here I've already found.  Quite a few people in Porto don't speak (or care to speak) English OR Spanish, so it looks like I REALLY need to study up on my basic Portuguese phrases book.  Anyway, so Mickey D's lured me in with its American familiarity.  At least in Portugal, like in Spain, you can get a beer with your combo meal,  This time a McChicken sandwich, and a Sagres beer (one of the two Portugal staple beers).

Headed back to the room for the night, with the hope of a better tomorrow.