Photo Diary: Best of Porto, Portugal

Porto is such a gorgeous city practically every view demands to be photographed. I spent six days in this city, which was plenty to time to see many sides of it. I must say I love it more than the capital Lisbon. Something is so charming about this northern town.

McDonald's Imperial: Art Deco McDonald's in Porto

McDonald's Imperial in a landmark in Porto. Named for the majestic eagle that rests above the sign, formerly the Imperial Cafe. When Mcdonald's took over they preserved much of the structure and decor, which makes for an ironic sight: fast food amidst historic luxury. 

At this point in my life, I don't eat at McDonald's anymore, so I merely went inside to photograph and capture any culturally-specific relics. 

The first thing I noticed were the large self-ordering stations, made to look like giant smartphones. Here guests order and pay first, and pick p their purchases at the counter. No need to talk to the staff. 

Although it was extremely crowded, I still got to see the beautiful chandeliers inside, as well as the stained glass designs. 

There were even finer details in the ceiling if you take the time to look up. 

In all, this is probably one of the most interesting McDonald's locations in the world. I'm glad I got to experience the richness of Porto's architectural history...without any of the fast food calories. 

Cemetery in Porto

While the cemetery in Lisbon was super close and convenient to where we were staying, the cemetery in Porto was a bit of a trek. First we had to ride the train 10 minutes to Casa de Musica stop, then walk another 10 minutes to the entrance. 

Thankfully, I was feeling slightly better from pregnancy sickness, and  cemeteries in Portugal are a photographer’s dream, so it was well worth the trip. 

Like the one in Lisbon, this cemetery was also composed of large mausoleums, but it had dirt roads instead of stone ones, and a really eerie crematorium. This cemetery was definitely creepier and more gothic than the one in Lisbon.