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Rick B
11 Dec 2006, 04:15 PM
Ive been too busy recently to put up the photo's from the past few games, apologies about that as I know a lot of people like looking at the photo's. Ive also got some video clips on this thread too for you to watch.

So Porto, well when we got the draw I think all of us were quite happy. Many of us have never seen the club play in Portugal and we were thinking nice sunshine, nice food and nice drink on the coast..........hmmmmm. december in Porto had more damm rain than there was in London!! It hardly stopped apart from the morning of the game, and most of that morning the majority of us were recovering from the previous nights exploits!!

We flew in Monday and had a quick ride to the hotel by taxi. Made the usual calls and found where the others already in town were. A little bar down on the river that was playing rock music. I enjoyed it as one of the bartenders was a Pearl Jam fan and had quite a few live CD's of their concerts!! They also had Havana Club 7 Year rum, which doesn't makie for an early night. Thankfully on the night we arrived it was a relativly tame 4.30am.........:rolleyes:

The next day was spent wondering around the town, up the furnicular, into a Port Factory and looking at the Cathedrel (see, football fans can do culture too!!) We went back to the hotel to rest before the drinking and eating that was inevitably going to follow.......

We had a nice meal down by the river and went back to a bar to watch the Barca game, after that to a new Irish bar where we relaxed until it closed at about 1am. Choice - back to hotel, or onto Rock bar from previous night.......hmmm, hard choice!! When we arrived it was packed with everyone we knew and I can only tell you about stuff until about 4am.......we got back to the hotel at about 6am and slept it off. (Judy, Michelle and Jay are banned from posting in this thread........:D )

The day of the game we had a nice Tapas lunch before a quick drink and making our way to the stadium. I have to say it was magnificent. It was built for the Euro 2004 Championships alongside a shopping centre which was a bit surreal. The atmousphere inside the ground was great and although we expected a boring 0-0 after Porto hit the post twice it didn't do much for hearts!! Their fans were great though and we had a lone trumpeter serenading us at the end whilst we were kept in which was quite amusing, you can hear him on the video bit Ive posted.

After the game we went for a nice meal in the main square before having an early night as we had a flight at 9.30am. 3 nights well spent with a great time!!

Photo's from Porto (http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=2b1yg0gp.2y6q2dfh&x=0&y=uhslxj)

Video of Arsenal fan in Porto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZyWKqEs32k)

SLO-Gunner
11 Dec 2006, 04:54 PM
Which Port cellar did you guys visit?

GunneRy
11 Dec 2006, 04:55 PM
Ive been too busy recently to put up the photo's from the past few games, apologies about that as I know a lot of people like looking at the photo's. Ive also got some video clips on this thread too for you to watch.

So Porto, well when we got the draw I think all of us were quite happy. Many of us have never seen the club play in Portugal and we were thinking nice sunshine, nice food and nice drink on the coast..........hmmmmm. december in Porto had more damm rain than there was in London!! It hardly stopped apart from the morning of the game, and most of that morning the majority of us were recovering from the previous nights exploits!!

We flew in Monday and had a quick ride to the hotel by taxi. Made the usual calls and found where the others already in town were. A little bar down on the river that was playing rock music. I enjoyed it as one of the bartenders was a Pearl Jam fan and had quite a few live CD's of their concerts!! They also had Havana Club 7 Year rum, which doesn't makie for an early night. Thankfully on the night we arrived it was a relativly tame 4.30am.........:rolleyes:

The next day was spent wondering around the town, up the furnicular, into a Port Factory and looking at the Cathedrel (see, football fans can do culture too!!) We went back to the hotel to rest before the drinking and eating that was inevitably going to follow.......

We had a nice meal down by the river and went back to a bar to watch the Barca game, after that to a new Irish bar where we relaxed until it closed at about 1am. Choice - back to hotel, or onto Rock bar from previous night.......hmmm, hard choice!! When we arrived it was packed with everyone we knew and I can only tell you about stuff until about 4am.......we got back to the hotel at about 6am and slept it off. (Judy, Michelle and Jay are banned from posting in this thread........:D )

The day of the game we had a nice Tapas lunch before a quick drink and making our way to the stadium. I have to say it was magnificent. It was built for the Euro 2004 Championships alongside a shopping centre which was a bit surreal. The atmousphere inside the ground was great and although we expected a boring 0-0 after Porto hit the post twice it didn't do much for hearts!! Their fans were great though and we had a lone trumpeter serenading us at the end whilst we were kept in which was quite amusing, you can hear him on the video bit Ive posted.

After the game we went for a nice meal in the main square before having an early night as we had a flight at 9.30am. 3 nights well spent with a great time!!

Photo's from Porto (http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=2b1yg0gp.2y6q2dfh&x=0&y=uhslxj)

Video of Arsenal fan in Porto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZyWKqEs32k)
Thanks Rick. Good stuff.

goonsquad
11 Dec 2006, 04:57 PM
Nice pics...thanks Rick!

Rick B
11 Dec 2006, 05:00 PM
Which Port cellar did you guys visit?

Sandeman's, it was quite nice. The white Port was horrible - the ruby was really nice - so I bought some!!

rgrayson
11 Dec 2006, 07:24 PM
Nice photo's and great video Rick, thanks. Sandeman's isn't very good Port, IMO, but I did enjoy visiting it.

Schu419
11 Dec 2006, 09:06 PM
Thanks Rick, always like these reports. Hopefully I'll join you on some away sojourns in the years to come.

pongo snodgrass
12 Dec 2006, 06:15 AM
What a beautiful city and equally great stadium!!!!

SLO-Gunner
12 Dec 2006, 09:45 AM
Sandeman's, it was quite nice. The white Port was horrible - the ruby was really nice - so I bought some!!

That's really funny that you mention the white....we thought the exact same thing, and what was up with it being served at ambient temp?

Dills
12 Dec 2006, 10:28 AM
Their fans were great though and we had a lone trumpeter serenading us at the end whilst we were kept in which was quite amusing, you can hear him on the video bit Ive posted.
stupid question, so please be gentle, but why are the arsenal supporters the only ones left in the stadium? were you not allowed to leave just yet?

Catfish
12 Dec 2006, 10:33 AM
The white Port was horrible - the ruby was really nice - so I bought some!!
Good man! I agree, I tried both and white was dreadful. Thanks so much for sharing the pics with all of us. If the weather was nicer, it looks like a great city.

Rick B
12 Dec 2006, 10:59 AM
stupid question, so please be gentle, but why are the arsenal supporters the only ones left in the stadium? were you not allowed to leave just yet?

Oh boy, am I getting a rep for being too harsh!! Whoops!!

Not a stupid question at all. In Europe it's generally the rule that the away fans will be kept in anywhere from 20 mins to 2 hours after the home fans. This is to try and decrease the liklihood for violence and trouble between the two sets of fans. I think the Police missed the fact we were all happy as both teams went through!! Places like Germany it generally doesn't happen, but in Italy its needed as their fans are animals, especially Juventus and Roma and Inter. It depends on the country, but the police just use it as a tool to seperate the fans.

billyho96
12 Dec 2006, 12:22 PM
Oh boy, am I getting a rep for being too harsh!! Whoops!!

Not a stupid question at all. In Europe it's generally the rule that the away fans will be kept in anywhere from 20 mins to 2 hours after the home fans. This is to try and decrease the liklihood for violence and trouble between the two sets of fans. I think the Police missed the fact we were all happy as both teams went through!! Places like Germany it generally doesn't happen, but in Italy its needed as their fans are animals, especially Juventus and Roma and Inter. It depends on the country, but the police just use it as a tool to seperate the fans.


This habit is a particular nuisance in place like Russia where you get to stand in -5 degree weather for an extra 2 hours and the opposing fans are givin time to form a que outside the visitors exit.

Jay Clark
12 Dec 2006, 01:53 PM
Thanks Rick, always like these reports. Hopefully I'll join you on some away sojourns in the years to come.

This was my first European Away match and I must add that it is flat out brilliant fun. Although, be forewarned, trying to remain vertical at 4 am locked inside some nameless bar downing about 15 pints of Portuguese lager must be considered your idea of "fun". ;)

surfcam
12 Dec 2006, 02:16 PM
This was my first European Away match and I must add that it is flat out brilliant fun. Although, be forewarned, trying to remain vertical at 4 am locked inside some nameless bar downing about 15 pints of Portuguese lager must be considered your idea of "fun". ;)

That's my definition!

49unbeaten
12 Dec 2006, 02:35 PM
looked like a good time Rick, even tho the weather wasnt the best....and good we went through...Thanks for the pics and the video..

The Grimster
13 Dec 2006, 08:24 AM
The weather looks terrible - was anyone moaning about it?

DallasGooner
13 Dec 2006, 07:58 PM
This habit is a particular nuisance in place like Russia where you get to stand in -5 degree weather for an extra 2 hours and the opposing fans are givin time to form a que outside the visitors exit.

But it makes for fun stories here in the south

DallasGooner
13 Dec 2006, 08:00 PM
I see squirrel talked his way into another trip. Does he post here?

ArsenalTexan3
14 Dec 2006, 07:29 AM
I see squirrel talked his way into another trip. Does he post here?

He has a myspace account if you like that. :D