Porto’s Avenue dos Aliados is a splendid site, and is literally on the doorstep of the InterContinental’s Palacio Das Cardosas, where we recently enjoyed stellar hospitality.

Stepping outside the hotel one morning, my eyes were drawn to this gorgeous Jaguar. The cars’ owners, who were finishing a light meal at the sidewalk cafe, had clearly seen their car admired many a time and appeared to be accepting but somewhat bored by the attention given the car.

Trying to capture this vintage car framing the statue and lovely buildings in the background, I was at first frustrated that drivers of contemporary vehicles kept entering the shot. What did they think this was, a public road?

As the vivid red, double decker sight-seeing bus pulled up to its station across the plaza, though, I gave up on the classic shot I’d been seeking, and accepted the convergence of languid diners, frazzled tourists, a vintage Jag and shiny tourist bus as  yet another example of the dichotomies of life.