And then in one alley we stumbled across a fascinating door in a 'street'
It was a door to an exclusive hotel and João was able to get us in to take a look around.
It was built in the late 1800s early 1900s by a rich merchant importer. It is wonderfully eclectic with influences of Victorian times as well as beautiful Art Deco rooms.
On the balcony outside was a grotto with a fountain. This was a 'cool room' where people would go to enjoy natural AC.
The walls where 'tiled' with broken china pieces, supposedly from porcelain that got broken on the long perilous journey around Africa.
