Last Post from Portugal

Nice ending anyway to our trip to Portugal; the airport and appurtenant services (like the rental car) are all terrific, and there is free internet access, which is why I'm posting this now from our gate, waiting to board our flight back to Paris.

I hate to say bad things about a country after just a week, but all things considered, I don't think I'll be returning to Portugal any time soon.  The best things I can say about it are that most of the people were very friendly and helpful, and the prices are very, very low.  But the more modern parts (excepting this airport, which is fine) tend to be depressing; it is as if they imported architects from the former Soviet Union to design their buildings.  Here's a perfect example of a modern apartment building (or condo, who knows):



You have to try to imagine a whole landscape filled with these things, to get the full effect.  Then, too, it's apparent that the cities in Portugal could use a little bit of urban planning; buildings and roads seem to be thrown up with no attempt to match styles or even uses.  Perhaps in another context this could lead to something charming, but it doesn't seem to have done that in the areas we visited.

Maybe it's just that I'm still feeling sick, and having to travel while sick is a drag.  I'm just hoping the flight is on time and that we get back to our apartment in Paris soon.  Goodbye, Portugal, goodbye Porto!