The view from Quinta da Foz

One of the benefits of working from home at Automattic is meeting up with your team a few times a year in various parts of the world. Obviously that did not happen last year, won’t happen this year either and we had been playing a meetup for April or May last year but that didn’t work out.
In November 2019 I met my team in Porto, Portugal. During the week we had a day to relax so we did a tour of vineyards. After a lengthy drive we toured a couple, took a boat ride on the local river and had a nice meal in a local restaurant. The Quinta da Foz was the second vineyard we visited and it was wonderful. Old architecture and setting mixed with new technology to make wine.

Here’s the view from the road in front looking out on a tributary of the Douro River. It’s a beautiful part of Portugal.

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera ILCE-7M3
Focal length 16mm
ISO 125
Shutter speed 1/400s

Going for a cup of cha?

You might go to this cafe in Porto, Portugal for a cup of tea. I always thought “cup o’ cha” was a Cork or Irish slang expression but a quick Google shows it used in the UK too.
In Portugese the word “chá” means tea so when I saw this cafe that sign was the first thing I noticed!

Maybe I was just thinking of Cha and Miah..

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera ILCE-7M3
Focal length 35mm
ISO 500
Shutter speed 1/500s

Social Distancing with a Locker

Porto, Portugal, November 2019. Long before SARS-CoV-2 hit Europe. Street photography feels like a forbidden art now that we are all at home and we’re not allowed on the streets in any numbers.

* You obviously should not walk around with a locker like this. STAY AT HOME!

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera ILCE-7M3
Focal length 16mm
ISO 320
Shutter speed 1/500s