Being a governing board member of the Union Internationale des Avocats between 1998 and 2011 made me travel the six continents and the seven seas. Very often, I was asked where did you come from? To my other parties surprise I would, of course, reply: I come from Porto. Excuse me, where from?
Truth is Porto, Portugal, European Union, was not very know back then. I mean, before it became the major hip European tourism destination it now is. This beautiful several centuries untouched layers of civilization (having escaped earthquakes, bombings and other similar catastrophes), have long been lively animated by a cosmopolitan fierce and friendly people, whom for centuries have built around them this city’s grandly medieval, classical, modern, contemporary and green landscapes. I was right to come back here all the time, I reckon. And I am glad that so many of you, coming from all over the world, share it with me nowadays.
For those of you whom are coming in or back and are following my wine memoirs, my Memoriavinia, I strongly recommend a romantic spot for wine and cheese match lovers, right at the heart of Porto, at Rua Ferreira Borges (almost facing the Port Wine Institute): the wine bar “Prova”, which goes by the motto: “wine, food & pleasure”. My wife Isabel and I, we’ve just had there this superb São Domingos Garrafeira, Red, 1990, Dão, Portugal. It’s just one of the changing surprise wine pearls we have had there. But as unforgettable as Porto is.
Luis Miguel Novais
