Sunday afternoon and after lunch, an invitation for a train ride to Porto appears to take the children to see the Christmas tree that is set up every year right in front of the town hall on Avenida dos Aliados.
Before departure and still at the train station, I began to find a bit strange the abnormally high number of people waiting to catch the train, but by the equipment they wore quickly I came to the conclusion that it was on that Sunday that the famous Sao Silvestre do Porto race took place. .
The train arrived completely crowded, so the 30-minute trip to Porto was made on foot and there were bumps between people who took advantage of the trip to warm up.
Arriving at the S. Bento station, all the hustle and bustle resembling a festive night of popular saints or any event of greater interest was notorious.
Many people who organized themselves in small groups to go to the starting point of the race, others who simply arrived to make their normal lives on a Sunday afternoon, others who lined up to catch the next departure train, tourists everywhere , completely oblivious to the reason for so much movement, perhaps accustomed to the routines of other large European cities and capitals and beyond.
The idea was to take a short walk through the streets before heading towards the place where the Christmas tree is located, but I couldn't leave the Station without taking some pictures.
In this place there was another building, the Convent of São Bento de Avé-Maria which was completely demolished to make way for the São Bento Station, hence the name chosen.
The construction project was carried out in 1896 by the architect Marques da Silva and later opened in 1916.
Outside there is total confusion, a sea of people that moves rampant through everything that is square, street and alley.
There is no shortage of events and the program is diversified enough to please the most varied interests, but on this day, due to the race the turnout is in fact out of the ordinary.
The race completed its 26th edition this year in an environment that involved the city of Porto in a memorable start to the night.
The mythical Avenida dos Aliados is the meeting point between athletes and supporters, and in a race that has 17 thousand participants, between 10 kilometers of running and 5 kilometers of walking, you can guess the number of supporters for each participant, that's right, a lot people!
Further up and a little further away from the confusion of those who came for the race, there were all those like us who came to see the tree, but to get there we had to get on the metro and cross the avenue under the ground until we reached the other side .
After a long time spent talking and playing with the children around the tree, it was time to go back down the avenue towards the Station to catch the next train that was about to arrive.
Another moment well spent and recorded to remember later.
All photos presented in this article are my own
Thank you for watching :)